Protozoan organisms are microscopic and unicellular, like bacteria; unlike bacteria, their cell structures more closely resemble that of the so-called “higher” life forms such as animals and plants. While protozoa are considered to be “animal-like,” they are not animals at all – they are single-celled organisms that reproduce asexually. When certain types of protozoans get into your body, they can cause infections – such as trichomoniasis, the most common curable STI among young females (as well as more females over 40 than previously thought). It is estimated that 7.4 million new cases of trichomoniasis occur annually in the United States; worldwide, there are about 170 million cases each year.
http://blog.advocatesaz.org/2011/10/03/sti-awareness-trichomoniasis/
STI Awareness: Bacterial Vaginosis and Chancroid
Sexually transmitted infections can be caused by viruses, bacteria, protozoans, and even animals. Bacterial vaginosis and chancroid are both infections caused by bacteria, which means that they can be treated with antibiotics. While bacterial vaginosis only affects people with vaginas, chancroid disproportionately affects people with penises. You can seek diagnosis and treatment for bacterial vaginosis and chancroid at a Planned Parenthood health center, as well as health clinics, private health-care providers, and health departments.
READ MORE: http://blog.advocatesaz.org/2011/08/22/sti-awareness-bacterial-vaginosis-and-chancroid/
This video is from a protest today at the Hershey Candy Store in Times Square, New York.
A Hershey-funded boarding school in Pennsylvania rejected a 13-year-old boy for admission because he’s HIV-positive. You have to go all the way back to the 1980s to find AIDS discrimination like that. People are outraged.
AIDS Healthcare Foundation, the largest global AIDS organization, is calling for a BOYCOTT of all Hershey candy. We are asking people not to buy any Hershey candy until the company speaks out against AIDS discrimination at the Milton Hershey School and facilitates the boy’s enrollment at the school. Send a message to Hershey that AIDS discrimination is NOT acceptable.
Sign the petition at: http://www.change.org/petitions/no-kisses-for-hershey-end-hiv-stigma
There is nothing wrong with sleeping with multiple people, whether over a long period of time or not. There is nothing wrong with only sleeping with one person, saving yourself for marriage or not. There is nothing wrong with sleeping with absolutely nobody at all.
And getting an STD from any of these situations does not change that. Getting an STD does not change who you are, how much respect you deserve, or anything else. The most it should change is how careful you are and how much medicine you put into your body. That is it.
Calling each other sluts because some people got their STDs from some random person that they barely knew does not make you a better person for getting yours from your long-term partner. All this truly does is give more power to the negative influence of STDs and to the controlling nature of our society over women and their bodies.
This type of talk damages us in so many ways. It makes people afraid to act on their urges. And it makes it so that many people do not think that they need to protect themselves when they just have a single partner. It leads to a complete shut down of speech about STDs and what they really mean for each person in today’s society. It makes it so that people are afraid to ask questions, afraid to get tested, afraid to protect themselves when they believe that they should be. And this is unacceptable.
You have an STD? Let your partner(s) know and take care of yourself. But, please, don’t let other people tell you that you deserve to be treated any different. You are not a “slut.” Having sexual desires does NOT make you a slut. Acting on your sexual desires STILL doesn’t make you a slut. It simply makes you a person with a sex drive.
Think before you speak. Stop calling each other sluts. Stop dehumanizing each other. Stop making it seem like you are better because you did not have to sleep around to get the same STD that someone else has. If you do not want people to look down on you for your STD, then you need to fight for that right for everyone.
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.
Sometimes, when people contract bacterial STIs like gonorrhea, they aren’t as concerned as they may have been if they had contracted a viral STI, like herpes, HPV, or HIV. Antibiotics can take of those bacterial infections, right? That’s definitely true - but you have to catch it first, which is why protected sex and regular testing are so important. In that regard, we wanted to address some associated risks of gonorrhea as an untreated STI:
Associated Risks
—Untreated gonorrhea can cause some permanent health problems in both women and men.
—In women, gonorrhea is a common cause of pelvic inflammatory disease.
—In men, gonorrhea can cause epididymitis, a painful condition of the ducts attached to the testicles. This can unfortunately lead to infertility if men if left untreated.
—Gonorrhea that goes untreated can actually spread to the blood or joints.
—People with gonorrhea can more easily contract HIV, they can transmit HIV more easily to someone else than if they did not have gonorrhea.
—If a pregnant woman has gonorrhea, she may give the infection to her baby as the baby passes through the birth canal during delivery. This can cause problems for the newborn, such as blindness, joint infection, or a blood infection - this is why pre-natal health care is SO IMPORTANT. Getting screened for all kinds of infections that could impact the health of your newborn and getting treated for them is essential.
Come join us on Facebook and Twitter! As always, ask us any questions you may have about reproductive and sexual health!
A highly educational reddit thread on the subject of Herpes Simplex Virus type 1.
Both types 1 and 2 are discussed in the entire thread including their transmission, side affects, prevalence, cultural stigma and misinformation regarding both of them. There is a lot of BAD information about these diseases out there but this thread contains a great deal of actually accurate and helpful information that is very much worth reading. There are additional links and resources in the starting post and replies.
Happy Friday ONE condom enthusiasts! Today we’re here to cover safe sex, sex education, relationship advice, and condoms in the news. Our goal is to keep you up to date on anything sex related this past week. Be sure to check out the articles on the fantastic groundbreaking law requiring condom use in porn!
Safe Sex
More Americans practicing safe sex, CDC reports
TSG And GummiLove Promote Safe Sex
Do sex and golf have a connection?
Need To Make Teenagers Aware of the Benefits of Safe Sex
New Safe-Sex Porn Law Could Cost Los Angeles Billions
Safe sex: Study clears sex for most stable heart patients
Condoms
Landmark condom law for porn filming signed by LA mayor
‘Condom use drops in TN among high risk groups’
Ad Campaign Fights Dispensing Condoms In School: Board Votes Tonight
National Condom Week is Feb. 14-21
Rates of Condom and Non-Condom-Based Anal Intercourse Practices
Ron Jeremy Reacts To LA’s Condoms In Porn Ordinance
Sex Education
Good sex education is not about preaching abstinence
Controversial sex-ed game featuring Sperminator gets new version
New sex education guidance ‘startling,’ HASD super says
Sex Education: The Great Outdoors Edition
Sex Ed: A Teen’s Take On the Topic, and Teen Pregnancy
Santorum fumbles the sex-education football
Single-sex public education: Let the experiment continue?
The Swedish Erotica Collection: Alienation, Education and Morality
Do you have any links that weren’t included here that you could share with us from the past week?
1. Keep condoms in their proper place: Oftentimes, we hear that people experience breakage when they attempt to use condoms. One way to avoid this mishap is by storing condoms in a safe place. Freezers, glove compartments, and your wallet (for extended periods of time) are not safe places to keep condoms. Storing condoms in these places could cause the condom to be damaged by extreme temperatures or they could “dry up” and lose lubrication. Ideally, you want to keep your condoms in a cool, dry place such as a nightstand, drawer, or bathroom cabinet.
2. Avoid drugs, alcohol, and prescription pills: Although this may seem like a no-brainer to some, an overwhelming majority of clients we have who have been infected with HIV or an STI report being under the influence of some substance when they believed they were exposed to a certain condition. These substances affect our ability to make healthy sexual decisions, such as choosing to use a condom or not having sex at all. The best advice we can give is to eliminate or reduce the use of these substances when you are in a situation where you could potentially engage in sexual activity.
3. Get a carrying case for your safer sex items: Carrying cases for male condoms, female condoms, lubricants, and other safe sex items are very inexpensive and are a convenient way to avoid the embarrassment of carrying said items. In fact, places like Metro Wellness and Community Centers and local health departments will provide these items for free if they have them on hand. This way, you can always make sure you have a condom or lubricant around!
4. Carry protection yourself and ask your partner to carry protection: A large number of women I have spoken to state that they expect their male partner to have a condom on them at all times. Ladies, this is not always the case. It may be hard to believe, but sometimes men go for long periods of time without becoming intimate with another woman and may not have any form of protection on hand. This can also be true for gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgendered individuals. One tip is to make sure you have protection with you (or nearby) and to ask your partner to do the same. You never know which location you might be at where you’ll be in the mood to get intimate!
5. Know where you can get free forms of protection: The “money” excuse is a thing of the past—you can get FREE condoms, lubricants, and dental dams! In fact, people in New York City just developed an app which can tell you where you can access free condoms within a short distance and other major cities have plans to follow suit. Community organizations such as Metro Wellness and Community Centers, health departments, and clinics have these items for free. You can simply walk right up and take them from a bowl or designated area—it’s painless! Another good idea is to check your local barber shop or hair salon, as many more of those locations offer condoms as well. Having a tight budget can no longer be an excuse for risky sexual activity!
