Monday, January 19, 2009

Suggestions from Marty

Occasionally, I remember to check the many blogs about sexuality on the Internet. Yes, besides spending life on Facebook, there are other things to do on here...sometimes it's easy to forget!

Dr. Marty Klein is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist, Certified Sex Therapist, and sociologist with a special interest in public policy and sexuality. His blog, Sexual Intelligence, is an interesting read. His latest post is a to-the-point list of suggestions for the new Surgeon General which I hope are considered:

* Abstinence ‘education’ doesn’t lead to abstinence
It leads to young people promising to be abstinent. And then, according to a dozen different studies, ¾ of those young people have sex before they get married.

* Most women who have abortions are mothers
About 60 percent of American women who get an abortion have already given birth to at least one child. Half of the 1 million U.S. women who have abortions each year are 25 or older; only 17 percent are teens.

* Condoms work—amazingly well
Practically no one who uses condoms conscientiously gets pregnant unless they want to. In fact, even people who use condoms inconsistently get darn good results. Way better results than either “abstinence” or the “rhythm method.”

* Many, many Americans have anal sex
Surveys show that about 25% of Americans have had anal sex more than once. The number of teens who report having anal sex at least once is rising yearly. “Sodomy” was never just for gay men, and it certainly isn’t now.

* Using lubricants is good for your health
Lubricants make all kinds of sex easier, reducing wear-and-tear on those delicate genital, anal, and other tissues. And that promotes health.

* Most Americans masturbate
The Old Testament says nothing about it, and the New says almost nothing. God may or may not disapprove, but every survey ever done shows that a majority of men and women give themselves sexual pleasure.

* Medical students receive virtually no training about sex
According to a 2003 study from the Medical College of Georgia, less than a 1/3 of U.S. medical schools require a course in sexuality. Your doctor probably got his or her degree and license without taking one. Come to think of it, did Dr. Gupta?

* Psychologists and clergy receive virtually no training about sex
To get a license in California, for example, your marriage counselor is required to take only a 10-hour seminar in sexuality. Two-thirds of U.S. seminaries offer no course in sexuality issues for religious professionals.

* Viagra does not create sexual excitement
It helps create erections. And while these often accompany excitement in men, they are not the same. In fact, erections without genuine excitement account for a lot of Americans’ sexual problems, with or without Viagra.

* There is no research that people who watch porn behave any differently than people who don’t
In fact, in the 9 years since the internet brought free pornography into most Americans’ lives, the rates of most social problems—including divorce, sexual assault, suicide, and child molestation—have declined.

With this new administration I'm curious to see how these issues transform and what of these issues will be considered. I do not expect the Surgeon General to be addressing the nation on how wonderful lubricants are, but I do hope policy in sexuality education changes.

Friday, December 19, 2008

My beautiful Cervix

**The provided link contains photos of a cervix; view at your discretion**

I'm glad I'm not the only one who is just amazed by a cervix. I love them and believe every person who owns a cervix or has loved a cervix, should get a view of one. So, haven't seen yours? Go ahead, take a peek. With just a few supplies you could perform your own gynecological exam. Or, ask your doctor to take a look. Your doctor should be more than willing to share. When I saw my first cervix in person? Whoa. I instantly felt like I had more of a connection to parts of my body that, for most of my life I have considered mysterious. I really only thought about my reproductive organs when I went for my yearly gynecological exam. The doctor would preform the exam, I'd hold my breath for the pelvic exam and that was that. Now, the day I saw my first cervix, has stuck with me and now I am a cervix laureate.

Not interested in the DIY approach? No worries. Go to My Beautiful Cervix c/o Sex. Justice. Change. Here, a woman who is a doula and student midwife documents her cervix for a whole month.