Sarah Barmak's book Closer: Notes From the Orgasmic Frontier of Female Sexuality, published by Coach House, was named one of the Best Books of 2016 by four major Canadian media organizations. The Globe and Mail called it "an incredibly insightful exploration of female pleasure," and legendary director Mary Harron called it "sharp and funny and well-researched and elegantly written."

Barmak writes for The Walrus magazine, including a 2018 cover story on consent and #MeToo that was shortlisted for the Allan Slaight Prize, and she has contributed to New York Magazine's "The Cut," The Hairpin, Maclean's, The Toronto Star and many others. She teaches at The Fellowship in Global Journalism at The University of Toronto's Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy in Toronto, Canada. She also teaches a sexuality workshop called "The Sex Myth Detox." She is currently researching a new book on sexual consent.