

For those of you who are college graduates, what I'm about to share may serve as a walk down memory lane. And for those who are about to go (or are currently enrolled), please take it as a bit of a cautionary tale.
Whenever the topic of college, as it specifically relates to sex ever comes up, I usually say that it reminds me of really wack free hotel situation. In most cases, there's barely any dating going on. Typically, you like some guy and he likes you (and I even use "like" loosely), then either after getting tipsy at some party or talking for a couple of hours on the phone, one of you walks over to the other's dorm, has sex and probably doesn't even spend the night.
Lordy, lord. Although I took heed to some wise advice my freshman year (something along the lines of avoid having sex on the yard as much as possible), minus my late fiancé, I had three other partners while I was in school. For one guy, in particular, I walked clear across campus, 80 percent of the time, to get it on with him. Right. He didn't even come pick me up (and yes, he had a car). One of my male besties (to this day)? There was a chick who used to call him and (get this) plead to come over and give him fellatio. Sometimes I'd be in his room and he'd literally say, "OK, but hurry up because I've got plans later." SMDH.
College sex, boy. All that freedom yet oftentimes not enough self-esteem or self-awareness to know what to do with it.
Thankfully, God willing, you start to live a little more life and your standards and expectations begin to shift—greatly so. Now that I am in my mid-40s, I can promise you this: The trash talking, quickie sex and low bars that I used to settle for aren't even a bleep on my radar. My fellow Black sistahs, please hear me and hear me good. Whether you're in your early 20s, my age or older, allow me a moment to share with you the kind of sex you should always expect—with no hesitations or apologies; the kind of qualities that grown women have learned to fully and consistently expect.
Passionate
I'm a passionate person. Unapologetically so. And if there's one thing that was a total non-negotiable back when I was gettin' some (click here to read about where I'm currently at on the sex tip), it's that my partner had to be passionate too. Personally, I prefer a man to be that way across the board, but since we're talking about sex right now—deep kisses, face holding, verbally expressive…intense, erotic and even lust-filled in the sense of having a strong sexual appetite and being extremely enthusiastic (almost as if it's the first time) every time we're together. Whew chile. Grown women know exactly what I talk about. A passionate lover rarely disappoints. That's why this trait tops the list.
Creative
I'm a Gemini and if you know anything about us, you know that a signature trait is we tend to get bored fairly easily; that's why a lot of us are able to thrive and succeed in a creative space. But I think that when it comes to sex, all grown women would agree that a man who approaches it from the headspace of being originative and inspired is the kind of man who not only catches but keeps our attention.
You know what I'm talkin' about. A man who wants to try new positions. A man who initiates exploring the less sought-after erogenous zones. A man who doesn't settle for how good sex was the last time; that's in the past. He is all about outdoing himself the next time. A creative man doesn't have to be the biggest or even the best ever. The mere fact that he constantly seeks to bring something new and sexy to the table makes him a winner in a grown woman's book.
Fulfilling
Back when I was in college, there's a guy that I used to fantasize about all of the time. He was a deep dark chocolate. His body was muscular perfection. His smile was radiant. Oh, that man was fine. Little did I know that he had an interest in me too and so, after about four semesters, we decided to hook up. Unfortunately, what I created in my mind isn't what went down. He was so busy trying to show off all of his tricks that I felt like he was trying to turn me into his handy little contortionist than actually checking to see if I was enjoying the sex or not.
I was in my early 20s at the time, so I didn't stop him to tell him how wack he was. But bae-bay, let a man try that foolishness now and see what happens. I don't care how much a man thinks he knows about sex or has decided in his mind that he's blowing my mind, if I'm not satisfied by the experience, I am not impressed nor appreciative.
Grown women want to be fulfilled. Not once in a while. Constantly. In order for that to happen, a man has to be interested in what we want; not just willing to give what he thinks we will like. Oh, and if he's grown too, he won't want us to fake it to please his ego. If the climaxes ain't real, he'll keep trying until they are.
Emotionally Mature
Emotional maturity is such an attractive trait when it's applied in any room of the house. But the way that it translates into bedroom action is emotionally mature people act responsibly (they use birth control); they are flexible (they're open to exploring new things that they wouldn't normally consider on their own); they are non-judgmental (about their partner's sexual past); they take a realistic approach to things (sex doesn't look like it does in the movies; it takes time to feel and figure your partner out) and they know that there's more to a healthy relationship than off-the-charts sex. Therefore, when they aren't getting everything they want outside of the bedroom, they are (yep) emotionally mature enough to let the sex go.
Reciprocal
"Reciprocal" is such a great word. It means mutual. It means matching. It means equivalent. It means complementary. It means give-and-take. When you have a partner who reciprocates the energy, effort and time that you're putting into sex, it's hard to imagine it not being good. Shoot, better than that. A reciprocating partner is not comfortable with only gettin' theirs. They don't want you to be the only one who initiates, comes up with creative things to do or shows how romantic sex can be. If you take things up a notch, they are gonna try to outdo you in the very best ways possible because the last thing they want you to get out of bed thinking to yourself is, "I can think of at least 10 other things that would've satisfied me more than this guy."
When you're young, sometimes all you care about is size and maybe technique. When you're older, while those factor in, when you're able to find a man who is consumed with familiarizing himself with your body and conforming himself to the point where, as India.Arie once sang in the song "Brown Skin", "I don't know where yours begins, I can't tell where mine ends"—that's when you know you've got a winner regardless.
(Fun fact about size: The most intense nerve endings in our vagina is in the first two inches of its opening and the average size of a man's erect penis is 5". So yeah, focus on the reciprocal more than a man's size. I'm fairly certain that you'll get better sex if you do.)
Consistent
It's no secret that Beverly Hills, 90210 (the original one that is about to premiere somewhat of a reboot soon) was one of my favorite shows back in the day. Sometimes, while I'm writing these articles, I'll catch some of the reruns that still come on. I remember that one time, Kelly was talking about the best kissers she's ever had. She told her friends that, "Colin wins for intensity and Brandon wins for consistency, but nothing is like that night at the cove with Dylan." (Sigh. RIP Luke Perry.) You know what's funny? While some of y'all would take Colin (intensity) or Dylan (most memorable), my ears perked up at Brandon!
Think about it for a sec. Would you prefer a man who makes you climb the walls on your birthday and Christmas or someone who made sure you had at least an 8 (on the orgasm scale of 1-10) climax each and every time?
I've been with men who I had a really great experience with, a couple of times (even though we had sex more than twice). I've also been with men who, I knew what I was getting each and every time, and while it might not be a "Dylan", it was definitely a "Brandon". I was gonna be pleased and it was gonna be good. Maybe not always an A+ night but never ever below a B. NOT. EVER. I am cool with that; especially the older that I get.
Private
For the record, private and sneaky are not the same thing. If you and your partner are sneaking around, it's probably because you have something to hide. Be careful. Although secrets can be quite seductive, sometimes they can come with consequences that you're not totally prepared for. Private, on the other hand, is about wanting certain things to be sacred. It's about not needing to always give a, pardon the pun, blow by blow, even to your closest friends. It's about being totally OK with intimacy being and remaining, well, intimate. It's about enjoying the fact that a part of what makes sex so special is that it's between you and your partner only. If you want to keep it that way, even outside of the bedroom (or wherever you do it), that's OK. Totally.
Grown women? If they are married, the only details you might get is the sly grin on their face whenever their husband's name comes up. If they are single, you might not even know they've been having sex…until after the relationship/situationship is over.
There's no real rhyme or reason really. You just weren't the one they were involved with. Simple as that.
REAL
Why did I decide to end this thing with the word "real"? It's because real things revolve around truth and facts. A grown woman doesn't factor in how she feels about her sex life and her sex partner without taking the truth and facts about the situation into total account. She looks at the truth of what she and he are feeling. She accepts the facts of what comes along with the sex acts that she participates in. She doesn't fake orgasms, she doesn't do what makes her feel uncomfortable and she also doesn't automatically think that just because the sex is great that the relationship is healthy. She even takes in the truth and facts when it comes to how physical intimacy affects the matters of the heart too.
A grown woman knows that real sex is the best sex and she doesn't settle for less.
Just like a grown woman should.
Featured image by Getty Images
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It's kinda wild that, in 2025, my byline will have appeared on this platform for (what?!) seven years. And yeah, when I'm not waxing poetic on here about sex, relationships and then...more sex and relationships, I am working as a certified marriage life coach, helping to birth babies (as a doula) or penning for other places (oftentimes under pen names).
As some of you know, something that I've been "threatening" to do for a few years now is write another book. Welp, October 2024 was the month that I "gave birth" to my third one: 'Inside of Me 2.0: My Story. With a 20-Year Lens'. It's fitting considering I hit a milestone during the same year.
Beyond that, Pumas and lip gloss are still my faves along with sweatshirts and tees that have a pro-Black message on them. I've also started really getting into big ass unique handbags and I'm always gonna have a signature scent that ain't nobody's business but my own.
As far as where to find me, I continue to be MIA on the social media front and I honestly don't know if that will ever change. Still, if you need to hit me up about something *that has nothing to do with pitching on the site (I'm gonna start ignoring those emails because...boundaries)*, hit me up at missnosipho@gmail.com. I'll do what I can. ;)
Eva Marcille On Starring In 'Jason’s Lyric Live' & Being An Audacious Black Woman
Eva Marcille has taken her talents to the stage. The model-turned-actress is starring in her first play, Jason’s Lyric Live alongside Allen Payne, K. Michelle, Treach, and others.
The play, produced by Je’Caryous Johnson, is an adaptation of the film, which starred Allen Payne as Jason and Jada Pinkett Smith as Lyric. Allen reprised his role as Jason for the play and Eva plays Lyric.
While speaking to xoNecole, Eva shares that she’s a lot like the beloved 1994 character in many ways. “Lyric is so me. She's the odd flower. A flower nonetheless, but definitely not a peony,” she tells us.
“She's not the average flower you see presented, and so she reminds me of myself. I'm a sunflower, beautiful, but different. And what I loved about her character then, and even more so now, is that she was very sure of herself.
"Sure of what she wanted in life and okay to sacrifice her moments right now, to get what she knew she deserved later. And that is me. I'm not an instant gratification kind of a person. I am a long game. I'm not a sprinter, I'm a marathon.
America first fell in love with Eva when she graced our screens on cycle 3 of America’s Next Top Model in 2004, which she emerged as the winner. Since then, she's ventured into different avenues, from acting on various TV series like House of Payne to starring on Real Housewives of Atlanta.
Je-Caryous Johnson Entertainment
Eva praises her castmates and the play’s producer, Je’Caryous for her positive experience. “You know what? Je’Caryous fuels my audacity car daily, ‘cause I consider myself an extremely audacious woman, and I believe in what I know, even if no one else knows it, because God gave it to me. So I know what I know. That is who Je’Caryous is.”
But the mom of three isn’t the only one in the family who enjoys acting. Eva reveals her daughter Marley has also caught the acting bug.
“It is the most adorable thing you can ever see. She’s got a part in her school play. She's in her chorus, and she loves it,” she says. “I don't know if she loves it, because it's like, mommy does it, so maybe I should do it, but there is something about her.”
Overall, Eva hopes that her contribution to the role and the play as a whole serves as motivation for others to reach for the stars.
“I want them to walk out with hope. I want them to re-vision their dreams. Whatever they were. Whatever they are. To re-see them and then have that thing inside of them say, ‘You know what? I'm going to do that. Whatever dream you put on the back burner, go pick it up.
"Whatever dream you've accomplished, make a new dream, but continue to reach for the stars. Continue to reach for what is beyond what people say we can do, especially as [a] Black collective but especially as Black women. When it comes to us and who we are and what we accept and what we're worth, it's not about having seen it before. It's about knowing that I deserve it.”
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
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Feature image by Leon Bennett/WireImage
We don’t get to choose the order we’re born into, but it’s wild how much it can shape who we become. Though birth order may seem like an inconsequential family fun fact, it can influence how we move, love, lead, and even how we see ourselves. Whether you're the dependable oldest, the often-overlooked middle child, the free-spirited baby in the family, or the only child who grew up as their own best friend, there's a chance a few of your core personality traits are tied to the role you played growing up.
Eldest Daughter Syndrome had its viral moment online last year, and for good reason. The term gave language to the silent pressures so many eldest daughters tend to carry as a result of their birth order. Beyond that very needed conversation, birth order as a whole can offer insight into not only our traits and tendencies, but also how we show up in life, love, and even our work.
Below, we’re breaking down the traits most commonly associated with each birth order. Keep reading to learn what your birth order might say about you.
If you are the oldest...
Let's be real, being the firstborn often comes with a lot of responsibility. And it's usually not by choice. From early on, they’re the ones who set the tone, carry the weight, and take on the title of "the responsible one." Because of that, they often grow into reliable, high-achieving adults. But the pressure of being "the blueprint" and the one to "lead by example" can also be a heavy burden to bear.
Oldest child traits may look like:
- Natural leaders that take charge even when they didn’t mean to (read: she's bossy, but keeping it cute)
- High standards (for yourself and everyone else)
- Motivated, goal-oriented, and always chasing that next accomplishment
- Reliable and conscientious
- Perfectionist tendencies that can lead to burnout
- Struggles with being controlling or micromanaging
- Often cautious, craving stability over spontaneity
- Finds it hard to rest or ask for help
If you are the middle child...
In the grand scheme of the birth order lineup, the middle child can be the quiet MVPs. As the child who falls in the order "in-between," they’re used to being the one who keeps the peace while also fighting to stand out. But being the “in-between” can also mean feeling overlooked or forgotten. In some families, especially ones with toxic dynamics, the middle child may even take on the role of the "black sheep," while their siblings are seen as the golden children. Still, despite (or maybe because of) that, middle children tend to thrive socially and can read a room like the back of their hand.
Middle child traits may include:
- Top-tier peacemakers who can smooth over almost any situation
- Adaptable and easygoing (even when they’re lowkey screaming inside)
- Often feel overlooked or like they have to do the most to be seen
- People-pleasers who put everyone else first
- Social butterflies and community-minded, with strong friendships outside the family
- Can be rebellious when they feel boxed in
- Thrive when they’re allowed to define success on their own terms
- The ultimate go-between, translating vibes between generations, personalities, and moods
If you are the youngest...
The baby of the family walks through life knowing how to charm, persuade, and perform. They often grow up with more freedom and fewer expectations, which fuels their adventurous and carefree side. But that same freedom can sometimes lead to entitlement, or a tendency to seek validation by being the "fun one."
Youngest child traits might include:
- Social butterflies who light up a room and don’t mind the spotlight
- Natural charmers, funny, flirtatious, and usually down for anything
- Can be a little self-centered or attention-seeking (but you still love them for it)
- Tend to keep things uncomplicated… unless they’re not getting their way
- Known to be manipulative when trying to get what they want
- Free-spirited and bold in their choices
- Often underestimated, but capable of big things when they focus
- Thrive in spaces that let them express, explore, and be a little extra
If you are the only child...
Only children can be the ultimate "one woman show" as they are often a mix of all the birth orders rolled into one. Without siblings, they learn to entertain themselves, advocate for their needs, and navigate adult conversations early. That independence can make them magnetic, mature, and deeply introspective, but it also comes with a deep craving for validation and control.
Only child traits can include:
- Mature and wise beyond their years, often viewed as old souls
- Conscientious and responsible, usually the go-to person in their circle
- Seek approval and validation more than they let on
- Natural leaders with big ideas and even bigger plans
- Can be sensitive and deeply affected by criticism
- Prefer structure, routines, and control (sometimes to a fault)
- Like things done their way (and don’t love compromising)
- Thrive in solitude but still want to feel seen and celebrated
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