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Oregon: Killing it when it comes to sexual health care
Update: If you’re looking for yet another reason to love Oregon, they’ve also made a law that lets pharmacists prescribe the pill and the patch —no doctor’s visit needed. — There’s a lot to love about living in Oregon: gorgeous parks and greenery, delicious food and drink, naked bike races , and… awesome sexual health […]
Don’t go changing: Why imperfections are hot
There’s Padma’s scar, Seal’s facial marks, and Mark Wahlberg’s third nipple. Kate Bosworth and Mila Kunis both have two different colored eyes and Madonna and Anna Paquin have gapped teeth. A quick Google search on Hollywood imperfections will showcase many more stars with deformed toes, missing fingers, and lazy eyes, but none of these unique […]
How to tell if you’re in an abusive relationship
1 in every 4 women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime. 25% of high school girls have faced physical or sexual abuse. 16- to 24-year-olds have the highest rate of intimate violence. A study found that 19% of undergraduate women had experienced attempted or completed sexual assault since entering college. The harsh reality is […]
Accidental pregnancy: It’s a tough nut
Can the U.S. bring the proportion of unplanned pregnancies down to 44% by the year 2020 ? Maybe the goal sounds modest, but unplanned pregnancy is a tough nut to crack. Recent research from the Guttmacher Institute found that the rate of unplanned pregnancy in the U.S. actually went up slightly between 2001 and 2008, […]
STIs and relationships: What you need to know
Reality check: More than half of all people who have sex will get a sexually transmitted infection (STI) in their lifetime. Women between the ages of 15 and 24 have about a 1 in 30 chance of contracting a common STI like chlamydia or gonorrhea . We hope that doesn’t include you— and we want […]
Am I normal? Let’s take a look and see
You grow up. You develop. You learn to love your body and use it in adult ways. Then one day something catches you off guard and all of the sudden you’re wondering if you’re normal. Let’s tackle a few of those scenarios and find out. Smelling. Sweat glands. Secretions. Bacteria. Men and women have a […]
Generic vs. brand name birth control: But, I thought it was all covered?
UPDATE: President Biden has opened the enrollment period for the Affordable Care Act health insurance plans for 2022. You can now enroll in one of these plans until January 15, 2022, at healthcare.gov . Some states have their own open enrollment periods and websites for signing up. Check to see if your state does . […]
Not awkward: 5 tips for talking to anyone about sex and birth control
By Charreah K. Jackson, relationships editor for ESSENCE Magazine. I recently hit the streets of New York with a big sign that said “Let’s Talk About Sex.” As the granddaughter of a southern woman who avoided even saying the word—she would say ‘seg’ if she absolutely had to reference the act—I had come a long […]
Emergency contraception: Why the weight?
A French company that makes an emergency contraceptive pill (ECP) called Norlevo caught headlines recently for adding a new warning to their package : “Studies suggest that Norlevo is less effective in women weighing 75 kg [165 lbs] or more, and not effective in women weighing 80 kg [176 lbs] or more.” What does this […]
Panic time? Chat or text for instant answers
The condom broke. You forgot your pill. There’s something going on down there that’s stressing you out. The clinic is closed. Who can help, pronto? Last year, Planned Parenthood launched a national service for online chat and text that has been answering questions just like these. The service is staffed by trained sexual health educators […]
