anal sex Archive

Like Mother, Like Daughter

Posted on May 14, 2012.

If you’re in perimenopause or post-menopausal your body has some similarities to a teenager’s. Puberty was a process- maybe one you’d rather forget for its pimples and weeping, but nevertheless, it was a process. And as you went through it, your body was changing inside and out. The same happens in perimenopause and post menopause [...]

Microbicides 2012: Switching Sex Up for Safety

Posted on April 23, 2012.

Last week was Microbicides 2012, an international conference of researchers and advocates that met in Sydney. If you’re scratching your head wondering what a microbicide is, fair enough. They are gels, suppositories, or insertable devices that contain HIV fighting compounds. They will put HIV prevention choices in the hands of women and men for situations [...]

Robot Love and Sex Toys

Posted on February 20, 2012.

I was a little wary of Googling it, because I wasn’t sure what might result but I did it anyway: “history of sex toys.” I was prompted by a radio story I heard on CBC Q about having sex with robots and a piece about manufacturing sex toys in China (the demand’s increasing at home [...]

Microbicide Study Ongoing, with Edits

Posted on October 3, 2011.

Ok, so we know that women are often at the vulnerable end of things when it comes to preventing STIs. If your partner’s a guy and he balks at condoms, you have a minimum of one safe sex talk ahead of you, if not more. Sure, female condoms are an option, but wouldn’t it be great if there were others that women could control?

Safer sex advice says “Use a Condom.” What if Your Partner Won’t?

Posted on August 15, 2011.

“I think you need to have something about how men don’t want to wear condoms,” said Carol. The “Use a condom” message is spouted by HIV prevention educators (including myself) the world over, but we know it’s not always reasonable advice. There are situations where women and men alike can’t use a condom.

Lube To Get a Harm Reduction Boost with Microbicide

Posted on March 14, 2011.

Readers here will know I sing the praises of lube. Lubes can go a long way in helping to make sex more comfortable. It can be fun, make things slide a little smoother, and decrease the risk of tearing vaginal or rectal tissue, a risk factor in getting STIs. Using it with condoms can [...]

STI Smarts and Compassion

Posted on February 28, 2011.

I was surprised to read about a recent survey in the U.K. that revealed 20% of the respondents didn’t know that HIV could be transmitted between men and women during unprotected sex (up from 9% ten years ago). Whaaat? It’s 2011, people. I’d hoped HIV awareness was further along than that. When it comes to [...]

How Do You Want to Deal With That Itch?

Posted on February 21, 2011.

During a meeting I was at last week, I got to talking with a colleague from another AIDS awareness organization about the challenges people can face in accessing testing for STIs. In this case, we were talking about men who have sex with men but don’t identify as gay/ bi or queer. Where would [...]