Announcing the 13th Annual SPSP Sexuality Pre-Conference!
September 10, 2025 by Emily Mendelson
We are thrilled to announce that the thirteenth annual SPSP Sexuality Pre-Conference will take place in Chicago on Thursday, February 26, 2026! We hope you will join us for this exciting event and invite you to submit your latest research to the program!
So what does sexuality look like today, and where is it headed? The theme of the our pre-conference is “The State of Sex.” This year’s program will explore the shifting landscapes of sex, gender, intimacy, and identity in a time of rapid social, political, and technological change. Presentations from a diverse group of scholars will address the many forms, meanings, and consequences of sexuality in contemporary life — from interpersonal relationships and sexual health to sexual diversity, cultural norms, and emerging technologies. We aim to spark interdisciplinary conversations that integrate basic and applied research, theory, and practice.
As is the case with previous years, attendees are invited to submit proposals for individual talks, data blitzes, and posters. Submissions are welcome from scholars at all career stages, using any relevant methodology, and covering any topic within sex research. Whether you study desire, identity, relationships, health, or technology, we want to hear from you. We pride ourselves on featuring scholars at many stages of their careers who come from a wide variety of disciplines.
To learn more about this event, including information on registering and/or submitting a proposal for the data blitz, poster, or symposium talk, please visit this site. Submissions are due on October 23, 2025.
If you’re already planning to attend SPSP, this is a great way to add some sex research to your program. And if you’re a sex educator, researcher, or therapist who doesn’t normally attend SPSP, this pre-conference is a great excuse to come check it out!
Although you do not need to register for the main SPSP conference in order to attend our pre-conference, we encourage you to attend both because your pre-conference attendance entitles you to a discount on registration for the main conference.
Hope to see you in Chicago this February for a fantastic day of cutting-edge sex science!
#SexAtSPSP #SPSP2026
If you have a sex question of your own, record a voicemail at speakpipe.com/sexandpsychology to have it answered on the blog or the podcast.
Want to learn more about Sex and Psychology? Click here for more from the blog or here to listen to the podcast. Follow Sex and Psychology on Facebook, Twitter (@JustinLehmiller), Bluesky, or Reddit to receive updates. You can also follow Dr. Lehmiller on YouTube and Instagram.
Image made with Canva.

Dr. Justin Lehmiller
Founder & Owner of Sex and PsychologyDr. Justin Lehmiller is a social psychologist and Research Fellow at The Kinsey Institute. He runs the Sex and Psychology blog and podcast and is author of the popular book Tell Me What You Want. Dr. Lehmiller is an award-winning educator, and a prolific researcher who has published more than 50 academic works.
Read full bio >