The Trump administration continues to target LGBTQ+ folks through a variety of public policy moves, such as its recent demotion of World Aids Day. The state department has directed its employees and funding recipients to “refrain from publicly promoting World Aids Day [December 1] through any communication channels, including social media, media engagements, speeches or […]
Sex / Porn Addiction Is Not a Thing
The journal Sexual and Relationship Therapy has published a statement announcing that it will no longer accept articles that utilize unscientific terms like “sex addiction” or “porn addiction,” and will only allow “compulsive sexual behavior” under strictly limited conditions. This announcement is buttressed by a detailed historical overview of these concepts by a distinguished international team of […]
No Nut November
No Nut November (#NNN) is a trending internet challenge in which participants attempt to abstain from ejaculation and orgasm by not masturbating and/or not engaging in partnered sex for the entirety of the month. While studies have elucidated physical and psychological health benefits of masturbation/orgasm as well as abstinence from them, the effects of temporary […]
Cardi B on HIV Prevention: “This sh#t is for everybody.”
Cardi B encouraged fans to take PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis), a medication to prevent HIV risk from sex and injections, saying it isn’t just for gay men. “I understand where the stigma came from and everything. HIV is really, like, high in the gay community. But why you think these bitches don’t be having that shit?” […]
HPV: We’re All in this Together
Although the human papillomavirus (HPV) is not exclusively transmitted through sexual contact, it is the most common transmission method for the virus. A study has found that the introduction of the HPV vaccine has been highly effective in protecting young women from the cervical cancer causing virus. A surprising finding is that this protection seems […]
Magnetism Improves Female Sexual Arousal
A double-blind randomized control trial by Chinese researchers at the hospital of Xinjiang Medical University has shown the effectiveness of trans-cranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) of the dorsolateral pre-frontal cortex for improving female sexual arousal in response to erotic stimuli, and increasing sexual desire at least short-term. TMS is a medical treatment that uses magnetic pulses […]
DOJ Demands Transgender Patient Info from Several Medical Providers
In an unprecedented move, the Trump administration filed subpoenas in June on normally confidential patient data from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and nearly 20 other physicians or clinics that provide gender transition services. This action was justified by Attorney General Pam Bondi as necessary for the investigation of “healthcare fraud.” The information included names, […]
Detransitioners Are Not a Monolith
Critics of gender-affirming care often point to the growing number of “detransitioners” to support arguments against providing it to minors. Estimates of the number who detransition vary widely and its prevalence may ultimately be unknowable, since detransitioners may break off contact with their former medical providers. York University social work professor (and trans powerlifter) Kinnon […]
Politics continues to interfere with vaccine research
The world’s first gonorrhoea vaccine program was just rolled out in the United Kingdom. Gonorrhea, which is both preventable and treatable, is mostly transmitted through vaginal, oral or anal sex. According to the World Health Organization, in 2020 there were an estimated 82.4 million new infections among adults globally. Aside from increasing the risk of […]
Brazil Stalls Youth Gender Transition Services + Judith Butler’s Latest Treatise
Moves to limit minors’ access to medicalized gender transition are not unique to the U.S. and Europe. Under political pressure and tied up in litigation, even Brazil’s leftist government has announced it is rescinding an earlier proposal to lower the age at which hormones can be obtained from 18 to 16 and the age for […]