Dear Reader,

Here at Cipher, we know good sex. We definitely know how to pick someone up, to make it happen, and then certainly we know what to do when it is happening. But we thought we’d reach out to our writers just to make sure they know too.

Here’s what we found. No matter what Carrie Bradshaw says, there is no such thing as universally “good sex,” or even a solid definition of what sex is. Our writers find themselves turned on by everything from reading Sally Rooney in the Apple store to something as simple as sitting still under their own bedsheets. And we couldn’t help but wonder…why is everyone writing about bruises and referencing Sex and the City?

There’s more to sex than “good sex” too. Our relationships to our bodies (how they look, what they like and don’t like) are filled with shame and reverence. Our writers for this issue have generously opened themselves up to us — their mouths, legs, minds — in a way that makes us feel that talking about sex doesn’t seem so scary after all.

Everyone has a secret; something about themselves sexually that they dread telling their friends and partners. But when we tell each other our secrets, when we speak them into the air around us, their looming importance deflates in our minds. The more we confess, the more people know how to care for us, the more they say “wait, me too.”

One of our writers told us “I don’t have qualms about holding this back from people,” a sentiment echoed in many of the pieces in this issue. There is a pervading sense that these pieces are talking to one another in secret, perhaps stealing a kiss between the pages. We hope Tease inspires you to talk frankly and openly about sex with your partners, friends, and maybe even your mom.

Happy teasing!

Cipher <3