Pretty much everyone you know has had HPV
You’ve very likely had human papillomavirus (HPV) at some point in your life, whether or not you realize it. Your best friend probably has too, as has your mom and your brother and the guy you work with and your neighbor and maybe even your grandma. HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI), […]
What is your vagina supposed to smell like?
We hear this question (and misinformation on this topic) ALL THE TIME, and we decided that today is the day we’re going to answer it. But first, a quick anatomy refresher. Your vulva is all the parts on the outside, including your inner and outer labia and your clitoris. Your vagina is the part that’s […]
Demystifying trich, the super common STI you’ve never heard of
You’ve heard of chlamydia. You’ve heard of gonorrhea. But have you heard of trich (pronounced like “trick”)? Trich—which is short for trichomoniasis—is the most common non-viral STI. According to Dr. Ina Park , Associate Professor of the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of California San Francisco School of Medicine and medical […]
Just diagnosed with an STI? Here’s how to stop freaking out
A lot of people are really scared of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). They’re the bogeyman of the bedroom; the sneaky bugs that are just waiting to get you every time you have sex. And that fear makes total sense! If people do get sex ed in school in the United States (and that’s not guaranteed […]
What to do when sex hurts
Sex is all about feeling great—until it doesn’t feel great. Unfortunately, dyspareunia (pain during sex) is more common than you might think. In fact, it’s so common that 3 out of every 4 people with vaginas experience it at some point in their lives. (Although some people enjoy experiencing pain during sex, that’s not the […]
Can you get quality health care as a Black, disabled person?
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is part of a Bedsider series highlighting the lived experiences of women of color in getting reproductive health care. Bedsider is committed to helping people get on top of their sex lives through information and access to quality care. That commitment includes celebrating all that birth control has to offer, but […]
Racism in family planning care
This article originally appeared on Bedsider Providers. While it was written by a provider for other providers, we thought it might be helpful for our Bedsider readers to see as well. We want you to know we’re committed to addressing health disparities, and part of our approach to that work is through provider education. Today […]
The art of being a difficult (aka empowered) patient
When I was twenty years old, I met a bunch of feminists. They were strong and assertive, and they took no sh*t. They were loud and amazing, and they blew my mind. They were a lot like the feminists my grandpa had always warned me about. He hated feminists. And these feminists would really not […]
I experienced racial bias in my postpartum care
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is part of a Bedsider series highlighting the lived experiences of women of color in getting reproductive health care. Bedsider is committed to helping people get on top of their sex lives through information and access to quality care. That commitment includes celebrating all that birth control has to offer, but […]
My doctor almost sterilized me without telling me
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is part of a Bedsider series highlighting the lived experiences of women of color in getting reproductive health care. Bedsider is committed to helping people get on top of their sex lives through information and access to quality care. That commitment includes celebrating all that birth control has to offer, but […]
