SYDNEY — In the soft afternoon light, men and women huddle in groups, their images reflected in floor-to-ceiling mirrors. Some kiss. Some fondle one another. Some touch fingertips, tension sizzling.

At Cosmopolitan, we respect the sex scene. We watch them, we make lists of our favorites, we argue about which are hottest. We know what makes a scene scream and what makes us cringe (for example, ...