Plan B One-Step is a single-dose emergency contraceptive (EC) pill. It contains the active ingredient levonorgestrel, a synthetic hormone belonging to the progestin class. Plan B One-Step and its generic alternatives are available over the counter (OTC).
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the use of Plan B One-Step to reduce the chance of pregnancy if taken within three days (72 hours) after unprotected sex.1
Plan B One-Step is intended for use if another contraceptive method fails (such as a condom breaking during sex) or isn’t used.2
Taking Plan B One-Step may affect your period. Some females get their period about a week early or a week late after taking Plan B One-Step, and their bleeding may be lighter or heavier than usual. However, if your period is more than a week late, you could be pregnant.3
Keep reading to learn more about the link between taking Plan B One-Step and your period’s timing, along with basic safety and dosage information regarding its use.
Understanding the Morning-After Pill
Emergency birth control such as the morning-after pill, can help decrease your chance of becoming pregnant after unprotected sex. EC pills, like Plan B One-Step, work by preventing ovulation, the release of an egg from the ovaries.
By stopping this process, the sperm cannot fertilize the egg, thus avoiding a pregnancy.
It is important to note that EC will not have any impact if ovulation has already taken place. As a result, EC does not affect fertilized eggs or pregnancies already implanted.4
EC, including Plan B One-Step, differs from Mifeprex (mifepristone). Mifeprex is a medication given in combination with the drug misoprostol for medical termination of a pregnancy up to 70 days into the pregnancy.5
EC, on the other hand, only works as a preventive measure against pregnancy, with no effect after pregnancy begins.2
Some states restrict access or completely disallow the use of Mifeprex. Fourteen states have banned access to Mifeprex for medical termination of pregnancy, while another 15 states limit its use to certain situations.
In contrast, Plan B One-Step is legal and available in all 50 states.6
What Is Plan B One-Step?
The FDA approves Plan B One-Step for use in females to reduce the likelihood of pregnancy following unprotected sex. It comes as a single-dose oral tablet that you swallow. It is intended for use in females of reproductive age.
Plan B One-Step works up to 72 hours after unprotected sex to prevent pregnancy. Taking it as soon as possible increases its effectiveness and reduces the chances of getting pregnant.1
The sooner you take it after sex, the more effectively it works, though some research suggests that it may still work up to four days (96 hours) afterward.4
Levonorgestrel, the active ingredient in Plan B One-Step, is also available OTC as several other emergency contraceptive products, such as Her Style, Opcicon One-Step, and Fallback Solo.2
Levonorgestrel is also an active ingredient found in other contraceptives, such as certain types of birth control pills, transdermal patches, and intrauterine devices (IUDs).7
How Does Plan B One-Step Work?
Plan B One-Step prevents or delays ovulation when the ovary releases an egg. As a result, sperm cells cannot reach or fertilize the egg, which helps prevent pregnancy.3
Plan B One-Step works by preventing or delaying ovulation. If you take it after ovulation has already occurred, it may be less effective.
However, since you may not know when you ovulated, you can still take Plan B One-Step at any time during your menstrual cycle to help prevent pregnancy within three days after having unprotected sex.8
Note that it offers no protection against HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) or other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Therefore, it should not be considered a preventative measure against STDs.1
Taking Plan B One-Step may result in changes to the menstrual cycle. After taking Plan B One-Step, your period may be earlier or later than expected. In most cases, individuals taking it will get their period within a week when expected.
However, if your period is more than a week late, this could be a sign of pregnancy; take a pregnancy test or talk to a healthcare provider for guidance.
Period flow and duration may be similarly affected by Plan B One-Step. Some individuals experience heavier or lighter bleeding than usual, and their period may be longer or shorter than usual.
Some people may notice spotting or light bleeding after taking Plan B One-Step, but this side effect may not be your actual period. You should still anticipate your period within a week before or after the expected time.
After taking Plan B, you may feel anxious while waiting to see if it was successful at preventing pregnancy. The most typical indication of its effectiveness is the arrival of your period. You can also take a pregnancy test if your period is late.
There is no other method to determine the effectiveness of Plan B One-Step if signs such as a negative pregnancy test do not occur.3
Why Does Plan B Affect Your Period?
Levonorgestrel, the active ingredient in Plan B One-Step, results in possible changes to the menstrual cycle. Levonorgestrel is a synthetic progestin hormone.
It is a lab-made version of a naturally occurring progesterone hormone and acts similarly.1
Because Plan B One-Step contains a more significant amount of hormone than the body naturally produces at various stages of the menstrual cycle, the medication can alter the flow, duration, and timing of the next period.
In general:9
- Taking Plan B One-Step after the midpoint of the menstrual cycle (the time of expected ovulation) may result in extended periods and/or delays in period onset.
- Taking Plan B One-Step before the midpoint of the menstrual cycle is more frequently associated with spotting and earlier period onset.
Dosing Guidelines
The table below shows the strength and dosage of Plan B One-Step:1
Plan B One-Step can be taken with or without food as long as you take it within 72 hours of unprotected sex. If you vomit within three hours of taking it, you may need to repeat the dose.2
Consult a pharmacist or healthcare provider for advice if you have questions about taking Plan B One-Step.
Precautions & Safety
The FDA advises pregnant individuals against using Plan B One-Step. However, the drug is not known to cause harmful effects if taken during pregnancy, and it does not affect an established pregnancy. Plan B One-Step will not terminate an existing pregnancy.
In addition, individuals should not rely on the morning-after pill as their primary form of contraception.
Other options, such as birth control pills or vaginal rings, are more effective when used as prescribed compared to Plan B One-Step or other emergency contraceptive pills.
Certain medications interact with Plan B One-Step and may lead to less effective results for Plan B One-Step when taken simultaneously.
These medications include:1
- Some medications that treat HIV, such as Sustiva (efavirenz)
- Certain treatment options for tuberculosis (TB), such as Rifadin (rifampin)
- Medications used to treat epilepsy, such as Dilantin (phenytoin)
Side Effects
Generally, Plan B One-Step provides safe emergency contraception. However, some individuals may experience side effects from the medication.
The most common side effects are:10
- Menstrual cycle changes, such as spotting
- Fatigue
- Breast pain
- Nausea
- Headache
- Vomiting
- Abdominal pain
- Dizziness
In most cases, these side effects are mild. Notably, abdominal pain could be a sign of ectopic pregnancy.
If you’re experiencing severe abdominal pain after taking Plan B One-Step, contact a healthcare provider for evaluation and observation.
How Effective Is Plan B One-Step?
Plan B One-Step provides a practical option for preventing pregnancy. In a major clinical study, Plan B One-Step prevented 84% of expected pregnancies.
This was a drop from 8% to 1% in the expected pregnancy rate following unprotected sex without EC.1
However, other factors can alter the effectiveness of Plan B One-Step. Studies show that taking the medication as soon as possible after the time of unprotected sex increases the chances of effectively preventing pregnancy.
Furthermore, the point in the menstrual cycle when you take Plan B can affect how it works.11
An independent study of Plan B One-Step showed that while the medication may still be effective after ovulation, it is more effective if taken before ovulation.8
Summary
Plan B One-Step (levonorgestrel 1.5 mg oral tablet) is an OTC EC pill.1 It is taken to reduce the chance of pregnancy if taken up to 72 hours after unprotected sex.
After taking Plan B One-Step, it’s common for individuals to experience some changes to their normal menstrual cycle.2
Your period can come one week earlier or later than expected. Plan B One-Step may cause spotting and/or periods that are heavier, longer, or lighter than usual.
If more than a week has passed since you expected your period after taking Plan B One-Step, you may be pregnant. Take a pregnancy test; if the result is negative and another week passes without a period, take another test or reach out to a healthcare provider for medical advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How can I safely store Plan B One-Step?
Store Plan B One-Step at room temperature (68-77 degrees F) and keep it away from any area susceptible to high levels of heat or moisture, such as the bathroom.
Keep Plan B out of the reach of children and pets.10
- Will Plan B One-Step affect future fertility?
No. Plan B One-Step does not impact future fertility. The medication works quickly and only stays in your system for a few hours without making any lasting changes to hormones or fertility.12
- What is the shelf-life of Plan B One-Step?
Plan B One-Step comes with an expiration date on the product packaging. It is usually four years after the date of manufacturing.
Once expired, the medication may be less effective, so dispose of any unused Plan B One-Step and replace it with a fresh supply if desired.13
- How commonly used is EC?
EC has gained popularity over the last two decades.
According to a 2019 survey, more than 25% of females of reproductive age reported taking EC at least once; a similar survey from 2002 found that only 4% of females reported using EC.
This increase is likely because EC is now an easily accessible OTC product that had previously required a prescription.7
Complete Article ↪HERE↩!
Can Men Get Periods?
— Cisgender men don’t have menstrual periods, but testosterone levels vary from day to day, which may cause some mental and physical effects.
Like women, men experience hormonal shifts and changes. Every day, a man’s testosterone levels rise in the morning and fall in the evening. Testosterone levels can even vary from day to day.
Some claim that these hormonal fluctuations may cause symptoms that mimic the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS), including depression, fatigue, and mood swings.
But are those monthly hormonal swings regular enough to be called a “male period”?
Yes, claims psychotherapist and author Jed Diamond, PhD. Diamond coined the term Irritable Male Syndrome (IMS) in his book of the same name, to describe these hormonal fluctuations and the symptoms they cause, based on a true biological phenomenon observed in rams.
He believes cisgender men experience hormonal cycles like women. That’s why these cycles have been described as “man-struation” or the “male period.”
A woman’s period and hormonal changes are the result of her natural reproductive cycle, sex therapist Janet Brito, PhD, LCSW, CST says. “The hormonal changes she endures are in preparation for possible conception. [Cisgender] men do not experience the cycle of producing ovocytes, nor do they have a uterus that gets thicker to prepare for a fertilized egg. And if conception does not occur, they do not have a uterine lining that will be released from the body as blood through the vagina, which is what is referred to as a period or menstruation,” Brito explains.
“In this definition, men do not have these types of periods.”
However, Brito notes that men’s testosterone levels can vary, and some factors can influence testosterone levels. As these hormones shift and fluctuate, men may experience symptoms.
The symptoms of these fluctuations, which may share some similarities with symptoms of PMS, may be as close to “male periods” as any man will get.
IMS is supposedly the result of dipping and oscillating hormones, specifically testosterone. However, there’s no medical evidence of IMS.
However, it’s true that testosterone plays an important role in a man’s physical and mental well-being, and the human body works to regulate it. But factors unrelated to IMS can cause testosterone levels to change. This is thought to lead to unusual symptoms.
Factors that can influence hormonal levels include:
- age (a man’s testosterone levels start declining
as early as age 30) - stress
- changes in diet or weight
- illness
- lack of sleep
- eating disorders
These factors can also impact a man’s psychological well-being, Brito adds.
The symptoms of so-called IMS mimic some of the symptoms women experience during PMS. However, IMS doesn’t follow any physiological pattern the way a woman’s period follows her reproductive cycle, as no hormonal basis of IMS exists. That means these symptoms may not occur regularly, and there may be no pattern to them.
Symptoms of IMS are vague and have been suggested to include:
- fatigue
- confusion or mental fogginess
- depression
- anger
- low self-esteem
- low libido
- anxiety
- hypersensitivity
If you’re experiencing these symptoms, there is likely something else going on. Some of these symptoms may be the result of testosterone deficiency. Testosterone levels do naturally fluctuate, but levels that are too low can cause problems, including:
- lowered libido
- behavior and mood problems
- depression
If these symptoms persist, make an appointment to talk with your doctor. This is a diagnosable condition and can be treated.
Likewise, middle-aged men may experience symptoms as their natural levels of testosterone begin to fall. This condition, colloquially called andropause, is sometimes referred to as male menopause.
“When it comes to andropause, which does show up in the [anecdotal] research, the symptoms tend to be fatigue, low libido, and [it] tends to affect middle-aged men due to low testosterone levels,” Dr. Brito says.
Lastly, the term male period or man-struation is used colloquially to refer to blood found in urine or feces. However, Brito says, bleeding from the male genitals is often the result of parasites or an infection. No matter where the blood is located, you need to see your doctor for a diagnosis and treatment plan as soon as possible.
IMS isn’t a recognized medical diagnosis, so “treatment” aims to:
- manage symptoms
- adapt to the emotions and mood swings when they
occur - find ways to relieve stress
Exercise, eating a healthy diet, finding ways to relieve stress, and avoiding alcohol and smoking may help stop these symptoms from happening. These lifestyle changes can also help a variety of physical and mental symptoms.
However, if you believe your symptoms may be the result of low testosterone, see your doctor.
Testosterone replacement may be an option for some men with low hormone levels, but it does come with risksTrusted Source.
If your doctor suspects another underlying cause, they can schedule tests and procedures to help rule out other problems.
If you believe your partner shows signs of severe hormonal changes or low testosterone, one of the best ways to help him is to have a conversation. You can help him seek out professional help and find ways to manage any symptoms, regardless of their underlying cause.
Bad days that cause crabby attitudes are one thing. Persistent emotional or physical symptoms are something entirely different, and they’re a possible indication that you should see your doctor.
“[Symptoms] are serious if they are bothering you. See a doctor if your symptoms bother you. See a sex therapist if you need help revitalizing your sex life or see a mental health professional if you are experiencing depression or anxiety,” Brito says.
Likewise, if you’re bleeding from your genitals, you should seek medical attention. This isn’t a form of a male period and instead may be a sign of an infection or other condition.
Complete Article ↪HERE↩!
Don’t say “period”
— How Florida Republicans are taking aim at basic sex education
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis answers questions from the media in the Florida Cabinet following his “State of the State” address during a joint session of the Florida Senate and House of Representatives at the state capitol in Tallahassee, Florida, on March 7, 2023. A bill wants to restrict when students can discuss “human sexuality” at school.
While many of the controversial education bills in Florida have limited how schools teach about history or gender, the latest, House Bill 1069, is turning back to a more traditional target for conservatives: sex education.
If passed, the law would require that teachers get approval for materials used in sexual health classes, which can only be taught in grades six through 12 under the law. It would also require that schools teach a specific definition of “sex” and “reproductive roles.”
The bill advanced last week at a Florida House Education Quality Subcommittee hearing — bolstered by a Republican supermajority — and is on its way to a vote on the state House floor. Ultimately, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will likely sign it into law.
The bill joins DeSantis’s two other education initiatives — the “Don’t Say Gay” law and the Stop WOKE Act — in seeking to restrict what teachers can talk about in the classroom. And while it’s nominally about sex education, it would also reinforce those laws’ restrictions on what students learn about gender and relationships, and increase the state’s ability to restrict what students read in the school library by giving parents and community members the power to object to some materials.
During the subcommittee hearing last week, Democrats were aghast that lawmakers didn’t consider whether a topic as innocuous as menstrual cycles would be barred from discussions at school under the legislation. Rep. Ashley Viola Gantt asked Rep. Stan McClain, who proposed the legislation, whether the bill would prohibit young girls from talking about their periods in schools.
“Does this bill prohibit conversations about menstrual cycles ― because we know that typically the age is between 10 and 15 ― so if little girls experience their menstrual cycle in fifth grade or fourth grade, will that prohibit conversations from them since they are in the grade lower than sixth grade?” Gantt asked McClain during the committee hearing. McClain responded that the bill would restrict such conversations, but later said the goal of the bill is not to punish little girls.
“Teachers are a safe place. Schools are a safe place. [But teachers] can’t even talk to their students about these very real and biological things that happen to their bodies, these little girls. It wasn’t even contemplated that little girls can have their periods in third grade or fourth grade,” Gantt said in her testimony. “If we are preparing children to be informed adults, we need to inform them about their bodies and that’s something very basic.”
The bill would regulate Florida’s already disjointed sex ed landscape
Florida schools are not required to teach sex education, but are required to teach comprehensive health education. There is no statewide curriculum for sex education, which makes instruction inconsistent across the state, according to an ABC report. Plus, Florida has long touted its opt-out policy, which allows parents to remove their children from instruction on reproductive health.
Critics of the bill fear that it will push the state away from embracing comprehensive sex education, which advocates say is necessary. A 2019 CDC youth risk behavior study found that more than half of Florida’s 12th graders had already had sexual intercourse; of those who were sexually active, half of them did not use a condom during their last sexual encounter.
The bill is also another avenue for DeSantis and his allies to enforce conservative beliefs about sex and gender. According to the bill, “sex” is either female or male “based on the organization of the body of such person for a specific reproductive role.” One’s reproductive role and sex are determined by their “sex chromosomes, naturally occurring sex hormones, and internal and external genitalia present at birth.”
This law goes further than other proposed legislation that would require teachers to use pronouns that correspond with a student’s gender assigned at birth, which opponents of the proposal have argued is an attack on trans students and faculty members.
In building on earlier book restrictions already in effect in various parts of the state, the law would require that materials used to teach about reproductive health or sexually transmitted diseases be approved by the state education department. The bill does not detail what the approval process would entail. Teachers subject to book bans in certain districts, including the Duval County school district, have already described the process as time consuming and shrouded in mystery.
>Sex ed, health, and science classes that teach about HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases can only discuss human sexuality in grades six through 12. And the courses must abide by the idea that “biological males impregnate biological females by fertilizing the female egg with male sperm; that the female then gestates the offspring.” Under the law, these reproductive roles are “binary, stable, and unchangeable” — a statement that refuses to admit the existence of trans and nonbinary people.
Democrats also noted that limiting certain discussions to middle school and higher grade levels could be harmful to younger students.
“Imagine a little girl in fourth grade going to the bathroom and finding blood in her panties and thinking that she is dying. This is a reality for little girls in school. They can be in foster care. They could have parents who just work a lot because wages are stagnant and the price of living continues to grow,” Gantt said. “She doesn’t actually know what’s going on. And her teacher doesn’t have the ability to tell her that this is a part of life because she’s in the fourth grade.”
The law doubles down on abstinence education, which the state has long promoted, despite evidence that abstinence-only education does not lower adolescent birth rates. According to the law, teaching abstinence from sexual activity is a “certain way to avoid out-of-wedlock pregnancy.” The law emphasizes that teachers must teach the benefits of monogamous heterosexual marriage. The bill says teachers must teach material that is grade and age appropriate for students but does not offer additional details.
Relatedly, as DeSantis prepares his expected presidential run, his administration is moving to expand its “Don’t Say Gay” law, which took effect in 2022. It bars grades K-3 teachers from teaching about gender identity and sexual orientation, and a proposed State Board of Education rule, which comes up for a vote in April and doesn’t require legislative approval, would expand the restriction to grades four to 12.
The bans keep coming
DeSantis has said his education legislation empowers parents, giving them greater latitude to monitor what happens in classrooms. This bill carries this effort forward, though advocates have said such laws allow parental overreach and take power away from teachers who are experts.
The proposed legislation tasks district school boards with choosing course content and instructional materials used in classrooms. This means that boards have the power to control what’s available in school and classroom libraries and classroom reading lists. They’re also tasked with developing guidelines for how parents can object to what’s being taught and make it easier for them to do so.
The same provision even empowers “a resident of the county” to submit objections. Content can be objected to for a variety of reasons under the law, including if it depicts sexual content, is “not suited to student needs,” or is inappropriate for a student’s grade level or age group.
As with other Florida legislation, if certain material is objected to it must be removed from a classroom within five school days from when the objection was filed and cannot return to the school until the objection is investigated and resolved. If a school district finds an objection to be valid under the law, teachers must discontinue its use.
The bill also opens up avenues for parents to contest a school board’s decision to adopt certain course materials via petition. School districts are to consider petitions during hearings and make a determination. If a parent disagrees with a district’s decision, the law gives them the power to request that the commissioner of education appoint a special magistrate to issue a recommendation for how to resolve the dispute.
These allowances build on legislation that Florida passed last year that limits the kinds of materials that schools can carry in their libraries.
Republicans have argued that these bills do not constitute book bans, but activists say that’s exactly what they are.
“This is a ban because the language in the bill says this information will be removed completely. What if a parent says I don’t want my child to ever be exposed to slavery and that part of our history?” Gantt asked during her testimony. “There are so many ways we can keep children safe and informed and have these conversations.”
If signed by DeSantis, the law would take effect July 1, 2023.
Complete Article ↪HERE↩!
How To Navigate 6 Common Sexual Health Conversations With Your Partner
By Jen Anderson
The pillar of any good relationship is open communication — and that doesn’t stop at being honest about whose turn it is to do the dishes. Opening up about sex with your partner, whether it’s about your birth control options, the positions that make you feel best, or the need to take emergency contraception, is essential to truly enjoying your sex life.That’s why, in partnership with Plan B One-Step, we created a handy guide to the most common sex conversations you might encounter, tapping Katharine O’Connell White, MD, MPH, and Rachel Needle, PsyD, for their best advice on how to navigate each. No matter if it’s a new Hinge fling, a veteran booty call, or a long-term relationship, you should feel empowered to have these conversations — especially when they help ensure safe sexual health practices and more enjoyment to help you reach that O. Read ahead to see how Dr. White and Dr. Needle break it all down. A better sex life awaits you
The Birth Control Conversation
Before you engage in sex at all, it’s crucial that you and your partner are transparent with each other about what contraception you plan to use to protect against sexually transmitted infections (STIs), sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), and unintended pregnancies. This means talking about the methods you might already be using, like the pill or the IUD, plus barrier methods like condoms or a diaphragm. Be open and honest about your prior experience so that you’re both on the same page.
“The condom discussion is paramount, for the safety of all involved,” Dr. White says, and she suggests always having a supply of condoms on hand. This way, both parties can feel more comfortable going into sex knowing that you’re taking precautions to reduce the risk of STIs and STDs.
The Frequency Conversation
While you may feel like you’re the only couple that struggles with differing opinions on how often you want to have sex, the truth is that it’s very common. The key here is to bring up your feelings about frequency when you’re not hot and heavy. “Start off with something positive about your relationship, including your sexual relationship,” Dr. Needle advises. Then, “use feeling words and ‘I’ statements, [so you don’t put] your partner on the defensive.” Use the conversation to establish the factors that are contributing to either party’s decrease in sexual desire, and make plans to work on them, either on your own, together, or with a professional. Just remember: “There is not really a ‘normal’ amount or an amount of sex that is good or correct to have. Each couple is different.”
The Emergency Contraception Conversation
So the condom broke during sex, or it never got used. There’s no need to skirt around the issue. Dr. White suggests bringing up the emergency contraception conversation by saying something like, “Whoops, I think we forgot something,” if you and your partner forgot to use your preferred birth control method. If it broke, just say so, point blank. It’s likely that your partner is thinking the exact same thing as you are — someone just needs to break the ice and bring it up.
Make arrangements to buy Plan B One-Step for emergency contraception together, or, in the case of a fleeting one-night stand or a FWB-gone-awry, the conversation might not be necessary, and you should still feel empowered to get your emergency contraceptive on your own. It’s easier than ever, with Plan B available on the shelf at all major retailers without a prescription, age restriction, or ID. Just keep in mind: You have 72 hours after unprotected sex to take it, and the sooner you take it, the more effective it will be at helping prevent pregnancy.
The Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) & Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) Conversation
When it comes to asking your partner to get tested, Dr. White advises keeping the convo friendly and factual. Try telling them your plans to get tested, and suggest they do the same. “That way, getting tested is a joint venture and not a one-way request,” she explains. If you already have an STI or STD, it’s important to chat about this prior to any sexual encounters — your partner has a right to know about their own risks. “Pick the right time and place for a serious conversation, and try [saying something like], ‘I like you a lot, so there’s something you need to know.'”
The Period Sex Conversation
Period sex isn’t for everyone. But for some, it can be just as enjoyable as non-period sex and even bring couples together in a new way. According to Dr. White, the best way to approach this topic is with a casual conversation that signals you’re not embarrassed and allows your partner to follow your lead. “Mention [upfront] that you’re on your period, so [you can] throw down a towel on the bed to protect the sheets,” she says — especially those white cotton sheets. Not only is this conversation important to have for transparency, but it could introduce a favorite new time of the month to get intimate. “Sex during your period has a lot of advantages,” she adds. “The blood can act as a [secondary] lubricant, and the endorphins released with orgasm can help soothe period cramps.”
The Painful-Sex Conversation
Plain and simple, painful sex isn’t good sex for anyone. “Any decent human will not want to cause you pain and will work with you to make it more comfortable,” Dr. White says. So use your voice to tell your partner immediately if something isn’t feeling quite right — even if this means stopping sex early. If the pain persists, “Trust your body… You should not keep doing the same thing that hurts. This will only teach your body to associate pain with sex, which can be a brutal cycle to break,” she adds.
Complete Article ↪HERE↩!
Are you getting any closer? A pocket-sized primer on female sexuality
Stay curious between the sheets, friends.
Closer: Notes from the Orgasmic Frontier of Female Sexuality
by Sarah Barmak
(Coach House Books, 2016; $14.95)If it weren’t for Sarah Barmak’s Closer: Notes from the Orgasmic Frontier of Female Sexuality I might have gone for years of my life without ever finding out what my clitoris actually looks like.
“Illustrations of it resemble a swan with an arched neck,” Barmak writes. “When I saw an
illustration of the clitoris’s true shape for the first time I felt like a blind man finally seeing a whole elephant when all he’s ever known was the tip of it’s trunk.” I realized while reading those sentences that no one in my Catholic high school health class ever bothered to show me such an image and I’d never thought to seek one out.I consider myself a feminist and a sexually liberated woman. Yet, there are still surprising gaps in my understanding of my own body. And that’s why a book like Barmak’s is important. Closer tackles its subject with eloquence, intelligence and humour.
The book is split into five essays that tackle the “fear of pleasure,” the history of female sexuality, the science and psychology of the orgasm, the “female sexual underground” and the politics of acknowledging female desire.
While each essay has its own strengths, I think the most effective chapter is “A History of Forgetting.” This section aligns the historical “discovery” and “loss” of the clitoris with the individual experience of a woman named Vanessa — an actual interview subject.
We first meet Vanessa on the table at the doctor’s office filming herself masturbating in order to prove to the doctor that she can indeed ejaculate. We learn that Vanessa has been having a series of problems — pain after sex, recurring yeast infections and so on — that no doctors can figure out.
From here Barmak momentarily leaves Vanessa’s story behind and turns her attention to the clitoris itself, noting that “the mapping of the human genome was completed in 2003, years before we got around to doing an ultrasound on the ordinary human clit.”
While the tendency is to see history as ever moving forward and progressing, Barmak counters that “women’s sexuality began by being celebrated, then was feared as too potent, before being downplayed and denied in the scientific era.”
The Christian church, the scientific revolution and various other factors resulted in a demonization and rejection of female bodies. It’s a generalized historical account to be sure, but Barmak does point readers in the direction of Naomi Wolf’s Vagina, a much more comprehensive book on the subject.
What makes this essay so powerful is the way it revisits and concludes with Vanessa and her struggle. Her story held up against the larger history of the clitoris itself demonstrates all too well an overall contempt for and neglect of the female genitalia.
Along with research and anecdotes, Barmak amasses a diverse collection of interviews with doctors, researchers and sex educators. I was excited to learn many factoids that I will surely whip out at dinner parties in the future — for instance, vaginal self stimulation actually blocks pain in women, and even women who are paralysed can sometimes still feel sexual pleasure because of nerves which bypass the spinal cord and communicate directly with the brain!
Barmak combines this research and traditional journalistic writing with first-person narration, bringing her own experience into the story. This means attending seminars and workshops, watching a demonstration of a female orgasm at Burning Man, and getting a vaginal massage.
Barmak is open about her own skepticism and trepidation during these investigations. “I like to consider myself open to new things,” she writes. “Yet, the idea of a strange lady’s gloved fingers all up in my jade palace falls somewhat outside my personal boundaries.” She goes through with it and the personal account makes for a richer narrative overall.
A note about the term “woman”: Barmak uses it throughout the book to generally refer to the cisgendered female experience. If I have any strong critique of the book it is that by celebrating the distinctly female anatomy, the book sometimes verges on unintentionally emphasizing a gender binary. This is something Barmak herself seems aware of. She notes on pg. 21 that “the word woman can refer equally to cisgender, intersex, genderqueer and transgender women all representing varied shades of experience.” While it’s good that the acknowledgement is there, I think a declaration like this belongs even earlier on as a note for readers to keep in mind before the book even begins.
That said, Barmak does make an effort to include the experiences of typically marginalized women such as trans women and women of colour in her narrative. “Being white affords privileges even in non-mainstream spaces of revolt such as sexuality,” she notes.
The topic is something “that requires far more depth and attention than this little book can offer,” Barmak says and while this seems like a partial cop-out for having only a few pages devoted to women of colour and trans women specifically, Barmak makes a valid point. Issues regarding sexuality faced by marginalized women warrant entire books altogether, preferably penned by a writer who has lived those experiences.
Nevertheless, I think this book would have been more complete with a sixth section devoted specifically to these issues.
At its core this book is compassionately optimistic, celebrating the innate complexity of sexual pleasure itself and arguing in favor of orgasms for all, something I can definitely get behind.
Sex educator and vlogger Lindsay Doe has a motto she repeats at the end of each of her videos: “stay curious.” Closer isn’t the definitive book about female sexuality and it doesn’t claim to be. But it made me curious about my own body, and even more curious about the wonderfully vast array of experiences we humans have between the sheets.
I recommend it to my friends of all genders, my boyfriend, my sisters, and especially the woman who started it all, my mother.
Complete Article HERE!
Vatican Roulette
Name: Ricardo
Gender: Male
Age: 20
Location: Miami
I have understood that there is a certain period while women have their period that they can have unprotected sex without risk of getting pregnant, is this true? And if it is when is this period? After or before the PMS? And how long does it last? Thanks.Nope, darlin’, there’s no such thing as a 100% foolproof, absolutely certain period in a woman’s menstrual cycle that she can have unprotected sex without the risk of gettin’ pregnant. This is a myth, and a mighty risky myth at that. If you’re considering this practice as an effective means of birth control, you’re playing Russian Roulette, or better Vatican Roulette, with your dick.
Ok so here’s the low-down on the rhythm method also known as “fertility awareness.” It is not a reliable way to prevent pregnancy for most people. Over 25% of couples that rely on the rhythm method to prevent pregnancy will accidentally conceive. Ya see, one has to be a freakin’ rocket scientist to use the rhythm method correctly and consistently. A woman is generally infertile around 10 days a month. Make one slight miscalculation on when that infertile period begins and you gonna be toast.
The rhythm method is dependent on the couple not have sex around the time of ovulation. But the trick is accurately determining precisely when ovulation happens. Couples can try to track this by using a calendar and a thermometer to measure body temperature. A woman’s temperature will rise a coupe of degrees just before ovulation. But very few women are as regular as clockwork. And lots of things, like stress, prescription medications, even antihistamines can throw a woman’s cycle of by a day or two. The fertile period around ovulation lasts 6 to 12 days. So absolutely no unprotected fucking during this period.
Even when used perfectly, the rhythm method is a highly ineffective means of avoiding a pregnancy. That’s because the methods formula makes several assumptions that are not always true. Sure, one can keep track of past menstrual cycles to predict the length of future cycles. However, the length of the pre-ovulatory phase can vary significantly, depending on a woman’s over all health. Like if for some reason she ovulates early, this will fuck up the rhythm method formula big time. The formula will indicate she is still infertile, when actually she is quite fertile. Look out!
The rhythm method also assumes that all vaginal bleeding is true menstruation. But that’s simply not the case. If you incorrectly identify the onset of menstruation, even by one day, you’ll render your calculations inaccurate. Again, you will be toast, pup.
And consider this, sperm can live in a woman’s reproductive system for up to 7 days. And fertilization may occur even days after fucking. I mean with risks like these, wouldn’t it be safer and easier just to slip on a condom?
If by chance you are trying to reconcile your religious indoctrination (the rhythm method is the only means of family planning embraced by the Catholic Church) and your youthful libido, you may be playing with fire. In the final analysis, it’s not only your life that’s on the line here. Think about it; wear a rubber.
Good luck
Hey dr dick! What’s that toll-free podcast voicemail telephone number? Why, it’s: (866) 422-5680. DON’T BE SHY, LET IT FLY!
Sex Advice With An Edge — Podcast #54 — 03/10/08
[Look for the podcast play button below.]
Hey sex fans,
I have a really swell show for you today. We return to our usual question and answer format this week, because I have a hot load of stimulating questions from all over the place waiting for answers. And I, of course, respond with an equal number of feisty, friendly and oh so enlightening responses! Hey, it’s what I do.
- Ms Smack drops by with some love from down under!
- Matilda can’t understand why men are so obsessed with their dick.
- Jeremy’s partner has performance issues!
- Malik, Karen and Giovanni get a quickie.
- Jenna’s horse-hung husband loves hand jobs.
BE THERE, OR BE SQUARE!
Check out The Lick-A-Dee-Split Connection. That’s dr dick’s toll free podcast voicemail. Don’t worry people; no one will personally answer the phone. Your message goes directly to voicemail.
Got a question? No time to write? Give dr dick a call at (866) 422-5680. Again, the TOLL FREE voicemail number is (866) 422-5680. DON’T BE SHY, LET IT FLY !
Look for my podcasts on iTunes. You’ll fine me in the health section under the subheading — Sexuality. Or just search for Dr Dick Sex Advice With An Edge. And don’t forget to subscribe. I don’t want you to miss even one episode.
Say, would you like to become a sponsor for one or more of my weekly sex advice podcasts? As you know, I plug a product or service at the beginning and end of each show. Each podcast has its own posting on my site along with the name of the podcast sponsor and a banner for the product or service.
The beauty part about this unique opportunity is that once a sponsor’s ad is included in a particular podcast that sponsor is embedded there forever.
Your sponsorship also underscores your social conscience. Your marketing dollars will not only got to promote your product, but you will be doing so while helping to disseminate badly needed sex education and sexual enrichment messages. Simply put, ya just can’t get a better bang for your advertising buck!
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- age (a man’s testosterone levels start declining
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