Rachel Thompson is the Features Editor at Mashable. Based in the UK, Rachel writes about sex, relationships, and online culture. She has been a sex and dating writer for a decade and she is the author of Rough (Penguin Random House, 2021). She is currently working on her second non-fiction book.
Rachel's first book Rough – a non-fiction investigation into sexual violence and systems of oppression – was published by Penguin Random House in 2021. Stylist magazine called Rough "2021’s most important book about sex" and you can read an extract of the book on Mashable. Rachel contributed an essay titled "Choosing Myself" to Unattached, an anthology of 30 essays about singlehood, published by Penguin Random House in 2022. You can read an extract from "Choosing Myself" on Mashable.
Rachel has also written for The Guardian, GQ, The Sunday Times, British Glamour, ELLE, Stylist, The Daily Telegraph, CNN, HuffPost, The Face and many more. You can find her on Twitter and Instagram.
![A stop road sign on an orange background.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/03o24A40OtY2lL7Z5v9CPK0/hero-image.fill.size_220x133.v1623390666.png)
![A stop road sign on an orange background.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/03o24A40OtY2lL7Z5v9CPK0/hero-image.fill.size_220x220.v1623390666.png)
![A woman cuddles up to her male partner, who holds a cute dog in his arms.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/04mOT7CCtpywLCWMcEchG8G/hero-image.fill.size_220x133.v1712921496.jpg)
![A woman cuddles up to her male partner, who holds a cute dog in his arms.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/04mOT7CCtpywLCWMcEchG8G/hero-image.fill.size_220x220.v1712921496.jpg)
![Two female friends looking happy together.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/00NkpVLAxQJMCCO0HZn0cyz/hero-image.fill.size_220x133.v1611616131.jpg)
![Two female friends looking happy together.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/00NkpVLAxQJMCCO0HZn0cyz/hero-image.fill.size_220x220.v1611616131.jpg)
![Pink hearts on a black background](https://cdn.statically.io/img/helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/016gWrnWNVmbLdS2v94tenN/hero-image.fill.size_220x133.v1623388666.jpg)
![Pink hearts on a black background](https://cdn.statically.io/img/helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/016gWrnWNVmbLdS2v94tenN/hero-image.fill.size_220x220.v1623388666.jpg)
![Bumble dating app logo on the App Store is seen displayed on a phone screen](https://cdn.statically.io/img/helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/03xU8kT9oX60lmqyTMPHMiI/hero-image.fill.size_220x133.v1707133959.jpg)
![Bumble dating app logo on the App Store is seen displayed on a phone screen](https://cdn.statically.io/img/helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/03xU8kT9oX60lmqyTMPHMiI/hero-image.fill.size_220x220.v1707133959.jpg)
![Illustration of a cliquey group of people looking at a self-conscious looking person.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/01ov1AdsBOZjGYryEhSMJVe/hero-image.fill.size_220x133.v1623388805.jpg)
![Illustration of a cliquey group of people looking at a self-conscious looking person.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/01ov1AdsBOZjGYryEhSMJVe/hero-image.fill.size_220x220.v1623388805.jpg)
![Illustration of a woman blowing herself a kiss in a mirror.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/04yAuQyrlht35cOeeW17qh6/hero-image.fill.size_220x133.v1623388205.jpg)
![Illustration of a woman blowing herself a kiss in a mirror.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/04yAuQyrlht35cOeeW17qh6/hero-image.fill.size_220x220.v1623388205.jpg)
![Illustration of a woman surrounded by text bubbles with dating opening lines.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/02RYhCeNXDDTchhTA6QV6mM/hero-image.fill.size_220x133.v1623368133.jpg)
![Illustration of a woman surrounded by text bubbles with dating opening lines.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/02RYhCeNXDDTchhTA6QV6mM/hero-image.fill.size_220x220.v1623368133.jpg)
![Illustration of a woman kissing a gingerbread person.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/04IDt2TWO8G4mihyKkgqzts/hero-image.fill.size_220x133.v1611614518.jpg)
![Illustration of a woman kissing a gingerbread person.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/04IDt2TWO8G4mihyKkgqzts/hero-image.fill.size_220x220.v1611614518.jpg)
![A person holds a paper heart with a rip down the middle, with a Christmas tree in the background.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/07qclr1bpSk5y9ZPMUBco98/hero-image.fill.size_220x133.v1671760474.jpg)
![A person holds a paper heart with a rip down the middle, with a Christmas tree in the background.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/07qclr1bpSk5y9ZPMUBco98/hero-image.fill.size_220x220.v1671760474.jpg)
![A composite of Kylie Minogue in the Padam Padam music video, Jennifer Coolidge in the White Lotus, and Beyonce performing at the Renaissance World Tour.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/02govDUueR6rfpDWsxKhjAE/hero-image.fill.size_220x133.v1703072592.jpg)
![A composite of Kylie Minogue in the Padam Padam music video, Jennifer Coolidge in the White Lotus, and Beyonce performing at the Renaissance World Tour.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/02govDUueR6rfpDWsxKhjAE/hero-image.fill.size_220x220.v1703072592.jpg)
![Illustration of a man and woman both holding up half of an oversized pink heart, shaped like a jigsaw puzzle piece.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/05ZfnwLJM6rXAlwdlkyRRVV/hero-image.fill.size_220x133.v1701689833.jpg)
![Illustration of a man and woman both holding up half of an oversized pink heart, shaped like a jigsaw puzzle piece.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/05ZfnwLJM6rXAlwdlkyRRVV/hero-image.fill.size_220x220.v1701689833.jpg)
![Gordon (PATRICK BRAMMALL), Ashley (HARRIET DYER) lie on a sofa next to a dog named Colin.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/022fCoCTghIB4CCiH7kTabj/hero-image.fill.size_220x133.v1688639730.jpg)
![Gordon (PATRICK BRAMMALL), Ashley (HARRIET DYER) lie on a sofa next to a dog named Colin.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/022fCoCTghIB4CCiH7kTabj/hero-image.fill.size_220x220.v1688639730.jpg)
![An Illustration that shows a sad woman crying while hugging a human-sized phone.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/027cnFb5W7LP56z8uX3uuGc/hero-image.fill.size_220x133.v1697210749.jpg)
![An Illustration that shows a sad woman crying while hugging a human-sized phone.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/027cnFb5W7LP56z8uX3uuGc/hero-image.fill.size_220x220.v1697210749.jpg)
![A genderfluid person wears a ruff to resemble Orlando, the hero/heroine from Virginia Woolf's 1928 novel of the same name.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/videos/00J0DkuMIPThKszi98TDQ2O/hero-image.fill.size_220x133.v1696591322.png)
![A genderfluid person wears a ruff to resemble Orlando, the hero/heroine from Virginia Woolf's 1928 novel of the same name.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/videos/00J0DkuMIPThKszi98TDQ2O/hero-image.fill.size_220x220.v1696591322.png)
![Illustration of a woman who is single by choice.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/07kmlotmZ382ay4MCuXrIbi/hero-image.fill.size_220x133.v1623390923.jpg)
![Illustration of a woman who is single by choice.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/07kmlotmZ382ay4MCuXrIbi/hero-image.fill.size_220x220.v1623390923.jpg)
![Illustration of a person with a broken heart.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/072Ux6H48yVfsDNRkiXb7CU/hero-image.fill.size_220x133.v1636362609.jpg)
![Illustration of a person with a broken heart.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/072Ux6H48yVfsDNRkiXb7CU/hero-image.fill.size_220x220.v1636362609.jpg)
![a triptych of screenshots showing the blocking process on the Tinder app](https://cdn.statically.io/img/helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/07toG9JFZvS6GraJhoBm7gF/hero-image.fill.size_220x133.v1627310108.jpg)
![a triptych of screenshots showing the blocking process on the Tinder app](https://cdn.statically.io/img/helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/07toG9JFZvS6GraJhoBm7gF/hero-image.fill.size_220x220.v1627310108.jpg)
![An illustration of a standing woman looking at a smartphone.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/075oPvUXWwTvzdzx5luJibx/hero-image.fill.size_220x133.v1623372528.jpg)
![An illustration of a standing woman looking at a smartphone.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/075oPvUXWwTvzdzx5luJibx/hero-image.fill.size_220x220.v1623372528.jpg)
![Illustration of a woman wearing sunglasses and lighting a cigarette.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/01oGVJWuJ4iBEQIF2js0wyq/hero-image.fill.size_220x133.v1623391503.jpg)
![Illustration of a woman wearing sunglasses and lighting a cigarette.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/01oGVJWuJ4iBEQIF2js0wyq/hero-image.fill.size_220x220.v1623391503.jpg)
![A couple kisses on a subway train while the man reaches his hand out to a stranger nearby](https://cdn.statically.io/img/helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/04Hf3UNsHCVOKIGG0NPxDfj/hero-image.fill.size_220x133.v1612893684.jpg)
![A couple kisses on a subway train while the man reaches his hand out to a stranger nearby](https://cdn.statically.io/img/helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/04Hf3UNsHCVOKIGG0NPxDfj/hero-image.fill.size_220x220.v1612893684.jpg)
![The Instagram app logo on a black blurred background](https://cdn.statically.io/img/helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/024MGvo2ulkDt6A4opmpH3t/hero-image.fill.size_220x133.v1688398476.jpg)
![The Instagram app logo on a black blurred background](https://cdn.statically.io/img/helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/024MGvo2ulkDt6A4opmpH3t/hero-image.fill.size_220x220.v1688398476.jpg)
![Various emoji, including the eggplant and peach emojis.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/03DLKjWJKBPYnRqtLxmSQ25/hero-image.fill.size_220x133.v1611613687.jpg)
![Various emoji, including the eggplant and peach emojis.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/03DLKjWJKBPYnRqtLxmSQ25/hero-image.fill.size_220x220.v1611613687.jpg)