Month: July 2023

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Not all porn is created equal

— Is there such a thing as a healthy pornography?

By

We recently saw yet another controversy about sexual representation in Australia. Melissa Kang and Yumi Stynes’ book Welcome to Sex was attacked by the conservative group Australian Women’s Forum, leading to the book being removed from the shelves of Big W – and shooting to the top of the Amazon sales charts.

As a researcher on pornography, I was particularly interested to see that Stynes defended our need for sex education books by saying:

“Many of the discussions around … the putrid effects of porn on real-world sex … come back to teaching about sex and consent and starting that teaching young”.

This is interesting because the book’s critics also feel the same way – Women’s Forum Australia says that it is “deeply concerned about the damaging impact of pornography on women, as well as on men, children and society”.

It seems that wherever you sit politically, there is consensus that pornography is unhealthy.

Modern pornography

But not all pornography is the same. Digital production and distribution has lowered the barriers to entry, whereas previously the “means of production” (as Marx would put it) required producers to be able to afford expensive cameras, lights, editing equipment, the ability to reproduce material, the ability to advertise it and stock it to adult stores or a mail order business.

Nowadays literally anybody with a phone has the ability to create and distribute sexually explicit material. That’s resulted in an explosion in the variety of pornography you can consume. There still exists – although less – expensive glossy mainstream pornography. Alongside it sits a huge range catering to niche sexual interests – people who are interested in feet, balloons, clowns, or in baths full of baked beans.

There is a continuum now of how interactive sexually explicit material can be – from the traditional archives of videos and photographs (nowadays often accessed through “tube sites” like Pornhub) through to fully interactive “camming”, with media like OnlyFans sitting somewhere in the middle.

In this new world of digital pornography, how might we work out what’s healthy?

To answer this question I worked with a team, including Welcome to Sex author Melissa Kang, to establish an expert panel of sexual health experts, adolescent health experts, sex educators, pornography researchers and pornography producers.

We asked them to give us some examples of pornography they thought could support healthy sexual development – and then to reflect on the criteria they had used as they came up with these suggestions. This research was published in full in the International Journal of Sexual Health.

A different kind of pornography

The experts identified four explicit websites that potentially supported healthy sexual development, all of which feature a slightly different kind of pornography.

PinkLabel.TV favours queer indie materials which are often slightly punk in their orientation, with a range of different sexualities, genders and body types, presenting their sex in unashamed ways.

Sex School distributes pornography with a stated educational aim, naming videos with instructional titles, and providing sexually explicit materials that show viewers how to have sex, and provide information about topics such as “consent” and Squirting.

Lust Cinema takes a feminist approach to pornography, paying explicit attention to women’s pleasure and sometimes drawing on the aesthetics of groundbreaking feminist pornographers such as Candida Royalle, with high-quality lighting, better acting, more focus on story, and attractive male actors.

MakeLoveNotPorn favours an amateur aesthetic, with people who are not professional porn actors, often with bodies that would be considered more ordinary than professional pornography performers, presenting a relaxed and ordinary performance of sexuality, often with their own partners in their own homes.

In terms of the criteria the experts used to identify these examples, six of them had broad agreement. It is important, they said, to know pornography is ethically produced. The experts also agreed on the importance of showing a variety of body types, abilities, genders, races and ethnicities.

Both of these points match well with non-expert critiques of pornography.

Diversity and realism

There was also strong agreement among the group that pornography that showed a variety of sexual practices and pleasures – not just penis-in-vagina sex – had the potential to be healthy. This is an interesting finding because unlike the first two it doesn’t match up so well with non-expert critiques.

A lot of discussions about “porn literacy” at the moment critique pornography for being “unrealistic” – and when you dig down into the details often they mean pornography shows too much variety in sex – group sex, anal sex, kinky sex – rather than vanilla, monogamous loving sex.

The experts here are disagreeing with popular narratives about what should count as healthy sexuality.

Negotiation of consent

A fourth criterion on which the experts agreed was the value of showing the negotiation of consent on screen.

This is also an interesting one because most pornography doesn’t show the negotiation of consent. That’s not to say it’s non-consensual – the only pornography you can find on the internet (as opposed to the dark web) is consensually produced. However it doesn’t often show negotiation of consent – pornography is set in a world of fantasy where everybody enjoys everything they do sexually, all the time.

This means most pornography is not a great place to learn how to negotiate consent – that’s simply not what it’s designed for. Ironically the one genre of porn that often does show consent negotiation is BDSM – a form of porn that popular narratives about porn rejects as being particularly unhealthy.

Experts also noted pornography that focused on pleasure for all participants could contribute to healthy sexual development – important when we live in patriarchies that focus on men’s pleasure more than women’s.

Navigating pornography

In this world where so many different kinds of people are producing different kinds of pornography, don’t assume it’s all the same. If you want to find healthy pornography – or you want to advise young adults in your life about how to find healthy pornography – then here are some of the questions you should be asking.

Does it show a variety of body types, genders and sexual acts? Does it pay attention to the sexual pleasure of everyone involved? And does it show consent? If you pay attention to these issues, you can be more comfortable the pornography you’re consuming is helping you to have a happy and healthy sex life.

Complete Article ↪HERE↩!

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9 Sex Positions That Will Take Your Tried-&-True Missionary To The Next Level

By Sophie Saint Thomas<

“Missionary position” is a bit of an unfortunate phrase, no? Many missionaries do fine charitable work, but thinking about them isn’t exactly titillating. That’s a shame, because missionary position can actually be amazingly sexy: In missionary position, bodies are close. There’s a lot of sweat. Breath mingles. It’s a perfect position for intimate lovemaking with strong eye contact; it’s also a perfect position for lifting your legs up, going as hard and as deep as possible, and experiencing pleasure in parts of your body you didn’t know existed.

It’s also certainly not just for penis-in-vagina straight sex. Maybe we should rebrand “missionary position” as being about going on a mission to get creative, messy, and come your face off — all while experiencing a closeness with your partner not available in other sex positions. As part of this rebrand, we’ve gathered twists on traditional missionary position that will prove just how hot and varied missionary sex can be.

Standing Missionary

Missionary isn’t just a position for the bed. Switch it up by doing missionary against a wall in any room of your home (this position is great for those times when you’re just too turned on to make it to the bedroom). Have the receiving partner lift their leg for better access to their vagina, while the giving partner holds on to the leg for support.

Spread Missionary

If you saw Fifty Shades Darker or are familiar with BDSM, you may have heard of spreader bars. They usually come with cuffs on either side that are clasped around the submissive partner’s ankles. And they’re the perfect toy to spice up missionary position.

To get into spread missionary, have the dominant partner (the one on top providing penetration) clasp the receiving partner’s ankles in the spreader bar. Then, the dominant partner can lift the submissive’s legs over their head for a kinky twist on a classic position.

Bound Missionary

Bound missionary infuses BDSM into this classic sex position. All you have to do is tie up the arms of the receiving partner over their head. You can use a pair of sex handcuffs or go DIY with rope or tape — whatever turns on you and your partner.

Assisted Missionary

To change the angle of penetration during missionary sex, try placing a pillow under your partner’s bum. You don’t need to buy a pillow made specially for sex; just grab one lying around your bed. By plopping the cushion under the receiving partner, their pelvis lifts, thus allowing for increased G-spot or P-spot (for those with prostates having anal sex) stimulation.

Pretzel Missionary

In the pretzel version of missionary position, the receiving partner simply lifts their legs and wraps them like a salty snack around the partner providing penetration. It’s a variation both parties will love: By wrapping their legs around, the receiving partner can pull their lover further inside, controlling the depth of penetration, gripping tight if they feel something they like. For the partner providing penetration, not only are they aided in thrusting, which can be heavy cardio, but they’re able to feel the warmth of being entangled in legs.

Impaled Missionary

“Impaled” is a bit of a violent term, but that’s what the Kama Sutra calls this variation, officially “shulachitaka.” The receiving partner lifts one leg up, which, like a lever on a La-Z-Boy, allows the couple to play with various angles. A leg over the shoulder is always hot, and by lifting one leg up, if the receiving partner has a vagina, this position also creates more space for the person on top to rub their clit.

Rockette Missionary

Rockette missionary sex takes impalement to the next level (and forces the person lying down to do a little cardio). Just like with impaled missionary, the receiving partner lifts one leg up along their partner’s body, but in this version you take turns, switching legs up and down like a Rockette dancer. This position is known in the Kama Sutra as “the broken flute (venudaritaka).”

Strap-On Missionary

Strap-on missionary sex can be done by all genders and orientations, not just by two people with vaginas (although that’s awesome too). It’s a wonderful way for a person with a vagina to see what it feels like being on top of their partner with a penis, by slowly inserting a (well-lubricated, please) dildo into their partner’s vagina or butt. When using a strap-on, take the time to research and find the right one for you, and always clean afterward with warm water and antibacterial soap. Just like with penises, use a condom if using on multiple partners.

Anal Missionary

There is definitely nothing boring about having missionary sex in your butt. Compared to the doggy-style version of sex typically associated with anal, missionary anal sex can take a bit more maneuvring, but it’s well worth it (to help get the angle right, it might be helpful to place a pillow under the receiver). The intimate eye contact involved in missionary takes a sex act like anal, often associated with roughness, and proves it can also be soft and sweet. Regardless of whether you’re using a dildo or penis in anal missionary, as the anus isn’t self-lubricating, make sure to always use proper lubrication. Pro tip: If you’re doing anal missionary with someone who has a vagina, never switch from butt to vagina without a proper washing. That’s how yeast and urinary tract infections are made!

Complete Article ↪HERE↩!

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What’s Happened to the Male Orgasm?

By Annie Lord

I was in the park with a friend of mine who was telling me about the sex she’d had at a festival the weekend before. “He came as well, actually,” she added at the end of the story.

“Oh, nice,” I said, and then I laughed because I couldn’t remember when it became a thing to comment on men coming. But then, maybe men finishing is less of a given than it used to be. At least, it seems to be.

“I’ve seen the greatest cocks of our generation destroyed by SSRIs,” read one tweet that was being screengrabbed by a lot of my friends. If you don’t get the joke—and, please, it’s very much a joke—SSRIs are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (such as Prozac, Lexapro, and Zoloft), which can help with feelings of anxiety and depression, one side effect being that they can reduce people’s libido and ability to orgasm. Of course, it’s good that men are taking measures to look after their mental health, and often when people are on SSRIs, they can work around the side effects to still climax. Maybe alcohol is to blame. After all, being drunk—which people tend to be when they’re having casual sex—doesn’t help. Nor does the emphasis we place on performance, something we’re more guilty of than we think.

My friend and I chatted for a while about all this, about men not coming as much as they used to, and why that might be. Or we did, until I pointed out that we were being hypocritical. Both of us have complained in the past about how men are really set on making you come. You can tell it’s mainly to prop up their own ego rather than for your pleasure, and it makes you feel pressured and guilty when you can’t. We’ve pointed out to men we’ve had sex with that we don’t have sex to orgasm, but for other things: pleasure, yes, but pleasure in a more general sense; the kind of smudgy oblivion where you forget yourself. And yet there we were, doing the very thing we hated: focusing solely on orgasm.

“Although someone needs to come, so there’s a natural end to sex,” my friend said. “Otherwise it will keep on going forever.”’

“I vote it should be them,” I replied.

“Yeah, sorry, they can’t spend decades centering the male orgasm as the end of sex and then say it’s no longer the end of sex.”

“It’s too late for me,” I said. “My entire sexuality is built around what men want.”

Of course, I wasn’t being serious, but it made me think. What do I want? A while ago I was sleeping with this guy, and I remember him asking the second or third time we slept together, “What do you want?”

I was on top, looking at him, and I remember wanting to hide. Trying to think of an answer to his question was like trying to describe a color I’d never seen before. I was tongue-tied. So I said, “What do you want?” bouncing the question back to him, and then he repeated it back to me a second time so that it felt as though we were playing that stupid game the Chuckle Brothers used to do where they went, “To me, to you,” again and again and again.

On my phone, there’s a screenshot of a quote from the beginning of Want Me by Tracy Clark-Flory. It’s from director Miranda July, and I saved it in my favorites folder because it resonated so much. It reads: “I’m always interested to hear how a woman conceives of herself as a sexual person, because there is really no map for this. Only a series of contradictory and shaming warnings. So whatever any of us comes up with is going to be wholly unique and perhaps a little monstrous—like a creature that has survived multiple attacks yet still walks, still desires.”

And what is left surviving at the end—for me, for the women I know? When we imagine sex, we’re rarely ever ourselves but someone else entirely, because it would be too shameful to be us. Most of us have some sort of praise kink—where you get off on someone telling you you’re good at stuff—presumably because the focus is on someone else’s pleasure. We’re so objectified that we like to become inanimate objects, or think about being watched, followed. Our sexuality slips in between gaps, slides into the spaces in between, clings on.

I don’t know how to describe what I want to another person, to guide them toward it. It’s not a fixed thing: it bends and warps with each person, it shape-shifts. What feels good with someone might feel different with another. Our moods change. Desire emerges in context with someone else. Even if shame didn’t play a part, I’m still not sure I’d be able to answer the question.

Complete Article ↪HERE↩!

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What is a ruined orgasm?

— Intentionally spoiling an orgasm could actually improve sex for some people.

By Beth Ashley

Most people will hear “ruined orgasm,” which are sometimes referred to as “spoiled orgasms” and assume they’re not in for a good time. But, for some people, messing up orgasms during partnered and solo sex when they’re just about to get going, is the hottest thing going.

Ruined orgasms are exactly what they sound like. You aim towards an orgasm, and then spoil it before it can fully materialise. There are some similarities with edging, which is the practice of stopping an orgasm just before it happens and repeatedly edging towards it before allowing yourself to climax. Only, with a ruined orgasm, that eventual satisfaction never comes. It’s all about leaving yourself/your partner without the satisfaction of actually orgasming.

Orgasms are great. They feel earth-shattering in a good way when executed right. So, why on earth would anyone want theirs ruined, you ask?

Why ruin your orgasm?

Well, sex educator Emme Witt who runs the sex newsletter Sugar Cubed, says it’s all about control, and “consensual force,” which is pretty hot to some people. Those who enjoy practising BDSM in their sex lives may take on the roles of ‘sub’ (submissive) and ‘dom’ (dominant) to heighten their pleasure experiences and play with power in the bedroom in a consensual way. Often, this can look like the dom setting the sub a particular set of rules they must abide by, or agreeing to only take part in certain sex acts when the dom says it’s okay to. The dom gets pleasure from having these rules followed, and the sub experiences pleasure by, well, submitting.

“There’s also an intensity to the absence of pleasure/release that comes with having stimulation suddenly removed right at the point of ejaculation.”

Witt says playing with ruined orgasms falls perfectly into this type of power exploration in BDSM. “Ruined orgasms can be a way [for a dominant to play by] letting a submissive know that they have been promised an orgasm in reward for [following orders], but just when they think they’ll be experiencing an ecstatic release, the dominant is going to ruin that pleasure.” She adds that for those with a humiliation kink, ruined orgasms can be a great time as the feeling can be degrading.

Of course, this is all pre-negotiated before sex starts and safe words are in place to avoid anyone getting hurt (you can read all about this process and how to do it properly here).

Chris, who works in advertising, tells Mashable he enjoys ruined orgasms because the appeal can be “split into the physical sensation and the emotional/psychological dynamic. Physically, I enjoy the build-up, and the repeated edging that usually accompanies a ruined orgasm scenario. There’s also an intensity to the absence of pleasure/release that comes with having stimulation suddenly removed right at the point of ejaculation.”

He also says it pairs well with other aspects of submission and masochism, which he finds appealing, such as “Giving someone else control over my pleasure; watching them get off on the control; the skill, precision, knowledge and communication between us that it takes to ruin an orgasm properly; and just being denied the thing I want most sexually at that critical moment.”

It also leaves him “incredibly horny and needy” and wanting to have sex again straight away, which is fun!

So is a ruined orgasm basically no orgasm at all?

Sexologist Lilith Foxx says “essentially, the body continues with the physical reactions of ejaculation and/or muscular contractions of orgasm, but because the follow through of sensation is abruptly stopped, the emotional and physical ‘release’ does not occur.”

While there might not be a “proper” orgasm, there is “a loss of control, coupled with the release of endorphins, oxytocin, and other hormones that lead to the receiver experiencing increased euphoria, vulnerability, and ‘submission’ to the giver” which, for some people, is as satisfying as an orgasm.

After all, orgasms aren’t the be-all-or-end-all of sex. They shouldn’t be our sole goal during sex; pleasure should.

How are ruined orgasms different from forced orgasms or edging?

A forced orgasm is consensually forcing someone to have an orgasm quickly, either by masturbating them, demanding they masturbate themselves (again, this is all with explicit pre-agreed consent, safe words, and boundaries) or using a vibrator on them.

Edging, also known as orgasm control, is a sexual technique where you maintain a high level of sexual arousal for an extended period without reaching climax. It is in the same “family” of activities as ruined and forced orgasms, but it works differently.

All of these acts involve orgasm control, but they differ in their outcomes. Edging aims to increase orgasm intensity, forced orgasms force people to orgasm quickly, while a ruined orgasm deliberately reduces it.

While they’re not the same, they can be used together for an extra kinky night.

Are there any risks involved with ruined orgasms?

Lilith Foxx notes that, sometimes, feelings of intensity, vulnerability, frustration, and insecurity can occur during ruined orgasm play due to the sudden loss or reduction in sexual stimulation and attention. “The receiver might feel emotionally activated and could even cry,” she warns.

Just like with all types of play, the giver should be prepared to provide aftercare and ensure that the receiver feels emotionally safe and comforted. Lilith Foxx says this might even be needed later on, as not all people will have an immediate reaction. “These feelings can come days or even weeks after.”

How do I get started with ruined orgasm?

Ruined orgasms are really not for everyone. As Witt says, ruining someone’s orgasm isn’t the same as pulling out a pair of fur-lined handcuffs and playing around with a riding crop or a little bondage in bed. They work best for people who enjoy punishment and/or or sub/dom roles during sex.

If you or your partner has enjoyed another kind of punishment-based BDSM play before, it might be that ruined orgasms are for you. In this case, Witt says you must communicate with your partner before, after and during the entire encounter. “Partners really need to be on the same page with the desire to delve into this territory,” she says.

She recommends watching skilled kinksters and sex workers carry out ruined orgasms in ethical videos, or taking a class from a kink workshop, to make sure you go into this sort of play with as much knowledge as possible.

As with any sexual activity, communication is key. Lilith Foxx says it’s important to discuss comfort levels, boundaries, safe words, and how you might signal when you’re about to climax. “One method I recommend is asking your partner for permission to have an orgasm. They can either grant or deny this request. This signals to them that you are about to climax and plays with the power dynamic, but doesn’t feel so ‘clinical’ in application,” she says.

“One method I recommend is asking your partner for permission to have an orgasm. They can either grant or deny this request.”

Chris adds the excitement of ruined orgasms is all in the build-up. While it’s best to discuss ruined orgasms beforehand for consent exchanges and boundary discussion, that conversation can also be really sexy.

“The verbal teasing, the exploration of different options/scenarios and the period of self-denial for days leading up to it can make a ruined orgasm exponentially hotter,” he says, noting that ruined orgasm can also be hot during manual and oral sex rather than just focusing on penis-in-vagina sex, and also marries well with other kinks like anal sex or pegging.

Once you’re ready to get going, Foxx says the simplest method is to to stop or significantly reduce stimulation just as you or your partner near climax. The giver can try adding in words to play up the situation as well, like “Nope! You haven’t earned your orgasm” just as they stop stimulation entirely.

And there you have it, a kinky ruined orgasm that leaves one of you with the power and one of you feeling unfulfilled and gagging for more. Hot.

Complete Article ↪HERE↩!

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To Solve the LGBTQ Youth Mental Health Crisis

— Our Research Must Be More Nuanced

Young people do not fall into neat categories of race, sexual orientation or gender identity. Research into LGBTQ mental health must take that into account

By Myeshia Price

Our youth are in a mental health crisis. Young people describe steadily increasing sadness, hopelessness and suicidal thoughts. These mental health challenges are greater for youth who hold marginalized identities that include sexual orientation, gender identity or race or ethnicity. Near-constant exposure to traumatizing media and news stories, such as when Black youth watch videos of people who look like them being killed or when transgender youth hear multiple politicians endorse and pass laws that deny their very existence, compounds these disparities.

But young people do not fall into neat categories of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity. They reject antiquated norms and societal expectations, especially around gender and sexuality. Yet most research on people in this group, especially on LGBTQ youth, does not fully account for how they identify themselves. Approaching research as though sex is binary and gender is exact leads to incomplete data. This mistake keeps us from creating the best possible mental health policies and programs.

We need to collect robust data on specific populations of LGBTQ young people to better understand the unique risks they face, such as immigration concerns that Latinx youth may have that others may not. We can also better understand factors that uphold well-being, such as how family support affects Black trans and nonbinary youth.

LGBTQ young people of color, including those who identify in more nuanced ways than either gay or lesbian, are more likely to struggle with their mental health than their white LGBTQ counterparts. As researchers, if we can equip ourselves with this information about their unique needs and experiences, we can create intervention strategies that support the mental health of every LGBTQ young person rather than attempting to apply a “broad strokes” approach that assumes what works for one group must work for all.

As director of research science at the Trevor Project, the premier suicide prevention organization for LGBTQ youth, I lead projects that examine LGBTQ young people and their mental health in an intersectional way, accounting for the many facets of their identities and how society and culture influence how they value themselves. I and my colleagues conduct studies with groups of people who are geographically diverse and gender- and race-diverse to understand what drives mental health distress in a way that allows us to address specific needs in different populations. For advocates trying to improve mental health outcomes, this means they must consider stigma, how it turns into victimization, discrimination, and rejection and how it disproportionately affects people who hold multiple marginalized identities.

Our 2023 U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ Young People, for example, found that LGBTQ youth with multiple marginalized identities reported greater suicide risk, compared with their peers who did not have more than one marginalized identity. To learn this, we asked young people demographic questions about race/ethnicity, sexual orientation and gender identity amid a battery of assessments. Based on survey questions about mental health and suicide risk, we’ve found that nearly one in five transgender or nonbinary young people (18 percent) attempted suicide in the past year, compared with nearly one in 10 cisgender young people whose sexual orientation was lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, pansexual, asexual or questioning (8 percent). Among almost all groups of LGBTQ young people of color, the rates of those who said they had attempted suicide—22 percent of Indigenous youth, 18 percent of Middle Eastern/Northern African youth, 16 percent of Black youth, 17 percent of multiracial youth and 15 percent of Latinx youth—were higher than that of white LGBTQ youth (11 percent). And youth who identified as pansexual attempted suicide at a significantly higher rate than lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, asexual and questioning youth.

The majority of research exploring LGBTQ young people’s mental health does not have the sample size to do subgroup analyses in this way or, in rare cases, opts to unnecessarily aggregate findings (such as when bisexual young people are not analyzed separately despite representing the majority of the LGBTQ population). Our recruitment goals are set on finding enough people in harder-to-reach groups, such as Black transgender and nonbinary young people, and not to simply have a high overall sample size. In doing so, we are able to analyze findings specific to each group and also ensure these findings reach a wide audience. However, just as other researchers, when we are unable to collect enough data for subgroups to appropriately power our analyses, we do not publish those findings.

What we hope is that people working in small community settings can design targeted prevention programs. For example, an organization that aims to improve well-being among Latinx LGBTQ young people can also provide appropriate support for immigration laws and policies because immigration issues feed into mental health. Or an organization focused on family and community support among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders can also focus on LGBTQ young people. The data we have gathered can informed services at organizations such as Desi Rainbow Parents & Allies, National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC) and the Ali Forney Center, among others.

Researchers must be intentional about which aspects of sexual orientation and gender identity are most relevant to the questions they are trying to answer when designing their studies. They must use survey items closely matched to those categories. Researchers must find a balance between nuance and analytic utility—allowing young people to describe their own identities in addition to using categorical descriptors. This can look like including open-ended questions or longer lists of identity options. Taking steps like these are critical for collecting and analyzing data that reflect the multitudes of this diverse group of young people. I urge researchers to apply an intersectional lens to their work and public health officials and youth-serving organizations to tailor services and programming to meet the unique needs of all young people. That’s because a “one-size-fits-all” approach has never and will never work when the goal is to save lives.

IF YOU NEED HELP

If you or someone you know is struggling or having thoughts of suicide, help is available. Call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or use the online Lifeline Chat. LGBTQ+ Americans can reach out to the Trevor Project by texting START to 678-678 or calling 1-866-488-7386.

Complete Article ↪HERE↩!

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What to expect when you’re expecting

— How will your sex life change during pregnancy and postpartum?

The perinatal period can be hectic. It’s understandable that sex may be on the back burner for a little while.

By &

Welcoming a new baby is often a joyous experience for couples. While many couples take time to prepare for the arrival of their bundle of joy, fewer take time to prepare for challenges that can emerge in their sexual and romantic relationships during this period.

At The University of British Columbia’s Sexuality and Well-Being Lab (SWell), we conduct research to understand the factors that lead some couples to thrive during pregnancy and the postpartum while others struggle. We then use this research to develop resources to help couples navigate these changes together.

What to expect

Sexual challenges during pregnancy and the postpartum are common. Up to 88 per cent of people who give birth and 45 per cent of their partners experience problems with their sex life during this time.

With shifting roles and responsibilities, the perinatal period (pregnancy and up to one year postpartum) can be hectic. It’s understandable that sex may be on the back burner for a little while.

Studies conducted by our team and our collaborators at Dalhousie University have shown that many expectant and new parents desire sex less often and/or at different times than their partner.

Many couples report having distressing concerns about their sex life, such as body image or whether having sex during pregnancy will hurt the baby — FYI, it won’t. Approximately one in five people who gave birth report moderate pain during sex that either starts in pregnancy or after the baby is born.

Sexual problems usually get worse throughout pregnancy until three months postpartum, when they generally start improving.

A pregnant woman lying on her back and a smiling man lying beside her with his hand on her belly
Expectant and new parent couples often don’t know what to expect when it comes to their sex lives.

If this seems daunting, you’ll be encouraged to hear that despite sexual challenges being common, 64 per cent of couples say that they are still sexually satisfied during this time.

This is great news because having a strong sexual connection with your partner is important for your mental and physical health, and contributes to the longevity of your relationship.

The information gap

Expectant and new parent couples often don’t know what to expect when it comes to their sex lives. In a recent study sampling 204 couples across Canada and the United States, we found that up to 78 per cent of expectant and new parents received little to no information about changes to their sexuality. This is despite most individuals wanting to receive sex-related information!

Given that sexual problems are common and not inconsequential to the health of the romantic relationship, this lack of information for couples about what to expect regarding their perinatal sexuality is a problem.

On top of this information gap, the content of information that couples receive doesn’t match what they want to receive.

In our study, we found that expectant and new parents most often received information about things like safety of sexual activity in pregnancy, contraception, when to resume sex in the postpartum and information only relevant to the partner who gave birth.

What’s missing is reassurance that changes to sexuality are common and advice on how to manage changes. Information about the sexuality of the partner who didn’t give birth is also lacking, even though both members of the couple are affected. Expectant and new parents want a variety of information to help them be better prepared.

Research has also revealed that psychological factors such as postpartum depression, social factors such as divisions of labour and relationship factors such as coping together as a couple are important for couples’ sexual relationships in pregnancy and the postpartum.

Perhaps surprisingly, biological factors — such as whether the delivery was vaginal or caesarean, and the degree of tearing — are not strong predictors of sexual problems during this time.

Translating knowledge into practice

Health-care professionals feel they have a lack of knowledge and training to talk about sexual health with expectant and new parents, and worry that doing so would make them and/or their patients feel uncomfortable. However, our research showed that most couples would welcome these conversations.

Health-care professionals need training on how to initiate conversations about perinatal sexual health with expectant and new parents, but they also need to know the latest research in this area.

Researchers at Dalhousie University recently produced a series of short informational videos that summarize recent research on sex after having a baby. The goal of #PostBabyHankyPanky is to normalize changes to postpartum sexuality, encourage conversations about sex between partners and help health-care professionals feel more prepared to have these discussions with their patients.

If you’re a new or expectant parent and you’ve been noticing changes in your relationship, here’s some good news: Our research shows that when couples receive more information about what to expect regarding changes to their sex lives in pregnancy or the postpartum (like what you’ve read here) they report greater desire, engage in sex more often, feel more sexually satisfied and feel less worried about their sex lives.

Complete Article ↪HERE↩!

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A new morning-after pill to stop STDs could also make the problem worse

The CDC is considering recommending the antibiotic doxycycline to be used after sex to prevent syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia.

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Public health officials are deploying a powerful new weapon in the war against rising sexually transmitted infections: a common antibiotic that works as a morning-after pill.

It is the latest advancement as the sexual health field shifts to preventive medicine — not just condoms, abstinence and tests — as the best hope for quashing the pathogens that can spread during sex.

For the past decade, people have been able to have unprotected sex with a low risk of contracting HIV thanks to daily pills known as PrEP, or pre-exposure prophylaxis. But they were still susceptible to bacterial bugs, including the recent spike in syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia — until now.

Recent studies show the antibiotic doxycycline taken after sexual encounters works as a post-exposure prophylaxis to prevent those infections. But experts are also worried about unintended consequences. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention plans to release guidelines later this summer for deploying the treatment, known as DoxyPEP, in hopes of addressing fears among medical professionals that preventive use would fuel antibiotic resistance — and the rise of drug-resistant superbugs.

“It’s the first major intervention we’ve had for STIs since the vaccine for human papillomavirus,” nearly two decades ago, said Jonathan Mermin, who leads STI prevention for the CDC. “But it is a new intervention, and because of that, there are potential benefits and potential risks.”

Doctors, public health officials and sexual health clinics have embraced preventive pills as a realistic way to curb STIs because they preserve pleasure while protecting partners. Some doctors have started prescribing it to a narrow segment of the gay community considered at elevated risk for STIs.

“Just like PrEP was a game changer, this empowers individuals to make choices about their sexual health,” said Jorge Roman, senior director of clinical services at the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, one of the first to widely distribute DoxyPEP. “It doesn’t always have to be about condoms.”

Doxycycline is already used as a front line antibiotic treatment for chlamydia and occasionally for syphilis and gonorrhea. But its use for prevention has drawn concerns that it would no longer be effective in patients who use it regularly and that it may facilitate the evolution of antibiotic resistant strains of the pathogens.

The drug’s proponents say these concerns are overblown because the criteria for eligibility are often narrow: Transgender women and men who have sex with men — and only if they have condomless sex and contracted an STI in the preceding year.

Those were the demographics recruited for a study of 500 patients in San Francisco and Seattle that found DoxyPEP effective. The study found a roughly 65 percent reduction in syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia cases in those who used the antibiotic between 2019 and 2022, mirroring similar results from European studies.

Another study of DoxyPEP use by cisgender women in Kenya between 2020 and 2022 did not find the treatment effective, a result that surprised and stumped researchers. Anatomical differences could play a role, but health officials say other studies suggest doxycycline becomes concentrated enough in vaginal fluid to confer protection against STIs.

Experts say it’s too early to conclude that DoxyPEP won’t work for women and more research is needed. Another possible explanation is women enrolled in the Kenyan study may not have consistently used doxycycline after sex. Researchers note early studies that found PrEP ineffective in protecting African women from HIV were eventually explained by poor adherence to the drug regimen rather than biological differences.

Researchers studying DoxyPEP are scrutinizing whether it could also render antibiotic treatments less effective. The U.S. study found a slight increase in antibacterial resistance, which the study’s authors said merits long-term attention. But they also said the finding should be tempered by the fact doctors would also be administering fewer antibiotics if people avoid catching and spreading STIs.

David Hyun, director of the Antibiotic Resistance Project at The Pew Charitable Trusts, said he was concerned by patients in the study using DoxyPEP as frequently as 20 times a month. More data is needed to understand the long-term effects — for individuals as well as broader communities, he said.

“If you keep exposing a patient to antibiotics like doxycycline, you are raising the risk of that patient being colonized or infected with a resistant strain sometime in the future,” Hyun said.

Some LGBTQ+ health providers suspect doctors may be using antibiotic resistance concerns to mask discomfort with condomless gay sex. They note that syphilis has yet to become resistant to penicillin since the antibiotic became the front-line treatment for the STI in the 1940s. And they point out doxycycline is widely used for other reasons, including long-term acne treatment and malaria prevention.

“We have used doxycycline for multiple other things,” Shira Heisler, medical director of the Detroit Public Health STD Clinic, said during a May conference of the National Coalition of STD Directors. “And I think specifically now being like, ‘We are not going to do it because of antimicrobial resistance’ when it’s specifically related to STIs is a good time to call out, ‘This is what stigma is. This is what bias is.’”

Proponents of DoxyPEP said it offers a long-needed solution to a spike in STIs. The CDC recorded more than 2.5 million cases of syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia in 2021, up from 1.8 million in 2011.

In 2021, 36 percent of syphilis and gonorrhea cases were in men who have sex with men, according to the CDC. The CDC says these disparities cannot be explained by differences in sexual behavior alone. When people have a smaller pool of potential sexual partners with higher rates of STIs, they are more likely to have sex with someone with an infection. Cases in cisgender women and heterosexual men have also been rising.

Experts say everyone would benefit from DoxyPEP being limited to those most at risk because that would break chains of transmission early and reduce the likelihood of infections spreading more broadly.

Some physicians say allowing people to have worry-free sex is a worthy goal on its own.

“My goal as a physician is to make sure my patients are able to have whatever type of sex they want and however much sex they want as safely as possible,” said Boghuma Kabisen Titanji, an infectious diseases specialist in Atlanta. “And if DoxyPEP would allow them to do it, then I have no problem offering it.”

Nick, a 35-year-old resident of Lafayette, Ind., said he recently started taking DoxyPEP for peace of mind, knowing he would be less likely to get an infection as he has frequent condomless sex.

HIV was no longer a concern because he has been taking PrEP for a decade, said Nick, who spoke on the condition that his last name not be used to candidly discuss his sex life. But he has endured uncomfortable bouts of syphilis and chlamydia.

“If you are taking HIV PrEP, why not take another extra kind of safeguard too?” he said. “It’s like a security blanket.”

As the country considers how widely to distribute DoxyPEP, public health officials and activists are worried it will be the latest medical advancement to roll out in an inequitable way, following similar racial gaps seen with PrEP and mpox vaccinations. Federal officials say PrEP users are disproportionately White even though most new HIV cases are in Black and Latino people. The CDC estimates that most mpox cases have been in Black and Latino men, but only a third of vaccine doses have gone to them.

LGBTQ+ health providers are already reporting disparities, with White patients more likely to ask about DoxyPEP and Black and Latino patients less likely to be familiar with it.

During a discussion about DoxyPEP at the STD conference, one state health official noted that those who can afford to travel to Puerto Vallarta, a popular vacation destination among some gay Americans, can buy doxycycline to stockpile for themselves and their friends because the antibiotic is available over the counter in Mexico. But experts say concerns about antibiotic resistance would make it difficult for over-the-counter sales to occur in the United States.

Mermin, the CDC official, said equity is a top concern as the agency crafts its guidance for the use of DoxyPEP. It would be essential to ensure the medication is available in clinics serving people at the highest risk for STIs, he said, and to raise awareness outside of medical settings, such as on dating apps.

In London, Joey Knock said he started buying DoxyPEP outside of official channels, a common practice among some gay Europeans, last winter after regular bouts of gonorrhea.

But he limits his use to higher-risk nights, such as when he has unprotected sex in dark rooms with strangers.

“I’m someone who was averaging an STI a month,” said Knock, 33. “I’ve done the risk analysis for me, but it also benefits other people if me taking DoxyPEP means I don’t get chlamydia, then I don’t pass chlamydia around.”

In San Francisco, the first major jurisdiction where public health officials recommended DoxyPEP, providers noticed patients taking a similar approach: Using it after higher-risk sexual encounters rather than every encounter.

“We need to do more analysis to see if that could be making DoxyPEP less effective or if perhaps people are making really good decisions about when to use it,” said Stephanie Cohen, who leads STI prevention for the San Francisco Department of Public Health.

The San Francisco AIDS Foundation, which says it has connected more than 1,800 people to DoxyPEP, does not limit the antibiotic to people who have recently contracted a sexually transmitted infection, but counsels patients on the unknown risks of antibiotic resistance.

Anu Hazra, co-medical director of the Howard Brown Health, an LGBTQ+ health provider in Chicago, said antimicrobial resistance is “probably the largest public health threat we have” but doxycycline for a small group of people pales in comparison to the rampant use of antibiotics in the meat industry and other sectors.

He and other experts say vaccines to prevent STIs could be another game changer that does not carry the same baggage as antibiotics. A recent study showing that a vaccine for meningitis can also reduce the likelihood of contracting gonorrhea offers promise on that front. But DoxyPEP offers an immediate solution to an ongoing problem and could be pared back if antibiotic resistance emerges, Hazra said.

“We are seeing rising rates of STIs across the board for nearly a decade now. What we are doing now is not working,” Hazra said. “We need to try something new.”

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Is Queer a Slur?

— Exploring the Meaning and Use of the Term

A group of LGBTQ+ people

Wondering if queer is a slur? Let’s explore the historical context and controversy surrounding its use, and the term’s reclamation.

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The use of the word “queer” has become so widespread that it’s now represented by the letter “Q” in the initialism LGBTQ+. However, some individuals find the word offensive or feel that it doesn’t represent them.

A closer look at the word reveals how it became a slur, how LGBTQ+ activists and academics have reclaimed the word, and the way its definition continues to change in the face of social and political challenges.

Understanding the term “Queer”

The current Oxford Languages Dictionary defines “queer” as an old-fashioned verb meaning “to spoil or ruin” and an adjective meaning either “strange, odd” or “relating to a sexual or gender identity that does not correspond to established ideas of sexuality and gender, especially heterosexual norms.”

That last definition, in simpler words, means that “queer” is an umbrella term for people who aren’t heterosexual or cisgender.

“Queer” first popped up in the English language during the 16th century as a synonym for “strange” and “illegitimate.” In the 19th century, it began to mean “odd,” and by the end of that century, people used it as a slur against effeminate men and men who slept with other men.

However, in the 1980s, some gay and lesbian activists began reclaiming “queer” as an empowering self-designation. Academics also began studying “queer theory” to examine so-called traditional “norms” of sex and gender and their intersection with political identities and social power structures.

The word’s meaning continues to evolve, even now. Some people user queer as a verb that means “to challenge something’s commonly expected function” or as an adjective that includes any intimate practices or familial structures that fall outside of mainstream “norms.”

“‘Queer is still a word that many find offensive,” NPR’s editor for standards and practices Mark Memmott explained in 2019. “For many people, it’s still a difficult word to hear or read because of the past history.”

Jason DeRose, a senior editor who oversaw coverage of LGBTQ+ rights at NPR in 2019, noted that some members of older generations, like Baby Boomers, may find the term problematic or hurtful because it was used for decades as a slur, particularly during years when LGBTQ+ identities were criminalized and considered as forms of mental illness.

Often the slur was used while verbally harassing or assaulting people who were perceived as different. Such insults could raise suspicions about one’s identity and private life and leave them subject to discrimination, investigation, or other social consequences — like being fired from a job or disowned from a family — as a result.

However, younger generations, like Millenials and Gen Xers, tend to be more comfortable with the term, having grown up at a time of greater societal acceptance towards LGBTQ+ people.

Reclaiming the term “Queer”

In the late 1980s and early ’90s, some LGBTQ+ people began using “queer” as a neutral or empowering self-identity that signified people who aren’t heterosexual or who aren’t cisgender.

Some of these people re-claimed “queer” to throw the slur back in society’s face or to show a defiant Pride in the very identities that society long told them to feel ashamed and afraid of. As the number of proud “queers” increased, it gradually became harder to treat all LGBTQ+ people like a powerless minority.

One of the earliest well-known reclaimers of the slur was the LGBTQ+ direct-action activist group Queer Nation. The group emerged to fight queerphobia during the HIV epidemic by raising the visibility of queer people in non-queer public spaces, like bars.

Queer Nation used the well-known protest chant — “We’re Here! We’re Queer! Get used to it!” — to communicate an unwillingness to go back into the closet or behave as others expected.

The group’s chapters in other states distributed informational pamphlets about queer sex and famous queers throughout history; held a “kiss-in” at the 1992 Academy Awards red carpet to protest queer exclusion in Hollywood films; massively protested homophobic entertainers and incidents of anti-queer violence; arranged a “Pink Panther” street patrol to prevent queer-bashings; and broadcast video of two milk-covered men kissing on public access television.

These actions weren’t just to make heterosexual people uncomfortable — they were also meant to encourage other queers to creatively challenge the systems of heteronormativity that often treated LGBTQ+ people as easy targets for violence, harassment, and exclusion.

Some activists have taken the idea a step further with “queercore” and “queer shame,” a punk rock approach that rejects the idea that LGBTQ+ people should be respectable, otherwise indistinguishable from straight people, and “brand-safe” for large companies and political movements to exploit.

Is queer a slur, LGBTQ+

Current usage of “Queer”

The meaning of “queer” has also changed in response to academic thinkers in the field of “queer studies.”

Examinations of sexuality and gender once resided in the “Women’s Studies” departments of colleges and universities. The earliest thinkers in this field examined how “traditional” conceptions of gender, sexuality, identity, and desire create socio-political power structures that can be explored, critiqued, and challenged. “Queer studies” emerged from this discipline as an interdisciplinary field.

Queer thinkers challenge the idea that individual identities are fixed and unchanging, that gender and sexuality are binary, and that sexual practices are either normal or abnormal. Rather than treating heterosexuality and cisgender identities as “normal” or “natural,” queer theorists believe that sexuality and gender are socially constructed by cultural media and individually performed by how people publicly present themselves. These can change depending on the time, place, and context.

Not all people agree that “queer” is the same as “gay.” For some, queerness refers to people whose identities, lived experiences, and outlooks fall out of the mainstream as well as the protection of the mainstream.

For example, a gay, cisgender, white, Christian, American man might not be considered “queer” by some because his mainstream identities may grant him more social protections than a Black, pansexual, transgender, female immigrant living in Iraq. This woman’s unique identities aren’t nearly as “mainstream” as the gay man’s and don’t provide nearly as many social protections.

“Queer” has also increasingly been used as a verb that means “to challenge something’s commonly expected function.” One can “queer” social expectations by identifying, behaving, and appearing in ways that challenge preexisting social norms. For example, someone can “queer” the institution of marriage by having multiple sexual or emotional partners, not living with their spouse, or having relationship rules and familial structures that don’t follow the “traditional nuclear family.”

For example, polyamory and kink both fall outside of legal protections: You can legally be fired or have your children taken away for both, and both — like LGBTQ+ identity — have been vilified as forms of social deviance and mental illness.

But using “queer” in this way would qualify some heterosexual and cisgender people as “queer,” an idea that might upset some LGBTQ+ people who disapprove of straight polyamorists and ministers applying an anti-queer slur to themselves. However, other LGBTQ+ individuals might be fine with straight “queers” as long as the heterosexuals elevate LGBTQ+ voices and advocate for LGBTQ+ rights.

Others might dislike “queer” as a catch-all term for any non-hetero and non-cis people because it erases their unique identities, lumping them all together in one category rather than proclaiming their unique sexual orientation and gender identity. Such people might proclaim, “I’m not queer, I’m lesbian,” or “I’m not ‘queer’ — I’m ‘omnisexual!’”

As always, it’s important to allow people to self-identify with whatever terms they feel most comfortable with, and to allow community members to accept it or to experience productive tensions and dialogues about what it means to be queer.

The Running Debate Over Using “Queer”

Over the last half-century, queer has transformed from a hateful slur to a political identity that challenges cis-heteronormativity. While some people still find “queer” offensive or feel that it erases their unique identities and experiences, others find it empowering and a useful way to grow a cultural movement while critiquing oppressive socio-political structures around sex, gender, desire, identity, and power.

The term remains a complex and slippery one that will likely change, especially as people gain a greater understanding of the many ways they identify with and experience sex and gender. For some, “queer” will be an important identity (something they are). For others, “queer” will be an important action (something they do).

Some LGBTQ+ people may reject the “queer” label entirely, but regardless, it’ll always remain important to understand the context in which it is used and to respect each individual’s choice of language.

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Why Do My Testicles Hurt When I Ejaculate?

— Sometimes ‘hurts so good’ turns into ‘it just plain hurts.’ Find out why.

By Kurtis Bright

Balls are weird.

Use whatever adjectives you want to describe them: sensitive, vulnerable, goofy, defenseless, squishable. The fact remains, these things are kind of crazy when you think about them.

Now consider that for testicles to produce healthy sperm—it is their main job, after all—they have to basically live outside a man’s body. This is so they maintain a temperature that’s about 2 degrees cooler than the rest of him. 

They dangle like a bizarre pair of rotund, fleshy earrings from the spermatic cords, which, if twisted, can cause a testicle to begin dying within hours. And of course, we all know what happens if someone gives them a swift kick.

The ‘hurts so good’ part of sex shouldn’t be unplanned testicular pain.

Nature’s a wonderful thing but, really, who would deliberately come up with a design like this?

Of course, you associate ejaculating with pleasure, but it may come as a surprise that for some, there can be pain involved. Let’s get straight to the question that plagues some men: Why do my testicles hurt when I ejaculate?

An infection could cause pain in your testicles when you ejaculate

Simple explanations are nice when it comes to medicine and sexual health. It’s always good when straightforward problems can be answered with straightforward solutions. Sometimes, that’s true with testicular pain during ejaculation if it turns out to be an infection. Typically, that means you get a round of antibiotics for a week or two, and you’re good to go.

“Infection can certainly be a reason for testicular pain,” said Amy Pearlman, M.D., a men’s health specialist and co-founder of Prime Institute in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. “Those can be much easier to treat: they get tested, and if it’s positive, you treat them.”

Keep in mind, though, that an infection is likely to be pretty noticeable. It might be more acute when you ejaculate, but if you have an infection involving the testicles, it’s always going to be with you.

“If someone has an infection, it’s going to hurt all the time until it’s treated,” Pearlman said. “You’re not going to have pain only when you ejaculate. The testicle is usually enlarged or they have a red, hot scrotum. An infection is going to be pretty obviously different on a physical exam.”

Scar tissue could cause pain in your testicles when you ejaculate

If you’ve ever learned about Peyronie’s disease, you know that scar tissue in the genital region can dramatically affect such sensitive and delicate structures.

A type of scar tissue unrelated to Peyronie’s can build up on the inside of the urethra and may cause a man to experience pain when he ejaculates. Imagine a hoarder’s apartment with decades’ worth of old newspapers piled up along the hallway. If a crowd of people tried to jam through there all at once at a high rate of speed, they’re going to get clogged. That’s what happens with scar tissue in the urethra.

“Oftentimes, where scar tissue develops in the urethra is in front of the ejaculatory duct, toward the tip of the penis,” Pearlman said. “So when the ejaculatory fluid is trying to go in, it’s trying to go past this scar tissue and it has trouble doing that. That can cause a high-pressure situation back toward the testicles.”

Testicle retraction could cause pain when you ejaculate

In case you missed it earlier, balls are weird.

For instance, they move up and down in response to temperature, exertion, anxiety or sexual stimulus. Sometimes, though, when a man ejaculates, the testicle may pull up so high it retracts up into the body cavity. This movement, combined with the sudden surge of semen coursing through the system at high speeds, can cause discomfort.

“Sometimes, the testicle will retract upward during different types of activity,” Pearlman said. “It could be if they’re anxious or if someone goes outside when it’s cold, it will retract. But sometimes, too, with ejaculation or sexual activity, the testicle can sometimes ride all the way up and into the groin region.”

Chronic pelvic pain syndrome

A phenomenon known as “referred pain” often comes up when discussing male sexual health issues. That’s because the entire pelvic region is filled with nerves that connect muscles, organs and sexual structures with a variety of functions and conditions that can affect them.

For instance, the pelvic floor muscles—a sling-like apparatus that runs from your pubic bone in the front underneath to the tailbone in the back—are involved in urination, defecation, sexual functioning, ejaculation and helping your core keep you upright.

It’s crisscrossed with branches of the pudendal nerve that links the spine and brain to the penis, prostate gland and testicles. When something goes awry down there, the nervous system may register it as pain but not be able to provide an entirely accurate picture of where that pain originates.

The more sensitive something is—we’re looking at you, testicles—the more likely we are to “think” that’s where the pain originates.

“You have to separate out testicular pain into acute pain and chronic pain. Prostatitis and prostate infections can cause painful ejaculations, for instance. But more often than not, what we see is chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS) being the cause. It’s usually a pelvic floor muscle spasm issue,” said Neel Parekh, M.D., a men’s fertility and sexual health specialist with Cleveland Clinic.

He said it’s pretty straightforward.

“When the pelvic muscles are tight, those are the same muscles that contract during ejaculation,” Parekh added. “So when you ejaculate, you’re contracting an already tight muscle, which causes further pain and discomfort.”

Conclusions

Yes, testicles are weird, but they’re the only ones we’ve got, and most of the conditions described mentioned here aren’t going to get better on their own. It’s also worth noting that infections and CPPS can get worse if they’re ignored.

The “hurts so good” part of sex shouldn’t be unplanned testicular pain. Don’t let your weird buddies suffer unnecessarily. Plan to talk to your doctor as soon as you start to feel pain down there during sex.

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What Your Penis Says About Your Health

— Changes in penis performance or appearance may signal heart issues, diabetes and more

Your penis serves some big roles in your body. Of course, it houses a drainage system that allows your body to get rid of urine. It’s also a key player in the reproductive process and the act of making whoopie.

But did you know your penis also offers a window to your health? It turns out the performance or appearance of your penis can provide clues about what’s happening to you physically and mentally.

So, what secrets can the appendage reveal? Let’s look at six potential learning opportunities with urologist Ryan Berglund, MD.

1. Heart health

Erectile dysfunction, or the inability to get or maintain an erection, isn’t an unusual occurrence. Your penis may just decide to not cooperate at times for a multitude of reasons, many of which are no big deal.

But if you consistently have trouble getting or keeping your penis up, it might signal heart disease and blood flow issues.

A 2018 study linked erectile dysfunction (ED) to increased risk of heart attack, cardiac arrest and stroke. Dr. Berglund notes that almost two-thirds of people who’ve also had heart attacks also experience ED.

“Erectile dysfunction, particularly if you’re younger, should be regarded as a warning sign for heart disease,” he adds.

2. Diabetes

Difficulty getting or maintaining an erection also may signal the onset of diabetes, which can damage the nerves, blood vessels and muscle function that work in tandem to get your penis up.

Research shows that someone with diabetes is three times more likely to report instances of ED. In addition, ED often occurs 10 to 15 years earlier and is more severe in those with diabetes.

3. Mental health issues

The mind plays a very large role in the function of the penis, says Dr. Berglund. Psychological issues such as depression, anxiety and stress can lower sex drive and keep your penis from performing as it should.

Relationship troubles can hinder operations below the belt, too. Ditto for alcohol, smoking and drug use.

4. Scar tissue

Having intercourse with a less-than-firm erection can damage your penis and lead to the development of Peyronie’s disease, a disorder in which scar tissue within the penis causes a curvature.

The condition can lead to a noticeable bend in your penis. A curve greater than 30 degrees is considered severe. The loss of length or girth is possible, too.

ED can cause more flaccid erections that increase your risk of Peyronie’s disease. Talking to a healthcare provider about difficulties getting a hard erection and getting treatment could reduce your chance of sustaining the injury.

5. Infection

Lumps and bumps aren’t unusual on a penis. Blood vessels, pimples and pearly penile papules (small, pearl-like bumps) are just a few of the things you might notice on your penis, shares Dr. Berglund. In most cases, they’re nothing to worry about.

But how can you tell if there’s something more serious going on?

If the bump is painful or there’s an open or weeping sore, get it checked out ASAP. It may be a sexually transmitted infection such as herpes or syphilis. Less pain but lots of itchiness could signal genital warts or molluscum contagiosum (a viral skin infection).

6. Cancer

A discoloring of your penis along with painless lumps, crusty bumps or a rash could be a sign of penile cancer. Symptoms typically appear on the penis head or foreskin and should get checked by a medical professional.

The rate of penile cancer is relatively low in the United States, at 1 in 100,000. But it’s much more common in Africa, Asia and South America.

Final thoughts

It’s important to pay attention to what’s happening downstairs. Changes in the performance or appearance of your penis may be a sign of a larger health issue.

Is the topic comfortable to talk about? Maybe not. But if something with your penis feels or looks different, tell a healthcare provider. It’s a discussion that’s important for your overall health.

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Couples Are Doing MDMA and Ketamine Therapy To Save Their Relationships

— From breaking harmful patterns to improving their sex lives, more couples are using psychedelics combined with therapy to confront their issues.

By Manisha Krishnan

The first time Isabel and her husband did MDMA together, they were at Burning Man, just a couple of weeks before their wedding. It was a profound experience.

“It was like being seen for the first time for who we really were because it allows you to be super vulnerable and allows you to share these deep parts of yourself without fear of being judged,” said Isabel.

“I felt like we got married out there.”

She and her husband Joseph, both physicians in their 40s who live in British Columbia, have been together for 15 years. VICE News has changed their names to protect their privacy because MDMA is illegal. They don’t use drugs often—the Burning Man trip, 11 years ago, was Joseph’s first time taking MDMA. These days their trips look pretty different from a festival. Once a year, they get a babysitter for their two kids, rent a room at a resort and take the psychedelic to work through conflicts in their relationships.

“We wind up spending a night and just pushing through about six months worth of marriage crap all at once,” Joseph said. “You’re just kind of a different couple on the other side of it. It’s very interesting.”

Because of Isabel’s training in using both ketamine and MDMA for therapeutic reasons, the couple generally trips on their own while going through their issues. But they’ve also had a guided trip with an underground therapist who serves people under the influence of psychedelics. They’re part of a growing number of couples who are adding psychedelics to their couples’ therapy experiences.

Psychedelics are having a renaissance, with substances like ketamine, psilocybin (the active ingredient in magic mushrooms), and MDMA being studied and used to treat issues like depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, drug addiction, and end-of-life anxiety. While MDMA remains illegal in the U.S. and Canada, last year the nonprofit group Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) completed a second phase-three trial on using the drug as PTSD treatment and is expecting the Food and Drug Administration to evaluate its findings in 2023, potentially approving it for people with the disorder. In the meantime, MAPS and other groups already offer training in psychedelic-assisted therapy, while some therapists are already adding ketamine to their services because it’s legal. Others are offering discreet therapy sessions using illegal drugs. And both underground and above ground practitioners told VICE News demand is growing among couples who think psychedelics could help them take on their issues.

“I tell my couples, ‘Look, this is not a magic pill. It’s an assist.’ And I would say that if they’re willing to do the work, it expedites forgiveness,” said Jayne Gumpel, a Woodstock, New York-based clinical social worker who has treated around 150 couples using ketamine.

Some of them have recommitted to each other after being on the brink of divorce, she said.

Gumpel also offers group retreats for couples; private sessions run for $200 an hour, while four-day retreats are $1,850 a person on a sliding scale. She said people often choose partners who provoke their defences or trigger trauma for their childhood, but they don’t necessarily realize it. While using ketamine, she said people’s defences are lowered and they’re less attached to the idea that their side of the story is correct.

“When the person who’s listening learns how to hold that space and not get reactive…what happens is the person who’s sharing their frustration about messiness starts to talk about their childhood when their mother was alcoholic and the house was a mess and they took it upon themselves to have to be the one to keep things organized. And that’s how she felt safe,” Gumpel explained. “All of a sudden, the partner who feels ragged on because he’s sloppy has empathy for the person who’s complaining to him about it.

“It’s like a magical moment when they’re now understanding they have consciousness of this pattern they’re stuck in,” she added.

Recently, Isabel said she and Joseph had a similar revelation, where she told him about “something really horrible” that happened to her as a child.

“It was one of those moments in the relationship where you’re like, ‘Oh, that explains 40 percent of what I’ve been wondering about you for 15 years,” Joseph said, adding that it gave context to questions he had about her relationship with her family. During other sessions, they’ve cried, and even vomited.

Dr. Reid Robison, chief clinical officer at Numinus, a mental health care company that provides ketamine-assisted therapy to couples in the U.S. and Canada, said having one partner supporting the other as they work through trauma can be a powerful bonding experience.

“We can identify the barriers that we have to love in ourselves, and then we can just do it so much more freely in our partnership.” Numinus charges around $300 for dosing sessions, but typically a person also has integration sessions afterwards to talk about what they learned.

Robison said whether a person is using MDMA or ketamine, the drugs help people in “turning towards each other” instead of turning away. He’s even seen it work with people going through a divorce, helping them to get over old wounds so that they can co-parent better.

Isabel and Joseph have put up signs in their home that say “turn towards”—gentle reminders that they’ve put in place to integrate the lessons they’ve learned while on MDMA. She said they’ve managed to break a pattern where she would complain about something, and he would withdraw, causing her to also pull away.

Both of them said doing MDMA, which boosts a person’s levels of dopamine and serotonin (neurotransmitters that impact pleasure and sexual desire), has also greatly improved their sex life.

“We had a good sex life, but now we have an amazing sex life,” Isabel said, noting they’ll typically put in five hours of work on their relationship before having sex during one of their resort stays. “It really allowed us to explore breathing together and doing all these like deepening, like soul connection things.”

Joseph said he considers MDMA a medicine, not a drug, and that it should be legally available to people. In fact, it was legal and used for couples therapy in the 1970s and 1980s, before being designated a Schedule I drug in 1985, meaning the government determined it had no medical use and a high potential for abuse. Early reports found that it was useful in navigating relationship issues and communication.

Depending on what happens with the FDA’s evaluation of MAPS’ study, it may soon be available for people with PTSD.

Robison said that could open the door for it being allowed to be used for people with other issues, though it’ll be a slow process. He said people with PTSD can also struggle with relationships or have depression and anxiety, though, so “there are ripple effects to their healing work that will be felt in their partnerships.”

He said more research is needed on the impact of psychedelics on couples and he expects to see more therapists wanting to work with it in the years to come.

Complete Article ↪HERE↩!

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What Does it Mean to be Rubber?

— Identity is ever-changing, it may be difficult to understand where you stand and that is totally okay! Sexuality and identity is fluid, the most important part is letting yourself explore and learn what you feel the most comfortable with.

By

In this article, we’ll tackle what it means to be rubber and what it entails to be a part of this community.

Queer communities have a long history of subcultures. From bears, to otters, to butches, there are a variety of ways in which community members have created spaces to feel more like themselves. These subcultures are just another way in which queer folks can feel better represented and seen.

The rubber community is a subculture that involves wearing or fetishizing latex clothing. Wearing latex signals their association and pride with their unconventional approach to sex. Rubber subculture is often related to BDSM practices and interest in sexual activities that involve wearing latex apparel. The queer community has close ties to the BDSM community and we often see them intermingle. This is why a lot of rubber community members are also a part of the LGBTQ+ community.

Learning that you might be a part of the rubber community might be scary at first, but there are many ways to plug yourself into the community and learn to be comfortable with yourself.

if you’re curious about how you might identify, here’s what you should know about what being rubber means:

History of rubber culture

The boom of the latex fetish began in the 1960s and early 1970s. The British TV program The Avengers is often seen as the catalyst for the movement. PVC boots, catsuits, and raincoats were just a few of the kinds of garments that began the rubber subculture.

In 1972 a magazine called AtomAge was founded. It featured BDSM imagery and helped popularize and solidify these subcultures mainly within younger groups of people. In addition, latex became closely related to popular rock bands such as the Sex Pistols who were also huge influencers at the time. The rubber fetish was becoming more and more socially acceptable and popular.

In the 1980s the rubber subculture took a turn and made its way into nightlife culture. Club kids and performers started wearing latex outfits and became pioneers of the rubber subculture. This also brought the rubber community and BDSM community closer. At this time the idea of wearing latex became more related to sexual practices and fetishization.

What makes someone a part of the rubber community?

The one thing all rubber community members have in common is a love of latex itself. Other than that the way one approaches being rubber is completely up to them. Some rubber community members like to wear skin-tight latex outfits such as a catsuit often associated with the dominatrix community. Others might turn to gas masks or galoshes, it all depends on your preference.

The rubber subculture refers to those who feel sexual gratification from feeling, seeing, or even tasting latex. A lot of community members describe wearing latex as a “second skin” which is why it is appealing to some. It may feel like you are naked when you are wearing latex even though you are not, which is a turn-on for some latex wearers.

In addition, sex toys such as dildos or butt plugs are often made from rubber which may be another reason why it’s a material people often associate with sex. The sensory experience of touching latex is a big reason why rubber can be considered sexual.

Truly the main thing that makes someone rubber is being an active community member. The rubber subculture can be seen represented at pride weeks and in safe spaces. In recent years, it has been very important to understand how sex can be more than just conventional.

It’s also always a great idea to trust that members of the community know more about their identity than you do. Listen to rubber community members when they speak about their identity and don’t doubt or assume anything.

Perspectives on being rubber

Being a part of the rubber community should be a source of pride. Being able to be a part of these subcultures can mean a variety of things including finding yourself and where you stand in terms of your sexuality and identity. It is important to remember that communities such as the rubber community face a great deal of oppression and unwarranted hate.

There are a variety of myths and misconceptions regarding the rubber community that we are working on debunking. Because the rubber subculture is closely related to the BDSM community and explores a very sex-positive part of oneself this leads to unnecessarily negative connotations. The idea that rubbers are “all about sex” or that the community is “abusive” are lies and myths. Consensual sex is the only kind of sex accepted within these communities, non-consensual acts are NOT condoned in any shape or form. Sex positivity changes the cultural attitude we have that sex is “taboo” when in fact it is just another way we express ourselves.

It is also important to note the intersectionality between the rubber community and the LGBTQ+ community, Although the rubber community is accepting of everyone we should always acknowledge those who pioneered the movement and who at first were marginalized and oppressed for expressing themselves. It is because of these brave individuals that we can have things such as rubber pride week.

A great way to better understand the rubber perspective is to keep up to date with rubber news and follow individuals who are advocating for rights and policies that benefit the community. Reading about what it means to be rubber and be a part of this vast community is a great way to better understand the rubber viewpoint.

The rubber flag

The rubber pride flag was designed by Peter Tolos and Scott Moats in 1995. This flag is not meant to represent any sexualities or gender identities. It is only meant to represent the rubber community as a whole. Regardless, this flag is often seen flying at pride week because a lot of LGBTQ+ community members also identify with the rubber subculture. The colors mean as follows:

  • Black: The desire for the rubber/latex look and feel.
  • Red: The blood passion for rubbermen (gay men with a rubber fetish) and rubber itself.
  • Yellow: A drive for intense rubber play and fantasies.

Bottom Line

Being rubber can mean a lot of things, it can mean your love for the kink world, for rubber garments itself, or for sensory play. There is not just one way to approach being a part of the rubber community. Although there are many who don’t understand the nuances and layers that come with this multifaceted identity, there is nothing wrong with being rubber. You are the only person who can determine your identity.

Subcultures within the LGBGTQ+ community are an essential part of what it means to be whoever you want to be. That is why the BDSM community and the LGBTQ+ community have so many ties, because both communities value the idea of being yourself.

If some of the ideas above resonate with you and you’re thinking of coming out, make sure the conditions are safe and have a plan of action regarding housing and food if things don’t go as planned.
In addition, be sure to learn about the other identities that make up the LGBTQ+ community on our website or subscribe to the INTO newsletter to learn more.

Complete Article ↪HERE↩!

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12 Sexual Role-Play Ideas to Try With Your Partner

— Time to get creative!

BY Veronica Lopez

Contrary to what you might have seen on TV or in movies, role-playing doesn’t always have to include sexy costumes or feel super kinky, if that’s not your vibe. Like with most things when it comes to sex, you’re able to customize it to your specific needs and the fantasies you want to explore. It’s meant to help you step out of your comfort zone, try something new, and explore different sexual dynamics with your partner—all really great things that can help you heat up your sex life when you’re eager for a change.

“Role-playing is when an individual plays a different person or character in a sexual situation, which can be everything from vanilla sex to a full-on kink/BDSM scene,” says certified sex educator Javay Frye-Nekrasova, MEd, sex expert for Lovehoney. So, sure, you can go all out and create a dungeon vibe, but you can also take it slow and keep it simple, like pretending you’re strangers who are hooking up for the first time. “Roleplaying can be as intricate or minimal as the individuals involved want,” says Frye-Nekrasova.

What Are Some of the Benefits of Roleplaying?

There are multiple benefits that role-playing can have, not just in your sex life, but in your relationship with your partner, and even in your relationship with yourself. But one of the biggest ones? It lets you step out of your usual routine, which can be especially helpful if you’ve been together for a long time and craving something new.

“Many couples don’t vary a lot from the kind of play (and roles within it) that have become normative for them—like gender roles, often, but also who initiates sex, whose preferences tend to get the most focus, how adventuresome or comfort-level-focused they are,” says staff sexologist for Good Vibrations, Carol Queen, PhD, curator of the Antique Vibrator Museum and author of Exhibitionism for the Shy. Role-play gives you the chance to do something different outside of your usual sex life, and who knows? You might like it enough to make it part of your regular routine. But that’s what makes it so beneficial—there’s no pressure to really have to, if you want to keep it separate. “Role-play gives you so much permission to try things on, and like a costume, you can take it off when you’re done,” says Queen.

It can also let you experience what it’s like to have sex with “someone else” if you’re curious about that, but you still want to be monogamous with your partner. “You can be someone else, but you don’t have to be with someone else,” says Frye-Nekrasova.

Beyond allowing you to explore new sides to your relationship and sexual dynamic, role-playing can also help you explore new sides to yourself. “It’s common for us to feel like we have to be a certain way or fit a certain aesthetic, role, or persona, but role-playing can give people the space to explore a side of them that they don’t think they have space for in other areas of their life,” says Frye-Nekrasova. This, says Queen, can be really eye-opening and life-changing. “It can introduce you to varying possibilities within your personality too, as when a fairly reserved person takes on a dominant role,” she says. “It can open doors when it comes to realizing what you want, or what you like about what you already have.”

What Are Some Roleplaying Safety Tips?

Define parameters and negotiate your scene before starting. Think of negotiation as the pre-scene huddle. It’s an opportunity for you and your partner to establish boundaries, talk about consent, what you are and aren’t comfortable with, and the details of what roles you want to play. “Do you want to be called a specific name the whole time? Are there any names or roles you aren’t comfortable with?” asks Frye-Nekrasova.

When it comes to negotiating, Queen says not to leave anything about your wants and needs up to guesswork, and to be explicit! “This is an opportunity to be clear,” she says. This is also a great time to…

Establish a safe word. Especially in role-play, “something someone says or does in character may turn you off or overstep a boundary, and you need to make it clear that you need to pause,” says Frye-Nekrasova. This is why it’s so important to have a safe word in place. It can be something as silly as “banana” or as simple as “red”—just make sure you have one and that you’re on the same page. Also, make sure it’s something that your partner understands as a signal to stop, not something that can get lost in the scene or role you’re playing. “You don’t want your partner misinterpreting you saying something as a part of the role-playing.”

Stay sober. Substances can alter your state of mind and make it impossible to consent, so make sure you’re sober and/or minimize everything from alcohol, to party drugs, to hypnosis. Stay aware of how you’re feeling, says Queen, and…

Only play with people you know and trust, especially if you’re roleplaying for the first time. Make sure that you’re in good hands and that the person (or people!) you’re engaging with respect your boundaries and limits. On the same token, you might also want to leave bondage and restraint play for later exploration, says Queen. “You want to know how your scene partner will respond to a safe word and exercise care.”

What Are Some Common Sexual Roleplay Ideas to Try?

When it comes to deciding what scene you want to play, anything goes as long as you and your partner are comfortable and consenting. You can involve costumes, accessories, decor, you can play in the comfort of your own home, or at a dungeon, or a sex party. You can play with just each other, or involve other consenting people as long as the lines of communication are open and everyone’s aligned. Think about what dynamics or sides to yourself and your relationship you want to explore. Here are some common scenarios ideas to start, according to Frye-Nekrasova and Queen.

1. Strangers

This is a great one to start off with if you’ve never role-played before. Meet at a bar and pretend you don’t know each other, give yourselves different names, accents, jobs, and go home together for a “nightcap.”

2. Doctor or nurse/patient

This scenario would never be okay IRL, but in role-playing, it lets you play with Dominant/submissive dynamics. Perhaps you and/or your partner get turned on by authority in this scenario, or by being told what to do. It’s also a fun one in which to use costumes or accessories. (Aka: Time to pull out that “slutty nurse” costume from college.)

3. Teacher/student

Another one that would never be okay IRL, but much like the scene above, the teacher/student dynamic is a common role-play scenario that allows you to play with power dynamics—particularly punishment. Maybe you did so poorly on an exam, and you need to face the consequences.

4. Boss/employee

Again—not okay IRL, but a fun option when it comes to role-play and power dynamics. Perhaps you need to spend some ~alone time~ going over “notes” after a “meeting”?

5. A virgin and a seductive, experienced partner

Maybe your actual first time was a dud. Well, this is the chance to relive it and re-do it exactly how you would’ve wanted it to be. Pretend that one of you is a virgin being seduced by someone who wants to show you how it’s done, or pretend it’s both of your first times!

6. Groupie/rock star

Your favorite musician saw you in the audience, was so captivated by you, and is inviting you backstage for a ~behind-the-scenes~ experience.

7. Massage therapist/client

Yeah—def not okay IRL, but with your partner, it can be a fun way to incorporate massage candles and warm (body-safe!) oil or lube.

8. Royal/handmaiden

Grab a plastic crown from a party supply store and pretend like one of you is royalty, while the other is them handmaiden, obeying commands to please them as they wish.

9. Repair-person or delivery-person

If you’ve ever fantasized about getting it on with a stranger who conveniently just shows up to your house, this might be a good one to test out. Use fake names, and ask them to “come in” and “take a look at your broken dishwasher.”

10. Shop associate

This one could be especially tempting in a “lingerie store” scenario, where they’re giving you suggestions and recommendations on what to try on.

11. Landlord/tenant

This is another great one (but very-not-okay-IRL one) if you’re into the whole “person shows up in the middle of the day” thing, like with a repair-person. Pretend like your partner is your landlord, you’re late on rent, and it’s time to pay up.

12. Roommates

Pretend like you’re roommates who’ve had chemistry bubbling up between them for months. This is a great opportunity to get out of your bedroom and try having sex in different parts of your place. On the kitchen counter, perhaps?

Complete Article ↪HERE↩!

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The Health Issues Men Don’t Talk About

— (But They Really Should)

It’s taken a long time. But there is finally a growing awareness of the importance of discussing health issues openly and honestly.

By Northern Life

A lot of men shy away from discussing their health concerns because of social stigmas and embarrassment. Sometimes it’s because they simply don’t know where to turn for help. Addressing these issues openly and providing the necessary information and support is crucial.

Testicular Cancer

Testicular cancer is another health issue that often goes unaddressed due to embarrassment or fear. However, early detection is crucial for successful treatment and improved outcomes. It happens when abnormal cells develop in the testicles.

Common symptoms include a painless lump or swelling in one or both testicles. You might notice a feeling of heaviness in the scrotum or that your testicles have changed shape or weight. These symptoms can also be caused by other conditions, it’s true, but you need to talk to a doctor if you notice any of them.

Regular self-examinations are recommended. By familiarizing themselves with the normal size, shape, and weight of their testicles, men can quickly identify any changes or abnormalities. If a lump or other concerning symptoms are noticed, it is crucial to consult a doctor promptly.

While the topic of testicular cancer may be uncomfortable to discuss, early detection and treatment can significantly improve the chances of a full recovery. Men should prioritize their health by raising awareness and openly discussing this issue.

Erectile Dysfunction

Erectile Dysfunction (ED) affects a significant number of men, but it remains shrouded in silence. ED refers to the inability to achieve or maintain an erection sufficient for sexual intercourse. It can stem from various factors, including physical, psychological, or lifestyle-related causes. It’s normal to have trouble getting or maintaining an erection sometimes. But persistent problems can have a significant impact.

One common physical cause of ED is the restricted blood flow to the penis. Diabetes, high blood pressure, or cardiovascular disease can be potential causes. You might also suffer from ED if you are dealing with stress, anxiety, or depression. It’s probably not too surprising to learn that smoking, drinking too much booze, and not having an active lifestyle can increase the risk of developing it.

The first step in addressing ED is to have an open conversation with a healthcare professional. Doctors can help identify the underlying causes and recommend appropriate treatment options.

It is essential to recognize that ED is a treatable condition. By breaking the silence and seeking medical assistance, men can regain control over their sexual health and improve their overall well-being. If you want to learn more about treatments for ED, then you can check out what’s available at The Independent Pharmacy. They are a regulated online pharmacy that can help you find the right prescription and over-the-counter treatment.

Mental Health

Societal expectations that encourage men to be stoic and tough can create barriers to seeking help. However, mental health issues can affect anyone. It doesn’t matter what your gender is.

Depression, anxiety, and stress are widespread right now. Men need to understand that seeking help for these kinds of issues is a sign of strength. Mental health professionals are trained to provide support and guidance in managing these conditions. There’s therapy, medication, or a combination of both. Lifestyle changes such as regular exercise, healthy eating, and practicing stress-reducing techniques like meditation or mindfulness can also help to

By breaking the silence surrounding mental health and seeking appropriate support, men can effectively manage their mental health conditions and lead fulfilling lives.

Prostate Health

Prostate health is a critical aspect of men’s overall well-being. But it can be so tough for people to talk about it openly. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men, and it is essential to address it openly. Early detection is crucial for successful treatment and improved outcomes. However, the fear, stigma, or lack of awareness surrounding prostate cancer can discourage men from discussing it or seeking regular screenings.

Regular prostate screenings are recommended for men over the age of 50. You should get one earlier if you have a family history of prostate cancer. These screenings can help detect any abnormalities in the prostate gland and identify potential cancerous cells.

By breaking the silence and openly discussing prostate health, men can become proactive in monitoring their prostate health, addressing any concerns, and seeking timely medical intervention when necessary. Open conversations and awareness about prostate health can help save lives and ensure a better quality of life for men as they age.

Sexual Health And STDs

Sexual health is integral to overall well-being, and men should prioritize discussions about it. Safe sexual practices and regular check-ups can help prevent and detect sexually transmitted diseases. They also mean that you can enjoy an active sexual life.

Engaging in unprotected sexual activity or having multiple sexual partners can increase your risk of catching something. Open and honest communication with sexual partners about sexual health is essential. Discussing sexual history, STD testing, and using barrier methods such as condoms can help reduce the risk of contracting or spreading STDs. Regular STD testing is recommended, especially after engaging in unprotected sexual activity or changing sexual partners.

If diagnosed with an STD, it is crucial to seek prompt medical treatment and inform any sexual partners to prevent further transmission. A lot of STDs can be treated with antibiotics or antiviral medications. Additionally, healthcare providers can offer guidance on preventive measures, safe sexual practices, and regular screenings.

Men can reduce the stigma surrounding STDs, increase awareness, and take necessary precautions to protect themselves and their partners by promoting open conversations about sexual health,

Substance Abuse And Addiction

Substance abuse and addiction are significant health concerns that affect men disproportionately. Societal expectations and pressures can sometimes lead men to turn to substances such as alcohol, tobacco, or drugs as coping mechanisms, as we saw a lot during the pandemic. There can be serious mental and physical consequences when any of those substances are abused.

Breaking the silence surrounding substance abuse and addiction is essential. Men should be encouraged to seek support. There are treatment options out there, from counseling to detox and rehab programmes.

Men can smash the stigma associated with seeking help and create a supportive environment for those struggling with these issues when they talk about them. Addiction is a treatable condition, and men can embark on a journey towards recovery and regain control over their lives with the right support,

Wrapping It Up

Addressing the health issues men often avoid discussing is crucial for their well-being. By breaking the silence and encouraging discussions about these topics, men can take control of their health, seek appropriate medical assistance, and lead healthier, fulfilling lives. Remember, it’s time to break the barriers and prioritize men’s health through open dialogue and support. There is no such thing as an embarrassing health concern. And you might just be amazed by how much better you feel once you start talking.

It’s taken a long time. But there is finally a growing awareness of the importance of discussing health issues openly and honestly. The idea of “embarrassing” health problems is being challenged more and more frequently. But some topics still get swept under the carpet, especially when it comes to men’s health.

A lot of men shy away from discussing their health concerns because of social stigmas and embarrassment. Sometimes it’s because they simply don’t know where to turn for help. Addressing these issues openly and providing the necessary information and support is crucial.

Complete Article ↪HERE↩!

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How First US Over-the-Counter Birth Control Pill Could Revolutionize Reproductive Health

— “After a year during which there has been very little good news about people’s reproductive health, this is the first solid win in a long time,” says BU gynecologist

The FDA’s approval of Opill for over-the-counter use makes it the first hormonal contraceptive available without a prescription in the United States.

By Molly Callahan

The FDA’s approval of the first over-the-counter birth control pill in the United States could be a revolutionary change in birth control and reproductive health, says Katharine O’Connell White, an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine.

White, who is also vice chair of academics and associate director of the complex family planning fellowship at Boston Medical Center, says she felt “jubilation and glee” at hearing news of the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of Opill, a hormonal birth control pill, on Thursday.

“After a year during which there has been very little good news about people’s reproductive health, this is the first solid win in a long time,” she says. “And it finally puts the United States on par with most other countries in the world, where people have always had access to pills without a prescription.”

The news was received with support from almost every major reproductive health organization in the country, including the American Medical Association, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the North American Society of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology, and the American Academy of Family Physicians.

The FDA’s approval comes amid myriad legal battles over reproductive rights—and almost exactly a year after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, rescinding the right to abortion nationally.

Perrigo Company, which manufactures the pill, says it will likely be available in stores and from online retailers in the United States in early 2024.

BU Today spoke with White about the safety and effectiveness of Opill, as well as questions that still remain about its rollout and accessibility.

Q&A

with Katharine O’Connell White

BU Today: Based on what you’ve seen or read about Opill, how effective is it compared to other, prescription or nonprescription, birth control options?

White: The pill that got approved for over-the-counter use is a progestin-only pill. There are two types of birth control pills: the vast majority of pills—the ones you think about when you hear “The pill”—have estrogen and progesterone in them. But a few varieties are progestin only, for people who can’t or don’t want to take estrogen. So, this pill looks to be like other progestin pills. And all pills have roughly the same effectiveness rate—that they’re about 97 percent effective when taken perfectly, and about 93 percent effective when taken like a typical human being.

So, it’s a very effective method of contraception. And it’s now the most effective birth control that you can buy at the drugstore without a prescription. When you compare it to condoms and spermicides, or Plan B and other emergency contraception, all of those are effective, but they’re not as effective as a daily birth control pill.

BU Today: It sounds like in terms of effectiveness, it’s not necessarily better to get a prescription birth control pill vs this over-the-counter version. Is that correct?

White: So much of it is about access, which sounds like an advocacy talking point. But access has a real impact on people’s lives.

From the medical perspective, there’s no difference between a pill you take by prescription or a pill that you would then get over the counter. But the best birth control method for any given person is the one they’re most likely to take. And to take consistently. And now, we have a method that is not behind the walls of a doctor’s office. You don’t have to go in for a visit or a pap smear or even just get through on a telephone line in order to access this birth control. You can just walk into a place and get it and take it. That, for a lot of people, is going to be the key to feeling in control of their birth control.

BU Today: Do you see this as a step toward equalizing access to birth control or reproductive healthcare?

White: Hopefully—although I’m hesitant.

What’s really great about this is that it’s finally a highly effective method—a hormonal method—of birth control for which you don’t need medical insurance and you don’t need access to a doctor. This is great news for people who work weekdays and can’t get to a doctor’s office because they can’t take the time off of work. It’s great news for people who don’t have health insurance, or who are underinsured, meaning their insurance doesn’t cover a lot, or any, contraceptive methods. If you are new to this country and don’t have health insurance or if you are in a new job and in a new state and don’t yet have access to your insurance, this is going to help.

I’ll also add that this is birth control that you do not need to persuade [a healthcare provider] that you should take or want to take. It is a completely independent decision that you get to make, and that’s important.

The reason I’m hopeful that this will equalize access, but not certain, is because we don’t know how much it’s going to cost. And so it’s only an equity issue if everyone can actually access it. The company says that it’s committed to widespread access for the pill and that it’s going to have some kind of voucher or savings program for people who don’t have insurance coverage. Along with advocacy groups, it is going to push for coverage by insurance companies so that even though it’s over-the-counter, you can still use your insurance card, like you can in many places for emergency contraception, or until recently, COVID tests. But we need to see what the sticker price is.

BU Today: Besides the price, are there other things that you, or your colleagues in the medical community, are waiting to learn?

White: The implementation of something is always important. For example, when emergency contraception first went over-the-counter, it was actually, in a lot of cases, behind-the-counter. You had to ask a pharmacist for it, which meant that not only did you have to have a conversation, and possibly justify why you wanted something, there was a chance they would say no.

I want to see this product on the shelf, next to Plan B, next to KY jelly. I want it to be as easy as just taking it off the shelf, putting it in your cart, and checking out.

I also wonder: is it going to be behind in a clamshell? Are you going to have to get an employee to unlock it for you? Are you still going to have to deal with people’s judgment? Will mom-and-pop pharmacies refuse to stock it? Will Amazon stock it? Will national pharmacy chains make it available online? Because in that case, I can get it with my ibuprofen when I do an Amazon run. All of this remains to be seen. But I’m hopeful.

BU Today: Are there certain populations who might find an over-the-counter hormonal birth control option especially helpful?

White: Adolescents—you might not want to ask your pediatrician, who’s been seeing you since you were a baby, about the fact that maybe you need birth control. Adolescents are also people who maybe haven’t yet figured out how to get to the doctor on their own. Maybe they don’t have a car or don’t have access or even know how to navigate the system to try to get their own gynecologist. Now, they can just take matters into their own hands and get it.

I also think anyone who is on someone else’s insurance, where an explanation of benefits goes home whenever you have a visit with a provider or get a prescription filled. An over-the-counter option leaves less of a record. So if you are in a situation where you are not wanting your parents to know or not wanting your partner to know, this provides another layer of protection.

For people who have medical problems, whose doctors just tell them not to have sex so you don’t get pregnant—which is actually a thing—and don’t know who to turn to for advice, they can now do their own reading, decide this might be right for them, and then access it on their own. People who just changed jobs and whose new insurance hasn’t kicked in, or who have not yet found a new doctor. People who’ve just moved to a new state.

There are also all these situations during which there can be gaps in birth-control use. Let’s say you are a prescription-pill user or a patch or a ring user, but you find yourself in this position where you’re between insurance providers, between doctors, between homes, you then can just go get a pack [of birth control pills] to bridge that gap.

Or people who travel and forget their pack. You’re crazily packing for the airport, and you realize you’ve forgotten your pills. No worries, you can just go get a pack and take those pills for a week and then resume your birth control back at home.

This means that birth control doesn’t have to be this precious, Hope Diamond–like resource. Now, your birth control pills can be available to you whenever you need them, wherever you are. That is revolutionary. No one should have to fight for birth control. And now you have an option where you can just go get it.

BU Today: What about from a safety viewpoint? Is it safe to take these over-the-counter pills?

White: I think there’s a natural hesitancy to embrace something as safe, especially when, for so long, people have been telling you that it’s not. There’s this idea that, ‘Well, we’ve had birth control pills for 50 years, why hasn’t it been available over the counter until now? Is it actually safe?’

It’s so important for people to know that we have reams of good evidence about how safe the pill is. There are very few people who cannot use this pill, and it is very well labeled for who shouldn’t use it.

There’s a very small group of people who can’t, and everybody else can use it safely. People who have breast cancer or certain kinds of liver disease or certain kinds of benign liver tumors, and some people with lupus, should not use this. But people who have the kinds of conditions on this list are people who are already plugged into a healthcare system where they can get access. The vast majority of healthy people who don’t need to see doctors can all take this.

BU Today: What should people who might use this as their first hormonal birth control know?

White: One of the common side effects of a progesterone-only pill is irregular bleeding. This might be occasional spotting, it might be bleeding more days than not, though not usually as heavy as a period. If people are not prepared for that, it can be very surprising. I’ve had more than one patient who stopped their birth control pills when they were spotting, because they thought that meant either it was making their body sick or that it wasn’t working. My message is that you may have weird bleeding for three months, possibly even a little longer. And that is normal. Weird is normal when it comes to bleeding on this pill. So don’t be alarmed.

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