Topic: sexual health

I’m Getting An IUD Today (And I’m Going To Tweet About It)

Today is a big day for me. I’m going to duck out of work early, have my boyfriend drive me to Planned Parenthood, and get a copper IUD inserted. Because it is time, because it is the smart thing to do (while I still have some semblance of coverage, thanks to Take Charge), and because I talk a lot about how the silence and shame surrounding birth control is stupid and harmful to women. Basically, I’m putting my money where my cervix is. Today. More »

Please Stop Acting Surprised That Women Buy Vibrators

Today, the Daily Mail “reported” that the sale of sex toys is way up and that tons of women own them. Immediately, media outlets rushed in to try to figure out what the secret was. Is it because vibrators are on TV a lot more? Could it be the economy? Or, could it be because women aren’t getting married anymore? Are Rabbits replacing men, like on that episode of Sex and the City?! Surely, there must be some explanation! And there is. The explanation is that women like to masturbate just as much as men, and there are tools to help them do it, so they’re buying them. Case closed. More »

Poll: IUD Horror Stories Terrify Me–Are They Bad For Women?

I have made it clear on this very website that I’m still pretty sure I don’t want to have children, which means that, until someone will perform a tubal ligation on my young, young fallopian tubes, I am either chained to expensive and burdensome birth control, or I need to invest in an IUD. But just when I start to think “Say! An IUD would be a lot cheaper and easier for my uninsured self than these god-forsaken patches!” someone (in this case, Buzzfeed) runs another tale of an IUD gone amok and makes me reconsider. Are IUD horror stories ruining a perfectly awesome form of birth control for women like me, or am I right to be nervous about this form of contraception?

Sorry! This poll is now closed.

In Bed With Body-Image: Ducky Doolittle On How Sucky Self-Esteem Can Ruin Your Sex Life

There are a lot of reasons why sex can be not-great. An unhealthy relationship is one. An uncomfortable bike seat is another. But according to author, speaker, and general sexual oracle and body-positivity hero Ducky Doolittle, one of the biggest libido killers for women isn’t an outside force–it’s an inner voice that has been peeping in our ears since we were kids. In an era where poor body image plagues many of us, it’s difficult to have a healthy, fulfilling, great sex life. More »

Why Our Vaginas Hate Bike Seats And What To Do About It

To any woman out there who has spent more time fidgeting around on the bike seat during spin class or on a road ride in an attempt to calm that screaming vagina, we feel your pain. Biking can be pure torture on our lady parts. Up until now, studies about the hazards of biking and sexual health have been primarily focused on men and the link to erectile dysfunction, but alas, someone has recognized that the other half of the population has suffering genitals too. And good news–there is something we can do about it. More »

“Corgasms” Are Real: Study Confirms That Women Do Get Off While Working Out

About every two years or so, the internet is awash with anecdotes and articles about the illusive, unfortunately-named unicorn known colloquially as the “coregasm,” which is what it is called when a woman reaches orgasm during exercise. It seems to have started in 2007 with Men’s Health Magazine (of all places), but has since been revisited by MSNBC, and, a few years later, Women’s Health. Also, lots of blogs. Personal trainers have sworn it exists, curmudgeonly doctors have scratched their heads (what? There’s a female orgasm? That can’t be right…)–but now, finally, someone has studied it. And it’s real, according to actual researchers at Indiana State University. More »

New York Times’ Latest Yoga Scandal Piece Outlines ‘Obvious’ Yoga-Philandering Link

William J. Broad adroitly incited 2012′s biggest yoga controversy last month with a New York Times article called “How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body.” Now, it seems he and the times are milking his shit-stirring ability with yet another inflammatory article: “Yoga and Sex Scandals: No Surprise Here.” Pegged to the scandal surrounding John Friend and Anusara yoga, the new article details why all of us are ignorant for being shocked that yoga attracts philanderers. More »

Komen Foundation Ends Planned Parenthood Partnership, Making Me Choose Between My Breasts And Uterus

In a supremely disappointing decision, the Susan G. Komen Foundation has decided to discontinue any and all ties to Planned Parenthood. The Komen Foundation is the nation’s leading fundraiser for breast cancer research, but they’re also a leading supporter of Planned Parenthood: According to NPR, their decision will effectively dry up hundreds of thousands of critical dollars for sexual and reproductive healthcare for women in need. More »

Alcohol Makes Everyone Want Unsafe Sex (Not Just Irresponsible Sluts)

A new study says that alcohol consumption ups your chances of having unsafe sex…It’s not rocket science, but it could help clear up some misconceptions about the “kind” of people who forego condoms and spread HIV and other STDs. In the past, people have questioned whether it’s alcohol, or the personalities of the people drinking the alcohol, that make for irresponsible mating. But researchers at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health say pretty much anyone who’s had more than four or five drinks is more likely to have unsafe sex. More »

What We're Reading:

Does The World Really Need Bacon-Flavored Lube?

Alright, J&D’s Foods, makers of Bacon Salt and manufacturers of America’s bizarre obsession with smoked, fried pork. It’s time we had a talk about your willingness to give your fans what they asked for. More specifically, your willingness to create this bacon-flavored lube. More »

Sex (Re)Ed: 5 Ways That Otherwise Smart People Use Condoms Incorrectly

Yesterday, I wrote a breakdown of some of the many options that women and men have to prevent pregnancy and stop the spread of STIs. Over and over, I noted that while many birth control options are effective, they must be used consistently and correctly to work. Which is how everyone assumes they’ve been doing it, especially when it comes to condoms. But even smart people make dumb mistakes when it comes to wrapping it up. More »

Sex (Re)Ed: How Effective Is Your Birth Control Method?

Between pills, patches, rings, diaphragms, condoms, and the rhythm method, picking a method of contraception can seem like an insurmountable task–especially since not all forms of birth control are created equally. Some contain hormones that make it much harder for pregnancy to occur, while others protect against HIV and other STIs–and none are foolproof. How effective are any kinds of birth control? Let’s compare. More »

Sex Re(Ed): I Was Duped Into Teaching An Abstinence-Only Curriculum at 15

My high school had a proud history of offering an in-house, comprehensive, peer-led sexual education. In the program, juniors and seniors would be trained for about a month before leading a series of classes that taught underclassmen how STIs are transmitted, how to properly put on a condom, how to decide when is the right time for sex, and how to talk to their parents about their sexual health. Which was the program I thought I was getting involved in at age 15 when I attended a day-long informational session on a Saturday, which had been billed as “peer-led sex ed.” What I was actually there for, it turned out, was to learn how to teach 6th graders about abstinence, and nothing else. More »

Sex Re(Ed): How To Talk To Your Unsafe Friend

All this week, we’ve been talking about sexual and reproductive health, and arming our readers (who are a pretty savvy bunch, anyway) with an eyeful of information about birth control, STIs, abstinence, their rights, and their choices. However, there are plenty of women out there who won’t be reading this information, and will continue to make unsafe sexual decisions for one reason or another. And if you’re close friends with someone like that, it can be hard to let them know that you care, and that what they’re doing can be dangerous, without going into mom-mode. So how do you tell your friend that being safe about sex is really, really important? More »

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