Thursday, May 14, 2009

masturbation - reasons to!!

I took this straight off the website about.com.

If you are working with people who are embarrassed or worried about masturbation you could show them this:

6 REASONS TO MASTURBATE TODAY
http://sexuality.about.com

Masturbation can increase self-knowledge:
Sex educators don’t call masturbation the cornerstone of sexual health for nothing. Masturbation is the first, safest, and best way to get to know how your sexual body works. You can learn what turns you on and what doesn’t. You can learn how to give yourself sexual pleasure in a hurry, or when you’ve got nothing but time. As an educational tool, masturbation is better than any textbook, video or website you’ll ever read (that includes this one!).

Masturbation can lead to self-discovery:
Even if you know how to get the job done, masturbatorally speaking, your capacity to feel sexual pleasure is limitless and masturbation is a great way to find new functions for familiar parts. Often when we’re having sex with a partner we might be too self-conscious, shy, or otherwise distracted to pay close attention to what’s happening in our own body. Masturbation, when you’re doing it by yourself, allows you to focus on the subtlety of your own sexual response , and possibly discover things you hadn’t previously realized were part of your sexuality.

Masturbation is nature’s sleep aid:
While thinking about sex might keep you up at night having it, including masturbation, is a great way to deal with insomnia. In a 2000 study of U.S. women, 32% said that in the past three months they masturbated as a way to fall asleep. Whether it’s because of the hormones and endorphins released following orgasm, the benefits of clearing your head, or the mini cardio workout, masturbation that ends in orgasm is a great way to get to sleep without pills, television, or counting sheep.

Masturbation provides pain relief:
Whether you’re experiencing temporary or chronic pain from sore joints, headaches, menstrual cramps, or other causes, masturbation and orgasm can, in some cases, provide natural pain relief. While we don’t know exactly why, research has documented arousal and orgasm resulting in reduced pain thresholds. It’s worth pointing out that for some conditions (like migraine headaches ) orgasm can either reduce the pain or increase it.

Masturbation is a great stress reliever:
Several studies have documented the relaxation effects of masturbation induced orgasm. Aside from the physical benefits, masturbation, when you’re doing it right, is all about “you time” and taking time to focus on yourself is a great way to break up the stress of a busy life. Particularly when used with sexual fantasy, masturbation can be a great escape, a way to let off some steam, and while masturbation alone might not be enough to deal with all the stress in your life, it’s a healthy, free, and non-pharmaceutical tool right at your fingertips (or other body part or sex toy, as the case may be).

Masturbation may offer cancer prevention:
Two recent studies found a link between the number of times a man ejaculates and the likelihood of getting prostate cancer. The prostate gland produces and stores seminal fluid and the fluid can build up in the prostate if a man goes a long time without ejaculating. This build up isn’t always a problem, but in the studies men who ejaculate more were less likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer. Another researcher has proposed a theory that orgasm may offer some protective effect against breast cancer via oxytocin released at orgasm.
So go for it: After all May is masturbation month

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

IDAHO

I'm just passing this invite on to EVERYBODY

"Hi there,

Pleased see attached your invitation to a VERY important GLBTIQ Event

The IDAHO 09 ‘Stars Against Homophobia’ Event

The 2009 International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO) is THIS SUNDAY! May 17 is the day that the world unites to say NO! to homophobia, and Adelaide will once again lead the country in uniting to celebrate diverse sexualities.

What is IDAHO?
On 17 May 1990, the General Assembly of the World Health Organization (WHO) removed homosexuality from their list of mental disorders. The fight for the recognition of equal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people continues today, across the globe and in SA!
But what is happening in SA in 2009?

Well, the IDAHO organising committee has been working hard since last year ensuring that IDAHO 09 is bigger and better than ever.

The ‘Stars Against Homophobia’ Event will be held at the Higher Ground Art CafĂ© on Light Square, Adelaide on Sunday, March 17 at 2pm and will launch the display of STARS against Homophobia! It will include a speech by the Hon Ian Hunter MLC, the sharing of stories from young queer members of the Second Story Youth Health Service and performances from local STARS Lori Bell, Luke Ashby and Linda Paterson followed by an evening of acoustic music at Higher Ground’s ‘Acousticum’. The event is catered and bar facilities will also be available.

The City of Charles Sturt IDAHO BBQ Breakfast is also happening this Friday, May 15 at the Woodville Train Station from 8am. Join local services in celebrating IDAHO with a hot BBQ breakfast, music, face painting, a door prize and speeches!

For more information you can click on the link here www.acsa.org.au/idaho.html and visit the SA IDAHO webpage (via the Gay Men’s Health Website) which has lots of information, history, links and downloads of posters and other material for you to decorate your home or workplace with. There is also a list of services that are holding activities for IDAHO 09.

You can also contact Danny for more information on 0433 626 131.
Come help celebrate SA’s diverse sexualities and communities and say NO to homophobia on May 17.
The IDAHO Organising Committee



Thursday, May 07, 2009

New resources

A whole range of new resources from books and articles to games etc etc. These are from SHineSA at Woodville. Have a look and order some. Here is the link


Youth Sexual Assault Service

Information for you in case you need it ( for people in South Australia)

Youth Sexual assault/ abuse counselling service (YSAACS) is – for now - located at Yarrow Place. Please refer people to ph no : 1800 351 700.

This service offers counselling to 12-18 year olds.
{Note: Under 16 y.o’s do not receive a medical (forensic exam.) but will go to Child Protection Unit (CPU) at the WCH nearby, if wanting that.}

Tuesday, May 05, 2009

Ethics


This looks interesting.


My-Peer is a project of the WA Centre for Health Promotion that is developing a resource toolkit of best practice standards and evaluation tools for the design, implementation and evaluation of youth peer support programs. It is funded by Healthway and Lotterywest.
Find out more at:
http://www.curtin.edu.au/research/projects/mypeer/



Kind regards

Jonathan Hallett
Research Fellow Western Australian Centre for Health Promotion Research School of Public Health Faculty of Health Sciences
Curtin University of Technology GPO Box U1987 Perth Western Australia
Telephone +61 8 9266 7021 Facsimile +61 8 9266 2958 Email j.hallett@curtin.edu.au

Friday, May 01, 2009

National Youth Survey

Mission Australia's eighth annual National Survey of Young Australians


The eighth survey of Mission Australia was announced today (20 April 2009).

Each year, Mission Australia's national survey asks young people aged 11 to 24 about what they value, their issues of concern, where they go for advice and support, and what activities they are involved in. Surveys can be completed until 26 June and the findings will be released later in the year.

The survey is a great opportunity for young people to have a say about the issues that affect them. Results from previous years have been an effective advocacy tool for improving services for young people. The survey is available online at http://www.missionaustralia.com.au/youthsurvey.

Hard copies and PDFs of the survey are also available (from Susie Scherf at scherfs@missionaustralia.com.au or by phoning (02) 9219 2098).