youthnetwork-lud

When did the middle finger become offensive?

2012-02-08T09:28:00.004+10:30

Thanks to Cory Silverberg for passing this via twitter

By Daniel Nasaw BBC News Magazine, Washington

An American television network has apologised after pop star M.I.A. extended her middle finger during Sunday night's Super Bowl halftime show. What does the gesture mean, and when did it become offensive?

A public intellectual, expressing his contempt for a gas-bag politician, reaches for a familiar gesture. He extends his middle finger and declares: "This is the great demagogue".
The episode occurred not on a chat show nor in the salons of New York or London, but in Fourth Century BC Athens, when the philosopher Diogenes told a group of visitors exactly what he thought about the orator Demosthenes, according to a later Greek historian.
The middle finger, extended with the other fingers held beneath the thumb, is thus documented to have expressed insult and belittlement for more than two millennia.

'Phallic gesture'
Ancient Greek philosophers, Latin poets hoping to sell copies of their works, soldiers, athletes and pop stars, school children, peevish policemen and skittish network executives have all been aware of the gesture's particular power to insult and enflame.

"It's one of the most ancient insult gestures known," says anthropologist Desmond Morris.
"The middle finger is the penis and the curled fingers on either side are the testicles. By doing it, you are offering someone a phallic gesture. It is saying, 'this is a phallus' that you're offering to people, which is a very primeval display."

During Sunday night's broadcast of the Super Bowl, America's most-watched television programme of the year, British singer M.I.A. extended the finger during a performance of Madonna's Give Me All Your Luvin'.

GO HERE TO READ MORE

Vulval condition

2012-02-07T14:09:00.005+10:30

Lichen Sclerosus: I recently learned of the seriousness of this condition at one of our ASSERTSA meetings. Thanks to Dr Ann Olsson for her presentation. The description below is not from the presentation but one from a paper : Topical interventions for genital lichen sclerosus (Review) Chi CC, Kirtschig G, Baldo M, Brackenbury F, Lewis F, Wojnarowska F

Lichen sclerosus is a chronic, inflammatory skin condition that most commonly occurs in adult women, although it may also be seen in men and children. It primarily affects the genital area and around the (vulva) and anus, where it causes persistent itching and soreness. Scarring after inflammation may lead to severe damage by fusion of the vulval lips (labia); narrowing of the vaginal opening; and burying of the clitoris in women and girls, as well as tightening of the foreskin in men and boys, if treatments are not started early. Affected people have an increased risk of genital cancers.

If you are working with young women who have persistant itching which they may think is thrush that is persistant. SUGGEST THEY GO TO A GP. Have a swab to make sure this is only thrush and not Lichen Sclerosus or Lichen Planos. These can be very serious and are often mistaken for persistant thrush. Don't self treat thrush. Go to your GP

You can always ring the ShineSA helpline Telephone: 1300 883 793 Toll free:

1800 188 171 (country callers only).

or send me an email via the 'contact me' tab.

Gender 101 - Transgender Basics

2012-02-07T11:35:00.002+10:30

Really good video from the Gender Identity project that gives a good grounding in discussions re gender and transgender. Have a watch.

Orgasm Industry and women

2012-02-07T11:07:00.003+10:30

Really good interview from Tamara McClintlock Greenberg with Liz Tanner in the huffington post

TMG: In your film Carol Queen describes FSD as the "hysteria of this century." How do you think the medicalization of female orgasm and desire has impacted women today?
LC: Throughout history, medicine has pathologized women's sexuality in order to understand and control it. During the Victorian era, many women with sexual problems were diagnosed as hysterical. In our grandmother's time, women with low desire were said to suffer from frigidity. During the feminist movement of the 1960's and 70's, the pathologizing and medicalizing of woman's sexual experience was challenged and resisted. Terms such as nymphomania, hysteria and frigidity were no longer used. Recently, the clocks have been turned back. The condition of low desire is now called hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) and there are quite a number of drug companies racing to find a nose spray, pill, cream or patch to cure it. The risk is that many healthy women will falsely think that they are diseased when in fact they are perfectly healthy and normal. By the way, I find it very curious that they're working on a desire drug for women. Would anybody think to develop a desire drug for men?
However, it is important to note that some women do suffer from a real physiological problem when they experience a lowering of their sex drive. Radical hysterectomies and some anti-depressants affect libido. However, the majority of women do not suffer from a disease. For many of us, our libidos are influenced by everyday life experiences such as aging, our sense of body image, the health of our relationship, stress, and past sexual encounters, including a history of sexual abuse.

GO HERE TO READ MORE

FRESH COURSE

2012-02-01T11:11:00.003+10:30

Dont forget: If you work with young people and want to comfortably raise and explore issues of sexuality with them then the FRESH course may be just what you need. Next course starts THIS MONTH

Go here to see more

Wow - Vacuum Cleaner Advertisement

2012-02-01T09:35:00.002+10:30

You may have already seen this viral advertisement about a vacuum cleaner that sucks fat away. Is it harmless/harmful? Watch the ad and then read this review. What are your thoughts?
Thanks to about-face.org for this.

Ultrasound your testes for birth control?

2012-02-01T09:05:00.002+10:30

Ultrasound your testes for birth control?: We better keep up with technology! What do you think of this?

Researchers from the Department of Pediatrics at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine used these experiments as a starting point to see if modern ultrasound equipment usually used for physical therapy could be used as a male contraceptive.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/240925.php

Ugly or Pretty

2012-02-01T08:54:00.002+10:30

Thanks to Adios Barbie for posting this. I have just shared it with you.

By Sayantani DasGupta
What if everyone was beautiful? No, I don’t mean inner beauty, prettiness that shines from the inside out. I mean, wide eyes, perfect noses, proportionate bodies, and symmetrical faces. The same approximate height, weight, skin color? Could making everyone look the same even the social and economic playing fields?
But human variety is important—it would be boring for everyone to be conventionally pretty, you say.
Well, what if we upped the stakes? What if making everyone beautiful could help stop bullying or eliminate eating disorders? What if it eradicated racism, prejudice, or even brought an end to all war and conflict?
Would it be worth it then?
Young adult (YA) author Scott Westerfeld spins these possibilities, and more, into his novel Uglies.

Go here to read more...

vulvalovelovely

2012-01-25T13:32:00.004+10:30

A couple of weeks ago I mentioned that the vulva needs to be included in our discussions about body image.

Here is a young woman discussing this very thing. have a look.

Plenty of syph.com

2012-01-23T11:13:00.003+10:30

Please have a look at this site and let me know what you think. Will it work? Would you show it to the people you work with?

Here is their blurb:

About Plenty of Syph
PlentyofSyph.com has become the fastest-growing online syphilis dating site, and best of all, it's completely FREE!
Since 2000, Alberta has been experiencing a sustained outbreak of syphilis. The number of cases has dramatically increased, and over the past few years, has spread to the general population through unsafe sexual activity. Some might see this as worrisome, but we saw this as an opportunity to tap into this growing syphilis market. And with that, PlentyofSyph.com was born.

Plenty of Syph - Girl from Plentyof Syph on Vimeo.

Operation Beautiful

2012-01-18T14:59:00.003+10:30

Thanks to Emily Zesers, a brilliant youthworker from the Southern Fleurieu for sending this link through.

Here is a bit about operation beautiful.

The goal of the Operation Beautiful website is to end negative self-talk or “Fat Talk.” If this little blog only does one productive thing, I hope it helps readers realize how truly toxic negative self-talk is — it hurts you emotionally, spiritually, and physically.

Through my own experiences fighting Fat Talk, I’ve realized the power behind an anonymous act such as Operation Beautiful. When I post a note, I’m saying, “I CHOOSE to be positive!”

Go HERE to see more

Callenge our thinking

2012-01-18T12:36:00.003+10:30

SEXAUL ACTIVITY AND SEXAUL SATISFACTION ARE NOT THE SAME THING:

Here is part of a posting from one of my favourite bloggers Cory Silverberg from about.com.

Below he gives some insight into sexual health statistics but also about our beliefs about desire and satisfaction. Have a read.

A study published this week in the American Journal of Medicine challenges some of ways we tend to think about and talk about sex and aging, and as importantly, challenges the dominant medical frame on sexuality, which focuses on dysfunction rather than satisfaction or pleasure.
The study asked just over 800 women aged 40 to 99 to respond to surveys about their recent sexual activity, overall sexual satisfaction, and sexual desire. The women were not representative of the general population, they all came from suburb of San Diego and have been involved in a longitudinal research project called the Rancho Bernardo Study which began in 1972. So the findings shouldn't be thought of as highly generalizable, but instead as an interesting snapshot of one group of women in one place at one time.
The women were asked if they had engaged in sexual activity in the past four weeks. In this study sexual activity was described as including caressing, foreplay, masturbation, and penile-vaginal intercourse. In analyzing the data the researchers divided the women into four age groups, each with about 200 women in them. Here are some of the basic findings of the study:
50% of the women reported having had sex in the previous 4 weeks and 80% of those women were living with a partner/spouse.
40% of all respondents said that they never or almost never felt sexual desire, and 30% of women who were having sex said they felt low, very low, or no sexual desire.
64% of all respondents said they were moderately or very satisfied with their sexual relationship.
64% of women who had sex in the past 4 weeks reported being aroused most times, almost always, or always.
67% said they achieved orgasm most times, almost always, or always; women in the youngest and oldest groups reported the highest orgasm satisfaction.
These findings highlight how slippery statistics are. After all, if I chose to tell you that 40% of women over forty years old said they almost never felt sexual desire you'd probably feel bad for those women, right? But of those women 67% who were actually having sex almost always had orgasms, 64% felt aroused and were satisfied with the sex they were having. So which number matters most?
This is the problem with quantitative research; it can never answer that question. But this study does give us a lot more to think about. For example: GO HERE TO READ MORE

Body image - also includes vulva

2012-01-18T09:38:00.007+10:30

Don't forget body image also includes vulvas: Something we often overlook, particularly in our conversations with young women. I recently came across this from SCARLETEEN

Introduction:
Freaking out because you think something must be wrong with your labia? Think again!
Author:
Heather Corinna

If we had to make a list of the top five questions we've gotten at the site over the last few years, "What's wrong with my labia?" would come right on the heels of "Am I pregnant?" "What's sex like?" and "Is it okay for me to have sex/masturbate?" and sit just in front of "Is my penis too small?" Whether more women are just asking about it than before, or concerns are growing, we've been seeing more and more -- often unfounded -- worries about labia as the years have gone by.
Here are some recent questions and comments we've had from women concerned about their labia:
I think my vagina lips are not normal. My inner lips are way way bigger then my outer ones! It wasn't like that when I was little! It really bugs me. I won't even let my boyfriend touch me there, cause I'm afraid he will think I'm not normal or something. My boyfriend has asked me if I wanted to have sex but I turned him down because of this. Is my vagina normal?
My inner vaginal "lips" stick out, is this normal? I'm insecure about it, and embarrassed to let my boyfriend see.
I've read a lot of your articles on labia but I still can't seem to get the thought of my own out of my head. Mine are big and noticeable which I know are normal but still bother me. I think it looks gross in certain underwear and I am very insecure about it. At times I even try to tuck them in so you can see them. I am 16 and started noticing this about a year or so ago. I am not sure if I was always like this or not. I've been with this guy for about 8 months and hes been down there with his hands and what not but I am a virgin and I was very skeptical about even letting him preform oral sex on me because of the reaction that he might have thinking it's disgusting. About a week ago at his house things started to get serious but kept my hands covering my vagina because I was nervous. He was confused at why I would do that and told me he really want to give me oral sex and I really wanted to. I eventually let him and he did not say one thing bout my larger labia. I was very surprised and pleased but couldn't shake the idea of what he really thought. I still consider surgery when I turn 18 for myself. I just cannot get the thought that I look gross out of my mind. I really need help on what I should do.

GO HERE TO READ MORE

Speaking Back to the MEDIA!!!!

2012-01-18T09:16:00.001+10:30

I got this video from the Proud Top Be Me site

Girls women and body image

2012-01-18T09:05:00.004+10:30

It seems that there is an epidemic crisis of confidence affecting girls and women, and both its causes and effects are going largely ignored and unspoken in and by the mainstream. But....what do we do about it. On my last visit to ADIOS BARBIE I found them making this a political issue. Hoping to get the Congree of the USA to pass a 'self esteem' bill. Here is what they say...

"We're asking for support to pass federal legislation requiring advertising and editorial that's meaningfully changed the human form through photoshopping or airbrushing to carry "Truth in Advertising" labels. The labels will simply state that the models shown have been altered. No judgments, no morality, just transparency and clarity.

Transparency and clarity that may help address and stem these horrifying numbers:
- 42% of girls in grades 1-3 want to be thinner

- 51% of 9-10 year old girls feel better about themselves when they're dieting

- 53% of 13 year old girls are unhappy with their bodies; by the time they're 17, 78% of them will be

- By the time they're 17, these girls have seen 250,000 TV commercials telling them they should be a decorative object, sex object or a body size they can never achieve.

- 7 million girls and women under 25 suffer from eating disorders (NEDA.org)

- 40% of newly identified cases of anorexia are in girls 15-19 years old. A rise in incidence of anorexia in young women 15-19 in each decade since 1930. Anorexia has the highest rate of mortality of any mental illness. (myNEDA.org)

- 80% of women feel worse about themselves after seeing a beauty ad. $20B is spent on beauty marketing in the US annually. That's a lot of money being spent making women feel worse about themselves.

We're not passing judgement here, not making anyone right or wrong; there are no villains. What we are asking is that if changes to the human form are made digitally, that those making the change (advertisers or ediors) simply say so.

Photoshopping, airbrushing, digital manipulation aren't the issue. The issue is too many look at these images and think they should look LIKE these images. And they can't...because they're not real.

So let's call a duck a duck and modified picture a modified picture. All we're asking is that if you do it - you tell us you did.

If we save one life, if one girl or one woman feels better about herself because of truth-in-advertising labelling, how's that a bad thing?

Please help us address this epidemic crisis of self-confidence, and help support The Self-Esteem Act. Thank you.
- Off Our Chests and OffOurChests.com
- National Eating Disorders Association (MyNEDA.org)

Love this take off of beauty advertisements

2012-01-18T09:02:00.000+10:30

Fotoshop by Adobé from Jesse Rosten on Vimeo.

prejudice: maybe a way to work on it

2012-01-17T14:57:00.000+10:30

Fighting prejudice through imitation: Asking white people to mirror the movements of a black person lowers their levels of implicit prejudice

ScienceDaily (2011-10-03) -- New research shows that you can reduce racial prejudice simply by having a person mimic the movements of a member of the race he or she is prejudiced against. The method may work by activating brain mechanisms that contribute to feelings of empathy. ... > read full article

Worry about penis size

2011-12-20T13:03:00.006+10:30

I often have young men ( and older men) wonder about thier penis, the size of thier penis and their anxiety around penis size and performance. Click here to listen to a nice mp3 from the Kinsey Confidential blog that addresses this issue.

Awesome message from Chelsea Lewis YWCA

2011-12-20T11:05:00.005+10:30

Thanks to Lucy Cirocco, Manager Women's Health Statewide for passing this on

"My emails often draw attention to the things we lament when it comes to the advancement of women’s rights, women’s leadership and women’s safety. So I thought it is appropriate to end the year with some positive reflections on the good things we have seen happen in 2011.

Rebecca Richards at the age of 23 became Australia’s first Indigenous Rhodes Scholar. She arrived at Oxford University in September.

Brazil has its first female President in Dilma Rousseff, and closer to home Lara Giddings became Tasmania’s first female Premier.

Patricia Waria-Read was the inaugural winner of the new Australia Day Council of South Australia award to recognise outstanding women, the Women Hold Up half the Sky Award. And at the same Australia Day awards at the start of the year Anne Levy, the fourth woman ever elected to South Australia’s Parliament, became an Officer of the Order of Australia in recognition of her life-long fight for equality.

Christine Lagarde became the first woman to be Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, and IBM appointed its first-ever female CEO – Virginia Rometty.

Eleni Glouftsis made amateur football league history in August as the first woman field umpire to officiate a division one game. And the sports pages in the newspaper had one woman on its back page … that was Sam Stosur when she won the US Open.

Legacy – the organisation that assists war widows – appointed the first ever woman to its Board. You go Dianne Fairhead.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard appointed Penny Williams as Australia’s first Global Ambassador for Women and Girls, making Australia one of only a small group of countries to have a special women's ambassador. The Prime Minister also announced the Federal Government will fund the outcomes of the Equal Pay Test Case; and then ended the year with a Cabinet with more women Australia has ever seen and the announcement that Nicola Roxon will become the nation's first female attorney-general.

Here in South Australia the revised State Strategic Plan featured – for the very first time – a Target to reduce violence against women. And the new A Right to Safety Strategy was launched; and on 9 December, the new Intervention Orders (Prevention of Abuse) Act came in to effect.

The ASX has seen the highest level of percentage increase of female appointments across the Boardroom Diversity Index. From a low base of 8.3 per cent in 2008 the percentage of ASX200 board positions held by women had grown to 10.9 per cent by March 2011.

Here at the Y some of our 2011 highlights included the launch of our Aboriginal Young Women’s Leadership Program; and the launch of women@work – an intensive arts based education program for long term unemployed women.

Award winning local filmmaker Sophie Hyde was our inaugural Conversation 1:5:1 guest; and thousands saw our powerful positive self image projection project in Rundle Street.
YWCA’s Go Girls! Healthy Bodies Healthy Minds program reached more than a hundred girls and here is what three participants from Enfield Primary School had to say at the end of the 8 week group mentoring program: “I learnt how to look at life from a different perspective, learn to be more assertive and confident, learn new physical activities and other activities. Go Girls! is AWESOME!”
“In Go Girls! I learnt that you have to be yourself no matter what and you also have to be careful with the friends you have, and you should always feel safe anywhere you go.”
“I don’t know where to start from because I’ve learnt so much but the best ones are to be proud of myself and feel confident by not caring what other people think. I’ve learnt a lot of balanced eating, and what healthy foods are. I’ve learnt how to be a good friend and open up myself with friends. I’ve had more self-esteem.”

The Y was quoted in the media 33 times advocating on behalf of young women; and our inaugural WordUp Advocacy Workshop inspired young women to advocate for themselves.
And that’s just scratching the surface really.

In 2012 we look forward to further expansion among our programs, reaching even more girls and young women, and in particular we are quite excited about our first Young Women’s Leadership Conference - SHE Leads.
We will be releasing our SHE Speaks survey results on International Women’s Day; holding another WordUp workshop; developing our next Policy Platform; and supporting hundreds of young women on their leadership pathways.

We look forward to seeing you along that pathway, and we wish all of our members, volunteers, stakeholders, supporters and friends a festive season marked by a true sense of safety, contentment, pride and love.

Chelsea Lewis Communications ManagerYWCA of Adelaide
17 Hutt Street Adelaide, South Australia +61 8 8203 9412 direct+61 425 286 064 mobile+61 8 8203 9498 fax http://www.ywca.com.au/"

Researchers Find That Abstinence-Only Education Does Not Lead To Abstinent Behavior

2011-12-02T09:26:00.000+10:30

Researchers Find That Abstinence-Only Education Does Not Lead To Abstinent Behavior

New Study Says Men Are Not Sex Crazed After All

2011-12-02T09:24:00.000+10:30

New Study Says Men Are Not Sex Crazed After All

Orgasm brain scan

2011-11-24T16:17:00.001+10:30

The movie animation - consisting of a series of snapshots taken two seconds apart - shows how 80 different brain regions (40 on each laterality) respond. It uses colors to represent oxygen utilization levels in the brain, displayed on a spectrum from dark red, progressing to orange, yellow and finally white (highest level of activity). When orgasm is reached, nearly the entire brain becomes an illuminated yellow/white. Go HERE to read more.

Tough Guise

2011-11-18T09:51:00.002+10:30

If you like Jackson Katz the author of 'The Macho paradox' and one of my hero's, anti sexism advocate, anti violence advocate and social activist; then you may wish to watch his 1999 film 'tough guise' which can be located here at The Good Men Project.

The phrase “tough guise” implies that the tough guy act is just that: an act. In real life, toughness is not necessarily masculine, and masculinity is not necessarily tough, but if you ask American culture, it will tell you the two are the practically synonyms. The Marlboro Man. The Terminator. Rambo. Real men. Gandhi? You pussy.

Go have a look

Remember Ruby.

2011-11-16T14:26:00.002+10:30

THANKS TO ADIOS BARBIE FOR THE FOLLOWING

The late Anita Roddick (1942-2007), the founder of The Body Shop, wanted to do something about false representation of women. In 1997, the socially-conscious international cosmetics franchise and Host Universal created Ruby: a chubby-cheeked, chestnut-haired, computer-generated figurine. Ruby was the brainchild of The Body Shop’s self-esteem campaign, “Love Your Body.” Her size 16 image was accompanied by the caption, “There are 3 billion women who don’t look like supermodels and only 8 who do.” She sent the message that you should love what you’ve got, not loathe it.

If you’re familiar with Ruby, you know that she’s not easy to locate. So, where’s this confident and curvaceous character been hiding? You can find her here, alongside other rejected and banned ads. We can thank Mattel for Ruby’s label of “Banned.” The U.S. toy manufacturer thwarted the innovative campaign in its early days by serving The Body Shop with a cease-and-desist order; all posters had to be removed from American shops. Click here to read more.....

Great Website

2011-11-16T14:12:00.002+10:30

I have had this described as 'A website that ticks all the boxes' Go here to have a look. The website is 'The Consensual Project'. Here is what they say about themselves:

The Consensual Project

The Consensual Project partners with schools and universities to bring students a fresh understanding of consent. The innovative curriculum, workshops, and website empower young people to incorporate consent into their daily lives. The Consensual Project is committed to helping students connect through consent.

The Consensual Project Has Game

Sex and sexual communication is an art. For many in our generation, it’s called Game. Everybody’s got Game but not everyone’s Game is that good. This is where consent comes in.

Before we start, let’s be clear, Game can be Good, Bad and Ugly.

Go on: Explore this website. It seems to have a really new innovative approach.

Great Picture

2011-11-16T14:07:00.002+10:30

Fantastic poster passed on to me by Craig Murray ( from the Southern ShineSA) who passed it on from one of the Y@s that he works with. Thought you might like this.

Sexual Health Awareness Grants

2011-11-16T13:48:00.004+10:30

It's time to start planning for next years SHAW event. All you need to do is apply to shine for a grant and then host an event.

The theme for 2012 is Chlamydia ... It's Easy! Easy to get. Easy to test. Easy to treat. The aim is to encourage young adults to get tested.

ShineSA suggests the following ideas for events.:

Suggestions for activities

Each year agencies and community groups participate in Sexual Health Awareness Week in a variety of ways.

Examples of activities could include:

hosting a workshop or forum with a guest speaker
devoting a regular drop in/program session to SHAW
running arts-focused workshops around the theme of SHAW
organising a competition with a SHAW theme
hosting a movie night
organising an excursion to a health clinic for testing

We encourage you to think outside the square and plan events that use a creative approach to health promotion.

In the above picture is 'Paper Tiger' playing at the 2011 SHAW event at Victor Harbor

I have been part of several events and they can be great fun. So go on.......do it.

Numbers of under 15 males in Oz.

2011-10-19T14:47:00.000+10:30

According to the Australian Institute of health and welfare 'The health of Australia's Males' June 2011
there are 11.1 million males living in Australia. 20% of these are under the age of 15 ( app 2.2 million). Thats a lot of young fellas.( Go here to get the report).
I hope they all have love and safety.

Youth more than happy to help out for free

2011-10-19T14:37:00.001+10:30

I often hear a view that young people do not join in their community, are lazy and will not help out or volunteer. Well...... According to Volunteering SA. YOUNGER generations prefer volunteer roles with flexible hours rather than regular weekly commitments. Approximately 25% of young people volunteer regularly (only 5% less than adults).

If you want to read more go here

In addition There is something different about the 3.6 billion or so people - more than half the world's population - who are aged under 30 today. But it is not, as it is so often charged, that they are a politically apathetic group.

To read more go here

Some of my thoughts.

2011-10-19T14:17:00.000+10:30

As a person who works in Sexual Health and is a sexologist I want to share a few things with you.

1. I don't find it funny when people joke about my work such as " (smutty laugh) So... do you teach practical" This is offensive and indicates the persons ignorance of the range of relationships and sexual health education that is often more important than 'sex' itself.

2. I sometimes get discouraged when I continue to hear stories of sexual violence and sexual abuse perpetrated by men. Yet.... it is this continuous bombardment of stories that also motivate me to get out there and do something about it. If you are a man and want to do something to stop mens violence DO SOMETHING. A good way to start is joining in on this years 'White Ribbon Day' activities. Go here to see what is happening near you.

3. Young people that are struggling, young people that live on the streets, young people that live every day under conditions that many in our society BLAME them for ARE HERO'S. Anybody that can survive, and learn to thrive; anybody that can survive - and then suddenly can't; any young person that lives today under stressors and pressures that I can't really get a hold on - Are hero's and should be treated as such.

4. You can't tell by looking at someone if they are gay - and WHO CARES?? Stop joining in the culture of homophobia. You don't need to say 'my gay' friends. If they are your friends then that is enough of a discriptor.

5. Condoms are the best protection against STIs. But..... people often say they dont like them or want to use them. So why isn't there a better substitute. ( Don't ask me what it is - I'm just writing thoughts).

6. I once heard a speaker talk about ways to lessen the incidence of youth violence, youth suicide, youth anti social activities. This guy said " If each adult in this town learned the name of 6 young people ( outside of thier family) and spoke to these young people by name every time they saw them then the incidence of antisocial behaviour would decline. This would work better than any programme ( anti bullying, anger management, etcetc).Do you know the names of 6 young people that you see about your neighbourhood?
Do you say high to them? Engage with them.

7. Being sex positive is better than being sex negative.

YWCA ONLINE FORUM for young rural women

2011-10-19T13:47:00.001+10:30

Domestic violence? Poor access to sexual health services? Financial stress?YWCA Australia invites young women in rural, regional and remote areas of Australia to participate in an online forum to tell us about the issues that are important to you.The forum will take place on Tuesday 25 October, between 8pm-9.30pm AEDT. We’ll take your views to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women in New York early next year, which will focus on the empowerment of rural women.More informationAll you need to participate is an email address. Simply go to www.ywca.org.au on the night and follow the links to the live discussion.

watch what you watch

2011-10-19T10:21:00.001+10:30

Speaking of gender roles

2011-10-12T12:29:00.002+10:30

Thought you might enjoy this picture from the Adios barbie FB page: Go here to have a look

Issues We Notice

2011-10-12T12:19:00.001+10:30

Here are some of the issues we notice when working with young people at risk around sexual health:

Homophobia
Hyper Gender Behaviour
Coercion
Lack of knowledge of sex/bodies
No opportunities to talk about pleasure
Communication about sexuality
Isolation
High Rates of STIs
Depression
Medications and how they effect sexual health
Abuse
Unplanned Pregnancy
Sex for favours
Violence
Abuse
Not Accessing Services
WORKERS ATTITUDES
CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT THIS STUFF WITH SOMEONE WHO KNOWS

Positive Sex and Relationships are a skill

Positive Sexual Health and Relationships require knowledge

Maintaining Positive Sexual Health is an Attitude

I was always taught in my VET training that skills+knowledge+attitude= competency.

Well how about we as a country start looking at Sexual health in the same way we look at other skills and fields of knowledge. Lets provide opportunities for young people to develop competencies in these areas, lets teach the skills, lets extend the knowledge. Maybe if we do this we wont have to make such a long negative list of issues. Wouldn't it be nice to have the following as our list of issues:

Good orgasms

Happy relationships

Great communication around sex and sexuality

Acceptance of Diversity

Feelings of inclusiveness

Challenging damaging gender roles

I'm not dreaming here: This IS possible

Number of partners??

2011-10-12T09:20:00.000+10:30

This is one of those things that is talked about in so many situations. School rumours and workplace reputations are built around this. Gendered ideas of love and fidelity come in to play. Couples and jealousies, religion and poltitics. Its all there.Cory Silverberg in his post 'Number of Sex Partners' has a great discussion about this. It may give you some really good conversation points with the young people that you work with when they bring this stuff up.Go here to see Cory's post on about.com.sexuality.

Hey There Chlamydia

2011-10-10T15:04:00.001+10:30

sexy Ever After - Intimacy Post Cancer

2011-10-05T15:26:00.000+10:30

I have just been reading this e book from goodinbed; Sexy Ever After Intimacy Post Cancer. I haven't finished yet (190 pages).
The book seems pretty comprehensive and covers topics such as : ( This book is currently free to download)

Part 1: What Does Your Cancer Diagnosis
Mean For You and Your Partner?
Chapter 1: The Most Common Cancers
For Men and Women
Chapter 2: How You and Your Partner
Can Deal with a Cancer Diagnosis

Part 2: Men and Women — How Can Your
Cancer Diagnosis Affect Your Sex Life?
Chapter 3: Fatigue
Chapter 4: Shortness of Breath
Chapter 5: Urinary Incontinence
Chapter 6: Infertility
Chapter 7: Low Libido
Chapter 8: Low Self-Esteem
Chapter 9: Low Body Image Due to Presence of
Tracheostomy, Stoma, or Colostomy
Sexy Ever After: Intimacy Post-Cancer

Part 3: Women — How Can Your
Cancer Diagnosis Affect Your Sex Life?
Chapter 10: Breast Removal
Chapter 11: Issues with Arousal and Orgasm
Chapter 12: Hot Flashes
Chapter 13: Vaginal Tightness
Chapter 14: Vaginal Dryness

Part 4: Men — How Can Your
Cancer Diagnosis Affect Your Sex Life?
Chapter 15: Dry Orgasms and
Retrograde Ejaculation
Chapter 16: Erectile Dysfunction
Chapter 17: Premature Ejaculation
Part 5: Best Practices for Your Love Life
Chapter 18: Top 10 Rules for Your Best Sex Life
Chapter 19: Top 10 Rules for Your Best Love Life

If you think this book may support you in your work or daily life have a read. Let me know what you think of it. Is it something we could recommend to others?

Men? Women? Who is most likely to go in for an STI test

2011-10-05T14:56:00.001+10:30

I was just looking through the clinic 275 statistics for 2010 in one of the quarterly surveillance reports in 2010. what really struck me was that males only accounted for 30% of the people that go in for testing. This means that women account for 70% of those being tested. Of course we are going to continue to have spiraling numbers of young people with an STI if this trend does not reverse. We ( workers/parents/friends) need to support young men to go in and get tested. Stay tuned for a short mp4 of a young Adelaide man telling his stiry of getting tested.

Men and HPV vaccination

2011-10-05T14:17:00.001+10:30

Reading in mens health on msnbc; according to a new study in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. Between 1988 and 2004, head, neck and throat cancers that tested positive in men for the human papilloma virus rose an astounding 225 percent.
The suggestion is that these are almost always from male to female oral sex. Furthermore this study predicts that that within the next decade this type of cancer in men will surpass rates of cervical cancer in women.
What seems crazy about this is that maybe all it would take to protect men is to have the same vaccination for HPV that women do. For many of us working in the sexual health field we have been suggesting this since the vaccination became available. Not necessarily for this reason tho. Because both men and women can carry the virus it always seemed sensible to vaccinate the whole population. Now it makes even more sense.

Go on: Support our young men and boys to get the HPV vaccination

Condoms?

2011-10-05T11:02:00.002+10:30

Condoms?

Several things about condoms. We know that they are the best protection from STIs IF USED ALL THE TIME AND CORRECTLY. Unfortunately this doesn’t happen: In the 2008 Australian Reseach Centre in Sex Health and Society ‘Seconday Students and Sexual Health’ only 70% of year 12s discuss condom use ‘at most recent sex’. Not only that but 25% of year 10s and almost 50% of year 12s did not use a condom at most recent sex. This may not include oral sex or anal sex or sharing sex toys etc etc because it doesnt define ‘sex’

In addition some recent research into sexual practice in women found that often women who are using hormonal contraceptive (oral contraceptive pill, implanon, depo ralavera/provera) may be twice as likely to contract HIV. The assumption being that women feel that one form of protection against pregnancy is enough for safety. ( but of course hormonal contraceptives don’t protect against STIs). In Australia 1 out of every two sexually active people WILL contract Chlamydia.

So… condoms CAN work but they are not being used enough. If condoms aren’t the answer what is. I am not sure but maybe it is time to reinvest in research into something that will be easier and more broadly accepted.

In the meantime have a look at these new packaging ideas for condoms http://newcondoms.tumblr.com/

21 years old with erection difficulty

2011-09-30T12:35:00.003+09:30

Listen to the Kinsey institute sexologist answer a question from a 21 year old man. Click here to listen

Post weekend scare

2011-09-28T14:05:00.001+09:30

A new study which will come out soon in an upcoming issue of the journal Archives of Sexual Behavior identifys that calls to STI information/support lines hit a peak on Mondays ( surprise surprise). But .... the reason is not necessarily what you may assume. Go here to read more about the upcoming study.

2011-09-28T09:20:00.003+09:30

According to the The "Clueless or Clued Up: Your Right to be informed about contraception" study prepared for World Contraception Day (WCD) reports that the number of young people having unsafe sex with a new partner increased by 111 percent in France, 39 percent in the USA and 19 percent in Britain in the last three years.

HHHmmmmm what a surprise. I wonder why this might be? Could it be the way we teach? Could it be that information isn't enough, that people need support as well. Could it be that people just don't like condoms? What do you think?

Go here to read more:

Prenatal exposure to stress linked to accelerated cell aging

2011-09-19T12:53:00.000+09:30

Prenatal exposure to stress linked to accelerated cell aging

IUD reduces the risk of cervical cancer, study suggests

2011-09-19T12:51:00.000+09:30

IUD reduces the risk of cervical cancer, study suggests

Impact of Sexualised Lyrics

2011-09-14T15:17:00.001+09:30

Do sexualized lyrics in popular music have an impact on the sexual behavior and attitudes of adolescents? Researchers Cougar Hall, Joshua H. West, and Shane Hill from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, look at the trend of increasing use of sexually explicit lyrics in music. Their findings, published online in Springer's journalSexuality & Culture, provide food for thought for educators whose focus is to promote healthy sexual development.

Go here to have a look

FEAST Safe Schools Workshop

2011-09-14T14:15:00.005+09:30

The AEU is bringing Roz Ward from Melbourne to speak about the Safe Schools Coalition Victoria, a statewide anti-homophobia in schools initiative.

Work is beginning in SA to create a similar initiative and structure, SO GET ONBOARD

Here is the blurb about the FEAST WORKSHOP - "Safe schools for a sexually diverse all: Allies, advocates and activists". This workshop is being run as part of the Feast Festival and is open to all.

Homophobia is a serious issue for GLBTI students, parents, community support agencies and teachers. This workshop will provide a forum for those affected to openly discuss the issues and develop strategies to create acceptance of gender and sexual diversity in the SA.

2011 Youth Speak Out Survey

2011-09-14T13:50:00.001+09:30

The 2011 SpeakOut Youth Survey will provide a snapshot of how young people aged between 12 and 25 years living in South Australia felt at a particular point in time.

One of the key issues of concern for young people identified from the 2010 SpeakNow Youth Survey was body image. As a result of this on 14 April 2011, the Office for Youth held a Body Image Summit for young people at Parliament House. Young people were able to share their thoughts and develop ideas that could assist young people to feel more positive about their body image.

To ensure that a diverse range of young people are able to participate in the 2011 SpeakOut Youth Survey, it will be available in hard copy in the Education Now section of the Advertiser on Tuesday 13 September 2011. Hard copies of the survey can be returned to The Advertiser by Tuesday 27 September 2011.

The survey can also be completed online through The Adelaide Now website www.adelaidenow.com.au/youthsurvey until Wednesday 5 October 2011.

The survey can also be accessed through the Office for Youth website www.officeforyouth.sa.gov.au and the Office for Youth facebook page www.facebook.com.au/officeforyouthsa .

WHO SHOULD TEACH SHARE WORK?

2011-09-14T13:31:00.001+09:30

Not long ago we saw research from Lagus KA, et al. (2010) Parental perspectives on sources of sex information for young people. J Adol Health online, 2011 which identified that yes kids learn a great dealabout sexuality from friends and from the media, but both parents and teens agree:Parents should be the most important providers of information about sex andsexuality.(http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/213143.php)

So....... while most parents and young people agree that parents should be the primary source of information, according to a recent survey (http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/234330.php), half of parents in the UK do not enlighten their children about puberty, relationships and sex, because they are unsure what to say, are embarrassed, or lack confidence and knowledge about sexual health. From 9,000 young people participating in the study, 46% revealed that they received 'nothing' or 'not a lot' of information on sex and relationships from their parents.

This seems a bit wierd to me. BOTH want to engage with each other about sexual health YET neither does so. Maybe our sexual health and relationships education needs to change. Maybe it should be about how to get parents and children to engage on this issue.Maybe workers should start targeting parents in HOW to teach about this stuff instead of depending on teachers and youth workers. Hmmmm What do YOU think?

Great Danish Website

2011-08-31T15:09:00.003+09:30

This website is fantastic. It is full of such resources for you to download as :

pussypedia
dicktionary
masturbation: a hands on guide
young men as equal partners

and many many more.

Click here to have a look: Highly recommended

Good resource - LoveSexLife booklet

2011-08-31T14:39:00.002+09:30

If you are struggling to find and use a good resource with young people here is one that you can download free from www.fpa.org.uk

Here is a blub from them about this booklet:

This booklet is about love, sex, sexuality and relationships. The highs - the lows the ins and outs....this booklet gives you clear information to help you enjoy love, sex, relationships and life - safely.

I reckon this is pretty good. Click here to have a look

What is an Orgasm

2011-08-31T13:42:00.005+09:30

I was asked recently by a teenager " What is an Orgasm"

Even as a sexologist this stumped me a bit... I thought well.... do I describe the sexual response cycle; if so which one should I describe? Should I describe what happens in the body and genitals, do I describe what happens with the release of dopamine, do I describe the neurophysioloogy of orgasm, do I describe the emotional state and build up/release of tension, ejaculation, vaso constriction, ejaculation, transudation - or do I embark on a cultural sociological discourse of orgasm from an anthopological perspective etc etc etc?

As an example: I could say something like this......

All of the genitalia contain a huge number of nerve endings (the clitoris alone has more than 8,000 of them), which are, in turn, connected to large nerves that run up through the body to the spinal cord. (The exception is the vagus nerve, which bypasses the spinal cord.) They perform many other functions in the body in addition to providing the nerve supply, and therefore feedback to the brain, during sexual stimulation. Here are the nerves and their corresponding genital areas

· hypogastric nerve - transmits from the uterus and the cervix in women and from the prostate in men

· pelvic nerve - transmits from the vagina and cervix in women and from the rectum in both sexes

· pudendal nerve - transmits from the clitoris in women and from the scrotum and penis in men

· vagus nerve - transmits from the cervix, uterus and vagina

The role of the vagus nerve in orgasms is a new discovery and there's still much that's unknown about it; until recently, researchers didn't know that it passed through the pelvic region at all.

So.....What would YOU say if somebody asked you???????

Working with Transgender people

2011-08-09T12:09:00.003+09:30

There are a series of workshops coming up in the Northern territory delivered by Samuel Lurie that will be very informative for many workers. If you dont know much about the transgender experience then these might be for you. The first of the workshops is explained below. If you want more information for these email info@ntahc.org.au

Demystifying the Transgender Experience:
A Full-Day Interactive Workshop for Mental Health and Social Service Providers, Community Members and Allies

As the visibility and activism of transgender and gender-variant people has grown, providers are seeking ways to increase their understanding of the
diversity of transgender experiences. This workshop will provide basic information and present strategies, standards of care, best practices, and resources for incorporating appropriate and effective support to your transgender and gender diverse clients. Our presenter is a member of the transgender community as well as a seasoned trainer who offers a dynamic, engaging and powerful training experience.

Learning Objectives
At the end of the workshop, participants will:
Understand basic terminology, language and concepts of gender variant experiences including gender transition process and the role of mental health and social service providers.
Distinguish between biological sex, gender identity and sexual orientation and ways in which care for transgender populations specifically differs from care for gay, lesbian, and bisexual communities.
Identify current standards of care and approaches to supporting transgender clients and members of the client’s support system.
Be able to incorporate a basic knowledge of gender identity into their current professional work, including resources for supervision and educational materials.

Samuel Lurie is recognized as an expert in transgender health in North America and is visiting Australia for an intensive skills-sharing training series. Samuel is the director of Transgender Training and Advocacy (www.tgtrain.org) and has trained over 26,000 health care providers at community agencies, health centers and hospitals. Samuel is a member of the transgender community and has been active in community health for over 20 years, focusing on HIV/AIDS activism, harm reduction, and empowerment in marginalized communities. He is a member of the Primary Care Committee of the World Professional Association on Transgender Health (WPATH) and has served on numerous advisory panels regarding transgender people, HIV and access to care. He also maintains a private practice in Body-Mind Health.

Catering will be supplied.

Places are limited. NTAHC will advise successfuls asap. You must organize your own accommodation and travel. Payment will be by Bank Transfer.
WHEN: DARWIN-MON 22 AUG; ALICE SPRINGS TUES 30 AUG
TIME: 8.30am-4.30pm
WHERE:
DARWIN- Stokes Hill Wharf Precint Function Centre
ALICE SPRINGS- Chifley Resort on Scott Terrance
COST: $100 (neg. please let us know if the cost is an issue for you)

Fantastic new South Australian book

2011-08-09T08:41:00.005+09:30

If you are working with young people and want a good book to access that is easy to read and factual then you might want to try this book. 'Sexpectations'. This book was co authored by Craig Murray (with Leissa Pitts). He is an awesome SHineSA community health worker. I have seen Craig work over many years and he really connects with young people and has been instrumental in getting 'sex positive' on the agenda in South Australia.

Here is what Craig said recently on the booktopia blog.

Sexpectations aims to fill a few gaps in sexual health education. For too long sex ed has started & finished in contraception and sexually transmitted infections, if you were lucky you’d get some info on puberty but so much is still left out. Having said that there are a heap of amazing programs that address all these and more but there’s a lot of folks, young & old, that have missed out on some of the vital info. We hope to talk about sex in a healthy positive way, acknowledging the risks but also celebrating the pleasures of relationships, sex & sexuality.

I know that SHineSA has Sexpextations in the library, so if you are in Woodville anytime soon come in and borrow it. Otherwise get on to the booktopia site and get your own copy.

Drama based respect workshops

2011-08-08T11:20:00.003+09:30

I recently heard Christian Cifuentes from the Legal Services Commission of South Australia give a talk on the law and respectful relationships. This guy was fantastic. Below is an ABC clip of one of thier workshops.

legal aspects, relationships,law

2011-08-08T10:30:00.003+09:30

I recently heard Christian Cifuentes from The Legal Services Commission of Adelaide. This guy is great and runs a range of programs that can help young people get their head around relationship law etc etc. You can go to their website to view the types of innovative programs that they run. Go here to have a look.

The talk that I attended was full of facts such as:

Under the new law it explicitly says that sexual activity is not consensual if:---
obtained by force or threats;
the victim is asleep or unconscious;
the victim is too intoxicated to agree;
the victim was unable to understand the nature of sexual activity;
the victim was mistaken about the identity of the person they were having sex with; or
the victim was being unlawfully detained.

Christian's talk was full of the legalese necessary to identify exactly what is going on , BUT.... It was also full of scenarios to help us nmake sense of the legalese.

The important things covered in the talk were:

the Criminal Law Consolidation Act

Summary Offenses aCT

Criminal Code Act

Consent to Sexual Activity

Sexual Assault

Unlawful Sexual Intercourse

Indecent Assault

Rape

Online Grooming

Compelled Sexual Manipulation

Sexting

Recieving pornography via mobile devices etc

This information was easy to understand and gave me a greater insight in how to deal with all of the weird and varied scenarios that many of us face in our day to day work

Spinal cord injury/no feeling/erection

2011-08-05T11:05:00.003+09:30

This is pretty awesome.

If you have not read 'The Brain That Changes Itself' Norman Doige (2007) then it is worth a read.

Here is one of the things that the book talks about " Bachy-y-Rita continued to invent sensory substitution devices ....he even has a project for a condom that he hopes will allow spinal cord injury victims who have no feeling in their penisis to have orgasms. It is based on the premise that sexual excitement, like other sensory experiences, is "in the brain" so the sensations of sexual movement, picked up by sensors on the condom, can be translated to electrical impulses that can then be transmitted to the part of the brain that processes sexual excitement.

This is pretty far our stuff and may seem far fetched. But after reading this book it certainly seems within our grasp.

GMH : Gay Mens Health

2011-08-04T15:37:00.003+09:30

When is the last time you checked out the GMH Newsletter from ACSA ( AIDs COuncil of South Australia)?. This newlsetter is full of great stuff including local and international news of interest. I just pulled this article from GMH:

SBS has sex on the brain...

SBS began it's series Sex: An Unnatural History last Friday, at 10pm. Hosted by Former High Court Justice Michael Kirby and Julia Zemiro, the show will be covering topics like what is ‘unnatural’? How has sex changed in Australia over the last 50 years? What sex will be like in 2060 - will they finally invent something better than a condom for protection?

NEXT WEEK’s episode is quoted as being of particular interest to readers of Blaze… called ‘Taboo’. Later episodes are entitled ‘fashion’, ‘Religion’, ‘Love’ and ‘the Future’

The website has some interesting graphs about sex and comparisons about sexual practices and attitudes, and how they vary between the differeing sexualities of Australians. Check it out here.

Sex: An Unnatural History airs on SBS HD and SBS1 Fridays, at 10pm.

But this isn't the only article of interest. Go on and click here to read more.

Airbrused Advertisements Banned

2011-08-04T15:24:00.002+09:30

You may have heard or seen the recent discussion of British MP Jo Swinson and the British Advertising Standards Agency which has banned two ads by L’Oreal (owner of Maybelline and Lancome) showing Julia Roberts and Christy Turlington. The ads were banned for being misleading and unreal. To me this is a goos decision, but why stop here?

To see the aboutface discussion of this issue go here

Meth use and unsafe sex

2011-08-04T15:18:00.003+09:30

In a recent issue of medicalnewstoday.com an article on Meth use and HIV infection showed that researchers at Johns Hopkins Children's Center and elsewhere found that methamphetamine use can fuel HIV infection risk among teenage boys and young men who have sex with men (MSM), a group that includes openly gay and bisexual men, as well as those who have sex with men but do not identify themselves as gay or bisexual.

In this study the researchers said that nearly one-third (20) of the 64 participants who reported recent meth use also reported sex with an HIV-infected person, while half reported sex with an injection drug user. More than half, 34, said they have had unprotected sex.

Go here to read more

life time effect of violence

2011-08-04T15:14:00.003+09:30

We know that violence against women and children is harmful, cost lives and ruins relationships.

A study in the August 3 issue of JAMA, a theme issue on violence and human rights, revealed that women who suffered gender-based violence, such as rape, sexual assault, intimate partner violence and stalking, had a higher associated lifetime ratio of mental health disorders, dysfunction and disability. The article's background information states that violence against women is a major public health concern, contributing to high levels of illness and death worldwide.

Go here to read more

Great chance to hear a great speaker

2011-08-03T14:16:00.004+09:30

If you don't know whats happening with our young SSA people, or you want to find out the latest on the health of young SSA people in Australia this is a must attend opportunity.

Associate Professor Lynne Hillier

Australian Research Centre in Sex,

Health and Society

La Trobe University, Melbourne

‘Same sex attracted and gender diverse young people –

what is going well and

what is not in 2011’

Lynne is the leading author of Writing Themselves In 3 (2010), the third Australian,internationally pioneering national study of the health and wellbeing of same sex attracted and gender questioning young people. (She also lead the research team for the two earlier studies,Writing Themselves In (1998) and Writing Themselves In Again (2004).

Thursday 8 September 2011

6.00pm

Flinders in the City

Room 1, Level 1, 182 Victoria Square

(south-east corner of Flinders St and Victoria Square)

http://www.flinders.edu.au/victoriasquare/victoriasquare_home.cfm

For further information contact Associate Professor Barbara Baird

Email: Barbara.baird@flinders.edu.au or Tel: 8201 3437

softenthefckup

2011-08-03T13:56:00.003+09:30

New site for young men, older men all men: Find out some facts and look at what this site has to offer: its here to help and support men. below is one of their blurbs

Down your beers then out-drink and out-fight us all? Sleep in the gutter and play footy in the morning? Yeah. Nice one.

When your mate Matt told you he’s feeling crap, you told him to “harden the fuck up”, or “suck it up, pussy”.

Or you probably didn’t know when your mates actually needed a chat or are feeling crap ‘cos you didn’t ask. I’m not talking about the chat you had at the game last Saturday, or at the pool table at that bar last summer.

Suicide is the leading cause of death amongst young folks and most of them are blokes.

Yeah, wtf right?

after your mates if something seems a bit off. Ask them if they’re okay. If they’re really okay. Ya gut will usually be right, even if your mate doesn’t wanna talk about it. Grab a beer and have a chat.

We’re standing up to be counted. We’re saying it’s time we chuck out that tough Aussie bloke stereotype and bring back the laid-back Aussies. Speak up if you’re not feeling right. Soften the fck up like a real man would.

Tell your mates and your bros. Get on Facebook and Twitter. Share your thoughts or experiences. So go on, be tough and go soft.

It is time to admit something is wrong or isn’t right and take action.

Working with young men and women with an intellectual disability

2011-07-20T10:22:00.004+09:30

I have recently been using a resource that I think is great when working with young men and women with an intellectual disability. But is also a great resource to use with any young audience that needs accurate information in a realistic but non threatening way. The resource is a DVD called 'The New Guide To Relationships and Sex' produced by Life Support Productions in the UK.

This is a dvd using avatars to explore 5 main areas:

Growing Up

Looking after yourself

Pregnancy

Help and Advice

ShineSA has a copy in their library and resource centre if you want to give it a try.

In addition you can see a preview of this resource by emailing them. They will send you a password so that you can view the preview

Females more likely to sext?

2011-07-20T10:00:00.004+09:30

An article in medical news today talks about a study done that indicates women are more likely to send ( via mobile phone) sexually explissit photographs of themselves than men. Below you can see some quotes from the article.

Females are more likely to send sexually explicit text messages, often containing nude photographs of themselves than men, researchers from the University of Nebraska at Kearney, and Washburn University reported in the journal Sexuality and Culture. Approximately two-thirds of women surveyed sent such text messages compared to less than half of men (those surveyed were already a very selected list).

Experts believe that when sexting, males tend to go straight for the hard stuff, while females are more descriptive and prefer carrying out a kind of foreplay in their correspondence. A male is more visually stimulated, while females are driven more by creative fantasy, they added. However, both sexes are stimulated visually.

What I dont see explored in this research is ideas of gender roles, oppression and exploitation of women as ingrained in culture which enables this difference.

To read more of this article ( which also goes onto fidelty and 'is sexting cheating') etc etc go here

Barbie again??

2011-06-10T13:51:00.002+09:30

Not only has Barbie been exposed as a terrible role model for young girls to aspire to. Barbie is now also being held responsible for deforrestation of rainforrests. What has this got to do with sexual health? Well....according to the Tropical Infectious and Parasitic Diseases Unit, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, James Cook University, Townsville Qld 4811, Australia. Deforrestation results in

Changes in human demography with increases in local population.

Overtaxing of food, water, and hygiene resources.

Dislocation of cultural frameworks and social order.

Downgrading of social values and increase in lawlessness

These are all social impacts that have the risk of increasing lack of opportuniuty, STis, mens violence against women etc etc.

Now have a look at what Ken says to Barbie when he finds out her link to deforrestation.

SHineSA library and resource centre

2011-06-10T13:25:00.002+09:30

This is just a plug for SHines brilliant library and resource centre. This place has everything. Books, dvds,current journals, games, anatomically correct puppets. You name it and they probably have it. The library ( which is free to join) has information on such subjects as:

ATSIC sexual health

Adolescent sexuality

contraception

STIs

disability and sexuality

sexuality counselling

mens health

sexcual assault and child abuse

sex education

womens health

and so on and so on.

Click here to see what more the library has to offer you

Talking to a partner about sex

2011-06-10T13:09:00.003+09:30

This is a tough issue, but one that comes up quite often. Whether it is a person wanting to ask their partner to change something, or even a young person wanting to broach the subject for the first time with another person, or a young person asking a worker for advice.

Several things may help though:

The only way to know if your partner wants to have sex is to ask

You and your partners/s can make up your own sex rules together

Communication really is one of the keys to having your own needs met and meeting your partners needs.

Sexual communication is a skill: Like many skills it needs practice. It also depends on the subject: There are many ways and many things to talk about such as:

New activites

Difference in sex drive

Talking about concerns

Dysfunctions

Revealing a fetish

Wanting to talk dirty

your illness and your sexuality

When a young person wants to talk to a worker about sex it really is important to find out exactly what they are wanting. Dont shut them down and dont turn away.

Opportunistic Sexual History Taking

2011-06-10T12:42:00.002+09:30

Teenage girls are almost four times more likely to be tested for sexually transmitted infections (STI) when doctors ask patients with abdominal symptoms about their sexual history during visits to a pediatric emergency department, according to a study by The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

Go here to read more

Good question

2011-06-03T14:29:00.004+09:30

Recently I was working with some young women. We spoke of many things around sexuality and diversity. I was explaining that orgasm doesnt have to be the number one - be all end all- to sex play. As we were discussing why we have been conditioned to believe this , one of the young women asked " Well how can I tell if Ive had an orgasm, I enjoy sex but I dont know if I have ever had an orgasm"

I won't go into our discussion here but suffice it to say that if this question was asked of her friends the reponse would probably be something like " If you've had one you would know". This response is not true and is a sure way of shutting down the conversation.

Below is a response by one of my favourite bloggers ( Cory Silverberg) to the same question he received. What do you think?

If you only do one thing for your sex life, try and stop yourself whenever you are comparing your sex life to someone else’s. It’s not easy, but in the long run I promise you’ll be much happier, and think of all the time you’ll save by getting rid of all those anxious moments. Also, you never know if someone is describing something accurately, and, regardless, it doesn’t matter. Your sex life is all that matters, and possibly the sex life of the people you’re having sex with.

If you do two things for your sex life, you should make the second thing an effort to masturbate more. Sex educators don’t refer to masturbation as the “cornerstone of sexual health” for nothing. The best way to explore your sexual response, including what orgasms feel like, is to do it on your own first, before you get one or more than one person involved.

As for how to tell if you’ve had an orgasm or not, there isn’t a test you can take. After all, orgasm is not just a physical experience, it happens in your body, your mind, possibly even your spirit. And there is no single definition of orgasm. So what would the test measure? However, there are some tell tale signs of what we could call an orgasmic response:

Increased heart rate and blood pressure
Increased muscle tension
A flush of your skin
A release of tension followed sometimes by a feeling of deep relaxation

But you might experience one or several of these things and not “feel” like you had an orgasm.

So how can you tell if you’ve had an orgasm? Most people would probably respond by saying “you’ll know when you’ve had one”. This always sounds a little condescending to me though, and if you’ve never had one, how could you know?

Instead I would just ask you whether or not the sex play you’re having is pleasurable. Does it feel good? Does it feel like something you want to do more? Are there times during sex when you want to say or do something but you hold yourself back? Holding back is one way you might be reducing the pleasure you’re feeling, including orgasms.

Trying to figure out if you’ve had an orgasm can also be a dead end, because if you’ve had one, does that mean you stop exploring other ways of feeling good or having orgasms? It’s a cliché, but a true one, that sex is about the journey not the destination. Focusing on orgasm is like driving down a one way street that stops at the river. If you focus instead on sexual pleasure, on how you respond and what you can feel, you don’t have to stop at the river bank; you get to jump in the river and float with the current, and you never know where you’ll end up.

FRESH comes to Mt Gambier

2011-06-03T14:21:00.003+09:30

Not long now till the the FRESH course comes to Mt Gambier. We had a lot of interest from the folks there but we still have quite a few spaces left in the course.

Click on the picture for more details.

Men, Power, Hypersexuality

2011-06-01T15:43:00.001+09:30

"What the media, and subsequently consumers, often misunderstand - and how could they know? - is that men with the triple threat of good looks, money, and power can often have a sordid history of sexually acting out. We seem to be shocked when a prominent figure gets caught in a less than desirable circumstance, but if we look deeper we begin to see an explicit pattern of compulsive and addictive sexual behavior that is only fuelled over time as their power and influence increase."

Sound interesting? Go here to read more of whats happening in this area.

SHine recruiting Y@

2011-06-01T14:26:00.003+09:30

Dare to tell it like

it is?

Aged 14 - 23?

SHine SA is now recruiting for our Youth Action Team (Y@).

Apply to be a Sexual Health Peer Educator!

Training for new Y@s scheduled for July 19 and 20!

Becoming a Y@ Team member can be a challenging and rewarding experience:

help to promote sexual health at Community events and programs.

receive free sexual health and leadership training that can count towards your studies.

Y@ members have had the opportunity to present at international conferences and forums.

For more information visit www.shinesa.org.au

Christies Beach - (08) 8186 8600 Davoren Park - (08) 8256 0700 Woodville (08) 8300 5300

2011-05-30T14:23:00.002+09:30

The FRESH course is coming to the Northern Suburbs of Adelaide. To see the details more clearly just click on the picture above.

Hope to see you there.

Marriage is so gay

2011-05-30T14:10:00.002+09:30

Go here to have a look at a great video on Rainbow Family Tree.

http://rainbowfamilytree.com/video/video/show?id=3740708%3AVideo%3A6732

Religion, Politics and Gender Equality

2011-05-30T13:40:00.004+09:30

Have you ever discussed gender equality within a group of people? Have you ever discussed gender equality with people that take a religious or political stance towards equality?

The following UNRISD policy briefing paper 'Gender Politics and Gender Equality' gives a very good discussion regarding this very issue. At a time when many people thought that religion would lessen its hold on gender inequalities, we are seeing an upsurge in fundamentalist beliefs; and an upsurge in movements that are usrping equality to thier own ends. A really good paper to read.
Go here to have a look ( You may need to register to get a copy)

religion and sex

2011-05-30T13:31:00.002+09:30

In sexual health we often talk about the impact of religion and religious affiliations on our sexual practices.Much of this discussion is done on a subjective basis. Well.... below are some findings that from a study conducted by Amanda Brown and Dr Darrel Ray that are quite interesting. If you want to read more go here or here

After surveying over 14,500 secularists about their sex lives the study's key findings were as follows:

· Sex improves dramatically after leaving religion.

· Sexual guilt has little staying power after leaving religion.

· Those raised most religious show no difference from those raised least religious in their sexual behavior.

· Those raised most religious experience far more guilt but have just as much sex.

· Religious parents are far worse at educating their children on matters of sex.

· Religious guilt differs in measurable amounts according to denomination.

internet use leads to unsafe sex?

2011-04-29T12:42:00.004+09:30

Many times we see studies that show correlations between one set of activities and another. Here is another study that shows that researchers have found a strong association between computer and internets use in adolescents and engagement in multiple risk taking behaviours including drug use, drunkeness and unprotected sex. Go here to read more.

My question is what do we do with this information? Is it useful? Does it help us to provide better services?? Any takers?

Association between computer use and unsafe sex?

2011-04-29T12:33:00.004+09:30

Its interesting all the things that we look for that 'cause' young people to behave the way that they do. Here is yet another correlation that may be of interest.

Researchers have found a
strong association between computer and Internet use in adolescents and
engagement in multiple-risk behaviours (MRB), including illicit drug use,
drunkenness and unprotected sex

To read more go here: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/223289.php

My question is " what do we do with this information? Any takers?

Male Contraceptive Pill

2011-04-08T13:56:00.004+09:30

Just because ( in the future) a male contraceptive pill might be released, doesnt mean that men would use it. Men may believe that taking a contraceptive pill could be seen as a feminisation of masculinity, women partners of men might believe that men asa gender are too forgetful to be trusted with regular contraception. Go here to look at the findings of Dr Susan Walker , Senior lecturer in Sexual Health , Anglia Ruskin University in her sociological study on male use of a contraceptive pill.

young people and pornography

2011-04-08T13:38:00.003+09:30

Listen to Dr Sven Axel-Manson discuss his research on young men and women ( 14 -19) and thier access/viewing of pornography. CLICK HERE

awesome video

2011-04-08T11:02:00.000+09:30

National Survey of Young Australians

2011-04-06T11:12:00.003+09:30

Mission Australia's annual Youth Survey - the largest of its kind in Australia - has been undertaken each year since 2002. Conducted between April and July, the survey asks young Australians aged 11 to 24 what they value, where they turn for advice and support, what issues concern them, how they are involved with their community and their feelings about their future.

Go here to join in

Am I Normal?

2011-04-05T09:51:00.004+09:30

Most of the young people (older people, friends , aquaintances) that know I am a sexologist often ask me THIS question..... " Do you think what I am doing is normal. I just love this question. It opens up such a rich lanscape of possible sexuality dialogue. Sometimes when asked this question I return to my disability days and use the stultifiing language of disability professionals such as ..... " Well... do you mean profoundly normal, moderately normal, or mildly normal"? Of course this allows us to find out what exactly do people mean when they ask this question? Do they really want to be normal or do they want to know that others wont ridicule them or laugh at them or heap shame on them if these others found out about their sexual preferences? Leonore Tiefer wrote a book 'Sex is Not a Natural Act - and Other Essays' in 1995. In this book she talks about normal, and gives 5 types of normal that many people are after. They are:

subjectivelly normal

statistically normal

culturally normal

clinically normal

idealistically normal

As you can see " Am I normal isnt a clear cut question" HOWEVER workers giving permission for clients to be who they are IS clear cut and may be the best sexual health counselling a person ever receives.

Virtual Knowledge Centre

2011-04-05T09:41:00.005+09:30

The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women now has a VIRTUAL KNOWLEDGE CENTRE TO END VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS. ( Go here to have a look). The link that I have added takes you to a page that provides essential information and guidance for programming to address violence against women and girls, including: basics on the forms, prevalence and consequences; international frameworks; main challenges; main strategies for prevention and response; and a full module on monitoring and evaluation.

This looks like a great resource, so.... go and explore

Raising sexual health issues

2011-03-25T13:55:00.004+10:30

I often get asked by workers. "How do you bring up sexual health issues with young people?"
Its a funny question to me. Its a bit like asking how do you bring up car issues with car enthusiasts, or cooking issues with food enthusiasts, or any other issue with any other enthusiast.
Most people it seems are sexuality enthusiasts. Many people have something to say on the subject. Most of the time all it takes is you giving permission for people to discuss sex, sexuality and sexual health. Instead of shutting a young person down by stifling the conversation how about finding ways to open up the conversation - find ways to give permission. Ahhhhh so how do you give permission?
Often its as easy as asking what someone thinks about something. Maybe something like HHmm I saw on Luds blog that there is a group for gay surfers. What do you thnk about that?
or it could be something like " "I have had other people in your situation talk about thier medication and how it effects thier enjoyment of sex - what do you reckon?
I'm sure you can think of many permission giving statements. Its not so much what is said, but more that something is being said.
Beginning to talk about sexuality is much like beginning to talk about any other subject. The more you talk the more you learn. The more you learn the more you are able to pass on what you know.
Sexuality doesnt belong in the dark. I for one am going to shine a bright light on sexual health and begin the conversations. Wish me luck!

homophobia loses out.

2011-03-25T13:51:00.000+10:30

Tuesday night, Apple dumped Exodus International's "gay cure" iPhone app after more than 150,000 people joined Truth Wins Out and Change.org in calling for its removal. The app was pulled by Apple, as they apparently recognized that Exodus demonizes LGBT people, calling them perverse and saying that homosexuality will "make your heart sick."

To make this moment possible, Truth Wins Out applied tremendous pressure in the form of a sustained, two-week-long multimedia campaign that caught the attention of media outlets around the world, from CNN and MSNBC to the Wall Street Journal and Guardian UK.

This major victory for the Truth Wins Out community means that Exodus has one less platform through which to expose LGBT youth to their dangerous, hateful, and scientifically bankrupt

Gay Surfers

2011-03-02T11:30:00.004+10:30

As a surfer I see the sport of surfing as one of the bastians of homophobia. Therefore its nice to see a specific support network for GLBTIQS surfers: Go here to have a look. Thanks to Dinesh for this link.

Generation M2

2011-03-02T11:10:00.002+10:30

A really good exploration of Media in the lives of 8 to 18 year olds. This is the 3rd in a series of studies which started in 1999, so you get a progessive look at the changes in media use as they have occured. For instance according to this study 8 to 18 year olds spend almost 11 hours a day with various forms of media ( latest data from 2009). This is up 3 hours and 15 minutes from 1999.

what does this mean???? Go here to find the study and presentations:

SIN open day

2011-03-02T10:45:00.004+10:30

Great opprtunity to find out about the Sex Industry Network: A really cool organisation and cool people.

FRIDAY 11TH MARCH

12pm - 4pm SIN Open Day
Ever wanted to find out more about the South Australian Sex Industry Network, what we are about, what services we provide, meet our staff, check out our Safe Sex Shoppe and our sex workers safe space. Now is your chance, pop in, have a look around, pick our brains, load up on resources and get yourself familiar with South Australia's ONLY peer based health promotion project for sex workers. All welcome!!

4pm - 6pm Official Office Opening Party

Officially opened by Hon Steph Key, light nibbles and refreshments provided. SIN is thrilled to be welcoming Nurse Jessie Abraham back into the fold to perform her own unique brand of sex worker activism mixed with comedy and performance. All Welcome!!

6pm till 10pm Sex worker only celebrations
Sex workers please stay on (or come this bit only) and join us for a light BBq, fun and frivolity and office warming celebrations!!

276 Henley Beach Road Underdale

Ph 83517626 to RSVP

Ari Reid

83517626

0407725783

Manager

S.A. Sex Industry Network (SIN)

276 Henley Beach road, Underdale.

Promoting the health rights and wellbeing of sex workers.

A Project Of the AIDS Council of SA

The Girl Effect

2011-02-28T12:04:00.001+10:30

International Day Against Homophobia IDAHO

2011-02-23T14:33:00.003+10:30

IDAHO is coming up. On May 17 IDAHO 2011 will be here again. May 17 is a symbolic date for gay men and lesbians. Once long considered an illness, homosexuality was removed
from the list of mental disorders on May 17, 1990, by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

What will you do to celebrate? How will you show your support for our GLBTIQ communitites?

Go to http://www.homophobiaday.org/ and have a look at what is happening in the international community. Or you could go join the Idahosa facebook page.

Love Control

2011-02-21T14:56:00.001+10:30

2011-02-21T13:11:00.002+10:30

JESS3 x Economist: Women's Economic Opportunity from JESS3 on Vimeo.

Thanks to Informed Decisions twitter account for this link

Girls Decide

2011-02-18T11:07:00.001+10:30

Girls Decide launches this week with six short films that share the stories of six girls from around the world and their journeys to make informed decisions about sex, pregnancy, abortion and relationships. The initiative will be launched at an event in London on 16 February attended by UK Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development,

Go here to read more:

Sexual health is everything

2011-02-16T12:24:00.009+10:30

I want to remind all of the readers of this blog that sexual health encompasses ALL aspects of our lives. The World Association of Sexual health ( WAS) has a document that explains this in wonderful detail. The document is the Millenium Declaration of sexual health rights which has been designed to fit into the World Health Organisation Millenium Development Goals. Below are the rights in brief. Please click on the link if you would like more detail.

Recognize, Promote, Ensure and Protect Sexual Rights for All

Sexual rights are an integral component of basic human rights and therefore are inalienable and universal. Sexual health is an integral component of the right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health. Sexual health cannot be obtained or maintained without sexual rights for all.

Advance Toward Gender Equality and Equity
Sexual health requires gender equality, equity and respect. Gender-related inequities and disparities of power deter constructive and harmonic human interactions and therefore the attainment of sexual health.

Condemn, Combat, and Reduce all Forms of Sexuality Related Violence
Sexual health cannot be attained until people are free of stigma, discrimination, sexual abuse, coercion and violence.

Provide Universal Access to Comprehensive Sexuality Education and Information
To achieve sexual health, all individuals, including youth, must have access to comprehensive sexuality education and sexual health information and services throughout the life cycle.

Ensure that Reproductive Health Programs Recognize the Centrality of Sexual Health
Reproduction is one of the critical dimensions of human sexuality and may contribute to strengthening relationships and personal fulfillment when desired and planned. Sexual health is a more encompassing concept than reproductive health. Current reproductive health programs must be broadened to address the various dimensions of sexuality and sexual health in a comprehensive manner.

Halt and Reverse the Spread of HIV/AIDS and other Sexually Transmitted Infections
Universal access to effective prevention, voluntary counseling and testing, comprehensive care and treatment of HIV/AIDS and other STI are equally essential to sexual health. Programs that assure universal access must be scaled up immediately.

Identify, Address and Treat Sexual Concerns, Dysfunctions and Disorders
Since sexual concerns, dysfunctions and disorders all have an impact on quality of life, general and sexual health; they should be recognized, prevented and treated.

Achieve Recognition of Sexual Pleasure as a Component of Well-being
Sexual health is more than the absence of disease. Sexual pleasure and satisfaction are integral components of well-being and require universal recognition and promotion.

2 examples of media gendered sexism

2011-02-16T12:03:00.003+10:30

While reading through one of my favourite websites http://about-face.org/ I came across these two examples of media gendered thinking. Both of them annoy me in different ways. They BOTH go to show the struggles that we and the young people we live and work with face in terms of maintaining our awareness of the manipulation that we are subject to daily.

Please have a read and discuss widely.

What We Think:
Svedka has come out with a new wave of "R. U. Bot Or Not?" ads, including a TV commercial. The Svedka Bot is a woman who has been broken down to the most "essential" physical features. She is branded with SVEDKA down her leg. As an animatronic woman, she is designed to serve and she has no needs of her own. Her singular body type leaves no worries of men having to put up with a woman who falls outside the body ideal of 2033 (and today). The "R. U. Bot or Not" tagline has three levels of meaning. First, it asks if women have achieved the body type of the Svedka Bot. Second, it asks if women have been claimed by men who have bought them a (Svedka) drink. Lastly, if men can purchase a Svedka Bot in 2033, the ad also asks if women have literally been purchased by men. (by Juliet Weintraub)

THE NEXT BIT OF MEDIA IS THIS:

The New York Times offers an image of a man and woman in the thick of the recent protests in Egypt, the man has his arms around the woman. The caption begins, “A protester consoled a woman during a demonstration.” What we want to know is WHY wasn't the caption something like " 2 Protesters celebrate during demonstaration. Certainly the woman didnt just accidently end up in the middle of thousands of people. ANYWAY go here to read more and see the picture.

Condom App for your phone

2011-02-16T11:51:00.002+10:30

Yes it IS possible: In New York an application for your iphone will tell you where the nearest free condoms are located. Sounds cool to me.
Go here to read more. Makes me wonder what other types of applications could be developed in support of sexual health? Do you have any ideas? Or know of any?

The New Neurosexism

2011-02-16T11:44:00.002+10:30

This is a great article about a book written by Cordelia Fine exposing the sloppy studies that pass for scientific evidence about gender differences. I found this link in the 'Diversity in Organisations, Communitites and Nations' website

Wandering wombs, an anatomically conferred destiny of penis envy and masochism, smaller brains, smaller frontal lobes, larger frontal lobes, right-hemisphere dominance, cross-hemisphere interaction, too much oestrogen, not enough testosterone – all have been invoked to explain why women are intellectually inferior to men, more emotional, less logical, better at asking for directions, worse at map reading, hopeless at maths and science, and ever so much better suited to jobs involving finger dexterity, nappies and dishes. Today we look back with amusement at the efforts of nineteenth-century scientists to weigh, cut, split or dissect brains in their pursuit of finding the precise anatomical reason for female inferiority. How much more scientific and unbiased we are today, we think, with our PET scans and fMRIs and sophisticated measurements of hormone levels. Today’s scientists would never commit such a methodological faux pas as failing to have a control group or knowing the sex of the brain they are dissecting – would they? Brain scans don’t lie – do they?

Go here to read more about this facinating book.

Teens wary of Internet for sexual health information

2011-01-24T11:54:00.003+10:30

Have a read of this article from the Guttmacher Institute

TEENS WARY OF INTERNET FOR SEXUAL HEALTH INFORMATION

Exploratory Study Shows Teens More Likely to Turn to Family Members, School or Medical Professionals

Although most teens use the Internet daily, few consider it a main source of information about contraception or abstinence, according to a new qualitative study by Rachel K. Jones of the Guttmacher Institute and Ann E. Biddlecom of the United Nations Population Division. Additionally, in in-depth interviews at three public high schools in New York and Indiana, only a minority of the 58 study participants reported that they got any contraceptive or abstinence information online; those who accessed this information typically did so in response to a specific event (such as a school assignment) or, less commonly, to find the answer to a personal question.

Most of the teens interviewed were wary of sexual health information on the Internet. The teens indicated a distrust of online information because it is often user-generated and could therefore be incorrect. They also noted that they would probably have to sort through an abundance of sexually explicit material to find the factual information they were looking for. Teens were most likely to trust family members (usually parents) for sexual health information; their next most trusted sources were educators, medical professionals and friends.

There is great potential for the Internet to link more teens to accurate and comprehensive sexual health information and for increasing their trust in the information they get from this source. While a number of Web sites provide accurate sexual health information in a teen-friendly manner, one cannot assume that teens will find or seek out these sources on their own. Instead, the authors recommend that groups working to improve teens’ access to accurate sexual health information capitalize on their trust in family members and schools to guide them to those sites.

“Is the Internet Filling the Sexual Health Information Gap for Teens? An Exploratory Study” by Rachel K. Jones et al., of the Guttmacher Institute, is currently available online and will appear in a forthcoming issue of the Journal of Health Communications.