sexreeducated:

Myth:If I get the HPV shot, I’m completely protected from cervical cancer

False! 30% of Cervical cancers are not protected by any vaccine.

Gardasil and Cervarix are cervical cancer vaccines that block the two types of human papillomavirus (HPV) that most frequently cause cervical cancer. Gardasil also protects against two types that cause the majority of genital warts. But about 30% of cervical cancers will not be prevented by these vaccines, so it’s important for all women, whether they’ve gotten the shot or not, to continue having regular Pap tests.

Gardasil was approved for boys and men in 2009 to reduce the risk of developing genital warts. This may also help prevent the spread of cancer-causing HPV to their female partners.

sexreeducated:

Myth:If I get the HPV shot, I’m completely protected from cervical cancer

False! 30% of Cervical cancers are not protected by any vaccine.

Gardasil and Cervarix are cervical cancer vaccines that block the two types of human papillomavirus (HPV) that most frequently cause cervical cancer. Gardasil also protects against two types that cause the majority of genital warts. But about 30% of cervical cancers will not be prevented by these vaccines, so it’s important for all women, whether they’ve gotten the shot or not, to continue having regular Pap tests.

Gardasil was approved for boys and men in 2009 to reduce the risk of developing genital warts. This may also help prevent the spread of cancer-causing HPV to their female partners.

sexreeducated:

• There are no reliable tests for Herpes. So whenever you go in to get a screening, know that unless you are actively having an outbreak there isn’t anything to test
• No HPV screening exists for men. Unless there is a visual inspection or a biopsy of the wart.
• Chlamydia, Gonorrhea and Herpes can have no symptoms. That’s why screening is incredibly important.
• Gonorrhea, Herpes, HPV and Chlamydia can all be transmitted orally.  Oral sex is still sex and Safe Sex rules apply (Condoms and Dental dams)
• The best contraception money can buy is open sexual dialogue. Open honest conversation with your partners is invaluable. It’s your biggest weapon when it comes to safe sex.
• Glyde Dams are kind of awesome. Glyde Dams are safe barriers intended for sexual use, unlike dental dams. They’re weird when you first look at them and seem so unnatural, but the best motto is ‘Better Safe than Sorry!’ 
• Wearing gloves when fingering someone is totally okay. Speaking from experience, sometimes nails have a mind of their own and can cause discomfort. Additionally, though most people shower before they have sex at some point, we don’t usually wash our hands right before foreplay. This opens us up to a host of bacteria that gets introduced directly into a mucus membrane. So if you want to glove up, please don’t be ashamed to do so.

When you go to the doctor, not everyone screens you for STD’s, even if you’re sexually active- So make sure to ask. You should always ask what screening tests your doctor has performed, and don’t hesitate to ask for additional tests if you think they are appropriate. Never hesitate to be your own advocate.

icanstandforsomething:

Safe, protected sex helps prevent the transmission of sexually-transmitted diseases. Safe sex also helps prevent unwanted pregnancies. 

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Teenagers are going to continue having sex, no matter how much abstinence-only education they get. Let’s keep them informed about their options, starting with an emphasis on safe, protected sex to prevent unwanted pregnancy and the transmission of STIs. And let’s give them alternative options for more “wholesome” activities by promoting after-school programs, maintaining art programs at schools, and getting them interested in and excited about what else makes them special individuals. 

http://www.plannedparenthood.org 

sexreeducated:

• There are no reliable tests for Herpes. So whenever you go in to get a screening, know that unless you are actively having an outbreak there isn’t anything to test
• No HPV screening exists for men. Unless there is a visual inspection or a biopsy of the wart.
• Chlamydia, Gonorrhea and Herpes can have no symptoms. That’s why screening is incredibly important.
• Gonorrhea, Herpes, HPV and Chlamydia can all be transmitted orally.  Oral sex is still sex and Safe Sex rules apply (Condoms and Dental dams)
• The best contraception money can buy is open sexual dialogue. Open honest conversation with your partners is invaluable. It’s your biggest weapon when it comes to safe sex.
• Glyde Dams are kind of awesome. Glyde Dams are safe barriers intended for sexual use, unlike dental dams. They’re weird when you first look at them and seem so unnatural, but the best motto is ‘Better Safe than Sorry!’ 
• Wearing gloves when fingering someone is totally okay. Speaking from experience, sometimes nails have a mind of their own and can cause discomfort. Additionally, though most people shower before they have sex at some point, we don’t usually wash our hands right before foreplay. This opens us up to a host of bacteria that gets introduced directly into a mucus membrane. So if you want to glove up, please don’t be ashamed to do so.

When you go to the doctor, not everyone screens you for STD’s, even if you’re sexually active- So make sure to ask. You should always ask what screening tests your doctor has performed, and don’t hesitate to ask for additional tests if you think they are appropriate. Never hesitate to be your own advocate.

shafp:

April is STD Awareness Month! This is a very exciting time for me. :)

All month long, I’ll be sharing links to quality information on various sexually transmitted infections and methods for prevention. Stay tuned!

From the CDC:

Learn more about STDs, STD Awareness Month, and where you can find the nearest STD testing site in your area:

• CDC Sexually Transmitted Diseases
• CDC Podcasts- Be Smart Be Well: STD Videos
• STD Health Equity
• STD Awareness Month
• STD Prevention on Twitter
• GYT: Get Yourself Tested
• CDC Facebook
• STD Awareness Month PSA [PODCAST – 0:30 Seconds]

fuckyeahsexeducation:

April is STD/STI awareness month and I have a plan to celebrate it. Sometime next week I’m going to call my local Planned Parenthood and get all of their information on testing and schedual to get tested hopefully on the first of April. I’ll tell you how it goes and I’ll take a picture of the GYT sticker I’m going to get. I’ll get together all the information I can to make sure all of you can get tested as cheaply as possible, and give you that information. Then I want all of you to go out, get tested, take a picture of you with a GYT sticker or some other thing that proves you got tested then either post it on your blog and link me or submit it here. Encourage everyone you can to get tested. You can visit the GYT website and get a kit to help you advertise and put together an event to get as many people in your area to get tested. 

STD/STI testing is very important. Not all diseases will show symptoms. You or your partner could be having risky sex, passing something on, and not even know it. It’s important to get tested in between every new partner, and just every now and then. I’m choosing April as the time to get tested. 

It’s kind of funny that April is STD/STI awareness month, because that’s the month last year I was diagnosed with herpes. I’m going to make it an annual thing to get tested on this month because it’s not only incredibly important to get tested, it’s important to have safe sex.

Join with me to promote safe sex and STD/STI testing!

sexreeducated:

• There are no reliable tests for Herpes. So whenever you go in to get a screening, know that unless you are actively having an outbreak there isn’t anything to test
• No HPV screening exists for men. Unless there is a visual inspection or a biopsy of the wart.
• Chlamydia, Gonorrhea and Herpes can have no symptoms. That’s why screening is incredibly important.
• Gonorrhea, Herpes, HPV and Chlamydia can all be transmitted orally.  Oral sex is still sex and Safe Sex rules apply (Condoms and Dental dams)
• The best contraception money can buy is open sexual dialogue. Open honest conversation with your partners is invaluable. It’s your biggest weapon when it comes to safe sex.
• Glyde Dams are kind of awesome. Glyde Dams are safe barriers intended for sexual use, unlike dental dams. They’re weird when you first look at them and seem so unnatural, but the best motto is ‘Better Safe than Sorry!’ 
• Wearing gloves when fingering someone is totally okay. Speaking from experience, sometimes nails have a mind of their own and can cause discomfort. Additionally, though most people shower before they have sex at some point, we don’t usually wash our hands right before foreplay. This opens us up to a host of bacteria that gets introduced directly into a mucus membrane. So if you want to glove up, please don’t be ashamed to do so.

When you go to the doctor, not everyone screens you for STD’s, even if you’re sexually active- So make sure ask. You should always ask what screening tests your doctor has performed, and don’t hesitate to ask for additional tests if you think they are appropriate. Never hesitate to be your own advocate.

queersexed:

“I get really upset about the ways that HIV/AIDS transmission is discussed in terms of sex between women (namely that we are less likely to contract HIV/AIDS.) To me it shows cissexist assumptions about queer women’s anatomies and the sexual acts that are performed. Could you speak to some tips about safer sex methods, and queer (cis and/or trans*) women organizing around HIV/AIDS.”   —  withrevolutionarycries

I agree, most of the available information on HIV/AIDS is geared toward gay cismen and heterosexual cispeople.  Sexually active people of all genders and sexual orientations can contract HIV just as easily, and do.

HIV/AIDS summary:   HIV can be contracted from someone who is HIV+ through an exchange of bodily fluids, most commonly by blood, semen, or vaginal secretions.  The virus enters the bloodstream and begins attacking T-cells, which are major components of our immune system.  HIV destroys the T-cells and replicates.  Lower T-cell counts lead to a suppressed immune system, which inhibits the body’s ability to fight off infection.  You’ll notice no one ever dies from HIV/AIDS; people die from complications. Complications include anything from cancer, to pneumonia, to influenza.  Even something as simple as the common cold can cause serious problems for someone with HIV/AIDS. 

Myth #1: Oral/manual sex will keep me from contracting the virus.
—NOT TRUE.  Tiny cuts or lesions on your hands or in your mouth that come into contact with fluids (i.e. semen, vaginal secretions, blood) are gateways for the virus to enter your body.  The key factor is exposure to the bloodstream.  

Myth #2: If they pull out, I can’t contract the virus.
—NOT TRUE. PIV*, PIA*, and manual sex can cause tearing in the walls of the vagina and rectum.  These tears are also viral gateways to your bloodstream.  HIV concentrations in pre-cum are lower, but the risk is still there.

Myth #3: I can’t get HIV from breast milk.
—NOT TRUE.  Breast milk has been shown to have similar viral counts to semen and vaginal secretions.  If it comes into contact with any lesions, you are risking infection.

How to prevent transmission: Latex barriers (or comparable non-latex barriers) are excellent ways to reduce virus transmission.  Barriers include gloves, condoms (“male”/”female”), and dental dams.  All protect the user from contact with genital secretions, which contain the highest virus concentration.  

Fact #1: Diaphragms DO NOT protect against HIV, as they are only intended to protect the uterus from sperm entering through the cervix.

Fact #2: Spermicide (nonoxynol-9) DOES NOT kill HIV, it only kills sperm cells.  Excessive use can actually increase the risk of infection, as nonoxynol-9 irritates mucus membranes (do not get it in you’re eye, you will be soooooo sorry.)

When it comes to organizations or groups organizing around HIV/AIDS, I am still rather in the dark.  I know that March 10th is National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, and that LGBT organizations in various cities have HIV/AIDS prevention programming.  The extent to which they include queer (trans*)women, however, varies from program to program.  If I find anything in my searches, I will certainly post it.

For more information on HIV/AIDS, you may want to check out fight-hiv-aids right here on Tumblr.  

reprohealthdaily:

Now that we’ve talked about symptoms and transmission, it’s good to know what happens in diagnosis and treatment for gonorrhea.

Diagnosis and Treatment

—A doctor or nurse can obtain a sample for testing from the parts of the body likely to be infected (cervix, urethra, rectum, or throat), and in some cases can use urine to test.

—Antibiotics can successfully cure gonorrhea in adolescents and adults.

—However, drug-resistant strains of gonorrhea are increasing in many areas of the world, and successful treatment of gonorrhea is becoming more difficult.

—It is now recommened that two kinds of drugs be used to treatment gonorrhea.

—It is important to take all of the medication prescribed to cure gonorrhea.  Although medication will stop the infection, it will not repair any permanent damage done by the disease.

 

Prevention Reminders!!

—Latex condoms, when used consistently and correctly, can reduce the risk of transmission of gonorrhea.

—Any genital symptoms such as discharge or burning during urination or unusual sore or rash should be a signal to stop having sex and to see a doctor.

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