Debby Herbenick

Debby Herbenick is an American author, research scientist, educator, sex advice columnist, blogger, television personality, professor, and human sexuality expert in the media.^[1] She is also the president-elect of the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT).^[2]

Herbenick has published more than 90 scientific manuscripts in peer-reviewed journals and is one of the leading experts in the study of sexual behavior in the United States.^[3] She is also an expert on research related to the vagina, vulva, penis, genital self-image,^[4] women's and men's sexual behavior,^[5] women's sexuality, sexual pleasure and enhancement, exercise-induced orgasm^[6] - also known as the "coregasm", condoms,^[7] lubricants,^[8] arousal creams, and sexual stimulation devices such as vibrators, dildos, male sex toys, and other similar devices. Herbenick has spoken on these and other sexuality and relationship topics at a number of colleges, universities, and national and international conferences. She also regularly teaches human sexuality classes, among other courses, at Indiana University.

Herbenick has authored or co-authored several books including Because It Feels Good: A Woman’s Guide to Sexual Pleasure and Satisfaction, The I Love You More Book (a book about love for children and grown ups), Read My Lips: A Complete Guide to the Vagina and Vulva, Great in Bed, and Sex Made Easy: Your Awkward Questions Answered for Better, Smarter, Safer Sex. Herbenick also authored The Coregasm Workout ^[9]

Herbenick is one of the lead scientists associated with the 2009 National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior. She is also the Director of the Center for Sexual Health Promotion in the School of Public Health-Bloomington at Indiana University in Bloomington. An AASECT-certified sexuality educator, Dr. Herbenick also writes and hosts the audio podcasts for Kinsey Confidential^[10] for the Kinsey Institute.^[1]

The blog MySexProfessor.com was run by Dr. Herbenick from 2007 to 2014. She is also the founder of the Bloomington Sex Salon, a monthly event series in Bloomington, Indiana,^[11] and the Make Sex Normal project, which she launched with a highly viewed TEDx talk in 2013.^[12]

From 2005 through 2012, Herbenick wrote a weekly sex advice column for Time Out Chicago^[13] and, since 2003, she has written sex columns and blogs for Men's Health.^[14] Also, Herbenick has appeared several times as an expert in relationships and human sexuality on The Today Show, Katie Couric's television show Katie, on various PBS specials, on The Tyra Banks Show and on The Doctors, and on one occasion taught about the vulva by using a vulva puppet on Tyra. This clip resulted in millions of views on YouTube and also aired on The Soup and Best Week Ever. Dr. Herbenick, her colleague, and their research have also been profiled on an episode of the Discovery Channel's Curiosity (TV series). In 2013, Dr. Herbenick also launched a successful Kickstarter project to create a poster and postcard series called "What do you like about your vagina and vulva?" ^[15]

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