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c3Category — Gender & Reproductive Rights
Posted inromance

Did YOU Get a Mercury Reader Valentine? Check and See! 👀

You can still send a valentine to your crush through February 15!
Avatar photo Wm. Steven Humphrey

Good news, the Mercury‘s reader Valentines are back, and they’re in print and online! DID YOU GET ONE? CHECK AND SEE! That’s right, we’ve been collecting hundreds of your 150 characters love notes—many of which are crammed into our current print issue, on the streets in more than 500 spots around the city—and online right […]

Posted inromance

Mercury Clip ‘n’ Send Valentines!

Send your lover one of these Portland-centric valentines, and stay off their shit-list forever!
Avatar photo Steven Wilber

[What follows is one of the many articles in the Mercury‘s Black Innovators & Changemakers issue. Find a print copy here, subscribe to get a copy mailed to you here, and if you’re feeling generous and want to keep these types of articles coming, support us here.—eds.] Steven Wilber

Posted inNews

How a Portland-Based Psychiatrist Ended Up in the Epstein Files

The prolific sex trafficker met with and allegedly solicited help from Dr. Paul Conti to treat a young woman in his inner circle.
Avatar photo Courtney Vaughn

In 2015, a Portland-based psychiatrist wrote a curious email to Jeffrey Epstein. “Jeffrey, I found the time spent with you to be enjoyable and fascinating, and I appreciate your hospitality.” The email came from Dr. Paul M. Conti, a psychiatrist and author in Portland who’s been praised by clients like Lady Gaga and Tommy Hilfiger […]

Posted inromance

Submit a FREE Mercury Reader’s Valentine for Your Sweetie!

Or friend, or sex pal, or pet… that’s up to you!
Avatar photo Wm. Steven Humphrey

Are you in love? In lust? In a complicated situationship that started because of a drunken and convenient New Year’s Eve kiss, but now you’re ready to take things to the next level by publicly declaring your adoration in the permanency of newsprint? Good news, the Mercury‘s reader Valentines are back, and NOW is the […]

Posted inHUMP!

Annoucing the Winners of the HUMP! 2025 Fall Lineup!

Featuring your votes for the best sexy, hilarious, and cool flicks of the HUMP! film festival.
Avatar photo Dan Savage

This year, HUMP! did two big things, so big your ex would absolutely be jealous. We celebrated our 20th anniversary and wrapped up another unforgettable festival season fueled by brave filmmakers, curious audiences, and more than a few collective gasps. Across packed theaters and streaming screens, the 2025 lineup brought the heat, the heart, and the unexpected. These […]

Posted inDating

Strangers in the Nights

How two singles nights are changing the way Portlanders are finding love, friendship, and hookups.
Avatar photo Ben Coleman

“Have you ever fallen for someone you weren’t initially attracted to?” asks a large laminated flashcard in the center of a tastefully distressed wood table. The table is in the back corner of the “music room” of the SoHo House member’s club, itself located in a fashionably distressed brick building hidden away in Southeast Portland. […]

Posted inNews

Seattle Area Trans Women Are Being Attacked by Groups of Men

Portland bias crime data shows similar trends, with LGBTQ+ people at higher risk of assault by men.
Avatar photo Vivian McCall

This story was first published in The Stranger. Warning: This story contains descriptions of violence. “Go to Pony, go to Pony, go to Pony—there’s more people there,” said a frantic woman as she approached Madison Carstens and her friends next to the Maserati dealership on 12th and Union Street in Seattle. Six or seven young […]

Posted inSavage Love

SAVAGE LOVE: Making the Upgrade

“I’m not comfortable having sex or even talking to guys unless I’m drunk or high.”
Avatar photo Dan Savage

I hate to admit this, but I have a hard time feeling comfortable having sex or even talking to guys unless I’m drunk or high. I’m a trans man. I’m a sexual assault survivor. Admittedly, I’m also a bit insecure about myself. And while I’ve been in therapy for years, I don’t feel I’m making […]

Posted inSavage Love

SAVAGE LOVE: Bad Romance

Breaking: Not all lesbians have gotten the memo that oral is part of the job description.
Avatar photo Dan Savage

I’m an early 40s lesbian in the Vegas area and I’m sorry to report that not all lesbians have gotten the memo that oral comes standard. I have faced this issue since I began dating. I’ve met many women who require creativity and persistence to come — and you know what? It’s my pleasure. I’m […]

Posted inSavage Love

SAVAGE LOVE: Quickies!

Get your sexy problems fixed lickety-split with this edition of Savage Love: Quickies!
Avatar photo Dan Savage

1. How do I ensure an HSV-2-positive new partner is taking their meds to reduce transmission risk? In a high-trust relationship, you trust your partner to take their meds. In a low-trust relationship, you insist your partner take their meds in front of you or send you a video of them taking their meds.  2. […]

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