tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46613245145097123512024-02-08T14:18:25.463-05:00Sex Miseducation: A Gender/Sexuality ResourceA mental health counselor-in-training's perspective on therapy and research in regards to gender and sexuality.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05295961585690356354noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125truetag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4661324514509712351.post-9276983014849276572014-03-16T09:09:00.001-04:002014-03-16T09:09:31.512-04:00Trans* 101 Discussion Question Sheet From My LGBT Graduate Course <div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I taught a trans* 101 class to my very tiny LGBT
graduate school course the other week. What makes this class so unique is that
these individuals are in the process of training to become therapists. This
fact colors the way I have phrased these questions and statements. My
colleagues are either coming from a place of total ignorance or what they have
learned from academic study is not appropriate or totally incorrect for direct
services counseling work with trans* clients. For example, the textbook I was
supposed to be working from defined the word “transgender” in a way that is
common among academia/public policy, but is not how a lay transgender person
might define themselves. And this book briefly mentioned that nonbinary trans*
people exist, but did not go into detail beyond a sentence or two. This was all
new information and/or challenging thought experiments for professors and
students alike in my graduate program. Don’t be surprised if you see blog posts
related to these discussion questions in the future. I have a lot to say on
this matter. Feel free to comment, email, etc. regarding this post. I’m
definitely interested in anything you’d like to say or add to this.<span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The
term “transgender” is used differently in academia and in the transgender
community. This brings up the issues of identity, meaning and the power of
labeling. Specific populations like cross-dressers, feminine/butch LG people,
drag queens/kings, etc. are not considered to be trans* within the community,
but are placed under this umbrella by academia. To clarify, one can be a butch
lesbian and be transgender, but being a butch lesbian in and of itself would
not automatically make you transgender in the lay community. What does it mean
that academia places certain people under the “transgender umbrella” when even
the book admits that this academic inclusion does not “imply that all people
with those identities include themselves within the larger matrix or consider
themselves transgender”. Whose labels/definitions are seen as more valid and
who has more societal power? And what are the implications of these differences
in labeling for counseling, research and social justice?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="line-height: 115%;">The
chapter talks about therapists serving as gate-keepers to trans* individuals’
access to hormones and sexual reconstruction surgery. Transgender individuals
(binary and nonbinary) have been forced to lie in the past in order to fit into
rigid standards to receive the care they need. This still happens, to a large
extent, due to the fear that trans* individuals will regret these procedures
despite the actual rarity of this phenomenon. How would this affect a client’s
view of the counseling relationship? And how can a therapist respect a client’s
agency and intelligence and explain the permanence of these medical procedures
without becoming a gate-keeper?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="line-height: 115%;">In
this chapter, most of the discussion of transgender individuals focuses on
binary transgender individuals (i.e. trans men and women). How would a
clinician prepare themselves to help a nonbinary trans* person (i.e. someone
who is genderfluid, genderqueer or agender, for example) function in a world
that renders them invisible?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="line-height: 115%;">What
are some counseling approaches one can use to help a client deal with the
internalized transphobia stemming from the pathologizing of their identities
from the medical/psychological community and the political and social rejection
of the heterosexual and LGB communities?</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="line-height: 115%;">How
do factors like age, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status intersect with trans*
issues? And how can clinicians support transgender clients in mitigating the
negative consequences of these intersections?</span></span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="line-height: 115%;">Problematic
terms/phrases to keep in mind for clinical practice</span></span></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><u><span style="line-height: 115%;">Pre/post/non-op,
MTF, FTM, female/male-bodied, transsexual</span></u><span style="line-height: 115%;"> – These words
are falling out of favor and can be very offensive because they reduce trans*
individuals to their genitals/body parts and to their birth assignment. If an
individual’s medical history NEEDS to be referred to, words like “sexual
reassignment surgery,” “vaginoplasty” or “top surgery” are preferred. And if
you NEED to refer to someone’s birth assignment, the phrase “assigned
female/male at birth” is more appropriate.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><u><span style="line-height: 115%;">Real
man, bio woman, genetic man, natural woman</span></u><span style="line-height: 115%;"> - Trans* people
are not fake. A trans man is just as “real” as a cis man. A preferred word for
“not transgender” is cis or cisgender.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><u><span style="line-height: 115%;">Tranny,
t-girl, shemale, he-she, hermaphrodite, transvestite</span></u><span style="line-height: 115%;">
– Never use these words. These are slurs and have their roots in pornography
and the non-consensual fetishization of trans* people, trans women in
particular. Some trans* people are trying to reclaim some of these words, but
if you are not trans* yourself, do not use them.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><u><span style="line-height: 115%;">Transgendered
</span></u><span style="line-height: 115%;">–
the word transgender is an adjective, not a verb. For instance, a person doesn’t
womaned, or maned. A person is transgender.</span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Notes:</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Binary
trans* people, i.e. trans men and trans women, should just be called men and
women unless, for some reason, it is necessary to refer to their transgender
status. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It
would not hurt to get into the habit of asking clients what their pronouns are
when asking their name. It takes only a second and reduces the likelihood of
committing a microaggression. For example, “Hi, my name is Kierra and my
pronouns are they/them. And you?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05295961585690356354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4661324514509712351.post-82818921169969510702014-01-22T17:33:00.000-05:002014-12-03T13:08:38.872-05:00Finding the Right Therapist for You – Part 2: Your Role as a Client (Written in 2014)<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Please check out <a href="http://sexmiseducation.blogspot.com/2014/01/finding-right-therapist-for-you-part-1.html?zx=e31a611acbbe26fd">Part One</a> of this two-part series.
This post is about your role and rights as a client. As I said in the previous
post: therapy should not be something that is done to you. Rather, it should be
something you do together with your therapist. For the sake of self-disclosure,
I will remind you of my personal theoretical approach. My approach to therapy
mainly comes from a <a href="http://sexmiseducation.blogspot.com/2014/01/finding-right-therapist-for-you-part-1.html?zx=e31a611acbbe26fd">postmodern client-centered approach (with some cognitive therapy interventions)</a>. If you remember from the first post, my theoretical approach
dictates how I see a client, how I see my role as the therapist and what kind
of techniques and methods I will use in therapy. My belief that clients should
be active co-participants in a therapeutic relationship is influenced by my
theoretical orientation. Basically, keep in mind throughout this post that not
all therapists will agree with everything I say here. These are my
beliefs and these are the things I stand for.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As clients, I believe that you are the consumer and the
therapist is providing a service for you. Therefore, it is important to find a
therapist that is best suited to be able to provide the best possible service
for you. Finding the right therapist is like finding a partner. There should be
chemistry. This potential therapist should work to gain your trust and create a
safe space for you. And the both of you should be compatible enough that it is
possible for the both of you to effectively work together to accomplish your
therapeutic goals. As stated previously, this is the time to pay
attention to the therapist’s theoretical orientation. Additionally, there is
another factor to focus on: the therapist’s personality. Therapists are humans
with all the accompanying strengths and flaws. If the therapist’s personality
grates on your nerves or simply does not complement yours, you’re going to be
distracted from accomplishing your goals in therapy.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Relatedly, think about coming out to the therapist
during the intake process, aka that first meeting where the therapist asks you
a lot of questions about your past, your personal life and the reasons why you
decided to seek therapy. I know the idea of coming out to a therapist as queer,
trans*, polyamourous, kinky, etc. may feel nerve-wracking and scary as all
hell, but it is actually very helpful in the long-run. A therapist cannot
provide care that is designed for you if they do not know enough about you. It
is important to ensure that a therapist has the experience and the skills
necessary to help someone from your community or communities. Even if, let’s say, your
gender does not play a role in the presenting problem (the problem you are
coming to therapy to deal with), if a therapist has negative biases or is
ignorant about these issues, their ignorance may block them from being able to
provide effective therapy. It would be hard to feel comfortable discussing your
phobia of talking on the phone if your therapist somehow blames every problem
you’ve ever had on the fact that you are genderqueer. Also it is impossible to
provide effective therapy to a client without understanding them in their
proper context. How can I possibly fully understand a client’s needs and goals if
I don’t understand how being Chinese, queer or an immigrant interacts and
influences their perspective? How would I be able to tell the difference
between reasonable anxiety that comes from being a person of color in a racist
society from a maladaptive anxiety that comes from an anxiety disorder without
understanding their subjective reality? That said, your potential therapist
does not have to be an expert on everything. That would be impossible. A
therapist just needs to be open-minded and empathic. Your potential therapist
may not know everything there is to know about being polyamourous and that’s
fine. However, this therapist should be willing to do some research. You are
not obligated to school your therapist on poly-101. It really is not that hard
to go look it up on the internet and it would distract from therapy if your
therapist kept asking you to explain how you can possibly date more than one
person every other session. A therapist should be able to admit when they are
not knowledgeable about something and should be willing to put in some work for
the sake of the therapeutic relationship.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So congratulations, you bravely walked into their
office, filled out the intake forms and then came back a second time for a
therapy session. Damn right, good for you. Now that you have chosen a
therapist, don’t feel like you are locked in. Do not be afraid to switch
therapists and walk away from one if they are not meeting your needs. I have
talked to some people who stick with incompatible therapists for much longer
than they should because they feel as if they can’t leave. Your therapist is
not your parent. You have power. You are the consumer. You can always find
someone else if this therapeutic relationship isn’t working out. That’s not to
say that you should just leave if there’s a bump in the road. Therapists are
not perfect. I’ve bumped heads with my former therapist a couple times. The
sign of a good therapist is their willingness to be flexible and their ability
to apologize if they have made a mistake. Another thing to keep in mind is that
there is a difference between feeling uncomfortable because you are dealing
with your issues in therapy and discomfort because a technique or therapist
simply is not working for you. If you are feeling uncomfortable or upset, talk
it out with your therapist. They should be willing to talk about what is going
on between the two of you in session (aka metacommunication). If a technique
isn’t working for you, your therapist should be willing to modify it or scrap
it altogether. A therapist that is not willing to be flexible and talk to you as
if you are a competent adult isn’t a therapist that I would want personally.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Another thing to keep in mind: a therapist is not
supposed to give you advice. It is not their place. A therapist is supposed to
help you become independent by, for example, providing you with coping skills,
teaching you techniques, and/or making you aware of your own inner strengths.
Giving a client advice fosters dependence on the therapist by creating a
situation in which the client feels like the therapist has all the answers. The
client may not think they can come up with answers to their problems on their
own and feel as if they would be incompetent without their therapist. This is
not the kind of situation a therapist should encourage. If a client has a
problem, an effective therapist would help the client brainstorm ways to resolve
the situation on their own so that if they ever find themselves in a similar situation, they will be able to handle it without their therapist’s help.
I would be incredibly wary of a therapist who dispenses advice or tries to “fix”
your life.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Again, please don’t forget that, as the client, you
have agency. The therapist is not your lord and master. They are not better
than you. They are not smarter than you. You are the expert on your own life experiences
and they are the expert on therapeutic approaches/techniques. You deserve
respect for your expertise. In my opinion, a therapeutic relationship should be
based on mutual respect, collaboration and trust. Don’t be afraid to stand up
for yourself and seek out what is best for you. You are important and you
deserve the best.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If you have questions or suggestions for future
topics, please feel free to send an email to me at queeringpsychology<a href="mailto:SexMiseducation@gmail.com">@gmail.com</a> or tweet
to @QueeringPsych on Twitter.</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05295961585690356354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4661324514509712351.post-40619488064155144942014-01-11T12:20:00.001-05:002014-01-11T16:54:55.931-05:00Finding the Right Therapist For You - Part 1: Theoretical Approaches<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I’m back! A perfect storm of personal events and
graduate school has kept me away from you. However, my life has calmed down
significantly and I will try to update this blog much more often. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This is part one of a two-part series regarding how
to find the right therapist for you. A number of people have been requesting
these posts for months and I am finally able to put this up. In this post, I
will give very brief and basic descriptions of some of the more prevalent
theoretical approaches that therapists work from. Knowing a therapist’s
theoretical orientation/approach is incredibly important. All therapists are
not the same. I have heard the following statements countless times from people: “My
therapist is so awful! This proves therapy just doesn’t work for me!” Then I
usually say, “Damn, I’m really sorry your therapist didn’t work out for you. What
theoretical approach was your therapist working from?” And then I usually get a
blank stare. Theoretical approaches determine how a therapist views you as a
client, their role as a therapist, their relationship with you and what
techniques they will and will not use. Think of theoretical approaches like a
pair of glasses with which your therapist views the world. As a client, I think
it is very important for you to know the theoretical orientation of a potential
therapist. It is something that you really should consider when you are trying
to figure out if a specific therapist is right for you. Do you want to simply
focus on your anxiety symptoms? Do you want to talk extensively about your
childhood? Do you want to figure out your place in the world? Different
approaches focus on different aspects of life and different aspects of human
psychology. Finding a therapist whose theoretical approach fits with what you are
looking for can help avoid being with a therapist who simply is not compatible with you.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In this post, I will describe each approach by
asking the following questions: “How Does This Approach View Clients and/or
Humanity?,” “How Does This Approach View the Role of the Therapist?,” “How Does
This Approach View the Therapeutic Relationship?,” and “What Are the Overall
Goals of This Approach?”. I am only describing some of the many approaches and,
as stated earlier, these descriptions are basic. This post is meant to serve as
a diving-board for your own research.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><u>Classical Freudian Psychoanalytic Therapy and Modern
Psychodynamic Therapy</u></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Psychoanalytic therapy
is basically what first pops into everyone’s head when they think about
therapy. Sigmund Freud is the founder of psychoanalytic therapy and his work
influenced all of modern psychotherapy. Every theory that came after Freud’s
was either inspired by or in retaliation of psychoanalytic theory.
Psychodynamic therapy is the more modern version of Freud’s classical
psychoanalysis. </span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<u style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>How Does This Approach
View Clients and Humanity?</i></u></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In Freudian
psychoanalytic therapy, human behavior is motivated by unconscious and irrational
urges. Freud believed that humans are inherently savages that were reined in by
society.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Human psychology can be
split between things we are aware of about ourselves (the conscious) and things
we are unaware of (the unconscious). Becoming aware of the unconscious parts of
ourselves is the main goal of psychoanalytic therapy because with this
awareness comes choice and change.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The experiences people
have early on in their childhood have a huge impact on who they are as adults.</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><u><i>How Does This Approach
View the Role of the Therapist?</i></u></span><br />
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The therapist is the
expert and is the one who will provide the insight. The therapist makes
insightful interpretations based on what the client has told them so the client
can grow and change. Interpretations include calling attention to and
explaining the meaning behind a client’s behavior.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In classical Freudian
psychoanalysis, the therapist tries to remain anonymous and emotionally
detached from clients to encourage transference (a client’s unconscious
rehashing of old feelings and reactions from past significant others onto the
therapist). The therapist explores these feelings and reactions as a window
into the client’s unconscious thoughts and feelings. This approach assumes that
the client acts in similar dysfunctional ways with the therapist as they do
with other people in their lives.</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><u><i>How Does This Approach
View the Therapeutic Relationship?</i></u></span></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Classical
psychoanalytic therapists want to remain emotionally detached from clients in
order to provide insights and interpretations. In contrast, modern
psychodynamic therapists see a solid and healthy therapeutic relationship as an
important part of creating change.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The psychodynamic
approach views emotional communication with clients as another way to learn
more about the client and to build a connection with the client.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Sessions are fewer and
shorter than traditional Freudian psychoanalysis (nearly every day of the week
for many years).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In the current
psychodynamic approach, clients and therapists sit face-to-face, instead of
lying on the couch.</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><i><u>What Are the Overall
Goals of This Approach?</u></i></span></div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Making the unconscious conscious (classical Freudian
psychoanalysis).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 0.5in;">Increasing
the client’s ability to function in society.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Reducing symptoms and resolving internal conflicts.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>Adlerian Therapy</u></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><i><u>How
Does This Approach View Clients and Humanity?</u></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Human are motivated by their desire to relate to others
in society.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Humans have agency in their own lives, but their ability
to make choices is limited by biological and environmental factors.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">It is our feelings of inferiority and insecurity that
motivate us to become better.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Clients are not sick.
They are discouraged by life and this discouragement results in dysfunctional
behavior.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><i><u>How Does This Approach
View the Role of the Therapist?</u></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">It is important for a
therapist to be able to see the world from the client’s point of view. It is
essential that an individual be understood in the full context of their life.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The therapist takes on the role of teacher and encourages the client by making them aware of their strengths.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The therapist helps the
client create goals for therapy.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><i><u>How Does This Approach
View the Therapeutic Relationship?</u></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The therapeutic relationship is collaborative, as the
client and the therapist work </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">together
to create change.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><i><u>What Are the Overall
Goals of This Approach?</u></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Encourage discouraged clients.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Help clients better understand how they see themselves
and the world, which should avoid the repetition of symptoms.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><u>Existential Therapy</u></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><i><u>How Does This Approach
View Clients and Humanity?</u></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">This approach asks the question: “What does it mean to be
human?”</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 0.5in;">Humans
are constantly changing in response to the conflicts of life.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">This approach focuses on how humans deal with being alone
in the world and how they handle the anxiety that comes with it.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Humans are free to make
decisions within the environmental and social limitations of life. Humans may
not be able to control exactly what happens to them, but they can control how
they deal with it.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">This freedom comes with
responsibility and the choices people make comes with consequences. Trying to
avoid one’s responsibilities or trying to avoid making choices results in
existential guilt and anxiety.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><i><u>How Does This Approach
View the Role of the Therapist?</u></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The therapist helps clients explore their current values to see if these
values are benefiting them.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The therapist confronts clients with the fact that they must become
their own person and not allow others to define who they are. Clients are encouraged to accept responsibility for their actions.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><i><u>How Does This Approach
View the Therapeutic Relationship?</u></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The therapeutic
relationship is seen as a sample of other relationships in a client’s life.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">A caring, respectful
therapeutic relationship is more important than being an objective, detached
professional.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><i><u>What Are the Overall
Goals of This Approach?</u></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">To help clients see the
ways they are not living fully authentic lives full of freedom and
responsibility.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">To help clients face their
anxiety and create meaning lives.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><u>Person/Client-Centered Therapy</u></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><i><u>How Does This Approach
View Clients and Humanity?</u></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">People are trustworthy and are capable of creating
constructive change.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Clients already have the strengths and assets within them
to overcome their problems.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><i><u>How Does This Approach
View the Role of the Therapist?</u></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The expertise, clinical
knowledge and techniques of the therapist are not as important as the quality
of the therapeutic relationship. It is the therapist’s ability to connect with
the client as a person and their ability to be present for the client that
truly matters.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><i><u>How Does This Approach
View the Therapeutic Relationship?</u></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The therapeutic
relationship is incredibly essential. A good, solid relationship allows the
client to feel safe enough to explore thoughts, feelings and behaviors that
they have not been able to express otherwise. This leads to clients being able
to become their own healers and create their own positive change.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><i><u>What Are the Overall
Goals of This Approach?</u></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Help clients recognize
their strengths and become independent so they can handle problems on their
own.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Create a safe space
that will give clients the freedom to explore parts of themselves they may have
been too afraid to explore previously so they can live whole and authentic
lives.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>Gestalt Therapy</u></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><i><u>How Does This Approach
View Clients and Humanity?</u></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Clients have the
ability to make positive change when they are fully aware of themselves and
their environment.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Clients have an active
role in therapy as they find their own insight.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><i><u>How Does This Approach
View the Role of the Therapist?</u></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The therapist is a
guide who encourages the client to change by discovering and accepting
themselves and their environment.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><i><u>How Does This Approach
View the Therapeutic Relationship?</u></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">It is a collaborative
relationship in which the therapist and client share their experiences in
therapy together in the here and now.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><i><u>What Are the Overall
Goals of This Approach?</u></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">To expand the client’s
awareness of themselves and the environment in the current moment because
change comes through awareness.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">To help the client
accept themselves.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>Cognitive-Behavioral Therapies</u></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy is an umbrella term for many
different theoretical approaches. All CBTs use techniques/interventions that
focus on the </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">cognition</span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> (thoughts) and behavior of clients as a way to create
positive change. CBTs also tend to be short-term therapies that focus primarily
on reducing psychological symptoms. I chose Albert Ellis’s Rational Emotive
Behavior Therapy (REBT) and Aaron Beck’s Cognitive Therapy (CT) because they
are the most well-known of the CBTs.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><i><u>How Does This Approach
View Clients and Humanity?</u></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">REBT</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">People are born with the potential for both
rational and irrational thinking.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">They learn irrational beliefs from childhood
and actively reinforce these beliefs throughout their lifetime.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Blaming the self or the world is the root of
emotional problems.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Life experiences and events do not cause
psychological issues (i.e. anxiety or depression). It is our beliefs about the
event that impact our emotions and behaviors. For example, according to REBT,
you are not depressed because your father died. You are depressed because
of how you perceive your father’s death. Your perception therefore influences
how you behave and the emotions you feel. If your perception was changed, you
would feel better.</span></li>
</ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">CT</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Humans have core beliefs about themselves and
the world that they maintain all throughout their lives. When these beliefs are
not accurate, psychological problems occur.</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><i><u>How Does This Approach
View the Role of the Therapist?</u></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 0.5in;">REBT</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The therapist is the expert and teacher, who models
rational behavior for the client.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The therapist disputes the client’s
irrational thinking and teaches them techniques to independently dispute and
replace irrational beliefs with rational ones.</span></li>
</ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">CT</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Therapists encourage clients to turn their
core beliefs into hypotheses to be examined. Clients conduct experiments to
test the validity of their beliefs.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The therapist asks open-ended questions to
encourage clients to find their own answers to their problems.</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><i><u>How Does This Approach
View the Therapeutic Relationship?</u></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 0.5in;">REBT</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">According to Albert Ellis, a warm therapeutic
relationship is not necessary for success and can actually be harmful to the
client. He believed that it could cause clients to become dependent on the
therapist.</span></li>
</ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">CT</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">A collaborative, empathic relationship is
incredibly important, but it is not the only thing needed to create change.
Techniques are needed too.</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><i><u>What Are the Overall
Goals of This Approach?</u></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 0.5in;">REBT</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Teaching clients to accept themselves, flaws
and all.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Teaching clients how to change dysfunctional
thoughts, emotions and behaviors into functional ones.</span></li>
</ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">CT</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Helping clients analyze their core beliefs
and change them if necessary.</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>Postmodern Therapeutic Approaches</u></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Postmodern theory is a
reaction to modernism, which believes that there is one true, objective reality
that can be studied and known through the scientific method. Theoretical
approaches based on modernist thinking are founded in the idea that people who
seek therapy have deviated from some objective norm and need to be put back on
the right path. Postmodern theory disagrees, believing that there are multiple valid
and subjective realities. Each person lives in their own reality that is
influenced by the time, place and society in which they live. There is no
single objective truth and, following that, there is no single right way to
live.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I will describe two
postmodern therapeutic approaches: Steve de Shazer and Insoo Kim Berg’s Solution-Focused
Brief Therapy (SFBT) and Michael White and David Epston’s Narrative Therapy.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><i><u>How Does This Approach
View Clients and Humanity?</u></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Both postmodern approaches agree that clients are the
experts of their own lives.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">SFBT</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">SFBT believes that
clients already have the strengths within them to resolve their problems, but
sometimes people lose their way.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Clients are not reduced
to a diagnostic label.</span></li>
</ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Narrative
Therapy</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">An individual’s life is
made of up stories, regarding how they perceive themselves and the world. These
narratives dictate how clients live their lives and shape their realities. Psychological
problems can come from the internalization of the narratives from the dominant
culture, which takes away the personal agency of the individual. Modernist
theoretical approaches would encourage clients to conform to the dominant narrative or simply
help them to cope with the socially constructed “truth” imposed upon them by
society.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Clients are not reduced
to a diagnostic label.</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><i><u>How Does This Approach
View the Role of the Therapist?</u></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">SFBT</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The therapist helps the
client become aware of their strengths so they can use these strengths to
create their own solutions.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The therapist guides
and encourages the client towards change, but does not tell the client what to
change.</span></li>
</ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Narrative
Therapy</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The
therapist has an active role, guiding the client toward change.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The therapist helps the
client detach themselves from the dominant narratives they have internalized so
they can create their own stories.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The therapist asks
questions to assist clients in coming up with their own answers.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The therapist helps the
client work through their problems and helps them take steps to solve them.</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><i><u>How Does This Approach
View the Therapeutic Relationship?</u></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">SFBT</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The relationship is
very collaborative. Therapists are not the sole experts in the therapeutic
relationship. Clients are the experts in their own lives and therapists are
experts in the therapeutic process. Together, they both bring their sources of
expertise to the table.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The therapist strives
to create a relationship based on mutual respect and open communication.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The client sets the
tone of therapy and of the relationship.</span></li>
</ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Narrative
Therapy</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The client and the
therapist work together as experts to solve the client’s problems.</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><i><u>What Are the Overall
Goals of This Approach?</u></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">SFBT</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Goals are specific to
each client and are created collaboratively by the client and therapist.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Goals are small and well-defined
so clients will not become discouraged.</span></li>
</ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Narrative
Therapy</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">To make clients aware of
how the dominant culture’s narratives impact their lives.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">To invite clients to
create their own stories and take back their agency.</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>Integrating Approaches</u></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Some therapists (myself included) prefer an eclectic
approach to therapy. Meaning they combine aspects of theoretical approaches and
techniques in order to fit who they are as therapists and to do what is best
for their clients. Self-disclosure time: I personally work from a postmodern
person-centered theoretical approach with some cognitive therapy interventions.
Meaning, the way I see the world, my clients and my role as a therapist is
influenced by post-modern and person-centered approaches. That said, I also see
the value of some of the techniques from cognitive therapy in cases of anxiety,
depression and phobias, for example. My specific theoretical orientation gives
me a firm foundation to work from while also providing me with enough
flexibility to work with clients as complex individuals and not as diagnoses.
Integrating theoretical approaches can go wrong if not done properly. A
therapist cannot just combine any theoretical approach and technique at random.
The approaches and techniques must complement each other. If they conflict at
their roots, the therapist does not have a proper clinical compass and is
basically a ship lost at sea. No one would want that person to be their
therapist.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The point of this post is to show you that all
therapists are not alike. Each therapist works from a theoretical framework
that seriously determines how they view you as the client, how they view
themselves as the therapist and the techniques/interventions they will use. Do
they see you, the client, as an equal partner-in-crime, as a student or as a
patient who needs their insight? Do not hesitate to ask a potential therapist
what their theoretical framework/orientation is. And then do a little research
to figure out how this framework dictates the way they do therapy. This may be
my personal approach showing, but do not think of therapy as something being
done to you. Think of therapy as something you do with your therapist. You have
power. You have agency. And I like to think that therapy works the best when
both the client and the therapist work towards a common goal. Part two of this
series will discuss your rights as a client. </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05295961585690356354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4661324514509712351.post-41739385837811910532013-08-27T13:37:00.000-04:002013-08-27T13:37:00.722-04:00The Theft of Cultural Appropriation<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So what is appropriation? To understand this concept, one
needs to consider a few things, namely the history of colonization, power, privilege
and context. A cultural group swoops in and takes a cultural aspect from a
disenfranchised group and claims ownership over it. The cultural aspect is
often taken out of context and becomes a further sign of the remnants of
colonization and a refusal to respect and acknowledge the validity of cultures
different from one’s own.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So what is the difference, you might ask, between a hipster
wanting Native American “tribal” patterns all over their pants and a person of
color wearing a business suit? Or speaking English? Can there be ‘reverse
appropriation’? No. Appropriation is about power and privilege. A person of
color is forced to wear a business suit because Western societal values dictate
that an individual is not appropriate for work/success without it. People of
color are required to conform in this way in order to be hopefully deemed
appropriate for work (I could throw in a discussion of natural hair and whether
or not it is appropriate for “professional” settings, but that’s a discussion
for another time). As for English, it is not one of the ‘dominant’ languages in
the world because it is, in some way, a more superior language. Or because it
is more beautiful or its use is somehow an inherent sign of intelligence. It is
used because of colonization. Because people were killed and cultures were
decimated. And these English-speaking colonizers decided to force their
language upon them. White/Western culture is seen as the standard. In essence, people
of color are required to look as assimilated into White/Western culture as much
as humanly possible in order to be seen as appropriate, intelligent, etc. This
is not a sharing of culture. This is forced assimilation. On the other hand,
the hipster with the Native American “tribal” print pants is seizing a part of another
culture that they have no understanding of just because they think it looks
cool. This cultural aspect is being taken out of its proper context and morphed
into a plaything, an accessory to White America’s desires. Not to mention,
Native American artists are not even making money off of this. In most, if not
all cases, the designs are literally stolen and put in stores like Urban
Outfitters without so much as a thank you card.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Now, so what does this have to do with music? Well, American
music is a great place to look for cultural appropriation. Since the days of
Elvis and probably before that, mainstream (read: White) artists and record
companies have mined black culture. Whether we’re talking about style, actual
songs or dances, black culture has provided a very fruitful ground for white
artists to come in, take what they want, make money and move on. Black artists
are not credited, compensated or respected in the often repeated process of
this cultural theft. Black culture becomes something “edgy” to be used when you
want to take your music to the next level (See Justin Timberlake and Miley Cyrus).
When white people appropriate black culture for music in particular, they are
allowed to put on what they think are trappings of the culture for short
periods of time. They can do things (like twerking) without anyone really thinking
any less of them because everyone knows it is a phase. It is not seen as who
the person IS, the way it would be if a black person did it. If a black woman
tried to make a career from twerking, she would be slut-shamed, her
intelligence would be questioned and no one would take her seriously. It is
from a place of privilege that an individual can temporarily put on the things
that hold a black person back just to look edgy before moving on to the next
venture. Black people cannot move on. In the eyes of mainstream America, every
black man is a dangerous thug and every black woman is a hypersexualized
twerker. Who we really are as individuals is never taken into account. Not only
that, but through appropriation, the history and original ownership of music,
for example, is called into question. Mainstream society actually starts to
believe its lie that it has created something. White artists are seen as the innovators
or the ones who made something popular/important even if it has been practiced
and/or celebrated in its original context for years. People of color are then
regulated to the sidelines as they watch aspects of their culture warped,
manipulated, disrespected, owned and then thrown away when the new cool thing
comes around. Their culture and they themselves are seen as disposable. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I could go on for much longer about the many aspects of white
cultural appropriation of black culture in particular and the recent examples
of Miley, Macklemore and Robin Thicke, but other people have done this beautifully
before me so I will use this space to cast more light on them:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://jezebel.com/on-miley-cyrus-ratchet-culture-and-accessorizing-with-514381016">On Miley Cyrus, Ratchet Culture and Accessorizing With BlackPeople</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://groupthink.jezebel.com/solidarity-is-for-miley-cyrus-1203666732">Solidarity is for Mikey Cyrus: The Racial Implications ofher VMA Performance</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://swaggernewyork.com/2013/08/26/heres-why-miley-cyrus-and-robin-thickes-vma-performance-is-concerning/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=heres-why-miley-cyrus-and-robin-thickes-vma-performance-is-concerning"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Here's Why Miley Cyrus and Robin Thicke's VMA Performance is Concerning</span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://colorlines.com/archives/2013/08/were_the_2013_vmas_really_really_white.html?utm_source=buffer&utm_campaign=Buffer&utm_content=buffer6b98c&utm_medium=twitter">Why Were the 2013 VMAs So White?</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://queerblackfeminist.blogspot.com/2013/06/its-bigger-than-hip-hop-on-queer-hip.html">It’s Bigger than Hip Hop (On Queer Hip Hop, Macklemore and More)</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.racialicious.com/2013/03/26/the-problematics-of-the-fake-harlem-shake/">The Problematics of the Fake Harlem Shake</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIgzzHOQWiA">Melissa Harris-Perry and the Harlem Shake</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://middlenameray.tumblr.com/post/55601631412/how-not-to-be-a-cultural-appropriator-a-guide-for"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">How to Not Be a Cultural Appropriator: A Guide for Non-Black Artists</span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Free feel to tweet @SexMiseducation on Twitter or shoot me
an email at <a href="mailto:SexMiseducation@gmail.com">SexMiseducation@gmail.com</a>
regarding your thoughts on appropriation (of any kind) and/or any suggestions
for future blog posts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4661324514509712351.post-67255888059528994322013-08-13T13:38:00.003-04:002013-08-13T13:38:40.939-04:00#solidarityisforwhitewomen<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><u>What:</u></i></span>
#solidarityisforwhitewomen is a trending hashtag on Twitter where people of
color are pointing out how whitewashed mainstream feminism is and how the
experiences of people of color are being ignored, silenced or cast aside by
people who identify as allies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><u>Why:</u></i> </span>This
hashtag was created by Mikki Kendall (<span style="background-color: black; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">@Karnythia</span>
on Twitter) during a debate with <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/alisonvingiano/why-did-controversial-feminist-hugo-schwyzer-have-a-twitter">Hugo Schwyzer</a>,
a self-proclaimed feminist who <a href="http://thehairpin.com/2013/08/man-quits-internet-goodbye-hugo-schwyzer">harasses and stalks women of color</a> who criticize him (<a href="http://fucknohugoschwyzer.tumblr.com/">among other things</a>).
This man has been interviewed on feministe.com and has written for <span style="background-color: black; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;">The Atlantic</span><span style="background-color: black; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Jezebel</span> and <span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Salon. He confessed
to his disgusting behavior (being a fraud, harassing women of color online,
sexually harassing his students, etc.) on Twitter on Friday August 9<sup>th</sup>.
And some people had nothing but sympathy for him. Mikki Kendall didn’t pull any
punches: “</span><span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">All this concern for @hugoschwyzer's<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span><span style="background-color: black;">mental health & future prospects, & none for the WOC he attacked online
or his students? Wow.”</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><u>Ok, so why is
this so important? </u></i></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Allies must be
held accountable. Being a feminist does not give one a pass to be racist (or
transphobic, homophobic, ageist, ableist, etc.). Mainstream feminism has always
been dominated by white cis middle/upper-class voices, leaving the rest of us
in the shadows. And whenever someone tries to call out our so-called “allies,”
they are chastised and accused of being divisive or being mean. White feminists
can say the word “intersectionality,” but many of them seem to have a hard time
applying this theory in the real world. I have come across so many white
liberal feminists who say they are my allies, who say they understand, but then
they argue with me over my real life experiences or the real life experiences
of other marginalized groups. They suddenly want to play devil’s advocate and
hypothesize. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">No. Stop it.
This might be a fascinating thought experiment for you, but this is my life.
These issues have real (sometimes, life or death) consequences for me and I don’t
feel like debating with you whether or not my feelings/views are valid. If I,
as a person of color, tell you something offends me, I don’t want to have to
prove to you, white feminist, that I have a right to be offended. You wonder
where all the people of color are, why some women of color reject feminism. We
have been here this entire time and we have been watching you. You have been so
tied up in theory and in issues that mainly benefit you that you have been
unable (unwilling?) to see us, but we have always been here, right in front of
you. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">White feminists:
Think twice before you respond to this hashtag, whether it’s to agree or
disagree. We don’t need you to talk. You have been talking all this time. We
need you to finally listen. Stop in your tracks. Be quiet. And listen. Oh, don’t
forget to acknowledge and check your privilege. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4661324514509712351.post-79170272150869422672013-07-30T21:42:00.000-04:002013-07-30T21:42:35.919-04:00Texas, State-Level Anti-Abortions Legislation and Why You Should Care<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I started writing this post to document the major
push in anti-abortion laws in 2013. I have run into people who are totally
unaware this is all happening, which blows my mind, so I decided to make this my
first post after my hiatus. I was going to include 2012 state-level anti-abortion
bills and laws in this post, but there were so many that I was quickly becoming
overwhelmed and decided to just stick to 2013. Then, as I continued my
research, it seemed as if new state-level anti-abortion legislation was being
announced every single day. As a result, I decided to narrow the frame of this
post. Otherwise, this entry would be never-ending and I would end up never
posting anything. This post will focus mainly on the timeline of the highly
publicized SB5 battle in Texas. I will then reference and link to other
anti-abortion laws in other states around the country at the end of the post.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Note: Check out my <a href="http://sexmiseducation.blogspot.com/2012/03/abortion-101-with-sprinkling-of.html">abortion 101 blog post</a> for basic information on abortion procedures and rights.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><u><b>Why These Laws Matter:</b></u></span><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The recent surge in anti-abortion legislation is
incredibly troubling. From a purely logical perspective, it does not make sense
on face value. Why would individual states (namely states where Republicans
have control over the state legislatures) propose and pass anti-abortion legislation when abortions are clearly legal thanks to Roe v. Wade? It’s actually pretty
simple. These laws are decided to create so many limitations and restrictions
on an individual’s right to an abortion that Roe v. Wade becomes
inconsequential. They claim that all they care about is protecting life, but
remember, these are some of the same people who support the death penalty and
still think the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were brilliant ideas. I do not
know whether it’s more laughable or vomit-inducing to watch Texas governor Rick
Perry talk about the sanctity of life in one moment while ordering the deaths of
more inmates than any other state in the country in the next. Apparently, life is only
sacred when one is a fetus. Weirdly enough, it seems as if the fetus is held up
on a pedestal, deemed to be oh so pure and perfect, but several months later, if/when that fetus is born, it no longer matters. It is as if the event of birth
somehow corrupts it. Oh, person that was once a fetus, do you have a
preexisting condition and need healthcare? Did you want to go to preschool? Would
you like your voting rights not trampled on? Would you like your higher education
to not be so painfully expensive? Well, too bad. You are not a perfect little
fetus anymore. You are a person who might demand rights, who might be a
minority, who might be poor or worse, who might not vote Republican. You’re on
your own. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The lives of adults and, namely, the lives of the
adults who seek abortions are unimportant and these state Republicans are
determined to effectively ban and/or make safe abortions impossible to access in their
states. Honestly, I am at a loss as to what they expect. If someone wants an
abortion, they are going to get it. These laws only limit poor disenfranchised
individuals who cannot afford to take days off of work and travel to places
where they can access safe abortions. When an individual wants an abortion and
cannot receive a safe legal one, they do not shrug their shoulders, go back
home and give birth. Instead they try to find other means (usually, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/14/us/in-mexican-pill-a-texas-option-for-an-abortion.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0">unsafe means</a>)
to have the procedure. Maybe these state Republicans just don’t care. They don’t
care about the suffering these laws will potentially cause as long as they can
pat themselves on the back (<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/15/scott-desjarlais-abortion_n_2139110.html">and as long as they could potentially have their abortions on the sly</a>).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Now, let’s specifically talk about the <a href="http://www.legis.state.tx.us/tlodocs/831/billtext/html/SB00005E.HTM">Texas SB5 bill (now law)</a>.
Here is some of what the bill actually says:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The physician, on the day of an abortion, must have
“active admitting privileges at a hospital that is located not further than 30
miles from the location at which the abortion is performed or induced…” A
physician in violation of this section of the bill will be fined up to $4,000.
[Chapter 171.0031, sec. 1, subsection A and sec.2, subsection b]<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Any doctor
performing an abortion must have “active admitting privileges at a hospital”
that is 30 miles or less away from the clinic. This section of the bill is not
necessary because hospitals are already federally required and able to take in
a patient if an emergency were to occur. So if this section is basically
redundant, why was it included in this bill? Requiring doctors who want to
perform abortions to have hospital admitting privileges gives power to those running
the hospitals in question. These individuals have the power to deny doctors
admitting privileges and, as a result, have the power to effectively shut down
clinics. Also, any physician who performs an abortion without local hospital
admitting privileges will be heavily fined.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“On and after September 1, 2014, the minimum
standards for an abortion facility must be equivalent to the minimum standards
adopted under Section 243.010 for ambulatory surgical centers” [Sec. 171.044,
sec.3, subsection a]<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Proponents of
this bill (now law) claim that forcing abortion clinics to follow the standards
of ambulatory surgical centers would increase the level of safety for patients.
The American Congress of Obstretricians and Gynecologists released a <a href="http://www.acog.org/About_ACOG/News_Room/News_Releases/2013/Ob-Gyns_Denounce_Texas_Abortion_Legislation">statement</a> disagreeing with this claim. The ACOG reaffirms that abortions are safe
procedures and “the risk of complications from abortion is minimal, with less
than 0.5% of abortions involving major complications”. The ACOG also states
further that decisions supposedly made for the safety and medical care of
patients should be based on science and made by medical professionals, not
legislators. Forcing abortion clinics to conform to the same standards of
ambulatory surgical centers (e.g. buying various unnecessary equipment) would be a crippling financial blow to the clinics
and cause many to close.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“If some or
all of the provisions of this Act are ever temporarily or permanently
restrained or enjoined by judicial order, all other provisions of Texas law
regulating or restricting abortion shall be enforced as though the restrained
or enjoined provisions had not been adopted; provided, however, that whenever
the temporary or permanent restraining order or injunction is stayed or
dissolved, or otherwise ceases to have effect, the provisions shall have full
force and effect.” [Sec. 171.044, sec. 6a]<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></i></div>
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</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">If any sections
of the bill are stuck down for being unconstitutional, for example, the rest of the bill
will remain unaffected and continue on as if nothing ever happened.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br /><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">To give a bit more perspective, this bill (now law) would
<a href="https://twitter.com/DavidHDewhurst/status/347363442497302528">close 42 clinics across the state</a>, leaving only 5 clinics open to fulfill the needs of Texas women.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">To just highlight how absurd and aggressive Texas State
Republicans have been in their efforts to pass this anti-abortion legislation,
I’ve set up this timeline:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">May 27</span><sup style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">th</sup><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">:
Texas’s regular 140-day legislative session ended.</span></li>
<li><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/25/us/texas-house-restricts-abortions-in-a-move-that-could-force-clinics-to-shut.html"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">June 11</span><sup style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">th</sup></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">:
After Rick Perry called a special 30-day legislative session, he added the
abortion legislation to the bills that could potentially be passed during this
special additional session.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Thursday June 13</span><sup style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">th</sup><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">:
The Texas Senate committee has its first hearing on SB5. 42 people showed up
for public testimony: 20 for the bill, 22 against.</span></li>
<li><a href="http://www.texasobserver.org/senate-passes-harsh-anti-abortion-bill-minus-20-week-ban/"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">June 18</span><sup style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">th</sup></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">:
The Texas Senate passed (20-10)</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> SB5.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">June 24</span><sup style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">th</sup><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">:
The Texas State House of Representatives passed a version (95-34)</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> of SB5 this time including the 20-week abortion ban. Although the ban is
considered unconstitutional and will probably be forcibly removed, this
potential removal does not affect the rest of the bill. </span></li>
<li><a href="http://thinkprogress.org/health/2013/06/26/2216191/texas-sb-5-defeated/"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">June 25</span><sup style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">th</sup></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">:
Wendy Davis led an 11 hour filibuster against this bill. The rules for filibustering in the Texas State Senate are incredibly strict. Eating, drinking, sitting, leaning on anything, going to the bathroom and speaking "off-topic" are not allowed.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Rick Perry announced that a second special session lasting 30 days would be held the following
Monday to try to pass the bill again.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">July 10th: The Texas State House
passed the bill and sent it to the Senate (96-49).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/texas-bill-restricting-abortion-moves-forward-in-state-senate/2013/07/12/971e4cb2-eb30-11e2-a301-ea5a8116d211_story.html">July 12th</a>: The Senate passed the
bill (19-11). </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.texastribune.org/2013/07/18/perry-signs-abortion-bill-law/">July 18th</a>: Rick Perry signed the
bill into law. </span></li>
</ul>
<br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Guess what? Texas Republicans didn't want to rest on their laurels: Thursday July 18th (The same day Rick Perry signed a version of SB5 into law),
the senate introduces a new anti-abortion bill,
<a href="http://www.legis.state.tx.us/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=832&Bill=HB59">a fetal heart bill</a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The second special session ends on the 31st so the Texas GOP
proposed <a href="http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2013/07/texas-abortion-bills-filibuster-wendy-davis">7 other bills</a> presumably to try to pass before the deadline.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><u>And Texas isn’t the only state on a recent
anti-abortion kick:</u></span><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.theatlanticwire.com/national/2013/06/ohios-anti-abortion-proposal-now-law/66730/">There's</a> <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2013/07/01/what-makes-ohios-new-abortion-law-unique/">Ohio</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.theatlanticwire.com/national/2013/07/north-carolinas-anti-sharia-bill-now-also-anti-abortion/66812/">North</a> <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/29/pat-mccrory-abortion-bill_n_3673393.html">Carolina</a> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://thinkprogress.org/health/2013/04/22/1902331/kansas-governor-abortion-law-jesus/]%20%20%20%20[http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2013_14/measures/documents/hb2253_enrolled.pdf">Kansas</a> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://thinkprogress.org/health/2013/05/01/1948011/indiana-snuck-through-trap/]%20%20%20%20[http://www.in.gov/legislative/bills/2013/SE/SE0371.1.html">Indiana</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/07/us/arkansas-adopts-restrictive-abortion-law.html?_r=0&adxnnl=1&pagewanted=all&adxnnlx=1374656690-YAoN0ytkAYThWsu67fh1yw">Arkansas</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/03/26/us/north-dakota-abortion-law">North Dakota</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Well, now you're all updated...until an hour from now when another new anti-abortion bill is announced. </div>
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<br /></div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4661324514509712351.post-40920026536179335452013-07-29T23:52:00.001-04:002013-07-29T23:52:09.427-04:00I'm Back!<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Sorry for the incredibly long hiatus. I'm finally able to start up the blog again and I'm really excited! If you have any topic ideas/suggestions that you would be interested in seeing on SexMiseducation, feel free to leave a comment at the bottom of this post or send a tweet to SexMiseducation on Twitter!</span>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4661324514509712351.post-7906861964878141502012-06-19T13:18:00.000-04:002012-06-19T13:22:12.884-04:00Temporary HiatusHey Everyone,
I know it's been awhile since my last post and I apologize. I was originally taking a little break and then my computer crashed. So needless to say, it will be a little while longer until my next post. Feel free to send questions and topic ideas and I'll try to research as much as possible.
KierraAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4661324514509712351.post-57885141476258466662012-05-01T13:53:00.000-04:002013-06-16T14:32:26.226-04:00The Miscommunication Myth<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Several months ago, I remember
participating in a friendly online debate in a forum with some friends and
acquaintances about communication in sexual interactions. The debate started
because my friend asked if anyone ever had any difficulty with saying no to
unwanted sexual advances. Somehow this conversation devolved into a debate
about soft refusals (refusals that try to placate the other person) and hard
refusals (saying “No”) and women’s use of them in particular. It was said that
soft refusals were a disservice to everyone involved because the refusal is not
clear enough, leads to confusion and is a waste of time. Statements like “I can
say 'no', why can’t they?” were being said and I felt like we were only ten
seconds away from someone saying, “If only women would just be blunt about
their feelings, then men would finally be able to understand them.” The
whole discussion started to disturb me. The conversation went from discussing
how difficult it was for people in general to refuse unwanted sexual advances
to pretty much chastising women for not refusing ‘properly’. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I have not forgotten about this
discussion/debate and to this day, it still makes me uncomfortable. The only
difference between now and then is that I am able to describe why I feel this
way. I feel uncomfortable because this discussion reminds me of the
miscommunication theory. Hannah Frith and Celia Kitzinger describe the
miscommunication theory, in their <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277539597874158">article</a> “Talk About Sexual Miscommunication,” as a theory “used to argue
that rape and other forms of sexual abuse are often the outcome of
"miscommunication" between partners: he misinterprets her verbal and
nonverbal communication, falsely believing that she wants sex; she fails to say
"no" clearly and effectively” (518). According to the
miscommunication theory, a woman’s use of a soft refusal could lead to a
potential misunderstanding and this misunderstanding could then lead to sexual
harassment, assault and/or rape. The theory was created by Deborah Tannen who
claimed that because men and women are raised differently in society, they
develop different methods of communication and are therefore unable to
understand each other all the time (Firth and Kitzinger, 517-518). There are
“benefits” to this theory. Men who are accused of sexual harassment or other
forms of sexual abuse can always say that the woman simply was not clear enough
and “that she gave off mixed messages, and that even if she did say
"no," she didn't say it as if she meant it” (521). Her response was
far too ambiguous to be understood and therefore the blame should be placed on
her and not him. Before I continue, I should say that any individual of any
gender or sexual orientation can be a harasser/abuser/rapist and anyone can be
the person who is harassed/abused/raped. However, this specific theory and its
criticisms focus on the gender and sexual relations between men and women, where
women are the ones being abused, specifically. The miscommunication theory does
not just apply to instances of rape. The theory could also be applied to ‘persistent
suitors’. Imagine a situation in which a man approaches a woman and asks her
out on a date. The woman declines, saying, “Um, no sorry, I can’t. I have to go
do xyz.” However, in spite of this refusal, the guy persists: “Oh well, what
about next Tuesday? Or Thursday? I know a little about xyz. Maybe I could help
you…” and continues to pursue her despite the refusal. A miscommunication
theorist would argue that if only the woman said, “No.” bluntly. This would
have hypothetically made it clear to the man that she was not interested in him
at all and he would have gracefully walked away and left her alone. Another
“benefit” is the false sense of control this theory gives women, the same way
carrying keys in their hands while walking home at night would. A woman could
always say, “Oh, it would never happen to me if I just did xyz.” “I’m not like
her. I do this and that.” However, on
the flip side, the theory also makes a woman feel guilty if she is sexually
abused: “Oh, if I only communicated clearer…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">It should be obvious by now that
I do not agree with the miscommunication theory. There is something inherently
wrong with a theory that blames the victim for the abuse they suffered, gives
the abusers an easy out and provides others with a false sense of control instead of
actually dealing with the problem of abuse. And honestly, I do not agree that
instances of sexual harassment, sexual assault, rape and other sexual consent
violations are the result of innocent miscommunication. Humans are social
creatures and we have developed very sensitive and sophisticated methods of
communication and communication analysis. We are able to determine an
individual’s mood through quick analysis of verbal and non-verbal cues,
including body language. It just does not make sense that suddenly our methods
of communication can be so utterly deficit in this one aspect of life. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">This miscommunication ‘debate’
boils down to one question: Are the communication styles of men and women
different?” Two recent articles have looked into this question using
conversation analysis tools and data from focus groups and have come to the
conclusion that the miscommunication theory is a hoax. In the first <a href="http://das.sagepub.com/content/10/3/293.short">article</a>, “Just say no? The use of conversation
analysis in developing a feminist perspective on sexual refusal,” Celia
Kitzinger and Hannah Frith analyze the effectiveness of the “Just say no”
refusal strategies that many date rape prevention programs teach women through
the use of conversation analysis. According to many rape prevention programs,
if women were taught to say “no” clearly and resolutely, then men won’t be
confused by ‘mixed signals’. According to miscommunication theory and, to a
large extent, the “Just say no” date rape prevention programs, women seem to be
predisposed to having an almost abnormal difficulty in saying “no” to refusals,
sexual ones in particular. The reasons for this supposedly female problem have
been cited to be due to society teaching young girls to be meek and mild, evolutionary
pressures that apparently cause women to lack aggression and become submissive or
low self-esteem (Kitzinger et al., 297). These refusal strategies also play
into the miscommunication theory by implying that it is up to women to be clear
and to avoid the consequences of being misunderstood (i.e. sexually
assaulted/harassed/raped). In their article, Kitzinger et al. brings up a very good
point. The difficulty that women seem to face in bluntly refusing unwanted
sexual advances is not a phenomenon exclusive to women. The authors state, “However,
what these explanations leave out is the simple fact that saying no is
difficult in <i>any </i>context…It is common for people to experience
difficulty in refusing invitations or declining offers, at whatever age, and
across a wide variety of situations”(297). In our society, we are taught that a
plain “no” in response to an offer is rude. If someone offered to give me a
sandwich that I did not want, the polite thing to do would be to say “No, thank
you.” Or “No, thank you. I already ate.” Kitzinger et al. continue saying, “Saying
no ‘nicely’ has always been a key question of etiquette and therapists and counselors
also often find themselves giving advice on how to say no. Such advice would
not be so widely available if most people experienced saying no as
unproblematic” (297). When one analyzes general conversations in which individuals
accept or refusal an invitation or offer, patterns can be recognized. When one
is accepting an invitation or request, the answer is immediate. There are no
delays and a simple “yes” is given. This is true in sexual and non-sexual situations
(Kitzinger et al., 300). However, refusals are very different. Usually, when
someone is refusing an invitation or request (sexual or non-sexual), there is a
pause before the refusal. Also words like “um” and “uh” and “ah” are used and
then “a <i>palliative </i>remark, and some kind of <i>account </i>aimed at
softening, explaining, justifying, excusing, or redefining the rejection” are
also used (Kitzinger et al., 302). An example of a palliative remark and an
account being used in a refusal would be: “Well, that sounds nice, but I have a
doctor’s appointment that morning.” Weak agreements (“Um, well, I guess…) prefaced
and followed by delays and pauses are also shown to be seen as refusals. The
apparent lack of enthusiasm is obvious and would normally put a damper on one’s
request. Pauses, palliative remarks and weak agreements are used in everyday
conversations as nicer, more polite ways to reject someone. In this example
from the article, an individual offers something to another individual:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“C: Well you can both stay.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">(0.4) [pause]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Got plenty a’ room.” (308)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In this example, Person C offers
their place for this individual to sleep over. There is a pause in the
conversation because the individual is silent and does not respond to the
offer. Person C takes this pause as a refusal or as a potential refusal and
tries to sweeten the deal by saying they have plenty of room. The individual
hearing the invitation never had to say “no” or anything for that matter for
their intentions to be relatively clear. Kitzinger et al. conclude that women
should not be blamed for refusing advances unclearly or be taught to say “no”
bluntly because they are simply following the standardized and commonly used methods
of refusals that everyone uses on a daily basis and they state, “it is not the
adequacy of their communication that should be questioned, but rather their
male partners’ claims not to understand that these women are refusing sex” (309-310).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The second article that I would
like to discuss is in many ways a sequel to the Kitzinger et al. article. The
Kitzinger et al. article used conversation analysis to argue the point that
women are not the only ones who experience difficulty in just saying “no” and
that, in actuality, women should not be required to do so because that is not
how most people normally refuse invitations and offers in everyday non-sexual
scenarios. Expecting women to just say “no” is placing an unrealistic burden on
them that is not placed on anyone else in any other situation. The second <a href="http://fap.sagepub.com/content/16/2/133.short">article</a>,
“‘You Couldn’t Say “No”, Could You?’: Young Men’s Understandings of Sexual
Refusal” by Rachael O’Byrne, Mark Rapley and Susan Hansen, collects data from two
focus groups of young heterosexual men between the ages of 19 and 34 years old
and uses conversation analysis to study men’s abilities to perform and
understand refusals in both sexual and non-sexual situations. Using the data
from this study, O’Byrne et al. have concluded that men are perfectly able to
perform refusals and understand societal rules clearly. The men in the study
agree that a simple “no” is not how refusals are done. They also add palliative
remarks and make excuses to gently couch the refusals, as shown in this
example:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“You might come up with something
to say<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">some other way you’re feeling at
that time<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">that night “I’m sick so I’ll be
in bed” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">or “I’m going out with someone
else” or <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“I’m having dinner with my
grandparents” that kind of thing…” (138).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Not only were the men in the
study able to show they could perform a refusal, but they also were able to
show they could understand refusals as well, and, in particular, sexual
refusals:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Mhmm great okay so are there
ways of knowing when it’s not on the cards [pause] how would a guy pick up that
sex is not on the cards that way<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">John: Body language <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">George: The conversation gets
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">John: …you know there’s always
little hints like letting you know that “I’ve just uh changed my mind” [pause]
yeah there’s always little hints” (144).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Here, it is clear that the men do
not need to hear the word “no” to understand that a woman is not sexually
interested in them. They pick up on things like body language, the shortening
of a conversation and excuses/hints and clearly recognize them as refusals.
Even absolute silence is interpreted as a refusal. As O’Byrne et al., state, “The
men claim that simply getting ‘no reaction’ from a woman […] that, although
extremely indirect, successfully accomplish a clear refusal” (148). One of the
men even says that if a woman “doesn’t respond in the same way then you know
it’s a pretty good sign and you’re not on the same level” (148). One of the
most striking comments made by the men in the study was the idea that giving
and receiving consent is not a one-time act. According to the men, sex is not
something that just happens. Instead, “sex is constructed…as a sequential, with
a beginning and an end, which requires a great deal of interactional work in
between” (143). Within this frame of thought, consensual sex is an act that
requires effort from both parties in order to take place and this effort
throughout the entire act is how each party reinforces the consent they had given in
the beginning. And, as a result of this necessary interaction, “by ‘not putting
effort into it’ or not ‘really playing up the whole sex thing’ is, effectively,
to produce a refusal” (143). So therefore, one vague/weak agreement or even
silence should not be considered to be enough consent to sexual activity.
Without this interaction and effort performed by both parties, the sexual act
is not consensual. It is harassment. It is assault. And it is rape.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">So the O’Byrne et al. article
clearly shows that use of the word “no” is not necessary in order to
successfully conduct a refusal. Men are able to properly perform and understand
sexual refusals even when the word “no” is not used. This fact makes
miscommunication theory impossible and unrealistic. Kitzinger et al. agrees,
saying, “If there is an organized and normative way of doing indirect refusal…then
men who claim not to have understood an indirect refusal (as in, ‘she didn’t
actually say no’) are claiming to be cultural dopes, and playing rather
disingenuously on how refusals are usually done and understood to be done. They
are claiming not to understand perfectly normal conversational interaction and
to be ignorant of ways of expressing refusal which they themselves routinely
use in other areas of their lives” (310). This miscommunication theory, if
true, basically considers men to be wholly unintelligent and unable to remember
and understand basic communication skills. I personally would find this
extremely insulting if I were a man. So if misunderstanding is not the problem
then what is? It is my assertion that sexual harassment, sexual assault and
rape occur not because men are unable to understand the refusals of women, but
because they do not like what they are hearing and choose to ignore it. Our
culture has taught men that they are entitled to the bodies of women and has encouraged
the idea that their <a href="http://www.tshirts.in/xtees/ladies-t-shirts_lt00006/no-means-no-well-maybe-if-i-am-drunk-tops.htm">refusals</a> mean <a href="http://www.zazzle.ca/no_means_yes_tshirt-235124791020203548">nothing</a>. When someone feels entitled to something, not getting what they
want feels like a robbery. Women’s bodies (and the bodies of others who are harassed,
abused and raped) become objects to be seized and/or pried from fingers as a
result. When it comes to ‘persistent suitors’ (aka harassers), abusers or
rapists, it is not that they don’t understand. They just do not consider willingness
to be as much of a priority in relation to their own desires. The refusals are
not taken seriously and consent is not made a priority and this is wrong. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Ensuring that you have the consent of your partner and avoiding a situation in
which you become the harasser (or worse) is actually quite simple. Make your
feelings known once and if you don’t receive a definite affirmative answer,
back off. Do not try again later. Do not offer the person more drinks or try to
persuade them. Do not touch them or try to otherwise seduce them. They are not
interested. If you try again and continue to push, you are a harasser at best.
Open and honest communication makes for the best interactions and the best sex.
And gracefully accepting a refusal and moving on makes for the best kind of person.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4661324514509712351.post-71988873066931406192012-04-01T22:13:00.001-04:002013-06-16T14:13:43.649-04:00Does No Orgasm Really Equal Bad Sex?<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">What is an orgasm? Many people would describe an orgasm as the highpoint of sex. Others may even describe it as the only reason to have sex. In nearly every sex scene in mainstream movies and in nearly every porn, sex (and more specifically, sexual intercourse) is not portrayed without someone having an orgasm. And let’s not forget the women’s magazines that always seem to have the next new trick to giving and/or receiving mind-blowing orgasms. But I wonder: Are orgasms really the end all, be all of sex? And is this intense focus on orgasms by the media and by individuals doing more harm than good?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I guess I should preface this by saying I do not have anything against orgasms. The last thing I want someone to do is walk away from this post, thinking I hate orgasms or something. I don’t. However, I do think that this tendency to perceive the orgasm as the most important part of sex is damaging to everyone’s collective sexuality. This ideal alienates individuals who have trouble having orgasms or whose orgasms do not feel like the fireworks that others describe. It also puts pressure on people to have an orgasm every single time one has sex. What if you don’t or what if your partner doesn’t? What happens then? Also it renders the other moments of the sexual experience invisible. If someone does not have an orgasm during sexual activity with a partner, does the sex automatically become bad sex?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;">To start, I want to go into a little history and theory regarding orgasms. It’s pretty much common knowledge that orgasms (and in particular, women having orgasms and enjoying sex in general, for that matter) were a taboo subject in the Victorian Era. This began to change in the twentieth century. In the <a href="http://hpq.sagepub.com/content/14/1/98">article</a>, “Social Representations of Female Orgasm,” Maya Lavie-Ajayi and Hélène Joffe discuss the work of three prominent figures in twentieth century sexuality research: Alfred Kinsey, <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">William H. Masters and Virginia E. Johnson. Kinsey, </span>in his famous studies on human sexual behavior, described orgasms “as the peak of the human sexual response cycle (99)”. Masters and Johnson agreed, situating the orgasm as in the peak of their model of the human sexual response cycle. Their model consists of four phases: </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;">Excitement, Plateau, Orgasm and Resolution (Potts, 61). In the excitement phase, the body responds physiologically to sexual stimuli (The individual starts to get “turned on”). This feeling continues to build, reaching a plateau: a point in which sexual feelings/responses no longer increase, but stay at its current high point. This is followed by the orgasm, the famed intense sexual release, and the resolution, which is the body returning to its previous state before it was sexually stimulated. This model is seen as both the ideal sexual experience and the standard sexual behavior for everyone. Not only are orgasms depicted as a necessary part of a healthy and normal sexuality, they are also seen as a primary way to achieve sexual independence. This perspective is especially clear in the analysis of women’s magazines in the </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;">Lavie-Ajayi/Joffe article. Women’s magazines tend to depict achieving an orgasm, and, in particular, women achieving orgasms as “taking charge of their sexuality” (101). This view is a clear retaliation against Victorian views that devalue and problematize orgasms (female orgasms more specifically). Orgasms become a sexual right that one must have or they are sexually incomplete, unable to truly get in touch with their sexual selves.</span><span style="font-family: Times-Roman; font-size: 9pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;">As a result of these modern theories of sexuality, orgasms came to be seen as a natural and necessary (almost obligatory) part of one’s own sexuality. The orgasm became a sexual right to be demanded during every sexual encounter. On one hand, the seizing and owning of one’s sexual pleasure is a beautiful thing. Getting to know one’s body and exploring it is also a beautiful thing. However, seeking orgasms like a scavenger hunt might not be so beautiful in my opinion. What happens to the person who is constantly seeking orgasms, but cannot find them? The gut reaction for most people is to label this a problem. When orgasms become naturalized, as </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: white;">Annie Potts discusses in her </span><a href="http://sex.sagepub.com/content/3/1/55.short"><span style="color: red;">article</span></a></span><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;">, “</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;">Coming, Coming, Gone: A Feminist Deconstruction of Heterosexual Orgasm,”</span></span><span style="color: #141413; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;">it “comes to be the sign of sexual competence and well-being in medical discourse” (57). The ability to have orgasms is associated with good sexual and psychological health and when someone cannot have orgasms or does not have them frequently, it is decided that something must be wrong with them. This common belief does not have a positive impact on those now seen as “dysfunctional”. As </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;">Lavie-Ajayi and Joffe state, “Those experiencing themselves as having problems with orgasm, in particular, find that their efforts to have orgasms leaves them feeling pressurized and with feelings of failure, inadequacy, embarrassment and frustration” (102). If having an orgasm is the way to take charge of one’s sexuality, then what does this mean for those who have trouble experiencing one? Are they unable to take charge of their sexuality? Are they sexually incomplete in some way? Or is it possible to be sexually whole person without orgasms? And what about individuals who do not experience the type of explosive orgasm as described in the orgasm script? They would also feel inadequate in comparison. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;">There are so many biomedical research studies and so many pills and procedures that are trying to fix the “problem” of “orgasmic disorder”. But I have come to question whether or not this is actually a problem. To clarify, I am not referring to a scenario in which someone does not enjoy the sexual experience at all. I am referring to a situation in which an individual experiences pleasure during sex, but does not orgasm. Using Masters and Johnson’s model as an example: what if an individual experienced the excitement and plateau phases and then went right into resolution? Would that really be so terrible? Remember, the plateau is supposed to be the point in which an individual experiences a large amount of sexual pleasure. Objectively, what can be so wrong about feeling a steady amount of intense sexual pleasure? Also the experience of trying to have an orgasm and failing can cause anxiety in sexual situations. The person can be so focused on whether or not they are going to orgasm that the anxiety could make it difficult for them stay sexually aroused. This can lead to a cycle of disappointment and frustration. This orgasm ideal can also put pressure on individuals who consider themselves to be “normal”. Most people do not have an orgasm every single time they have sex. Maybe it is because they are tired that day or just are not in the mood for one reason or another. Maybe it is just physically unlikely to have an orgasm every single time one has a sexual encounter. But the expectation is that every individual must/should orgasm every time they have sex. No one wants to be seen as dysfunctional, of course. Everyone is obligated to orgasm and everyone is obligated to make sure their partner orgasms. So, as a result of this expectation, when a person does not orgasm, it becomes an individual and an interpersonal issue. The partner wonders if it was something they did or didn’t do. The individual may blame their partners or themselves, wondering if something is wrong with them. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;">Most people do not want to experience this kind of scenario. So what do they do? Many people fake it. In their <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00224490903171794">article</a></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;">, “</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;">Men’s and Women’s Reports of Pretending Orgasm,” Charlene L. Muehlenhard and Sheena K. Shippee discuss some of the reasons why an individual might pretend to orgasm during sex. Common reasons why an individual might pretend to orgasm during sex is to avoid “being interrogated by their partner, […] having their partner think that there was something wrong with them; and protecting their partner from feeling inadequate, hurt, or unattractive” (553). Another common reason why an individual might pretend to orgasm is when they realize that their partner is about to have an orgasm so they fake an orgasm to avoid a potentially awkward scenario. The most common reason why an individual would pretend to orgasm (and, to me, the most striking) is they believe that having orgasm is unlikely or is taking too long and that […] they wanted sex to end” due to tiredness or no longer being in the mood (560). The idea that everyone must have an orgasm every single time they have sex in order to be normal and sexually independent leads to inability to truly communicate with partners regarding their orgasms (or lack of). Even something so seemingly small as wanting the sex to end somehow requires theatrics. The fact that it seems easier to pretend to orgasm rather than to talk to one’s partner or to even conceive of a sexual reality in which the orgasm does not rule all disturbs me. There has to be an easier way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;">Once again, I should clarify: I am not saying that no one should try to have an orgasm or that wanting to experience orgasms is a bad thing. What I am saying is that this orgasm-focused sexuality seems to not be wholly positive or realistic. This drive to orgasm is similar to a race. Many people seem to be in such a hurry to get to the finish line that everything else around them is ignored. The journey is disregarded in favor of the end. And since most people do not orgasm every single time they have sex, what do those other sexual encounters become? A waste of time? Bad sex? And for the instances when people do not orgasm, many would rather fake it or lie when the dreaded question (“Um, so did you…?”) is asked. Wouldn’t be easier to have a more realistic view of sex and the sexual interactions one has with their partners? Would it be so wrong to just enjoy the pleasures of sex without expecting anything? I would imagine the perfect sex (whether by yourself, i.e. masturbation, or with others) to be one in which every moment of pleasure is savored. Instead of thinking about a potential future orgasm, which may cause anxiety for some people, one would focus on the many ways to experience and give pleasure during the act of sex itself. The orgasm ideal is just another way to fit every individual into a certain script of how things are “supposed” to be. How would the act of sex change on a macro level if the focus was taken away from the orgasm itself and directed towards increasing general pleasure and focusing on the other moments of sex? Maybe it would be easier to become more in tune with what gives pleasure to the self and to one’s partners. At least it would no longer be necessary to lie to one’s partner if an individual does not have an orgasm, nor would not having an orgasm be such a huge deal. And any related guilt would at least decrease. Again, orgasms are awesome and great. But maybe it should be the icing on top of the cake and not the raison d’être? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;">Follow “SexMiseducation” on Twitter for updates and to ask any questions and/or to make comments.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4661324514509712351.post-76515652345715550512012-03-16T20:55:00.000-04:002013-06-16T14:03:09.215-04:00The Birth Control "Controversy"<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">You have to be living under a rock to not know about the birth control “controversy” that has been brewing over the past several months. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Conservative politicians are trying everything to deal contraception use in this country a death blow: spreading misinformation, shouting about morals, taking funding away from programs that support contraception use and even trying to pass bills in Congress to allow employers to refuse to grant their employees access to any kind of medicine or treatment that they object to for religious reasons (including access to contraception). </span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I am still shocked that birth control is a topic up for debate in this day and age, especially considering the fact that birth control use in this country is the norm. According to the <a href="http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/fb_contr_use.html">Guttmacher Institute</a>, more than 99% of women between the ages of 15 and 44 “</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">who have ever had sexual intercourse have used at least one contraceptive method.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">” Also 62% of 62 million women between the ages of 15 and 44 currently use a method of birth control. Not only that, men use and value birth control as well. So what’s the point in fighting something that most of population does not have a problem with?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I’ve been asking myself this question for months now and I think the best way to try to answer it is to look at the arguments against contraception. From what I can see, the most recent arguments against full and unhindered access to contraception are: It is morally dangerous. And insurance companies should not fully fund it because it is a serious waste of taxpayer money. I am going to break down these arguments and explain why they are complete and utter nonsense.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u><span style="font-size: large;">Contraception is Morally Dangerous</span></u><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In October 2011, Rick Santorum <a href="http://www.boston.com/Boston/dailydose/2012/02/rick-santorum-dangers-contraception/5tz6ifNcUciBAMJuUguIpL/index.html">spoke</a> with a reporter from the Evangelical blog “Caffeinated Thoughts” about his views on “the dangers of contraception”. Santorum believes that contraception is not ok “because it’s a license to do things in the sexual realm that is counter to how things are supposed to be”. He continues on to say that “…if you can take one part out that’s not for purposes of procreation…then you diminish this very special bond between men and women…all of a sudden, it becomes deconstructed to the point where it’s simply pleasure”. So this makes one wonder: how are things supposed to be? Would it really be that wonderful to go back to a time where having sex meant playing Russian roulette because a woman had to worry that she would become pregnant before she was ready? No, of course not. And think about it: Men do not have this fear. They could have all the unprotected sex they want without ever having to worry about becoming pregnant. Men do not have to worry about carrying a baby for nine months and dealing with potential health risks due to the pregnancy and childbirth. In the end, Santorum makes it obviously clear that women having sex for simply pleasure (i.e. doing something that men can do) is somehow morally wrong and diminishing to healthy heterosexual relationships.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">And what kind of women would dare to have sex without wanting to worry about getting pregnant? Sluts and prostitutes, according to Rush Limbaugh. Limbaugh calls Susan Fluke, a woman who spoke up about the importance of full birth control pill coverage by insurance companies (in her case, Georgetown University’s private insurance), a slut and a prostitute. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">He said that Fluke “</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 12pt;">went before a Congressional committee and said she’s having so much sex, she’s going broke buying contraceptives and wants us to buy them.” </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">He seems to think that the pill works just like a condom in the sense that a woman needs to take a pill every single time she wants to have sex. Clearly someone desperately needs to read my <a href="http://sexmiseducation.blogspot.com/2012/02/birth-control-101-with-sprinkling-of.html">birth control 101 post</a>. And another thing, this is not about the American people using their taxpayer money so women can have rampant sex. This is a about a law (<a href="http://www.healthcare.gov/news/factsheets/2011/08/womensprevention08012011a.html">The Affordable Care Act</a>) that requires insurance companies (including Medicaid) to fully fund preventive services like contraception and contraceptive counseling without co-pays. This is because the Obama administration realizes that preventive reproductive health measures are essential for the general health of women. For example, full access to the birth control pill is not just about sex. The ability to have sex without becoming pregnant is important, but the birth control pill is essential for <a href="http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/birth-control/birth-control-pill-4228.htm">other reasons</a> as well. Birth control pills reduce the pain of menstrual cramps, lighten period flows and offer protection against pelvic inflammatory diseases, which can lead to infertility if left untreated. Combination birth control pills (pills that have the hormones estrogen and progestin in them) also provide some protection against “acne, bone thinning, breast growths that are not cancer, <span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">ectopic pregnancy</span>, endometrial and ovarian cancers, serious infection in the ovaries, [fallopian] tubes, and uterus, iron deficiency anemia, cysts in the breasts and ovaries and premenstrual symptoms, including headaches and depression”. But, of course, none of these things matter to Limbaugh.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: black;">And what about the Republican candidates? What do they have to say in response to Limbaugh’s highly offensive and ignorant statements? Romney casually replies, “That’s not the words I would have used” and Santorum explains that Rush is simply being an “absurd” entertainer. Neither of them condemns him outright. Romney is arguing over semantics, implying that he would not have used those exact words, but has similar views and Santorum saying he is absurd, but never comes out against what Limbaugh said. Why? Because they agree with Limbaugh. The candidates agree with the slut shaming of women who use birth control but won’t actually come out and say the incendiary things that Limbaugh would. Limbaugh is a shock jock while they are presidential candidates, trying to sneak their way into the White House.</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Something that touches on both the moral and financial arguments against full access to birth control is the outrage from the Catholic Church and other religious groups as a result of the Affordable Care Act and creation of the Blunt Amendment. The Catholic Church and other religious groups complained that their businesses (i.e. religious hospitals and other religious institutions) should not be required to cover contraception in their employees’ health plans (without co-pays) if it is against their religious convictions. The Obama administration compromised, saying that if religious employers do not want to cover contraception then the insurance companies alone will cover it. The Catholic Church and other religious groups were not pleased and did not want to accept this compromise. In response, Senate Republicans put forth the <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/14/birth-control-obama_n_1277587.html?view=print&comm_ref=false">Blunt Amendment</a>, which stated that employers should be allowed to withhold any medication or treatment if it is against their religious beliefs. The medication/treatment could be birth control, but it could also be a blood transfusion if the religious institution does not believe in it. There was a vote in the Senate over a week ago on whether or not to add Blunt Amendment and the Senate voted against the amendment (<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/02/us/politics/senate-kills-gop-bill-opposing-contraception-policy.html?_r=1">51-48</a>). Those who supported the Blunt Amendment argue that the Affordable Care Act is blocking the religious freedom of the employers. However, this argument does not take into consideration that allowing employers to decide what kind of healthcare their employees receive tramples on their right to good health and their own beliefs regarding what is right and wrong.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">There are two contrasting arguments against insurance companies providing full access to contraception circling around. One, that birth control is cheap so why should it be covered by insurance companies and the second, covering birth control is a waste of precious tax money and it would be forcing people, who don’t agree with the use of birth control due to religious reasons, to pay for something they do not agree with. Rick Santorum used the first argument at the <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/health/2012/02/10/423018/santorum-birth-control-is-not-something-you-need-insurance-for-because-it-costs-just-a-few-dollars/">Conservative Political Action Conference</a> (CPAC) last month. He said that birth control only costs “a few dollars” and that it is “a minor expense” that the insurance companies should not have to cover because it “is not a critical economic need”. Well, actually, contraception costs much more than <a href="http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/article/2012/02/19/high-costs-birth-control">a few dollars</a>. Without health insurance, a monthly pack of birth control pills can cost anywhere between $15 to $80 a month ($180 to $960 a year) and that’s one of the cheapest birth control methods. The most expensive would be surgical sterilization, which costs between $1,500 and $6,000. Secondly, providing contraception is a critical economic need. The birth control pill, especially, has health benefits beyond just preventing an unwanted pregnancy. Pregnancies, abortions and health problems cost money and this would be extra money that the insurance companies would have to pay. In fact, according to a <a href="http://www.brookings.edu/reports/2012/03_unplanned_pregnancy_thomas.aspx">report</a> written by Adam Thomas for the Center on Children and Families, “</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">taxpayer spending on Medicaid-subsidized medical care related to unintended pregnancy totals more than $12 billion annually”. Also allowing insurance companies to fund contraception will actually save money. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Prevention against heavy and painful periods allows women to be more efficient in the workplace, resulting in more money being made. And let’s not forget that hormonal birth control protects against and treats some serious health issues. This preventive protection would also save insurance companies money that would have been spent on further, and possibly more expensive, treatments. Thomas agrees, saying, </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">“…publicly financed mass media campaigns, comprehensive teen pregnancy prevention programs, and expansions in government subsidized family planning services are estimated to save taxpayers between two and six dollars for every dollar spent on them.”</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And on the topic of not wanting to be forced to pay for things one doesn’t agree with: Um who does? If I could control where my tax money went, I sure as hell would not have financially supported the Iraq/Afghanistan war and abstinence-only/based education. So seriously, grow up. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And as a nail on the coffin on the financial argument against insurance companies funding contraception: <a href="http://www.mediaite.com/tv/oreilly-if-sandra-fluke-wants-govt-to-cover-female-activities-male-activities-should-be-covered-too/">Bill O’Reilly</a> argued that if women’s contraception should be covered than “men’s activities” should be covered as well, like football equipment and injuries. Um wow, so sports are strictly “men’s activities”? No woman could possibly play or have an interest in football. And secondly, insurance companies do cover “men’s activities”. It’s called Viagra. So in his world, it is perfectly logical for men to have free access to erection pills, but women cannot have access to contraception to avoid becoming pregnant and to avoid suffering from health conditions. What else do men do with erections other than have sex? So really, tax money is being used so men can have sex. And unlike the birth control pill, men need to take Viagra every single time they have sex. Maybe conservatives are confusing how the birth control pill works with Viagra. Understandable. They seem to only care about men’s issues anyway. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In the end, as much as conservatives want you to believe otherwise, it is not about money or morality. It’s about punishment and control. They want to punish women for daring to have sex without the “consequences” of childbirth. It does not matter if you are married, single, have 5 kids already or never want kids. It does not even matter if you are using contraception for a completely different health-related reason. In their eyes, taking the pill or using other forms of contraception makes a woman a slut who must be punished. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">To round off my 101 post series for the time being, this is an abortion 101 post where I will discuss: The types of abortion procedures, how these procedures are conducted, aftercare, the effectiveness of these procedures, the advantages and disadvantages of each procedure, the cost and common abortion myths. At the end of this post, I will list each of the potential 2012 presidential candidates and summarize their views on abortion. As usual, with my 101 posts, my sources will be cited as links at the very end of the post.<span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">An abortion is a safe and legal procedure that terminates a pregnancy. Abortions were made legal in the US in 1973 as a result of the well-known Supreme Court decision Roe v Wade, which basically stated that an individual’s right to privacy includes a woman’s right to have an abortion. Simply put, a woman has the right to do what she wants with her body without outside interference. There are two types of abortion procedures: medical abortion and in-clinic/surgical abortion.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><u>Medical Abortion (The Pill)</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>What is it?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A medical abortion involves taking a pill that ends an early pregnancy. The pill is called mifepristone. It was called RU-486 while it was being developed. The pill can be used up to 9 weeks (63 days) after the first day of an individual’s last period. After 9 weeks, it will no longer be effective and an in-clinic/surgical abortion will have to be performed.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>How does it work?</u></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Before the pill is given to the patient, the health care provider will talk to the patient about their options and medical history and conduct physical exams/medical tests. This is to make sure that the patient is making an informed decision and is healthy enough to undergo the procedure. Before going home, the patient is given more information, take-home instructions and a number to call in case they have any more questions.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">There are three steps to a medical abortion procedure:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The health care provider will give the patient the abortion pill along with some antibiotics to take. The abortion pill blocks the hormone progesterone, which causes the lining of the uterus to break down, ending the pregnancy. At this point, the patient can go home and continue the rest of the procedure there.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Up to three days after taking the abortion pill, the patient will take misoprostol, which causes the uterus to empty. The health care provider will provide the patient with a timeline of when to administer the misoprostol. Misoprostol causes cramps and heavy bleeding as the contents of the uterus is expelled. Pads and tampons can be used at this point. The cramping and heavy bleeding usually lasts a few hours and some bleeding may continue up to four weeks.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">After two weeks, a follow up with the health care provider is required to make sure that the pregnancy was definitely terminated and to make sure that the patient is ok. </span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Medical abortions are 97% effective, but its effectiveness decreases over the course of the 9 week period. If a medical abortion procedure fails, then an in-clinic/surgical abortion is performed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Advantages?</u></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Some advantages to having a medical abortion compared to other abortion procedures include:</span></div>
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<li><span style="background-color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 15.75pt;">Medical abortions can be conducted early in the pregnancy.</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 15.75pt;">Medical abortions take place in the privacy of the individual’s own home.</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 15.75pt;">It may feel less invasive than an in-clinic/surgical abortion procedure.</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 15.75pt;">No anesthesia is needed.</span></li>
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<span style="background-color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Disadvantages?</u></span></div>
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<li><span style="background-color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 15.75pt;">The resulting bleeding is heavier with medical abortions than surgical abortions.</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 15.75pt;">The cramping is more intense with medical abortions than surgical abortions.</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 15.75pt;">It is not 100% effective.</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 15.75pt;">Rarely, an individual may have an allergic reaction to the pill or develop an infection.</span></li>
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<span style="background-color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Where can one find the abortion pill?</u></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">One can find and/or be referred to a place where one can find the abortion pill at a Planned Parenthood center, a clinic or a private health care center.</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The abortion pill costs $300-$800, depending on the geographic location and the cost of medical exams.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><u>In-clinic/Surgical Abortion</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>What is it?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">There are two types of commonly used in-clinic/surgical abortion procedures: Aspiration and Dilation and Evacuation (D&E). Aspiration is the most common in-clinic/surgical abortion procedure and it is usually performed during the first 4 months (in the first trimester and in the beginning of the second trimester). Dilation and Evacuation (D&E) is performed in the second trimester.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>How does it work?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Similar to the medical abortion procedure, the health care provider will talk to the patient about their options and medical history and conduct physical exam/medical tests. This is to make sure that the patient is making an informed decision and is healthy enough to undergo the procedure. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i style="background-color: black;">Aspiration </i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Before the procedure, the health care provider will give the patient pain medication and the patient may be sedated so they can relax. Then a speculum is inserted into the vagina and numbing medication is applied near the cervix. The patient is also given antibiotics to prevent infections. The cervix is then dilated and a tube is inserted into the uterus through the cervix. Then suction is used to empty the uterus. Sometimes a curette is used to make sure the uterus is empty and if not, remove any remaining tissue. The procedure takes 5 to 10 minutes after the cervix is sufficiently dilated. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i style="background-color: black;">Dilation and Evacuation </i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Similar to the aspiration procedure, the health care provider will give the patient pain medication and sedation if the patient needs help relaxing. Also, similar to the aspiration procedure, the cervix needs to be dilated and the patient will be given antibiotics. A speculum will also be inserted into the vagina and numbing medication is used near the cervix.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Because the D&E procedure is performed later in the second trimester, the health care provider may also administer a shot in the abdomen to ensure fetal demise before starting the procedure.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Medical instruments and a suction machine then empty the uterus. Once the cervix is dilated, this procedure lasts for 10 to 20 minutes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>After the Procedure</u></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The patient will rest in the recovery area for about an hour. The health care provider will then give the patient aftercare instructions and a telephone number to call if they have any questions. Some clinics offer to insert an IUD (see birth control 101 <a href="http://sexmiseducation.blogspot.com/2012/02/birth-control-101-with-sprinkling-of.html">post</a>) after the abortion procedure. After 2 to 4 weeks, the patient is required to see the health care provider for a follow up appointment. After an aspiration procedure, an individual should be able to return to their usual activities the next day. Recovery after a D&E procedure may take longer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>How effective is it?</u></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Both procedures are 99% effective and rarely fail. In the case that an in-clinic/surgical abortion fails, it is repeated.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Advantages?</u></span></div>
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<li><span style="background-color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 15.75pt;">There is less bleeding and cramping than a medical abortion procedure.</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 15.75pt;">In-clinic/surgical abortions can be done later in the pregnancy than medical abortions.</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 15.75pt;">In-clinic/surgical abortions have a higher success rate than medical abortions.</span></li>
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<span style="background-color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Disadvantages?</u></span></div>
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<li><span style="background-color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 15.75pt;">The procedure takes place in a clinic instead of the patient’s home.</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 15.75pt;">It may feel more invasive than a medical abortion.</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 15.75pt;">The patient may have allergic reactions to the pain medicine or experience side effects.</span></li>
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<span style="background-color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Cost?</u></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It costs $300 to $900 in the first trimester and more in the second trimester.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><u>Parental Consent</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Did you know that some states in the US require that individuals who are under 18 years old obtain parental consent? Yeah, <a href="http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/abortion/parental-consent-notification-laws-25268.htm">seriously</a>. And the only way to avoid asking one’s parents for permission is to go to court and obtain permission from a judge to have an abortion without telling your parents/legal guardians. What about cases in which individuals are abused or raped by these guardians? Either deal with the stressful/triggering situation of reliving the experience in front of a stranger (the judge) or deal with the horrific reality of confronting the abusive parent with the situation. Just food for thought. The parental consent laws vary fr</span><span style="background-color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">om state to state so check out what your state has to say on the matter.</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><u>Common Abortion Myths</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u><i>“Abortions are extremely dangerous.”</i></u><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Actually, a legal induced abortion is safer than giving birth. The mortality rates are 14 times higher in childbirth than in a legal abortion procedure. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u><i>“If you have an abortion, you will become psychologically scarred for life.”</i></u><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Not True. There is no scientifically proven link between having an abortion and poor mental health. Abortion syndromes and other fabricated psychological disorders that one is supposed automatically acquire after having an abortion do not exist. Previous studies which declared that these syndromes exist failed to check for confounding variables that would distort the validity of their research data (E.G. Not checking to see if the individuals had psychological issues before having the abortion).<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><u>“If you have an abortion, you won’t be able to have children in the future.”</u></i><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Incorrect. A person can become pregnant very soon after having an abortion. It is very important for the individual to start using birth control once they are ready to have sexual intercourse again.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><u>“Most people have abortions because they are selfish.”</u></i><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The most common reason for someone to have an abortion is that, because of their current life situation, they are financially unable to provide the child with a good life. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><u>“Partial-birth abortions are common.”</u></i><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Ok so what is a “partial-birth abortion”? According to the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003,” a partial-birth abortion is “an abortion in which a physician delivers an unborn child’s body until only the head remains inside the womb, punctures the back of the child skull with a sharp instrument, and sucks the child’s brain out before completing the delivery of the dead infant”. Now, a reader might wonder, “Why didn’t she talk about this method in the procedure section?” Let me explain: This is an extremely utterly rare procedure (0.6% of all cases), which would occur in the third trimester. Nearly all in-clinic abortions procedures occur in the first or second trimester. The only instances in which a third trimester abortion (i.e. partial birth abortion) would occur is if the individual originally intended on keeping the baby, but cannot for serious health reasons, like severe fetal abnormalities that would make it impossible for the baby to live outside of the womb or if giving birth to the child would be fatal for the mother. So why ban a procedure that is extremely rare and is only used if the baby or mother is threatened? Doctors and pro-choice organizations fear that this is just the first step in an attempt to ban other abortion methods. Spreading the myth that partial-birth abortions are common or at least common enough to warrant a law being passed also maintains the lie that abortions are dangerous, immoral and should be banned. One lie feeds another.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Some more food for thought, if politicians are so horrified and worried about late-term abortions, then why don’t they support comprehensive sex education and better access to birth control to reduce unintended pregnancies? And why are laws being passed and bills being written that would require mandatory ultrasounds, waiting periods and parental consent before an abortion and allow pharmacists and institutions to refuse to supply emergency contraception for religious reasons? These bills/laws make it harder to have the usual abortion procedures (which are performed early in the 1<sup>st</sup> and 2<sup>nd</sup> trimester) and could lead to an increase in the late-term abortions that they claim to want to prevent.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><u>And Now For Some Politics</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>President Barack Obama</u><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">April 2008 - </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Obama said that he has not “come to a firm resolution on” whether or not life begins at conception. - 2008 Democratic Compassion Forum at Messiah College</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">He stated that comprehensive sex education should be taught in order to reduce teen pregnancies and abortions. Abstinence should also be taught, but not as the only option.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2008 - </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">“On an issue like partial birth abortion, I strongly believe that the state can properly restrict late-term abortions.”</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">April 2007 - </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">On the topic of partial-birth abortion: “</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">And I trust women to make these decisions in conjunction with their doctors and their families and their clergy…There is a broader issue: Can we move past some of the debates around which we disagree and can we start talking about the things we do agree on? Reducing teen pregnancy; making it less likely for women to find themselves in these circumstances.” - </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">2007 South Carolina Democratic primary debate, on MSNBC</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">March 2001 - </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">“</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Obama was the only Illinois senator who rose to speak against a bill that would have protected babies who survived late term labor-induced abortion. Obama rose to object that if the bill passed, and a nine-month-old fetus survived a late-term labor-induced abortion was deemed to be a person who had a right to live, then the law would ‘forbid abortions to take place.’ Obama further explained the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment does not allow somebody to kill a child, so if the law deemed a child who survived a late-term labor-induced abortion had a right to live, ‘then this would be an anti-abortion statute.’”</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Mitt Romney</u><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">June 2011 - </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">“I believe people understand that I'm firmly pro-life…And I believe in the sanctity of life from the very beginning until the very end.” - 2011 GOP primary debate in Manchester NH</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">December 2007 - </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">“</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">I believe from a political perspective that life begins at conception. I don’t pretend to know, if you will, from a theological standpoint when life begins. I’d committed to the people of Massachusetts that I would not change the laws one way or the other, and I honored that commitment. But each law that was brought to my desk attempted to expand abortion rights and, in each case, I vetoed that effort. I also promoted abstinence education in our schools. I vetoed an effort, for instance, to give young women a morning after pill who did not have prescriptions. So I took action to preserve the sanctity of life. But I did not violate my word, of course.” - </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Meet the Press: 2007 “Meet the Candidates” series </span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">November 2007 - </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">“Let me say it. I’d be delighted to sign that bill [to overturn Roe v Wade]. But that’s not where we are. That’s not where America is today. Where America is, is ready to overturn Roe v. Wade and return to the states that authority. But if the Congress got there, we had that kind of consensus in that country, terrific.” - 2007 GOP YouTube debate in St. Petersburg, Florida</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">October 2002 - </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">While running for governor in Massachusetts, Romney said that he would “preserve and protect” a woman’s right to choose.</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Newt Gingrich</u><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">January 2012 - </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Gingrich supports the Pro-life Presidential Leadership Pledge, which states that the candidate agrees to support a very strict anti-abortion political platform.</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Rick Santorum</u></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">August 2011 - </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">He believes that women should not have abortion even in cases of rape or incest: “You know, the US Supreme Court on a recent case said that a man who committed rape could not be killed, could not be subject to the death penalty, yet the child conceived as a result of that rape could be. That to me sounds like a country that doesn't have its morals correct. That child did nothing wrong. That child is an innocent victim. To be victimized twice would be a horrible thing. It is an innocent human life. It is genetically human from the moment of conception. And it is a human life. And we in America should be big enough to try to surround ourselves and help women in those terrible situations who've been traumatized already. To put them through another trauma of an abortion I think is too much to ask. And so I would absolutely stand and say that one violence is enough.” - Iowa Straw Poll 2011 GOP debate in Ames Iowa</span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">June 2011 - </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">"I believe that any doctor who performs an abortion should be criminally charged for doing so."</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">July 2006 - </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Santorum voted for the Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act, which was designed to require that the parents of a minor be notified if the minor wants to get an out-of-state abortion.</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">April 2003 - </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">He believes the right to privacy does not exist: “The undermining of the fabric of our society all comes from this right to privacy that doesn't exist in the US Constitution… The idea of the "right to privacy" is that the state doesn't have rights to limit individuals' passions. I disagree with that. There are consequences to letting people live out whatever passions they desire.” - Associated Press in USA Today: Santorum Interview</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">March 2003 - </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">He voted in favor of the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003.</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">June 2000 - </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">He voted for a motion to maintain a ban on privately funded abortions on overseas military bases.</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Ron Paul</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">May 2011 - </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Paul voted in favor of the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, which was designed to ban federal health coverage that includes abortion, except in cases of incest and maternal mortality.</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">April 2011 - </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">“It is now widely accepted that there's a constitutional right to abort a human fetus. Of course, the Constitution says nothing about abortion, murder, manslaughter, or any other acts of violence. Criminal and civil laws were deliberately left to the states. I consider it a state-level responsibility to restrain violence against any human being. I disagree with the nationalization of the issue and reject the Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion in all 50 states.” - Liberty Defined, by Rep. Ron Paul, p. 2&6-7</span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">April 2005 - </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">He voted against the Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act, which requires that the parents of a minor be notified if the minor wants to get an out-of-state abortion.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">October 2003 - </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Paul voted in favor of the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003.</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">September 2002 - </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">He voted in favor of the Abortion Non-Discrimination Act of 2002, which prohibits the federal, state and local governments from not funding health care providers, health insurers, health maintenance organizations, and any other kind of health care facility, organization or plan that decline to refer patients for, pay for or provide abortion services.</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">May 2001 - </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Paul voted in favor of banning Family Planning funding in US aid abroad.</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">June 1999 - </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">He voted against the Child Custody Protection Act, which was designed to make it a federal crime to transport a minor across state lines for the purpose of obtaining an abortion.</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://science.jburroughs.org/mbahe/BioEthics/Articles/Summary_Roe_v_Wade.pdf">Roe v Wade Summary</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/abortion-4260.asp" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Planned Parenthood on Abortion</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/abortion/parental-consent-notification-laws-25268.htm" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">State Parental Consent Laws</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.prochoice.org/about_abortion/facts/" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">National Abortion Federation on late abortions</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.fwhc.org/abortion/compare-medical-surgical.htm" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Feminist Women’s Health Center on medical and surgical abortions</a></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.issues2000.org/default.htm">Potential 2012 Presidential Candidates and Abortion</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/9781444313031.ch3/summary" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Unintended Pregnancy in the US article</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.bmj.com/content/326/7390/619.2" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">British Medical Journal on 2003’s Partial Birth Abortion law</a></div>
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<a href="http://bjp.rcpsych.org/content/200/1/78.2.full.pdf+html" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Abortion and Mental Health Article</a></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://journals.lww.com/greenjournal/Abstract/2012/02000/The_Comparative_Safety_of_Legal_Induced_Abortion.3.aspx">Article Comparing the safety of giving birth and legal abortions</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://news.findlaw.com/wp/docs/abortion/2003s3.html" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003</a></div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4661324514509712351.post-16756571756959107702012-02-08T23:40:00.001-05:002013-06-16T13:34:39.693-04:00Birth Control 101 (With a Sprinkling of Politics)<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As promised, this is my birth control 101 post. The types of birth control I will be covering in this post are: condoms, cervical caps, diaphragms, the pill, the patch, the shot, Nuvarings, IUDs, the implant and emergency contraception. With each type of birth control, I want to answer the following questions: What is it? How does it work? How effective is it? What are the pros and cons of using the birth control? Does it protect against STIs? Where can one find it? How much does it cost? And finally, since it is election season, I will also discuss how our potential 2012 presidential candidates feel about birth control. <span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Note: Similar to my other 101 posts (HIV 101 and Safer sex 101), I will cite my sources at the end of the post.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><u><i><span style="font-size: large;">The Main Types of Birth Control</span></i></u></b><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><u>Condom</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>What is it?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">There are two types of condoms: the male (external) condom and the female (internal) condom. Both condoms can be made from latex or polyurethane (if someone has a latex allergy). External condoms cover the outside of the penis and internal condoms are placed inside the vagina or anus.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>How does it work?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Both types of condoms block pre-cum and semen from entering the uterus and potentially fertilizing an egg.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Effectiveness?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The external condom is 85-98% effective and the internal condom is 79-95% effective. The effectiveness (i.e. the ability of the birth control to prevent pregnancy) depends on how frequently they are being used and whether or not they are being used correctly.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Pros?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Both condoms are relatively cheap and easy to find (the external condoms more so than the internal condoms).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">There’s no need for a prescription from a doctor.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Condoms can be used with other forms of birth control for extra insurance against pregnancy and for protection against STIs.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Cons?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Most condoms are made out of latex, which can be a problem for people who are allergic. However, polyurethane condoms are available in those cases.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Does it protect against STIs?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Yes. Using a condom consistently and correctly reduces the chances of contracting an STI.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Where can one find it?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Condoms can be found in pharmacies, doctor’s offices, health centers, schools, clinics and online.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Cost?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Packs of condoms can cost from $2 to $25, depending on the amount of condoms in the pack. Many health centers, clinics and schools give out condoms for free.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><u>Cervical Cap</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><b><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></u></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>What is it?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The cervical cap is a silicone cup placed over the cervix.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>How does it work?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The cervical cap is used to stop sperm from fertilizing the egg by blocking the sperm from entering the uterus. Spermicide is used along with the cervical cap to stop the sperm’s movements.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Effectiveness?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: black;">The cervical cap is about 71-86% effective. Ensuring the cervical cap is positioned correctly on the cervix and using spermicide increases the effectiveness of the cervical cap.</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Pros?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The cap can be used by individuals who cannot take hormones, like estrogen.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It can be put into place hours before one has sex.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It can be used while breastfeeding.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Cons?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It cannot be used during one’s period.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It may be difficult for some individuals to position the cap over the cervix.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It can be moved around during sexual intercourse.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It may be uncomfortable for some people.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">One can have an allergic reaction to the spermicide.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Does it protect against STIs?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: black;">No, the cervical cap does not protect against STIs. One could use an external condom in conjunction with a cervical cap to protect against STIs.</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Where can one find it?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Only health care providers can distribute cervical caps. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Cost?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cervical caps range from $60 to $75 and spermicide costs about $8 to $17.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><u>Diaphragm</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>What is it?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A diaphragm is silicone cup with a flexible rim that is placed over the cervix. It is similar to the cervical cap in function, but the diaphragm is larger and covers a wider area. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>How does it work?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The diaphragm blocks sperm from entering the uterus and spermicide is used to stop the sperm’s movements.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Effectiveness?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; line-height: 115%;">The diaphragm is 84–94% effective. The effectiveness of the diaphragm is influenced by proper placement of the diaphragm over the cervix and the use of spermicide.</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Pros?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Similar to the cap, the diaphragm does not use hormones.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The diaphragm can be put into position hours before sexual intercourse.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It can be used while breastfeeding.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Cons?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It may be difficult for some women to place the diaphragm over the cervix.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It may be moved around during sex.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It may be uncomfortable for some individuals.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">One may have an allergic reaction to the spermicide.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Some individuals may develop urinary tract infections due to using the diaphragm.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Does it protect against STIs?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">No, the diaphragm does not protect against STIs. Using an external condom in conjunction with a diaphragm can provide protection against STIs.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Where can one find it?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Only health care providers can distribute diaphragms.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Cost?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; line-height: 115%;">Diaphragms range from $15 to $75 and the price of spermicide ranges from $8 to $17.</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><u>The Pill</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>What is it?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The birth control pill is an oral contraceptive that is taken every day to prevent pregnancy. There are two types of pills: combination pills, which contain the hormones estrogen and progestin, and progestin-only pills. The combination pills are the most common type.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>How does it work?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The hormones in the pill do three things in order to prevent pregnancy:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">They prevent ovulation (the process in which the ovaries release an egg to be fertilized).</span></span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">They thicken the cervical mucus to block the sperm from fertilizing the egg.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">They also thin the lining of the uterus to keep the egg from attaching to the uterine wall.</span></span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In a usual package of birth control pills, there are 3 weeks of pills with varying levels of hormones in them. The 4<sup>th</sup> week of pills do not have hormones in them at all. It is during this 4<sup>th</sup> week that menstruation begins. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Effectiveness?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: black;">The birth control pill is 92–99% effective at preventing pregnancy.</span><span style="background-color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Certain medicines/supplements and behaviors may make the pill less effective:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The antibiotic rifampin</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Certain oral medicines for yeast infections</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Certain HIV medicines</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Certain anti-seizure medicines</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">St. John's wort</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Vomiting and diarrhea</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Pros?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Combination and progestin-only pills reduce menstrual cramps and lighten period flows.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Some benefits to combination pills include protection against acne, bone thinning and ovarian and </span><span style="line-height: 115%;">endometrial cancers.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Also combination pills can be used to control when and how often an individual has their period.</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Cons?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Some common side effects include: breast tenderness, bleeding between periods, nausea and vomiting. These side effects tend to go away after the first few months.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Does it protect against STIs?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">No. Birth control pills do not provide protection against STIs. It recommended that one use condoms along with the pill to protect against STIs.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Where can one find it?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Birth control pills can be purchased with a prescription at pharmacies and clinics.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Cost?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The price ranges from $15-$50 a month.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><u>The Patch</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>What is it?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The birth control patch is a thin, beige, plastic patch that sticks to the skin. A new patch is placed on the skin once a week for three weeks in a row, followed by a patch-free week. On the fourth week, one has their period. The patch can be placed on the stomach, butt, upper torso or upper arm.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The birth control patch is commonly referred to by its brand name: Ortho Evra.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>How does it work?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The patch has the same hormones in it as the pill (estrogen and progestin) and works in the same way:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Prevents ovulation (the process in which the ovaries release an egg to be fertilized).</span></span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Thickens the cervical mucus to block the sperm from fertilizing the egg.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Thins the lining of the uterus to keep the egg from attaching to the uterine wall.</span></span></li>
</ul>
<br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Effectiveness?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: black;">The patch is 92–99% effective. However, it seems to be less effective in individuals who weigh more than 198 pounds. The patch works best when it is constantly in contact with the skin so the correct level of hormones are consistently in the body.</span><span style="background-color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">Like the pill, </span>certain medicines and supplements may make the birth control patch less effective, including: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The antibiotic rifampin</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Certain oral yeast infection medicines</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Certain <span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: white;">HIV</span></span> medicines</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Certain anti-seizure medicines</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">St. John's wort</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Pros?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It has similar benefits to the pill. It can lighten period blood flows and lessen menstrual cramps. The patch can also protect against acne, bone thinning, ovarian cancers, etc. Also one does not have to remember to take a pill every day. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Cons?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Most common side effects (breast tenderness, bleeding between periods, vomiting and nausea) disappear in a few months.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The skin around the patch may become irritated.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Does it protect against STIs?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">No, the patch does not protect against STIs. Condoms can be used along with the patch to protect against STIs.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Where can one find it?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The patch can be purchased at a drugstore or clinic with a prescription.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Cost?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The patch costs about $15-$80 a month.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><u>The Shot</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>What is it?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The birth control shot is an injection of the hormone progestin (also found in birth control pills and patches). Each shot prevents pregnancy for three months.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The shot is also known by the brand name Depo-Provera, or by the name of the medicine in the shot, DMPA.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>How does it work?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The progestin in the shot works by preventing ovulation (when the ovaries release egg to be fertilized). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Progestin also thickens the cervical mucus to block sperm from joining with an egg.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Progestin thins the lining of the uterus keep a fertilized egg from attaching to the uterus.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Effectiveness?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; line-height: 115%;">It is 97–99% effective.</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Pros?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Prevents pregnancy for 3 months without having to take a pill, put something against the cervix, put on a condom or check on a patch.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The shot does not contain estrogen so individuals who cannot take estrogen can still use the shot.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It can also prevent cancer of the lining of the uterus.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Cons?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Some side effects include: bleeding between periods, irregular periods, no periods at all after year of use, lighter periods or heavier periods. It depends on the individual.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Also long-term use of the shot tends to cause bone thinning. Talk to a health care provider to see if this is a major risk. One could increase their calcium and vitamin D intake as well as exercise to counteract these effects.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">One should not use the shot if they:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Are taking aminoglutethamide to treat Cushing's syndrome</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Are pregnant</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Have breast cancer</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Have had fragility bone fractures</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Does it protect against STIs?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">No, the shot does not protect against STIs. One should use condoms along with the shot to protect oneself against STIs.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Where can one find it?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A health care provider will administer the shot every 3 months.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Cost?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Each shot costs between $35 and $75, and each visit after the initial exam may cost between $20 and $40.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><u>NuvaRing (The Vaginal Ring)</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>What is it?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The vaginal ring is a small, flexible ring inserted into the vagina once a month to prevent pregnancy. It is used for three weeks and taken out for the fourth week so menstruation can begin. The vaginal ring is commonly called NuvaRing, its brand name.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The hormones in NuvaRing are the same hormones used in the combination birth control pills and in the patches: estrogen and progestin.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<u><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">How does it work?</span></u></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Similar to other hormone-based contraceptives, the hormones prevent ovulation, thicken cervical mucus and thin the lining of the uterus. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Effectiveness?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: black;">It is 92–99% effective.</span><span style="background-color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Certain medicines and supplements may make NuvaRing less effective including:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The antibiotic rifampin</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Certain oral yeast infection medicines</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Certain HIV medicines</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Certain anti-seizure medicines</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">St. John's wort</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Pros?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">The ring has the same benefits as the pill including protection against acne, bone thinning and ovarian and </span><span style="line-height: 115%;">endometrial cancers. The ring, like the pill, can also be used to control when and how often one has their period.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Cons?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Some common side effects of the ring include: bleeding between periods, breast tenderness, nausea and vomiting. Possible long-term side effects are vaginal irritation, increased vaginal discharge and vaginal infection.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Does it protect against STIs?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">No, the vaginal ring does not protect against STIs. One can use external condoms along with the vaginal ring to protect against STIs.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Where can one find it?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; line-height: 115%;">The vaginal ring can be purchased with a prescription at a pharmacy or clinic.</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Cost?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The ring <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">costs about $15<span style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-image: initial; border-left-color: windowtext; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 1pt; border-top-color: windowtext; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;">–</span>$80 a month.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><u>IUD</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>What is it?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 15.75pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: black;">IUD stands for "intrauterine device." IUDs are small "T-shaped" devices made of flexible plastic that is inserted into the uterus.</span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="background-color: black;"> </span><span style="background-color: black;">There are two brands of IUD available in the US: ParaGard and Mirena.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 15.75pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The ParaGard IUD contains copper and is effective for 12 years.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 15.75pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Mirena IUD contains <span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-image: initial; border-left-color: windowtext; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 1pt; border-top-color: windowtext; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;">progestin</span></span> and is effective for 5 years.</span></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 15.75pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>How does it work?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 15.75pt; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Both the ParaGard and the Mirena IUDs prevent sperm from fertilizing an egg and alter the lining of the uterus. </span></span></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 15.75pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The progestin in the Mirena IUD prevents ovulation and thickens the cervical mucus. </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Effectiveness?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; line-height: 115%;">The IUD is more than 99% effective.</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Pros?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The ParaGard IUD does not use hormones. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Mirena IUD may reduce period cramps and lighten period flows. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">IUDs can be used during breastfeeding.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">The IUD is the most inexpensive long-term and reversible form of birth control available.</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Cons?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Some side effects include:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="background-color: black; line-height: 15.75pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Mild to moderate pain when the IUD is inserted into the uterus</span></span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: black; line-height: 15.75pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cramping or backache for a few days</span></span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: black; line-height: 15.75pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Spotting between periods in the first 3–6 months </span></span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: black; line-height: 15.75pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">With the Mirena IUD: Irregular periods in the first 3–6 months </span></span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: black; line-height: 15.75pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">With the ParaGuard IUD: Heavier periods and worse menstrual cramps</span></span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="background-color: black; line-height: 115%;"><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Does it protect against STIs?</span></u></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">No, IUDs do not protect against STIs. One should use a condom for protection against STIs.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Where can one find it?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A health care provider will insert the IUD into the uterus.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Cost?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<h2 style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 15.75pt; margin-bottom: 3pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.75pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-weight: normal;">The cost for the medical exam, the IUD, the insertion of the IUD, and follow-up visits to your health care provider can range from $500 to $1,000. The Mirena IUD tends to be more expensive than the ParaGard IUD.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></h2>
<div>
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</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><u>The Implant</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>What is it?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Implanon is a thin, flexible plastic implant that is inserted under the skin of the upper arm. It uses the hormone progestin to prevent pregnancy and is effective for up to three years.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>How does it work?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Similar to the other hormone-based contraceptives, the Implanon prevents ovulation, thickens the cervical mucus and thins the lining of the uterus.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Effectiveness?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Implanon is 99% effective.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Certain medicines and supplements may make Implanon less effective including:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The antibiotic rifampin</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Certain oral yeast infection medicines</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Certain HIV medicines</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Certain anti-seizure medicines</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">St. John's wort</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Pros?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It can be used while breastfeeding.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It can be used by individuals who cannot take estrogen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It is a long-lasting form of birth control that is also reversible.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">There is no medicine to take every day or patch to keep an eye on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Cons?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Some common side effects include irregular periods, lighter periods, bleeding between periods and heavier periods.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Does it protect against STIs?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">No, Implanon does not protect against STIs. One should use a condom along with Implanon to prevent the contraction of a STI.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Where can one find it?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A health care provider can insert the Implanon.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Cost?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The cost of the exam, Implanon, and insertion ranges from $400–$800. Removing the implant costs between $100 and $300.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u><b>Emergency Contraception</b></u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>What is it?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Emergency contraception is a type of birth control used after an individual has unprotected sex.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">There are two kinds of EC:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The pill, also known as the morning-after pill, Plan B, Next Choice and Ella.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The ParaGuard (copper) IUD inserted into the uterus.</span></span></li>
</ul>
<br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Both types of EC can be used up to 5 days after the incident of unprotected sex, but is more effective the sooner it is used.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>How does it work?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">EC is <b>NOT</b> an abortion. One more time: emergency contraception is <b>NOT</b> an abortion. EC will not work if the individual is already pregnant. EC is a last chance emergency option to <b>PREVENT</b> pregnancy. Anyone who calls EC an abortion or says it has abortion-like qualities is either ignorant or lying. Period.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">EC uses the hormone progestin (found in birth control pills, patches, IUDs, rings, implants and shots) to prevent ovulation, thicken the cervical mucus and thin the lining of the uterus.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">EC should not be used as a regular form of birth control because there are cheaper and more effective methods of birth control. It is so much easier and less stressful to use the other methods before having sex than to take EC after having unprotected sex and risking the chance of missing the 5 day window period.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Effectiveness?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The pill is 89% effective if taken soon after unprotected sex, but the effectiveness decreases over the 5 day period.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The IUD is 99% effective.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Pros?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">An individual can keep some EC pills in the medicine cabinet just in case.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Cons?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The IUD EC would require scheduling a doctor’s visit which might be hard to do in 5 days.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Side effects include: n</span><span style="line-height: 115%;">ausea, vomiting,</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="line-height: 115%;">breast tenderness,</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="line-height: 115%;">irregular bleeding,</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="line-height: 115%;">dizziness and</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="line-height: 115%;">headaches.</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Does it protect against STIs?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">No, emergency contraception does not protect against STIs. It is highly recommended that an individual is tested for STIs because they may have been put at risk by the unprotected sex.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Where can one find it?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The pill can be purchased at pharmacies and health centers/clinics without a prescription by individuals who are 17 and older. Individuals younger than 17 need a prescription.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The IUD needs to be inserted by a health care provider.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Cost?</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: black;">The price of the EC pill ranges from $10 to $70. For individuals who are younger than 17 and need a prescription, the health center visit may cost up to $250.</span><span style="background-color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><i><u><span style="font-size: large;">2012 Potential Presidential Candidates and Birth Control</span><o:p></o:p></u></i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><u>President Barack Obama</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><b><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></u></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">January 2012 – The Obama administration decided to not allow “religiously affiliated employers such as universities and hospitals to deny full birth control coverage to the women they employ”. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">December 2011 – Obama administration overruled EC being sold over the counter to women of all ages.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">April 2008 – He said that teens should learn about abstinence and contraception in order to reduce unwanted pregnancies and abortions at the </span><span style="line-height: 115%;">Democratic Candidates Compassion Forum at Messiah College in Grantham, Pennsylvania</span><span style="line-height: 115%;">. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">May 2006 – He sponsored a bill providing contraceptives for low-income women. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">March 2005 – He voted yes to an amendment in the Senate's 2006 Fiscal Year Budget to reduce teen pregnancy and abortions and improve healthcare for women through sex education & contraceptives. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><u>Mitt Romney</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">January 2012 – He states: “I can't imagine a state banning contraception. I can't imagine the circumstances where a state would want to do so, and if I were a governor of a state or a state legislature, I would totally and completely oppose any effort to ban contraception.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2005 – As Massachusetts state governor, he vetoes a bill to allow EC to be made available without a prescription. He states: “This bill does not require parental consent for even young teenagers. It disregards not only the seriousness of abortion but the importance of parental involvement.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2005 – He vetoes a bill requiring hospital ER doctors to offer EC to rape survivors and would make EC available to the survivors without prescription from pharmacies.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><u>Newt Gingrich</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">December 2011 – <span style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">Gingrich, like Rick Santorum, Rick Perry, and Ron Paul signed the<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-image: initial; border-left-color: windowtext; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 1pt; border-top-color: windowtext; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;">Personhood USA Pledge</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"> </span></span></span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">in favor of an anti-abortion and contraceptive amendment to the Constitution recognizing embryos as people. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">December 2011 – He states: “Any kind of pre-conception birth control would be legal. But I think post-conception birth control would be a form of abortion” at an Iowa campaign event.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><u>Rick Santorum</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">January 2012 – He stated that states have the right to ban contraception, but shouldn’t.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">October 2011 – About contraception: <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">“It’s not okay. It’s a license to do things in a sexual realm that is counter to how things are supposed to be.”</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"> </span></span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">September 2006 – He believes that the Plan B pill is dangerous and is like an abortion, stating: “I agree that it is an abortifacient, and that it’s dangerous to give a dose of hormones equivalent to one third of a whole series of birth control pills to someone without any kind of doctor supervision.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">March 2005 – He voted no to an amendment in the Senate's 2006 Fiscal Year Budget to reduce teen pregnancy and abortions and improve healthcare for women through sex education & contraceptives. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">He believes that the right to privacy that set the precedent for Roe v Wade is not constitutional and the states do not have to respect that right: “The idea of the "right to privacy" is that the state doesn't have rights to limit individuals' passions. I disagree with that. There are consequences to letting people live out whatever passions they desire. And we're seeing it in our society.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><u>Ron Paul</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">April 2011 – Regarding EC: “My argument is that the abortion problem is more of a social and moral issue than it is a legal one. If we are ever to have fewer abortions, society must change. The law will not accomplish that. However, that does not mean that the states shouldn't be allowed to write laws dealing with abortion. Very early pregnancies and victims of rape can be treated with the day after pill, which is nothing more than using birth control pills in a special manner. These very early pregnancies could never be policed, regardless. Such circumstances would be dealt with by each individual making his or her moral choice.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">January 2011: He co-sponsored the Title X Abortion Provider Prohibition Act, which called for a prohibition in funding centers, like Planned Parenthood.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #7030a0; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/UnintendedPregnancy/Contraception.htm"><span style="color: #7030a0;">http://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/UnintendedPregnancy/Contraception.htm</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #7030a0; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/birth-control-4211.htm"><span style="color: #7030a0;">http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/birth-control-4211.htm</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: #7030a0; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><span style="color: #7030a0; line-height: 115%;"><span class="MsoHyperlink">http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/08/health/policy/sebelius-overrules-fda-on-freer-sale-of-emergency-contraceptives.html?_r=1</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #7030a0; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/20/barack-obama-birth-control_n_1219622.html"><span style="color: #7030a0;">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/20/barack-obama-birth-control_n_1219622.html</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #7030a0; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.issues2000.org/barack_obama.htm"><span style="color: #7030a0;">http://www.issues2000.org/barack_obama.htm</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #7030a0; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.issues2000.org/ron_paul.htm"><span style="color: #7030a0;">http://www.issues2000.org/ron_paul.htm</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #7030a0; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.issues2000.org/Mitt_Romney.htm"><span style="color: #7030a0;">http://www.issues2000.org/Mitt_Romney.htm</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #7030a0; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.issues2000.org/Rick_Santorum.htm"><span style="color: #7030a0;">http://www.issues2000.org/Rick_Santorum.htm</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #7030a0; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.issues2000.org/Newt_Gingrich.htm"><span style="color: #7030a0;">http://www.issues2000.org/Newt_Gingrich.htm</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4661324514509712351.post-65823109899816542212012-02-01T12:09:00.003-05:002012-02-01T13:40:35.665-05:00Safer Sex 101<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Since my last post was about <a href="http://sexmiseducation.blogspot.com/2012/01/sti-101.html?zx=2b7c521d93379ac0">STIs</a>, I thought it would be appropriate to write a quick post about safe sex and safer sex. So what do I mean when I use the terms, “safe sex” and “safer sex”? In my opinion, these two phrases gauge the riskiness of specific sexual behavior in regards to the likelihood of whether or not a person can contract an STI from it. Safe sex is an activity that has absolutely no risk of contracting an STI. Safer sex has much less risk than unprotected sex, but risk is still present. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>Safe Sex Practices</u></b></span><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><u>Masturbation</u></span><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Masturbation is a wonderful thing, but it’s still a pretty taboo subject. Parents don’t dare to talk about it with their kids and, in general, it has been turned into a joke amongst teenage boys and in comedies. Young women are told they are not supposed to masturbate because it’s weird and gross. And some people are even disturbed with the idea that their significant other masturbates while in a relationship with them. But why does this have to be the case? There are many benefits to masturbation. Through masturbation, an individual can learn about their body and what makes them feel good. Knowing and accepting one’s body is essential to having high self-esteem. Also knowing your body’s likes and dislikes will make interacting with a partner easier and more pleasurable. Plus, there is an air of independence around masturbation. Masturbation says, “I know my body. I’m in control of my body. And I can experience pleasure on my own without the assistance of someone else.” There is something powerful about not needing to rely on someone else for pleasure (maybe that is why young women are told not to masturbate). And, back to my original point, an individual could masturbate all they want and never have to worry about contracting an STI. Partners can also masturbate together in the same room. This is known as mutual masturbation. Through mutual masturbation, partners can learn more about their partners’ bodies and what gives them pleasure. Because the partners are not touching, there is no possibility of an STI being transmitted.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><u>Other Safe Sex Practices</u></span><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Planned Parenthood’s website also includes cyber sex, phone sex and sharing fantasies as safe sex practices, which I really like because they, along with masturbation, expand the definition of what sex is. A lot of people define sex as penis-vagina intercourse. Others add anal intercourse to the short list and a smaller group of people count oral sex as sex too. Personally, I tend to define sex as any activity that gives sexual pleasure and could lead to an orgasm. So I think of masturbation as having sex with oneself and I think that partners can have sex without a penis involved or without penetration at all.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>Safer Sex Practices</u></b></span><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><u>Kissing </u></span><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The reason why kissing is in the “safer sex” category is because there are a few STIs that one can contract from kissing (see my <a href="http://sexmiseducation.blogspot.com/2012/01/sti-101.html?zx=2b7c521d93379ac0">STI 101 post</a> for more information). Certain STIs can be transmitted by infected saliva and enter the body through cuts in the mouth/lips or bleeding gums (due to brushing one’s teeth or flossing). <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><u>Fondling </u></span><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">There is a chance (albeit small) when partners touch each other in a sexual manner, that STIs can be transmitted by someone’s bodily fluids coming in contact with cuts on an individual’s hand, allowing the STI to enter the body. Wearing latex gloves (or polyurethane gloves if someone has a latex allergy) is a simple way to reduce the risk of contracting an STI by creating a barrier.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><u>Dry Humping</u></span><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Depending on the amount of clothes the people in question are wearing, there may be an exchange of bodily fluids. If this is the case, the chances for STI transmission increase.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><u>Oral Sex</u></span><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">For STIs like HIV, oral sex is a very low-risk form of safer sex (in comparison to vaginal and anal intercourse), but this is not the case with all STIs (see <a href="http://sexmiseducation.blogspot.com/2012/01/sti-101.html?zx=2b7c521d93379ac0">STI 101 post</a> for more information). Condoms and dental dams create a barrier so that the chances of coming in contact with infected bodily fluids are reduced. Dental dams also reduce skin-to-skin contact. For those who do not know, dental dams are rectangular pieces of latex that can be placed upon the genitals and anus and used for oral sex. The Sheer Glyde dam is a brand of dental dam that has been approved for safer sex by the FDA. Admittedly, dental dams can be pretty hard to find since one cannot just pick them up from the average drugstore next to the condoms for some reason. However, dental dams can be purchased online and in sex toy shops (like Babeland) or picked up for free at clinics/health centers, like Planned Parenthood. If a dental dam is not present, non-microwaveable saran wrap/plastic wrap or a condom or glove that has been cut open in a rectangular shape can be used as a substitute.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><u>Vaginal/Anal Intercourse with a Condom and Lubricant</u></span><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Vaginal and anal intercourse are the two sexual activities with the highest risk of STI transmission. Using condoms and lube can substantially reduce this risk. As it does with oral sex, condoms form a barrier so that individuals can decrease their chances of coming in contact with infected bodily fluids. Also proper lubricant (water-based and silicone-based lubricants [see <a href="http://sexmiseducation.blogspot.com/2011/09/hiv-101.html?zx=a1eb0af95c789f8">HIV 101 post</a> for more information on lubricants]) will prevent tears from forming in the vaginal and anal canals so STIs cannot enter the body. It is important to note that condoms do not reduce the risk of all STI transmission altogether. There are STIs that are spread through skin-to-skin contact or by contact with open sores that may not be completely covered by a condom (or a dental dam for that matter). <o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“Female” condoms (also known as insertive or “innie”condoms) cover more surface area than “male” condoms (“outie” condoms), reducing the likelihood of STI transmission due to skin-to-skin contact. They are just as effective as barriers against contact with potentially infected bodily fluids.</span><br />
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Life is all about taking risks. Educate yourself and make the right decisions, according to your needs and ideals.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">For this information and more, check out the <a href="http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/stds-hiv-safer-sex/safer-sex-4263.htm">PlannedParenthood website</a> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Preview of the next post: Birth Control 101 and maybe a little politics.<o:p></o:p></span></div>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4661324514509712351.post-89821873442732791242012-01-30T12:45:00.000-05:002013-06-16T01:23:06.401-04:00STI 101<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Recently, I have been having quite a few conversations with people about how various STIs are transmitted. Consequently, I have become interested in discordant partners, meaning partners who have different statuses (e.g. one is HIV positive and the other is not). Now, I am a believer in being risk-aware. Life is all about taking risks. If someone is aware of all the risks in a given situation and makes an educated decision as a result, I have nothing but respect for the person, regardless of the decision made. That all being said, this STI 101 post will place a bit more emphasis on how to avoid contracting and spreading an STI in a situation where partners have differing statuses.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The STIs I will discuss in this post are chlamydia, gonorrhea, hepatitis B, herpes, human papillomavirus (HPV) and syphilis. If you are looking for HIV, here is my <a href="http://sexmiseducation.blogspot.com/2011/09/hiv-101.html?zx=3e23d760d13fb52a">HIV 101 post</a>. For each STI, I will discuss what is it, how it is transmitted, symptoms, basic testing information, treatment and how to protect yourself and/or how to not spread it to your partners.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Note: Similar to my HIV 101 post, I will not cite my sources throughout my post. I will link my sources at the end.</span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Chlamydia</span></span></u></b> <br />
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<u><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">What is it?</span></span></u> <br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis. </span></div>
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<u><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Transmission</span></span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Chlamydia is mainly transmitted through vaginal and anal sex. It can also be transmitted from a pregnant mother to her child during birth. The child is most likely to be exposed to chlamydia if the mother contracts it during her pregnancy. Although rare, chlamydia can also be transmitted through oral sex and by touching your eye with your hand that has the bacteria on it. It is estimated that about 2.8 million new infections occur every year. Apparently, people under the age of 25 are the most susceptible to contracting chlamydia.</span></div>
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<u><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Symptoms</span></span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Most people who contract chlamydia will not experience symptoms. When someone does experience symptoms, they will usually appear about five to ten days after they contracted the STI. Some common symptoms are: abdominal pain, bleeding between periods, abnormal discharge coming from the genitals, painful urination, and genital and anal swelling. If chlamydia has infected the throat, the individual may experience a sore throat and if it has infected the eyes, the individual may experience eye redness, itching and fluid discharge.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">If chlamydia is not treated for a long period of time, it can cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which infects the fallopian tubes, ovaries and uterus, and epididymitis, which infects the urethra and testicles. Both of these diseases can lead to infertility.</span></div>
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<u><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Testing</span></span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">A health care provider can determine whether or not someone has chlamydia by taking cell samples from the cervix (Pap Smear), penis, urethra or anus. Also urine can be tested. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Since most people who have chlamydia will not experience symptoms, the only certain way to know if one has contracted chlamydia is to get tested regularly.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Treatment</span></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Chlamydia is treated with antibiotics. If someone has contracted chlamydia, their sex partners should be tested and subsequently treated if they also have chlamydia. Individuals should not have sex (all forms of sex. Yes, oral counts.) until 7 days have passed if they took a single dose antibiotic or after they have finished taking their 7-day course of antibiotics. This is important because not having sex for 7 days will prevent the spread of the STI. Also the CDC (Center for Disease Control) recommends that people should be retested three months after they were treated just to be on the safe side.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Ok, so about sex…</span></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Since chlamydia is mainly spread through unprotected sex, one should use condoms and dental dams to protect oneself from potential infection. I would also suggest using gloves while engaging in manual stimulation (i.e. fingering the vagina and/or anus) to avoid a situation in which a person could infect their eyes by touching it with a potentially contaminated hand.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Gonorrhea</span></u></span></b><br />
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</span></u></span></i><span style="font-size: large;"><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">What is it?</span></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae. It is also known as “the clap” or “the drip”.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Transmission</span></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Gonorrhea is transmitted though oral, vaginal and anal sex. Gonorrhea can also be passed from a pregnant woman to her child during childbirth. It is estimated that over 700,000 people become infected with gonorrhea every year.</span></div>
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<u><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Symptoms</span></span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Like chlamydia, individuals with gonorrhea usually do not experience symptoms. If someone does experience symptoms, they tend to occur one to fourteen days after the initial infection. Some common symptoms include: abdominal pain, bleeding between periods, painful urination, abnormal pain, genital discharge, urinating more than usual, anal discharge and genital swelling. If the throat is infected, one can experience an itchy, sore throat or trouble swallowing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">If a child contracts gonorrhea through the pregnant mother, it can lead to premature birth, stillbirth and infections of the blood, joints and eyes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">If gonorrhea remains untreated it can also cause pelvic inflammatory disease and epididymitis.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Testing</span></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">To test for gonorrhea, a health care provider could collect samples of abnormal discharges, cell samples from the cervix, penis, urethra, anus or throat and urine.</span></div>
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<u><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Treatment</span></span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Gonorrhea can be treated with antibiotics. However, recently, drug-resistant strains are evolving around the world, making treating gonorrhea very difficult. The CDC recommends treating gonorrhea with dual therapy with the use of two drugs to treat the infection. Please make sure to take all the prescribed antibiotics to ensure the infection is gone. Not sticking with the antibiotic regimen for the entire period of time can create more drug-resistant strains.</span></div>
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<u><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Ok, so about sex…</span></span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Since gonorrhea is spread through unprotected sex, one should use condoms and dental dams to protect themselves.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Hepatitis B</span></b></u></span></div>
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<u><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">What is it?</span></span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Hepatitis is an infection of the liver. </span></div>
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<u><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Transmission</span></span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The type of hepatitis virus that is most likely to be sexually transmitted is hepatitis B (HBV). HBV is transmitted through vaginal fluids, semen (cum and precum), blood and urine. Infected fluids must come in contact with cuts and tears in the skin and/or through mucous membranes, like the ones in the vagina, anus and mouth. HBV can be spread through unprotected oral, vaginal and anal sex. The friction created in unprotected vaginal and anal sex can cause the canals to tear, giving the virus a way to enter the body. HBV can also be passed from pregnant woman to her child during birth.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">HBV can also be spread by sharing intravenous drug needles or using contaminated needles in piercing or tattooing.</span></div>
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<u><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Symptoms</span></span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Individuals who contract HBV usually do not experience symptoms. When someone does experience symptoms, they usually appear between six weeks and six months after the initial infection. Some common symptoms include: extreme tiredness, abdominal pain/tenderness, loss of appetite, nausea, joint pain, headaches, fever, hives, dark urine, and jaundice.</span></div>
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<u><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Testing</span></span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">A health care provider can conduct a blood test in order to diagnose someone with HBV.</span></div>
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<u><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Treatment</span></span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">A cure for hepatitis does not exist. In most cases, hepatitis B goes away on it’s own in four to eight weeks. However, in some cases, people become carriers and suffer from chronic HBV infection. Carriers can be contagious for the rest of their lives. There are drugs that can help treat chronic HBV, but again, a cure does not exist.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The HBV vaccine is given to prevent an infection, not to cure an already existing one. The vaccine causes the immune system to create antibodies that will fight off the virus.</span></div>
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<u><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Ok, so about sex…</span></span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">One can protect themselves by using condoms and dental dams while having vaginal, anal and oral sex.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Herpes</span></b></u></span></div>
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<u><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">What is it?</span></span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Herpes is an STI caused by two viruses: herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2). Both types can infect the oral and genital areas. However, oral herpes is mostly caused by HSV-1 and genital herpes is mostly caused by HSV-2.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Eight out of ten people in the US have oral herpes and one out of four have genital herpes.</span></div>
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<u><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Transmission</span></span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Herpes can be spread by touching, kissing and vaginal, anal and oral sex. A pregnant woman can pass herpes to her child during birth. Herpes is the most contagious while the individual has open sores. Cuts in the mouth, cuts in the skin and internal tears due to unprotected sex can make a person more susceptible to contracting herpes.</span></div>
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<u><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Symptoms</span></span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In many cases, someone with herpes may not experience symptoms for years. Or the symptoms can be so mild that they are not noticed or are not taken seriously.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">With oral herpes, cold sores can appear on the lips/mouth and can last for a few weeks and then disappear. Symptoms can reappear weeks, months, or years later. Recurring outbreaks could be caused by: stress, menstruation, other infections, sunburn, sex and skin irritation.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">With genital herpes, some symptoms include: clusters of sores on the vagina, cervix, vulva, penis or anus, itching and genital swelling. No one is sure what causes recurring outbreaks in genital herpes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Initial herpes outbreak symptoms can also include: fever, headache, chills and flu-like symptoms.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Initial symptoms usually go away after two to four weeks and recurring symptoms usually go away after ten to fourteen days.</span></div>
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<u><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Testing</span></span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">A health care provider can conduct a blood test to determine whether or not someone has contracted herpes.</span></div>
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<u><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Treatment</span></span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">A cure for herpes does not exist. However, there are antiviral medications that can suppress recurrent outbreaks while the person takes the medication. Daily suppressive therapy for those who experience symptoms is available in order to reduce the likelihood of transmission to partners.</span></div>
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<u><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Ok, so about sex…</span></span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">During an outbreak, an individual should refrain from having sex and/or kissing (oral herpes). However, it should be noted that even when symptoms are not present, a person could still potentially spread herpes with unprotected sex. Wait until seven days have passed and the outbreak has fully ended before having sex again.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Condoms and dental dams reduce the risk of transmission, but not completely. Contact with sores or fluids, not completely covered by condoms and dental dams, can transmit the virus.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">If you are having sex with someone who has herpes, be sure to get tested regularly.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Human Papillomavirus </span></b></u></span></div>
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<u><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">What is it?</span></span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">There are over one hundred types of human papillomavirus (HPV). Forty of those can infect the genital area. Genital HPV is very common. Many people have had HPV at one point and many do not know currently they have it.</span></div>
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<u><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Transmission</span></span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Genital HPV is transmitted through skin-to-skin contact during vaginal, anal and oral sex.</span></div>
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<u><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Symptoms</span></span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Most people who contract HPV do not experience symptoms. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In many cases, the immune system clears up the virus on its own and the infection will disappear in eight to thirteen months.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">However, in the cases, in which the body does not successfully fight off the virus completely, it can cause the body to change. These changes include genital warts and cancer. The strains of HPV that cause genital warts are considered low-risk. High-risk strains of genital herpes can cause cervical, vaginal, anal, penile and throat cancer.</span></div>
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<u><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Testing</span></span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">A common way for someone to find out they have HPV is after receiving abnormal test results from a pap smear. During a pap smear, cell samples are taken from the cervix and tested for abnormalities. Other than a pap smear, there are no other tests for HPV.</span></div>
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<u><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Treatment</span></span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">There is no cure for HPV itself. However, there are treatments for the genital warts and cancers that HPV causes. It is best to diagnose and treat a HPV-related cancer early while it is easily treatable.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">There are two vaccines </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">(Cervarix and Gardasil) </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">that help to protect against the strains of HPV that are most responsible for causing cervical cancer. Gardasil also helps to protect against genital warts and other types of HPV-related cancers. Both vaccines are recommended by the CDC to young women between the ages of 11 and 26. Recently, the CDC has recommended that Gardasil should be made available to young men between the ages of 11 and 21. Gardasil is licensed for young men between the ages of 9 and 26.</span></div>
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<u><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Ok, so about sex…</span></span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Use condoms and dental dams to lower the chances of HPV infection. Barriers (condoms and dental dams) do not completely protect against HPV, but they are much safer than unprotected sex.</span></div>
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<u><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Syphilis</span></span></b></u></div>
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<u><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">What is it?</span></span></u></div>
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Syphilis is an STI <span style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-origin: padding; -moz-background-size: auto auto; background-attachment: scroll; background-image: none; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat; color: white;">caused by the bacterium<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><em><span style="font-style: normal;">Treponema pallidum</span></em><i>.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i></span></div>
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<u><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Transmission</span></span></u></div>
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Syphilis is transmitted by contact with open syphilis sores. Contact can happen during vaginal, anal and oral sex. Rarely, syphilis can be spread through kissing if there are sores on the person’s mouth. It can infect the vagina, anus, urethra, penis, lips and mouth. About 36,000 people in the US contract syphilis each year. </div>
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<u><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Symptoms</span></span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Most of the time, a person who has contracted syphilis will either not experience symptoms or the symptoms will be so mild that the person would not really pay attention to them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">There are three stages of syphilis infection:</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Primary Stage – In this stage, </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">painless open sores (known as chancres) appear on the genitals, in the vagina, on the cervix, lips, mouth, breasts, or anus. The sores usually appear about three weeks after infection, but may take up to 90 days. Without treatment, they last 3<span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;">–</span>6 weeks. Syphilis is especially contagious when sores are present. The liquid that oozes from them is very infectious. </span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Secondary Stage – After three to six weeks, other symptoms may appear. These symptoms can disappear and reappear repeatedly for up to two years. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">These symptoms include: body rashes, mild fever, fatigue, sore throat, hair and weight loss, swollen glands, headache, and muscle pains. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Late Stage – </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Long-term untreated syphilis can cause serious damage to the nervous system, heart, brain and other organs and even death. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Syphilis is not usually contagious during the latent stages (hiding period) in the first four years. Untreated syphilis can remain latent for many years or a lifetime. It can still be transmitted from a pregnant woman to her child.</span></div>
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<u><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Testing</span></span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Like many other STIs, a person who has syphilis will not usually experience symptoms. Regular STI testing will ensure that a syphilis infection is caught early and treated.</span></div>
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<u><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Treatment</span></span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Syphilis is treated with antibiotics and, in the early stages, syphilis is very easy to treat. Although syphilis is easy to treat, the effects of long-term untreated syphilis are not. A health care provider will test blood or fluid from sores to diagnose someone with syphilis.</span></div>
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<u><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Ok, so about sex…</span></span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Using condoms and dental dams will reduce the risk of contracting/spreading syphilis.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">If there is anything you would like to see added or removed from this post, please let me know (along with the reasons for your request, of course).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/hpv/vac-faqs.htm">CDC and HPV vaccine </a><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/hpv/vac-faqs.htm"><span style="text-decoration: none;"></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/std/">CDC STI main page</a><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/std/"><span style="text-decoration: none;"></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/stds-hiv-safer-sex-101.htm">Planned Parenthood STI main page </a><a href="http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/stds-hiv-safer-sex-101.htm"><span style="text-decoration: none;"></span></a></span></div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4661324514509712351.post-17599871531795476872012-01-17T16:49:00.000-05:002012-01-17T16:49:46.082-05:00The Medicalization of Childbirth<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Yeah, I know, I’m talking about <a href="http://sexmiseducation.blogspot.com/2011/09/medicalization-of-sexuality.html">medicalization</a> again. Seriously though, it’s a process that influences so many aspects of our society and I dislike it so much! That all being said, I promise this is my last medicalization post for a little while so bear with me.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So what do I mean by “the medicalization of childbirth”? I would define it as the process in which the phenomenon of childbirth is seen as something that requires medical interventions in order to be successful. The female body alone is not seen as sufficient and, without these medical interventions, not only would the birthing process be unsuccessful, it would also be dangerous. This medicalization process did not happen overnight. According to Kristi Williams and Debra Umberson in their <a href="http://www.springerlink.com/content/k16014n470553606/">article</a>, “Medical Technology and Childbirth: Experiences of Expectant Mothers and Fathers,” before the nineteenth century, “childbirth was treated largely as a natural process requiring little or no medical intervention. In the mid- to late-1800s, however, a number of social and cultural factors converged to open the door for medical involvement in the birth process…A central component of this effort was the medicalization of pregnancy and childbirth and the elimination of the competition of midwives” (149). The medicalization of childbirth was born out of competition and a need to make money. The Industrial Revolution also began at around this time and its themes seeped from the factory floor into the birthing room. The body, namely the female body, came to be seen as a machine that can break down and the doctor came to be seen as the mechanic. The doctor becomes the only person who can fix the flaws inherent in the female body. As a result, “the woman becomes the recipient rather than the producer of the child” (149-150). She loses her reproductive power as she is reduced to a potentially dangerous vessel from which the doctor must procure the child. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">These themes are still present today. How many times have you heard a woman mention receiving and/or desperately needing epidurals or other forms of pain medication the moment someone brings up the topic of childbirth? And in this country, most births take place in a hospital under the guidance of doctors and nurses. But hospitals are places for the sick. Why should a perfectly healthy pregnant woman automatically be expected to have her baby in a hospital? Because women are made to be afraid. Women are scared of a process that they (and other mammals) have been doing for ages. As Kiki Zeldes and Judy Norsigian declare in their <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1523-536X.2008.00246.x/full">article</a>, “Encouraging Women to Consider a Less Medicalized Approach to Childbirth Without Turning Them Off: Challenges to Producing Our Bodies, Ourselves: Pregnancy and Birth,” “Highly medicalized birth is now the norm for most women, and the perception is that they should fear birth—or at least worry about it incessantly. Many women believe labor and birth will involve insurmountable pain and suffering that can be controlled only with an epidural, and that a medicalized, high-tech birth is the best and safest option for them and their babies” (246). When you hear women talk about giving birth, all they can talk about is how painful and horrible it will be/was and how they will demand medication the moment they set foot in the hospital. You really can’t blame women too much when all their information about childbirth is gained from the medical system and the media. Have you ever seen a TV show or a movie that did not depict childbirth as a horrible apocalyptic event? I haven’t. Women are being primed from the start to have certain beliefs about childbirth. It seems as if giving birth is this horrible life or death situation that one can barely survive, which is interesting when one realizes that women and animals have been able to continue their species for all this time. How were women in the past able to bear it if it was so terrible? And don’t animals feel this pain too? If giving birth was so terrible, why haven’t mammals evolved to make this process completely painless? You would think (if we are analyzing this from an evolutionary standpoint) that since this horrible process could potentially affect the reproductive success of numerous species, a mechanism would have evolved to ease this process. But it hasn’t. Animals are usually able to bear it just fine. What makes humans so different? Are we weaker than animals?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Apparently, we are if all these medical interventions are anything to go by. The medical interventions I will be discussing in this post are elective inductions and caesarian sections (aka c-sections). </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"></div><ul><li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Inductions are measures taken to speed up the birth of a child. Inductions are appropriate if the continuation of the labor would negatively affect the health of the mother or the child. Inductions become ‘elective inductions’ when the labor is sped up for reasons other than the health of the mother or child. In a labor without complications and a healthy mother, there is no need whatsoever for inductions. And inductions in low-risk pregnancies come with risks. In the <a href="http://journals.lww.com/greenjournal/Fulltext/2000/06000/Elective_Induction_of_Labor_as_a_Risk_Factor_for.26.aspx?WT.mc_id=HPxADx20100319xMP">article</a>, “Elective Induction of Labor as a Risk Factor for Cesarean Delivery Among Low-Risk Women at Term,” Arthur S. Maslow and Amy L. Sweeny discuss some of the risks and costs of having an induced vaginal birth. They reveal that inducing labor in an otherwise healthy pregnancy “significantly increased the risk of cesarean delivery for nulliparas [women who have never given birth before], and increased hospital predelivery time and costs” (917). Complications that arise from interventions can result in more interventions, which could result in more complications. This cascade effect could then put the mother and/or child at risk, necessitating an emergency c-section that was previously unneeded. Maslow et al. brings up another point: Not only are electively induced vaginal births correlated with an increased risk for an unplanned c-section, they also cost more money than a non-induced birth. Maslow et al. calculated the cost to be an “additional $273 per elective induction” (921). With an additional predelivery time of four hours (an extra four hours before the baby is actually born), the actual induction procedure and an increased chance of epidural use (probably due to the extra four hours of labor), it is not hard to see why an induced birth would cost more money (917, 921).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cesarean sections, also known as c-sections, are becoming a disturbing trend in childbirth in this country. Silver et al. discloses this alarming fact in their <a href="http://journals.lww.com/greenjournal/Abstract/2006/06000/Maternal_Morbidity_Associated_With_Multiple_Repeat.4.aspx">article</a>, “Maternal Morbidity Associated With Multiple Repeat Cesarean Deliveries:” In 2006, the c-section rate in the US reached over 29%. Much higher than the World Health Organization’s maximum recommended rate of 15% (1231). Although the Maternity Center Association in New York has declared that vaginal births are safer than c-sections, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists “has determined that it is ethically permissible to accede to a request for an elective cesarean section from an informed woman (<a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.0730-7659.2004.00300.x/full">Klein</a> 161). However, are women being properly informed? They are already being primed to believe that non-induced vaginal births are one of the most dangerous and/or painful events they can possibly experience. On top of that, many doctors in this country tend to tout c-sections as a much safer and much more convenient alternative. But is that really the case? Zeldes et al. do not think so. They disagree saying, “Most women are not aware that the pain of a cesarean birth may extend well beyond the postpartum period. A recent Birth article on postpartum problems showed that 18 percent of women who had a cesarean section reported pain at the site of the incision 6 months after surgery” (247). A cesarean section is a surgery with all of the risks and complications that come with it. The hospital stay is extended in order for the mother to recover from the surgery and Silver et al, lists other risks and complications that one has to think about before undergoing a c-section: “Serious maternal morbidity [illness] increases with increasing number of cesarean deliveries. The majority of this risk is attributable to that associated with placenta accreta [when the placenta attaches too deeply to the uterus] and/or the need for hysterectomy [removal of the uterus]. Placenta postoperative ventilation, intensive care unit admission, operative time, and days of hospitalization, also was increased with increasing number of cesarean deliveries”(1229-1230). All of these risks are not considered when perfectly healthy women decide to go under the knife.</span></li>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p> </o:p>So as a result of a lack of knowledge and fear of pain, women allow these unnecessary medical interventions to occur, putting themselves at potential physical risk. However, a woman’s physical health is not the only thing that suffers. Williams et al. declare, “research on women’ s pregnancy and childbirth experiences suggests that the use of medical technology alienates many women by minimizing the importance of their roles and their level of control over their bodies and birth experiences” (147). Apparently, medical interventions have a tendency to decrease a woman’s birthing self-efficacy, meaning they negatively affect a woman’s belief that she is strong enough to give birth on her own. N.K. Lowe further examines the birthing self-efficacy of pregnant women in their <a href="http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.3109/01674820009085591">article</a>, “Self-efficacy for labor and childbirth fears in nulliparous pregnant women”. Lowe states, “If a woman does not believe that she is capable of the tasks or effort required to cope with labor, she is unlikely to be motivated even to try. Avoidance of, or withdrawal from, the experience through anesthesial analgesia or even Cesarean section becomes an attractive alternative. Likewise, her thoughts about labor, including her affective state, are influenced so that labor becomes an insurmountable task generating great anxiety and fear” (223). Women are then encouraged to give up their control to medical “experts” and to medical interventions that are unneeded and potentially dangerous.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">There is another school of thought, unrelated to fear and the “dangers” of vaginal birth, that support full elective medical interventions during childbirth: convenience. William F. Rayburn and Jun Zhang discuss the appeal of convenience in their <a href="http://journals.lww.com/greenjournal/Abstract/2002/07000/Rising_Rates_of_Labor_Induction__Present_Concerns.24.aspx">article</a>, “Rising Rates of Labor Induction: Present Concerns and Future Strategies”. They admit: “Scheduling an induction rather than waiting for spontaneous labor offers many advantages: easing domestic arrangements, ensuring attendance of the patient’s physician, and avoiding journeys during labor either from distant places or in severe climatic conditions” (166). Planning the birth of one’s child the same way one would plan a business meeting does seem appealing. And many women see it as exercising their right to choose and the ability to medically control the frightening birthing process. Being able to plan one’s labor also sounds like a dream to doctors. They could schedule deliveries to the days and times that are the most convenient for them. Also, according to Klein, elective c-sections and other medical interventions are supported by many in the medical community because the interventions make the birthing process something they can totally control (163). This is true for c-sections, especially. Instead of relying on the workings of a woman’s body and giving it the time and/or space needed for it to do what it has evolved to do, doctors can just perform the surgery, deliver the baby and move on with their day. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Despite the conveniences, as stated previously, there are a lot of health risks associated with elective c-sections and inductions that women are not being made aware of. Klein bemoans the fact that “women rarely receive the time (which should be at least an hour) that a full discussion of the complexities of birth alternatives deserves. Moreover, the person providing the counseling is often in a conflict of interest” (162-163). Women are not being properly informed of all the possible risks of medical interventions in part because these interventions tend to be more convenient for the doctor. The issue of choice and consent in regards to elective medical interventions is a gray one because how can someone make an informed decision without accurate information? Women are made to believe that vaginal births are terrifying and that c-sections, epidurals and inductions are the safest ways to give birth when that is not necessarily the case. Instead women should be made aware of the power and magnificence of their bodies. They should be aware that it is possible to give birth without heaps of medication and they do not need medical interventions in low-risk pregnancies. If after receiving accurate and detailed information, a woman still wants some medical intervention than that is her decision, but without being properly informed, it seems as if women are being trapped into believing that their bodies are once again not good enough. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
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</div><!--EndFragment-->Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4661324514509712351.post-60817203770776187742011-12-13T12:29:00.003-05:002013-06-14T08:54:06.325-04:00Monogamy as Mandatory?<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Our society is enraptured by monogamy. So much so that other forms of intimate relationships never cross the minds of most people. It’s talked about in nearly every movie and nearly every song: finding one’s soul mate, getting married and being extremely jealous because another individual is stepping on their romantic territory. Even the scientific community is participating in this love affair with monogamy. Animals and genes are being observed and analyzed to discover the roots of the one and only true way to be in a relationship. Now, as you should know by now from reading my other blog posts, I am not a fan of being told I only have one option. Life is never that simple and when someone tries to claim that life is that simple, something is very wrong. So what is monogamy? Why does society love it so much? And are there other options?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Monogamy is a type of relationship in which two individuals decide to have sex/be intimate only with one another. One recurring idea that I have come across in life and while researching for this post is the idea that monogamy is pure and natural. When I typed in the word “monogamy” or the phrase “monogamy in humans” in Google Scholar I was pretty shocked by all of these articles enthusiastically supporting the naturalness of monogamy. I could not help but wonder why was it so important to find examples of monogamy in the animal kingdom? Would discovering that monogamy exists in animals and even in animals closely related to humans really prove that monogamy is the only natural way? First of all, I have never understood the argument that something that is natural is automatically good. Obviously, that is not the case. Poison, diseases and hurricanes are natural, but they certainly are not things that people tend to want more of. Secondly, there are also many instances of non-monogamy in the animal kingdom. In their <a href="http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.3109/01674820309042802">article</a>, “The Benefit and the Doubt: Why Monogamy?,” G. A. Schuiling states, “The fact that humans can be monogamic is exceptional for an Ape: of the Apes, only the gibbons are [solely] monogamic” (56). They go on to say, “Chimpanzees live in relatively large, promiscuous groups (although there is a strict hierarchy with an ‘alpha male’ at the top, who mates with the majority of females). Male gorillas, on the other hand, have a harem of several females, while orangutans are polygamic” (56-57). Schuiling argues from an evolutionary theory perspective which I tend to dislike in discussions of sexuality, but I do find it amusing that nature readily challenges the “naturalness” of monogamy. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">That being said, I should explain why I tend to dislike evolutionary theory in discussions of sexuality. In evolutionary theory (and in everyday life) monogamy automatically refers to a heteronormative couple. Also monogamy is described as the pinnacle of evolution and as absolutely necessary because how else will females obtain resources in order to care for their offspring without a male present? In evolutionary theory, males are on the hunt for young fertile females to impregnate so their genes will be passed to future generations and females are on the hunt for a big, strong male who has lots of resources and who seems healthy enough to provide them with offspring (Schuiling 57). Well what about individuals who are not straight? What does evolutionary theory have to say about them? Pretty much nothing. People who are not heteronormative are seen as failures evolutionarily speaking because they will not procreate and spread their genes (which is obviously the only thing we live for), but at least, they can help care for the children of their heteronormative relatives in order to be evolutionarily useful according to the kin selection theory (this <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1090513801000745">theory</a>, by the way, is <a href="http://www.springerlink.com/content/j750525j872k7456/">incorrect</a>). Now, one could argue that these evolutionary theories only reference the past and obviously have no bearing in our modern world. I would disagree. These theories still influence the ideas and beliefs held by our society today. When society proclaims the naturalness of monogamy, they are also proclaiming the naturalness of heterosexuality and ‘traditional’ gender roles. This is evident in how ridiculously difficult it is for non-heterosexual people to gain equal marriage rights in this country. It is evident in the idea that in order for homosexuality to be seen as acceptable, a gene has to be discovered or examples in nature have to be found in order to prove its “naturalness” and by proxy, its goodness. It is evident in the idea that virginity (and the virginity of women, in particular) is still prized in this society. What better way to control women and their sexuality than to demonize them if they do not keep themselves ‘pure’ so they can be worthy of their future husbands who will provide them with resources? And it is evident in the idea that young (barely legal) women are the sexual ideal in this society. Obviously, one has to make sure they are fertile enough to spread a man’s genetic material.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">If monogamy is the only true and natural way, then why is divorce so common and necessary? Shouldn’t it be extremely easy to stay with the first person one falls in love with for the rest of their life? But it isn’t. People break up, divorce and cheat on their partners every day. Monogamy also has this connotation of being the more moral option because no one wants to be “promiscuous”. That is just not what good people do. Christian Klesse in their <a href="http://sexualities.sagepub.com/content/9/5/565.short">article</a>, “Polyamory and its ‘Others’: Contesting the Terms of Non-Monogamy,” states, “The derogatory term ‘promiscuity’ implies that a person has ‘unreasonable’ numbers of sexual partners. It is frequently associated with immaturity, character-deficiency, shallowness, narcissism, egocentrism, relational incapacity, lack of responsibility, and worthlessness” (573). This reminds me of a theme I constantly bring up: Normal vs. Abnormal. When I see a phenomenon described as abnormal or “unreasonable,” I cannot help but take a critical look at the argument being made. What exactly is an unreasonable amount of partners? Is it any partners other than the person one intends on marrying (if that’s even an option)? And is everyone capable of being promiscuous? I would postulate that only women have that dubious honor. I rarely hear teenage boys being told to be careful not to become “one of those boys”. So if having an “unreasonable” amount of partners makes a person an immature and worthless individual with a character deficiency, it is no wonder why many people do not even consider anything beyond monogamy (and lie about how many partners they’ve had). Interestingly enough, Schuiling comes to the same conclusion I do, using evolutionary theory in all of its essentialism. They conclude, “Culture, with its temptations but also with its system of bans and commandments, may strongly frustrate urges deeply rooted in the human mind” (Schuiling 59). Schuiling believes that although men and women desperately want to find that one perfect mate, they also want to mate with as many people as possible in order to ensure genetic security and survival. Schuiling thinks that cultural institutions, like religion and marriage, evolved to control these other urges as much as possible. As a result, according to Schuiling, compulsory monogamy is not natural for humans and flies in the face of other urges, which has the potential for conflict.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Now that I have discussed the ‘natural origins’ of monogamy, I want to discuss social influences and pressures. One idea that seems to be very powerful in this society is the idea of the “soul mate”. A soul mate is said to be the one and only person out there for everyone. No one else in this entire world will ever be better suited. This soul mate will have everything a person ever needed and will be everything they could possibly ever want. All someone has to do is find them. And if a person is in a relationship with someone who doesn’t have everything they want, the person either must deal with it and accept that they will not be completely fulfilled in this relationship or leave and find someone else because clearly that original person wasn’t their soul mate. This could lead to serial monogamy and eventual frustration because that one person who solves all of their romantic problems seems so elusive. Can one person really fulfill all of a person’s needs? Should there only be one person in one’s life to fulfill all of their needs? Society does not have this expectation for friendships. No one is forced to have only one best friend who MUST be able to handle all of their friendship needs. If there is enough room in one’s heart to love all of our friends and family in various ways and capacities, then why can’t there be enough room for multiple romantic/sexual/intimate relationships? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">This brings the discussion to the topic of polyamory and other types of non-monogamy. There are many different types of non-monogamy, but three common types are: Swinging (being in a relationship with one person, but being able to have sex with others with the consent of the partner), casual sex (sex with multiple people without building committed relationships), and polyamory (building various types of relationships with multiple people). I should state that all 3 forms of non-monogamy are valid and none of them are better than others. For the purpose of this post, I will talk a bit more about polyamory. Jin Haritaworn, Chin-ju Lin and Christian Klesse, in their <a href="http://w3.ufsm.br/ppgcsociais/docs/ACriticalIntroductiontoPolyamory[1].pdf">article</a>, “Poly/logue: A Critical Introduction to Polyamory,” assert that polyamory <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">“<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">tries to provide languages and ethical guidelines for alternative lifestyles and sexual and intimate relationships beyond the culture of ‘compulsory monogamy’ (518).”</span></span> </span>In essence, it is about options and providing people with other ways to love or relate with others if monogamy does not make them happy. Two common reactions that I receive when I bring up the topic of polyamory with someone new are “Oh no, I would get too jealous” and “Isn’t that just cheating?” The role of jealousy in a relationship is very fascinating to me. It almost seems as if jealousy is a required part of a monogamous relationship. Jealousy is a horrible emotion. It is based out of insecurity (regarding one’s self and the relationship) and the idea that another person might pose a threat to the relationship. I am sure most people would agree that it is not a pleasant experience, but for some reason, it is still seen as something that just happens, just another aspect of being in a relationship. But honestly it does not have to be this way in any relationship, monogamous or non-monogamous. A successful relationship, whether it is monogamous or non-monogamous, requires communication and honesty. Without these things, relationships are doomed to fail. Being honest to partners about one’s feelings and encouraging open discussion about them will assuage negative feelings. Jealousy is a powerful emotion, but that does not mean people should let it get the best of them. Acknowledging one’s own jealousy and then discussing it with your partner(s) is a healthier and more positive way of dealing with it without damaging the relationship in question. And as for cheating: No, being poly is not synonymous with cheating. Cheating involves hiding/lying to your partner(s). As long as you are honest with your partners and communicate with them clearly about your needs and desires then no, it is not cheating. And being poly, just like any other form of relationship, requires honesty and communication to make it work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">As I said before, for me, it is all about giving people the ability to choose what is best for them. Polyamory is not for everyone just like monogamy isn’t for everyone. People deserve options and shouldn’t be forced into one type of relationship. One type of relationship is not more “natural” or better than another. Monogamy is not mandatory and no one should feel ashamed for living a life that fulfills them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4661324514509712351.post-43500061344705030392011-11-20T00:05:00.001-05:002013-06-14T08:38:47.732-04:00Neonatal Male Circumcision: Harmless Tradition or Child Abuse?<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">For the purposes of this blog post, I am defining ‘neonatal male circumcision’ as the ‘nonreligious tradition of surgically removing the foreskin from a male newborn baby’s penis as practiced in American hospitals’. Let me just say that I firmly believe that circumcising a male infant is wrong. Period. It’s really an issue of consent for me. The infant cannot consent to having a piece of their penis cut off. I really cannot think of any significant reason why infants should be circumcised. I think it’s just another way for medical practitioners to make a little money and just another tradition that most people follow without truly thinking of the their reasons for doing so. In this post, I am going to list three of the most common arguments for male circumcision that I have heard personally and then I will pick them apart. Enjoy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><u>Common Arguments for Neonatal Male Circumcision:</u></span></span></div>
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<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><u><i>Protection Against Future STIs</i></u></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">In their <a href="http://www.bmj.com/content/320/7249/1592.short">meta-analysis</a> of multiple research studies, “How Does Male Circumcision Protect Against HIV Infection?,” Robert Szabo and Roger V. Short state that “…circumcised males are two to eight times less likely to become infected with HIV. Futhermore, circumcision also protects against other sexually transmitted infections, such as syphilis and gonorrhea…” (1593). HIV is thought to initially attach to CD4 and CCR5 receptors found in genital and rectal mucosa and much of these receptors are found in the foreskin of the penis. So the assertion that circumcision has the potential to act as protection against STIs is valid. However, there are confounds to this research. Most of the research that focuses on male circumcision and HIV are conducted in Africa with adult men. As Robert S. Van Howe asserts in his <a href="http://mdm.sagepub.com/content/24/6/584">article</a>, “A Cost-Utility Analysis of Neonatal Circumcision,” “The HIV pandemic in Africa demonstrates distinct epidemiological differences from the outbreaks in North America or Europe. For example, most infections in Europe and North America are transmitted by nonheteroexual means” (591). Stephen Moses et al <a href="http://sti.bmj.com/content/74/5/368.short">agrees</a>, “It has been pointed out that different sexual practices or hygienic behaviors can confound the association between circumcision status and HIV infection…different risks of becoming infected may be due to behavioral factors, not circumcision status” (369). In short, it would be inaccurate to take research conducted in Africa and try to apply it in America. The cultures, traditions and sexual practices differ. For example, in Africa, HIV is mostly transmitted though heterosexual PV intercourse. In contrast, MSM (men who have sex with men) are one of the main high-risk groups in the US. Also many of these studies conducted in Africa are with adult males who are already deeply embedded in a widespread HIV pandemic, not currently seen in the US. One major thing easily overlooked in this research is the role of condom-use. Although, in the studies conducted in Africa, condoms are readily available to the participants, it is admitted that most of the men “never used condoms, and condom use did not seem to influence the rate of transmission of HIV” (Szabo and Short 1592)”. Of course, condom-use did not influence the rate of HIV transmission. They were not being used! According to the <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/condomeffectiveness/latex.htm">CDC</a> (Center for Disease Control and Prevention), “Laboratory studies have demonstrated that latex condoms provide an essentially impermeable barrier to particles the size of HIV... [and] particles the size of STD pathogens”. Condoms protect against HIV and other STIs. Is surgery really necessary?</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Those who support neonatal circumcision as a preventative mechanism against HIV in America are basically using the argument: ‘Circumcising a male infant will probably protect males from possible future transmission of STIs if your son decides to have unprotected sex’. Neonatal male circumcision costs, on average, between <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/23/health/23consumer.html">$200 and $400</a>. Condoms are given out freely at any healthcare facility and college. How is it in any way preferable as a parent to spend at least $200 on a painful surgical procedure to protect your son from possible future STIs when the same protection could be given for much cheaper with a condom and a lesson in proper bodily and sexual hygiene? And, for that matter, h</span>ow can one ever be certain that one act in infancy will really protect adult men against anything in the future? The individual has an entire life’s worth of behaviors to confound any kind of neonatal protection. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">And let me restate, the baby is being put through a painful procedure that they cannot consent to. If it is not ok to cut off a piece of an adult’s anatomy without their permission, why is doing it to an infant perfectly fine? If an adult male wants to be circumcised to lower his present risk for HIV by undergoing this procedure, than that’s fine. That’s his decision. However, putting a male infant through a painful (and costly) procedure that may or may not protect him for possible future STI transmission is sick in my opinion. Also there is a risk of complications, like accidental (further) mutilation of the genitals, infections and, rarely, death. The risks, at least in my opinion, outweigh the benefits of possible future protection.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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People seem to be concerned about whether or not a penis is circumcised for aesthetic reasons, i.e. circumcised penises are believed to look better. Let me tell you a secret: All erect penises look the same. Problem solved. Cutting off part of your infant’s genitals just because you think they will be more sexually appealing in the future is disturbing. Please stop thinking the aesthetic appeal of your infant’s genitals.</div>
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Really? Although at first glance, their status is questionable, newborns are definitely humans. Therefore, they have nerves and they can feel. In their <a href="http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/101/6/e5.full.html">article</a>, “Circumcision Practice Patterns in the United States,” Howard J. Stang and Leonard W. Snellman reveal, “all too frequently, the physician performing the circumcision denies the infant the benefits of anesthesia because of inaccurate perceptions of the risks of anesthesia or denial that the procedure warrants such amelioration of pain” (3). The idea that infants are denied anesthesia just because it is assumed that they probably won’t feel the pain is troubling. And as for the belief that circumcision is ok because the infants will not remember the pain: So I can hurt anyone I want as long as they forget about it later? </div>
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Males should be allowed to make the decision of whether or not to be circumcised on their own when they are adults. At the point of adulthood, they will be able to assess their own risk for STIs and will make the decision of whether or not to be circumcised. In an area facing an HIV pandemic, like Africa, where condoms are simply not being used, than it is easy to see why circumcision could be a viable option for adult men who want to lower their risk while still having unprotected PV sex. However, in the United States, where condom-use is mostly encouraged and there is better access to sexual health education materials, neonatal circumcision is unnecessary. Also it is extremely interesting to compare Western views regarding male and female circumcision, also known as Female Genital Mutilation, (I’ll make a post about this at some point in the near future). Nearly everyone in the US will agree that FSM is wrong. Most people will say it’s a nonconsensual act that causes physical and psychological scarring to innocent young girls. However, these same people will argue that male circumcision is perfectly normal and safe ‘in the right hands’. So what’s the difference? At the end of the day, a child is still getting parts of their genitals chopped off without their consent. Is it just because it has become a tradition in Western society? And are parents being properly informed of the extent of the benefits and risks of circumcision? Doctors should inform them of current research and give them the information needed to make educated decisions. And parents should not take every single thing their doctor says as law. Do some research. Weigh the pros and cons and make an educated decision. An infant should not have to suffer just because of possible future STI transmission and shallow societal aesthetics. </div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4661324514509712351.post-49183689726602086272011-11-10T22:01:00.000-05:002011-11-10T22:01:30.989-05:00A Quick Thought: The F-Up Agreement<!--StartFragment--> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal">So as I’m sure I’ve mentioned once or twice, I do psychology/sexuality research at an internship in NYC. In my internship, I work with and interview the participants in the studies. The other day, I called in one of my supervisors to do her part in the interview and, during her segment, she brought up something that I just have to share with you.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">So the concept that my supervisor (let’s call her Sally) brought up is called, “The F-up Agreement”. This agreement applies to individuals in committed relationships who decide that they do not want to use protection (condoms, dental dams, etc) in their relationship anymore and want to become “fluid-bonded” (i.e. have sex without condoms, dental dams, etc). “The F-up Agreement” has two parts. Part one is the agreement that they won’t use protection in their relationship, but if and/or when they have sex with people outside of the relationship, they will use protection. Part two of the agreement states that if one partner “f’s up” and has sex outside of the relationship without protection, they can ask to use protection in the relationship with their primary partner(s) with no questions asked.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Now, I love this agreement. Sexuality researchers and therapists are realistic. As awesome as it would be for everyone to use protection all the time for the rest of their lives, we all know that’s not going to happen. And realistically, no one in a committed relationship wants to use protection for the rest of their lives. It’s understandable. I just want people to be as healthy and safe as possible and to understand/be aware of the risks. This theory is both realistic and risk-aware. One thing I’ve noticed over and over again in sexuality research is how hard it is for people to talk about safe sex and STIs in relationships, both committed and casual. Lots of assumptions are made, but, in many cases, no actual conversations are had. For instance, I know of one man who contracted HIV, but did not do intravenous drugs and was in one committed relationship for years. How did he get HIV? His partner had contracted HIV and never told him because the partner was afraid that he would leave him. It’s easy to judge the partner, but everyone who has been in sexual relationship knows how difficult and “unsexy” it is to bring up STIs. I think this agreement allows for sexual safety without the 'awkwardness' that everyone is afraid of. Now, I know “The F-up Agreement” involves a lot of trust and maturity. I’m sure the temptation to ask your partner exactly why they suddenly want to use protection would be very strong. However, you have to respect the fact that your partner cares enough about you that they would ask to use protection in the first place. And interrogating your partner would put a strain on the relationship and, if a “f-up” happens again in the future, the partner might not say anything anymore. This agreement is about the greater good of the relationship and the sexual health of everyone involved. It’s about trust and responsibility. And honestly, if you don’t trust someone enough to take care of their own sexual health and, indirectly, yours, then maybe you shouldn’t be in a relationship with them. Just a thought.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><!--EndFragment-->Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4661324514509712351.post-55936786942963743162011-11-09T03:02:00.004-05:002013-06-14T08:24:02.886-04:00Sex Addiction Part 2<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222;">
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">I recently had a mini-debate with someone in regards to whether or not the word “addiction” was an appropriate word to describe the phenomenon of “sex addiction”. In this section, I will discuss why I think “addiction” is not a suitable word, the other party’s counterargument and my following counterarguments. Please read "<a href="http://sexmiseducation.blogspot.com/2011/11/sex-addiction-part-1.html?zx=4fbc8e256d77516c">Sex Addiction Part 1</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">” first. It explains what the phenomenon of “sex addiction” is, its relation to medicalization, how it reinforces sexual scripts and gender stereotypes, etc.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">So I think a great way to start would be to define the word “addiction”. Now, when most people think of an addiction, they think about withdrawal symptoms and trying to quit and being unable to, but that’s not the whole story. Nick Heather, in his <a href="http://jop.sagepub.com/content/12/1/3">article</a>, “A Conceptual Framework for Explaining Drug Addiction,” describes addiction in three parts: “(1) the level of neuroadaptation, (2) the level of desire for drugs and (3) the level of ‘akrasia’ or failures of resolve” (3). To clarify, an individual becomes addicted to a something when they resolve to stop, but fail many times, when they build up a tolerance and suffer from withdrawal symptoms upon trying to stop, and experience neuroadaption, which is when their brain changes permanently as a result of taking the drug. Common examples of permanent changes to the brain would be a decrease in dopamine production or a decrease in gray matter as a result of using the substance, that causes your body to need the substance in order to maintain a state of 'normal' (for lack of a better word at the moment) that non-substance users experience. My argument is that becoming “addicted” to sex is impossible because one cannot become addicted to behaviors. Behaviors do not cause neuroadaption and there has been no empirical evidence that the desire for lots of sex or having lots of sex causes physical changes in the brain. Two counterarguments I have seen for this were “Well, sex releases dopamine so can’t someone become addicted to that release?” and “I stopped having sex for a while and I suffered from withdrawal symptoms. I felt terrible.” To counter the first argument: Yes, sex results in a release in dopamine, many daily activities do. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that is essential in learning and in making sure we continue to do things that are beneficial to our survival, like eating and having sex. Dopamine is related to feelings of pleasure and its release serves as a reward to the body for performing essential tasks so the individual will continue to do it in the future. However, the release of dopamine does not automatically result in addiction. The release of dopamine in the brain experienced through daily activities is a normal dosage that the body is naturally used to. However, the amount of dopamine released into the system when taking something like cocaine is well over and beyond the amount the body is used to. Cocaine inhibits the reuptake of dopamine, allowing the neurotransmitter to flood the brain. As a result of this unnatural flood of dopamine, the brain decides that it does not need to produce its own dopamine anymore. Now the brain is changed permanently and the user’s dopamine levels are below the norm without the drug. The individual no longer feels naturally rewarded without the drug. This is why many drug users say they need the drug to feel normal. In regards to the second argument, the difference between the experiences one might have after not having sex for awhile versus not taking a drug is that one can actually potentially die from the latter. In their <a href="http://www.jstor.org/stable/3812739">article</a>, “Myth of Sexual Compulsivity,” Martin P. Levine and Richard R. Trioden agree with me stating: “First sex is not a form of addiction…Sex is an experience, not a substance. Although sexual experiences may be “mood altering,” abrupt withdrawal from sexual behavior does not lead to forms of physiological distress such as diarrhea, delirium, convulsions or death. Vomiting induced by fear of giving up a learned pattern for dealing with anxiety (such as having sex) is not the same thing as vomiting induced by physiological withdrawal from a physically addicting substance” (357). In light of these facts, the word “addiction” is not appropriate and the phenomenon does not fulfill all the necessary requirements to be referred to as such.</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Moving away from the biological to more cultural/social perspectives, I want to discuss the main counterargument of the individual with whom I had the mini-debate with. His argument was that discounting the appropriateness of the disease model of addiction in regards to this phenomenon creates a stigma against those who suffer from it. He also specifically mentioned a moral stigma being directed to these individuals as well. My argument is that the term “sex addiction” and all of the connotations and meanings surrounding it create and reaffirm stigmas and stereotypes rather than erasing them. In “Sex Addiction Part 1,” I discussed how individuals who label themselves as ‘sex addicts’ tend to believe that medicalizing this phenomenon removes all the moral judgment and stigma that they otherwise might suffer as if medicine is somehow immune to social influences and morals. I further argued that this is not the case (see <a href="http://sexmiseducation.blogspot.com/2011/11/sex-addiction-part-1.html?zx=4fbc8e256d77516c">post</a> for more). The diagnosis for “sex addiction” actually creates distinctions between “good” sexual behaviors/fantasies and “bad” sexual behaviors/fantasies. “Good” sexual behaviors/fantasies usually exist within the context of heterosexual sex in a heterosexual marriage or committed relationship. Anything else is usually labeled “bad”. Levine et al continues this train of thought, saying, “In addition, as conceptualized professionally, sexual addiction is currently the only type of ‘addiction’ in which the addict is not expected to give up [their] ‘drug’ of choice as a part of the ‘treatment’. As long as sex is ‘used’ in appropriate contexts (such as marriage, a committed relationship), the addict has been ‘cured’. Note that sexual expression is condoned when it occurs in the social contexts that affirm the traditional sexual order, but medicalized as an “addiction” when it falls outside existing norms” (357). Not only does “sex addiction” stigmatize certain sexual behaviors, but it also reaffirms gender stereotypes (see part 1). Another thing to think about is the connotations behind the word “addiction”. Calling this phenomenon/construction an addiction, even amongst lay people in daily life, is not beneficial to those who suffer from it. The word “addiction” is associated with drugs, especially hard drugs that have no real beneficial qualities, due in part to their addictive aspects. It can be implied from this comparison that sex is also inherently bad. We all know this isn’t the case. Sex is generally good. It’s just that when a person feels like that they HAVE to have sex all the time or find themselves constantly thinking about it and it causes them distress or inhibits other aspects of their life, sex becomes negative to them in that situation. In that specific case, the individual should go see a sex-positive therapist as I stated in Part 1. However, we should be careful of the words we use. Words are important. They hold ideas behind them and the words that become commonly used are extremely powerful and we should take care to use words that do not have serious negative effects on the issues we care so dearly about. The term “sex addiction” may be comforting to some on an individual level, but it strengthens societal anxieties about sex by painting different aspects of sexuality in a negative light.</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">A quick note (more of a P.S.): So I used to subscribe to the term “sexual compulsion” as a substitute for “sex addiction”. After doing the research for and thinking about this blog post, I realized that I was focusing too much on terminology without looking at the bigger picture. Although the term “sex compulsion” fixes the addiction definition issue, it is just as guilty for painting sex in a negative light. Now, I think that giving this phenomenon a special medical name individualizes it and ignores the social issues. I’d rather it not be named and believe that, in therapy, societal factors should be taken into account along with the person’s individual experiences.</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4661324514509712351.post-68265933932782878212011-11-07T23:53:00.000-05:002013-06-14T08:15:23.750-04:00Sex Addiction Part 1<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
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This post is part one in a two-part post regarding sex addiction. This part will focus on the phenomenon of sex addiction, its presentation in men and women and how it influences/is influenced by societal norms. Part two will discuss terminology: whether or not the word “addiction” should be used to describe this phenomenon and discusses other terms that have been put forth by mental health professionals.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Ok so, what is sex addiction? According to <a href="http://www.jstor.org/stable/3812739">Martin P. Levine and Richard R. Troiden</a>, it is the phenomenon in which individuals “feel driven to engage frequently in nonnormative sex, often with destructive consequences for their intimate relationships (e.g. marriages) and occupational roles” (349). Diagnosed sex addicts report a sense of being unable to control their sexual behavior and fantasies and feel distress as a result. In my opinion, the phenomenon of sex addiction is another form of medicalization (See previous <a href="http://sexmiseducation.blogspot.com/2011/09/medicalization-of-sexuality.html?zx=28ef4f1d1e0cfbf7">blog</a> for an in-depth explanation of medicalization). Medicalization is the process in which various phenomena are perceived in the realm of the individual and as an appropriate area for medical and pharmaceutical intervention. In short, medicalization believes that any problem and solution is solely found within the individual person. I’m not a fan of medicalization because it tends give short-term (individual) solutions to long-term (societal) problems. Medicalization tends to believe that giving an individual a pill will solve all their problems without giving any consideration to the environment (societal and otherwise) the person lives in. According to Janice M. Irvine, in her <a href="http://www.jstor.org/stable/4617181">article</a>, “Reinventing Perversion: Sex Addiction and Cultural Anxieties,” many individuals label themselves as “sex addicts” because “it has the alleged moral neutrality of disease; they feel relieved…to attribute their sexual problems to the disease of addiction” (433). They believe the use of medical terms and medical intervention erases stigma and social judgment. However, medicine is not immune to cultural and social influences. For example, the first edition of The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, published in 1952, “defined masturbation, fellatio, cunnilingus, homosexuality and sexual promiscuity as forms of mental illness” (Levine et al, 353). However, now, masturbation, oral sex and homosexuality are no longer seen as disorders. The boundaries of what is considered normal and abnormal changes within time and space. Levine agrees saying, “In any given society, sexual scripts provide the standards determining erotic control and normalcy. What one society regards as being sexually “out of control” or deviant, may or may not be viewed as such in another” (351). Medicine is just as susceptible to the changing whims of a given society as anything else. It is not immune and it is not objective, although it would love to be.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The socially constructed phenomenon of sex addiction is influenced by and strengthens sexual scripts and gender stereotypes as well as reinforces cultural anxieties about sex. Men who are diagnosed with sex addiction are said to “exhibit repetitive and extreme forms of behavior. Often they are prone to violence, or engage in fetishistic behavior” (Irvine, 446). These behaviors include “uncontrollable promiscuity, autoeroticism, transvestism, homosexuality, exhibitionism, voyeurism, fetishism, incest, child molestation and rape” (Levine et al, 349). In contrast, women who are diagnosed with sex addiction are said to engage in “frequent dangerous sexual encounters with strangers” (Levine et al, 350) in which they are either “risking victimization or using sex to feel vicariously powerful” (Irving, 446). Men are described as violent, yet powerful in a frenzied animalistic way as a result of uncontrollable lust. However, women are either helpless victims or as desperately trying to seize the power that only men have (Can anyone say Freud?). Irving declares “the concept of sex addiction is also antithetical to feminism in that it shapes ideas about ‘appropriate’ women’s sexuality into static imperatives” (449). For something that is supposed to erase stigma, it affirms old ones: of men as animals and women as weak. <br />
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The concept of sex addiction also attacks sex as a behavior and as an identity/orientation. Many sex addiction self-help groups condemn “pornography, sex without love, and multiple partners” (Irving, 446). An individual is considered cured from their sex addiction when they are engaging in sexual behavior that is normative and condoned by mainstream society, i.e. heterosexual sex within the confines of heterosexual marriage or a committed relationship. Also individuals who participant in sexual behavior that is not considered normative (people who are polyamorous, not straight, and/or enjoy casual sex) are, by definition, labeled as disordered. It does make me wonder if the guilt and distress diagnosed sex addicts feel is, at least in part, linked to societal condemnation of their sexual behavior. Maybe if society were more accepting of non-normative sexual behaviors and fantasies, there be would be less guilt and distress?</div>
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Sex addiction is more than a term and much more than a “disease”. It is a powerful construction used to label people, to sway minds and to control the public. It individualizes societal issues and problems instead of solving them and reinforces gender stereotypes. That all being said, if someone feels that they are experiencing sexual urges that are causing them distress and impairs their daily functioning, then they should go see an open-minded, sex-positive therapist. Whether it results from negative societal views of sex or an individual issue or both can hopefully be determined with therapy.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--EndFragment-->Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4661324514509712351.post-4838414658674126762011-09-27T17:43:00.012-04:002013-06-14T08:07:18.607-04:00HIV 101<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Because of the research projects I am currently interning for, I have been thinking/reading about HIV-related topics for the past 5 months. I think it would be negligent of me to not make a HIV 101 post. Conducting and listening to interviews of study participants has made me cognizant of how little people still know about HIV, how it is transmitted, how they can protect themselves and what is available (in NYC) to those who become HIV positive. So I am going to start with a basic HIV 101 post and in the future, I will post more in-depth analyses of HIV-related topics.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Note: For this post, I am going to list the links I used at the end instead of sprinkling them throughout the post like I usually do. This is to ensure a more fluid post.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><i><u>What is HIV and What Does It Do?</u></i></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. HIV attacks the CD4 cells aka T-cells in the immune system. These cells usually assist the body in fighting off infections and diseases and without them, the body is defenseless against opportunistic infections. An opportunistic infection is an infection that the body is usually able to fight without a problem, but because HIV has weakened the immune system, the infection seizes this opportunity and attacks the body. At this point, HIV turns into AIDS, which stands for Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. With AIDS, the immune system is seriously damaged and the individual dies from opportunistic infections. For the record, HIV does not have to progress into AIDS. In this day and age, an individual can take medication and live a long and otherwise healthy life with HIV without it progressing into AIDS.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><i><u style="background-color: black;">How can HIV Be Transmitted?</u></i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The fluids that have a high risk for transmitting HIV are blood, semen (cum), breast milk and vaginal fluid. Pre-seminal fluid (precum) that is released during sexual intercourse can also transmit HIV. To clear things up, HIV CANNOT be transmitting from the following: saliva, tears, sharing food, utensils, cups and bathrooms with a HIV-positive person, hugging, breathing, coughing and sneezing. HIV cannot be transmitted through the air and HIV cannot survive for long outside of the body. HIV is a virus and, like a parasite, desperately needs a living host in order to survive. The only way for HIV to be successfully transmitted is if the infected fluid comes directly in contact with wounds, tears and lesions.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><i><u style="background-color: black;">Risky Behaviors</u></i></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Unprotected Receptive Anal Sex (Bottoming)</u> – The anus is not made for sexual intercourse the way the vagina is. The lining of the anus is very thin and prone to tearing and infected semen can get into the broken skin. Receptive Anal Sex is inherently riskier than insertive anal sex because the bottom is receiving the potentially infected semen from the top.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Unprotected Insertive Anal Sex (Topping)</u> – Infected blood from tears in the bottom’s anus can get into the urethra and into any tears/open sores on the penis.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Unprotected Vaginal Sex</u> – The vaginal wall can also tear and HIV can be absorbed through the mucous membranes of the vagina and cervix. And infected blood and vaginal fluid can get into the urethra and any tears/open sores on the penis.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Unprotected Oral Sex</u> – This is the least common way to transmit HIV. Risk increases if the person has cuts in their mouth. It is recommended that a person does not brush their teeth or floss right before or after unprotected oral sex. Bleeding gums could ease the transmission of HIV.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Having another STI</u> (sexually transmitted infection), like herpes, could increase the risk of HIV transmission because of the possibility of having open sores or the effect that the STI may have on the immune system.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Sharing needles and other injecting drug equipment</u> – Residual blood left on drug paraphernalia can spread HIV.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Obviously abstinence is the best prevention of HIV and other STIs, but let’s be realistic. Most people aren’t just going to stop having sex so here are other ways to prevent HIV transmission.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Condoms stop the spread of fluids by creating a protective barrier. Dental dams, like condoms, provide a protective barrier when performing oral sex on a vulva and/or rimming (licking someone’s anus). Also latex gloves can be used if a person has cuts on their fingers or long nails and wants to finger another person’s vagina or anus. Lube decreases the likelihood of tears in the vagina and anus, reducing the likelihood of fluid transmission. Proper lube use is also important. DO NOT use oil-based lubes!!! Oil breaks down the latex in condoms and gloves, making them useless and ineffective. Examples of oil-based lubes are: lotion, cooking oils (i.e. Crisco), and baby oil. Again, DO NOT USE THESE!!! Water-based and silicone-based lubes are perfect for sex and do not break down latex. These lubes are usually sold as sex lubes and can be found at your nearest drugstore/pharmacy/sex shop. Two quick notes: If you are susceptible to yeast infections, avoid water-based lubes that contain glycerin. And do not use silicone-based lube with silicone sex toys, it will eat away at your toy, rendering your expensive sex toy useless. Speaking of sex toys, be sure to clean your sex toys after every use, especially if you use your toys on multiple people.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">PrEP</span></u></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">PrEP stands for</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"> </span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis.</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"> </span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">It is another form of HIV prevention in which HIV negative people, who are at high risk for contracting the virus, take a low dose of antiretroviral medication (A type of HIV medicine.) every day in order to try to decrease their chances of becoming infected. According to the CDC, PrEP has been shown to be effective with men who have sex with men (MSM) and heterosexual men and women.</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><i><u>Statistics From the Center for Disease Control (Who Is Most At Risk?)</u></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In future blog posts, I will go into why these populations are more susceptible than others, but this is a HIV 101 post so I want to give basic information.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">“Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM)</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"> </span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">represent approximately 2% of the US population, yet are the population most severely affected by HIV and are the only risk group in which new HIV infections have been increasing steadily since the early 1990s. In 2006, MSM accounted for more than half (53%) of all new HIV infections in the United States, and MSM with a history of injection drug use (MSM-IDU) accounted for an additional 4% of new infections.</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"> ”</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">“In 2009, there were an estimated 11,200 new HIV infections among women in the United States. That year, women comprised 51% of the US population and 23% of those newly infected with HIV.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">“For women living with a diagnosis of HIV infection, the most common methods of transmission were high-risk heterosexual contact<sup> </sup>and injection drug use.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">“In 2009, the rate of new HIV infections among black women was 15 times that of white women, and over 3 times the rate among Hispanic/Latina women.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">African-Americans</span></u></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">“</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">By race/ethnicity, African Americans face the most severe burden of HIV in the United States (US). At the end of 2007, blacks accounted for almost half (46%) of people living with a diagnosis of HIV infection in the 37 states</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">”</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Hispanics</span></u></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">“</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">While Hispanics/ Latinos<sup> </sup>represented approximately 15% of the United States (US) population in 2006, they accounted for 17% of new HIV infections in the 50 states and the District of Columbia during that same year.</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">”</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">“Nearly half of the 19 million new STDs each year are among young people aged 15–24 years.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">To seroconvert is to become HIV positive. With the introduction of better HIV medications and a greater understanding of the virus, individuals who are HIV positive are now able to live full relatively healthy lives. There’s no cure for HIV, but there are treatments to decrease likelihood of transmission and to deal with complications resulting from opportunistic infections. There are public health services that cater to HIV positive individuals, like <a href="http://www.health.state.ny.us/diseases/aids/resources/adap/formulary.htm">ADAP</a> (AIDS drug assistance program that provides health insurance)</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">, psychological therapy, housing assistance, and substance abuse services. New York State, especially, is well known for its services. Two NYC centers that I have personally heard amazing things about are <a href="http://www.gmhc.org/">GMHC</a> </span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">and <a href="http://www.harlemunited.org/">Harlem United</a></span>.<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"> Also check the <a href="http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/home/home.shtml">Department of Health</a> for more information</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">. You are not alone.</span></span></span></div>
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<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>NYS HIV/AIDS Hotline</u> - 1-800-541-AIDS</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>NYS TTY/TTD HIV/AIDS Information Hotline</u> - 1-212-925-9560</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>NYS HIV/AIDS Counseling Hotline</u> - 1-800-872-2777</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>NYCDOHMH HIV/AIDS Hotline</u> - 1-800-TALK-HIV</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Confidentiality</u> - 1-800-926-5065</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>Legal Action Center</u> - 1-212-243-1313; 1-800-223-4044</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u>NYS Division of Human Rights</u> - 1-800-523-2437; 1-212-306-7500</span></li>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: red; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://aids.gov/hiv-aids-basics/hiv-aids-101/overview/what-is-hiv-aids/">What is HIV?</a> </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: red; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/resources/qa/transmission.htm">HIV Transmission</a> </span></div>
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<a href="http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/women/index.htm"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: red; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Statistics for Women</span></a></div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4661324514509712351.post-45274919157879910122011-09-21T17:13:00.020-04:002013-06-14T07:58:01.779-04:00The Medicalization of Sexuality<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">What is medicalization? It is both a process and a viewpoint. It is the idea that every aspect of the life should be observed and defined from a medical perspective. All negative or uncertain phenomena become labeled as diseases or disorders that fall under the jurisdiction of doctors and must be treated with medication. Medicalization falls under the Western biomedical view of health, which defines health as a lack of disease. Human phenomena falls under only two categories: health and illness. As you may know, I’m not a fan of binaries. Binaries oversimplify reality and leads to oppression as some groups are cast to the side because they do not fit in. The biomedical perspective also focuses only on individual health and how to solve an individual problem. My problems with the biomedical perspective and medicalization as a whole are the unwillingness to look beyond the individual into interpersonal and societal factors, disease-mongering in order to make a profit with short-term medications that do not fix long-term societal or psychological issues, the mislabeling of phenomena as disorders or problems and the downplaying of cognitive-behavioral therapy in favor of pills.</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">So what do I mean when I say “the medicalization of sexuality”? Sexuality has always been defined in terms of normal or abnormal, permissible or inexcusable. And sexuality has even been seen as something that can be cured, whether it was through prayer or electroshock therapy. However, something that is new and unique to the past few decades is the idea that aspects of sexuality and sexual phenomena can be studied and treated as if they were medical diseases and disorders. The idea that popping a pill or undergoing a medical procedure can solve all one’s sexual problems is a very new concept. The DSM-IV-TR, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Edition Four, Text Revision, is the current edition of the book used by psychiatrists, psychologists and other health and mental health professionals to diagnosis psychological disorders. It is very controversial, yet it was created to standardize diagnostic methodologies to avoid a situation where two psychologists diagnose a patient with two completely different disorders. One of the reasons why the DSM is controversial is the section on sexual dysfunctions. In the DSM, certain sexual phenomena are listed and declared abnormal. This should make any critical thinker wonder: “What ideal is the phenomena being compared to? What is “normal”?” “Who decides what is normal and, in particular, what is sexually normal?” Society does. The social sciences in this society are well known for using college-aged Caucasian males as the subject of research studies. This small segment of society, that is in no way representative of this society, is set up as the standard for all other members of society. Obviously, that’s ridiculous.</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">Step two of medicalization: Now, that we have the disease, it’s time to treat it with medical miracles. I can’t watch TV for longer than five minutes before an advertisement for some pill pops up. Did you know those ads are illegal in most industrialized countries? Heather Hartley and Leonore Tiefer, in their <a href="http://www.jstor.org/stable/40004551">article</a>, “Taking a Biological Turn: The Push for a "Female Viagra" and the Medicalization of Women's Sexual Problems,” state, “Direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising of prescription-only drugs, a phenomenon prohibited in most of the industrialized world, was newly permitted by the FDA in 1997 and plays an important role in the current trends (P. 43).” These commercials are funded by the drug companies who produce the drugs being advertised. They declare that these drugs can fix your current problem and even problems you didn’t even know you had while whispering very quickly all the nasty side effects. These side effects and complications can lead to the individual taking more and more drugs to make up for it, keeping the person trapped in a medicated web. Now, people, seduced by these commercials, run to their doctors and demand these drugs. Medicine is supposed to be about healing people, not about disease-mongering and scaring people for profit. Another thing to think about, that the commercials never tell you, is that studies have shown that, in many cases, medication alone is not nearly as effective as therapy or therapy along with short-term medication. Therapy is needed in order to learn how to live in the long-term without drugs (or with lower doses). One learns techniques to manage and/or solve their problems without the side effects. And therapy can include other people in the person’s life to provide support and to assuage any shame and stigma associated with the issue the person is facing. It is even more insidious and, in my opinion, disgusting when medicalization creeps into sexuality.</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">Two examples of the medicalization of sexuality that I will be focusing on are Viagra and Female Sexual Dysfunction (FSD). Everyone knows about Viagra. It blasted into mainstream culture and men pretty much paraded in the streets. However, I want to argue that the creation of Viagra has actually had negative effects and has perpetuated a negative and unrealistic standard that affects everyone. Female Sexual Dysfunction is an umbrella term used to describe difficulties in having/maintaining sexual desire (i.e. wanting to have sex), arousal (the vagina becoming lubricated) and orgasm. It is implied that FSD is a purely individual and medical problem that can be solved with a pill or a medical procedure. The trouble begins when one thinks about how a sexual phenomenon is labeled as a dysfunction (Think about what I said earlier: Who gets to determine what is normal?) and, because it is seen as a medical problem, societal and interpersonal factors are ignored.</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">The pharmaceutical industry, through the creation of Viagra and FSD, perpetuate ideals that continue to have a strong grip on individuals and on society. Barry A. Bass, in his <a href="http://tfj.sagepub.com/content/9/3/337.short">article</a>, “The Sexual Performance Perfection Industry and the Medicalization of Male Sexuality</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">,” states, “The definition of sex, put forth by an industry in which sildenafil (Viagra) is held out to the world as nothing less than the miracle medical breakthrough of the century, represents a phallocentric, sexist, homophobic, and iatrogenic orientation to human sexuality” (P. 338). Ok so let’s unpack this in terms of both Viagra and FSD:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><i><u>Phallocentric</u></i> – The great sex that Viagra promises to men is a kind of sex that focuses solely on the function of the genitals and nothing else. According to the pharmaceutical industry, all you need for sex is a hard penis. Your relationships or the lack of them are not important. Neither are any emotions you might feel or what your situation in life is like. Basically none of the things that might be the underlying causes of your problem matter. Just take this pill, get hard and give me your money. Viagra turns sex from an awesome interaction between two or more people into a performance. Since, according to their outlook, one cannot have sex until a hard penis is present, it puts a lot of pressure on the man to get hard immediately and every single time. As one gets older, this just is not possible and there’s nothing wrong with that. As situations change with age so should people and their sexual experiences/techniques. However, the pharmaceutical industry is promising an 18-year-old ideal to an older reality. This kind of sexual pressure takes the focus away from “intimacy and pleasure</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">” (Bass P. 337) to “achievement and performance” (Bass P. 337). Bass declares, “In short, it is my assertion that whatever it is we mean by good sex is more likely to occur if it takes place in the context of a safe, noncompetitive, and non-performance-oriented setting” (Bass P. 337). However, the pharmaceutical industry does not want men to know this. They would rather men feel insecure and not worthy so that they can become dependent on the drugs and line the pockets of “Big Pharma”.</span></span></span></li>
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<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><u><i>Sexist</i></u> – The focus on the genitals, more specifically the penis, implies that the only sexual act worth thinking about and performing is penile-vaginal intercourse. This excludes all other forms of sexual expression to the detriment of the average person’s sexual enjoyment. If the only normal sex act is penile-vaginal intercourse and a woman cannot orgasm from just that (and most can’t), then there must be something wrong with her. She must have an orgasm disorder. In February 1999, the</span> <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) published a study with this statistic: "Sexual dysfunction is more prevalent for women (43%) than men (31%)." Hartley and Tiefer point out that this statistic has been used over and over again to prove that there is “a virtual epidemic of sexual problems among women” (P. 47</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">). Women have been culturally trained to not be completely comfortable talking about their sexuality and are more likely to do less research and rely on the popular media and commercials for their sexual information. These are the same commercials that are funded by the drug companies. Oh and by the way, a not as widely publicized fact: the study this statistic originates from was written and funded by Pfizer, the drug company that manufactures Viagra. What a lovely coincidence, right? In this modern world, women are getting mixed signals, they are supposed to be sexual to attract men (because obviously wanting women in a romantic and/or sexual way that isn’t for the entertainment of heterosexual men is impossible), but not slutty so men will respect them. Women are now told they should have orgasms and as many as possible, but then they are told that only penile-vaginal intercourse counts as sex (everything else is foreplay and therefore is optional) and if they can’t have an orgasm just from this, they have a disorder.</span></span></span></li>
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<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><i><u>Iatrogenic</u></i> – Meaning causing or worsening a problem that it claims to be fixing. As I stated before, medicalization individualizes sexual phenomena, meaning that if a man cannot get an erection, this is a physical problem lies within this individual man, which requires a pill to fix it. It ignores the existence of any other factors. For example, what if he cannot get an erection because he is having relationship problems, feels pressured during sex for some reason or is depressed. Popping a pill does not fix any of these issues. All it does is make his penis hard. Another example would be a woman who does not orgasm from sex with her male partner. The problem could be she can’t orgasm from sexual intercourse and needs to explore other sexual acts or maybe they are having relationship issues and she no longer feels comfortable in the relationship. None of this can be solved by popping a pill. To sum it up, sexual problems can occur because of general ignorance of various aspects of sexuality, sexual anxiety and a lack of open and honest communication among partners (Bass P. 338). These issues require communication among partners and/or therapy, not a quick fix pill. Also this perspective renders invisible other aspects related to having sex. Peggy J. Kleinplatz</span> <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">in her <a href="http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=dY4GentkJY0C&oi=fnd&pg=PR9&dq=New+directions+in+sex+therapy:+innovations+and+alternatives+By+Peggy+J.+Kleinplatz&ots=E-6Ep6p7DF&sig=YUvBhqyE4Xq3_Ge7HZBXc5L4oNY#v=onepage&q=New%20directions%20in%20sex%20therapy%3A%20innovations%20and%20alternatives%20By%20Peggy%20J.%20Kleinplatz&f=false">article</a>,</span> <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">“New Directions in Sex Therapy: Innovations and Alternatives</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">,” states “…</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">the amount of time devoted to getting the penis hard and the vagina wet vastly outweighs the attention devoted to motives, scripts [i.e. gender/sexual scripts], pleasure, power, emotionality, sensuality, communication or connectedness</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">” (P. 39). Most people would agree that these aspects are essential to good sex and without them, all that is left is an artificially hard penis and a wet vagina, which loses its appeal after awhile. So it is no surprise when the sex turns sour. The pharmaceutical industry wants people to think that something is wrong with them. According to Bass, “It is the message of fear and inadequacy. It tells us that we do not measure up and that we will never measure up unless we become regular customers of the industry’s products” (P. 338). It is unethical and disgusting, but it makes them a profit.</span></span></span></li>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In conclusion, the medicalization of sexuality is a new method of social control that sets up ideals and standards that oversimplify the diversity and variety of human sexuality. It oppresses those who do not fit into its schema for the “perfect” sex and it brainwashes others into believing they are flawed in order to make a profit for drug companies. That being said, there are benefits to medicalization. Klienplatz states that medicalization has made it possible to “[Identify] difficulties with orgasm, erection, and arousal as appropriate sources of treatment specialization and mental health insurance reimbursement. This inclusion meant legitimacy for sex therapy clinics, organizations, conferences and some research” (P. 37</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">). Without medicalization, sex research, therapy, treatment and outreach would be even harder to conduct. However, at least in my opinion, the negatives outweigh the positives. My moral for today: If you think you may have a sexual dysfunction, don’t just pop a pill. Talk openly with your partners and explore other options. Try to think about it critically from many perspectives: interpersonal, societal and otherwise. Go see a therapist who does not fall in line with the biomedical perspective. Take control of your sexuality. If you don’t, someone else will.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4661324514509712351.post-85762926140184432812011-08-31T14:18:00.006-04:002013-06-14T07:35:13.678-04:00Female Genital Cosmetic Surgery<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Female Genital Cosmetic surgery is an umbrella term that encompasses several types of surgeries designed to change the appearance of the genitals for non-medical reasons. These surgeries include <a href="http://www.centerforvaginalsurgery.com/nyclabiaplasty/labiaplastypictures.htm">Labiaplasty</a> (reducing the size of the labia, either the inner or outer lips), G-spot ampliplifaction (injecting the g-spot with collagen to increase it's size and theoretically, pleasure), <a href="http://www.lvratlanta.com/mons-pubis-reduction.php#">Mons Pubis reduction</a> (reducing the pubic mound), <a href="http://www.lvratlanta.com/clitoral-hood-lift-ba.php">clitoral hood reduction</a>, and re-virgination (reconstructing the hymen). As stated before, these surgeries are not performed for medical reasons, rather for cultural and aesthetic purposes. The women are unhappy with the way their genitals look and/or, especially in the case of g-spot amplification surgery, are seeking increased sexual pleasure. To further clarify, when I am talking about Female Genital Cosmetic Surgery, I am not referring to trans individuals who are undergoing sexual reconstruction surgery. I am specifically referring to cosmetic genital surgery that cis women undergo for purely aesthetic reasons. The cosmetic surgeons who perform these surgeries use words like "irregular" and "abnormal" to describe the genitals that some women are naturally born with and call the results of their work "sleeker", "more appealing" "thinner" and "excellent". What I want to know is: What is so wrong with our society that the natural variety of women's genitals is defamed and criticized in favor of a standardized vulva?</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Now, before I continue, I should address the argument of "choice". One could argue that if a woman chooses to alter her genitals that is her choice and her right to do so. However, choices are not made in a vacuum.Yes, a woman's right to choose is extremely important, but it is not enough to study a phenomenon on an individual level. This must be looked at from a societal level as well. What is going on in our society that has created the desire to think of one's genitals as unattractive and to go under the knife to change them? I'm all for a woman's right to choose, but when that choice is so heavily influenced by harmful misogynistic ideals, it should be analyzed.</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">One place to look for answers is pornography. I've said this before in past blog posts, but I should probably say it again. I am not here to bash porn. I think porn is beneficial in many ways. However, one should always be aware of how society influences porn and how porn influences society. In this instance, I want to focus on the latter. If one took a representative sample of all the female genitals depicted in pornography, one would notice a theme. All the genitalia look the same, regardless of the ethnicity, BMI, or age of the individual women. The genitalia in general are small: the labia minora (the inner lips) are always smaller than the labia majora and the mons pubis is also small. Another thing to note is that the words used to describe this type of genitalia is similar to the words one would use to describe a puppy or maybe a child: "pretty" "little" "cute," etc. So it can only be inferred that gentalia that does not match up with the pornstar's are unfeminine, huge and ugly. And these inferences are made by both men and women. And instead of attention being called to the natural beauty and variety of women's genitalia, female genital beauty is being standardized and women are being made to feel insecure about yet another aspect of their beauty. These surgeons claim to be supporters of women, but they are hurting women by causing them to think less of their natural beauty and conforming to the unrealistic standard that society has created. In Leonore Tiefer's <a href="http://fap.sagepub.com/content/18/4/466.full.pdf+html">article</a>, "Female Genital Cosmetic Surgery: Freakish or Inevitable? Analysis from Medical Marketing, Bioethics, and Feminist Theory," she discusses one surgeon David Matlock, who after performing a labiaplasty for a video demonstration, "comments: ‘She is like a 16-year-old now’, a phrase he repeats in many videos and one that is also used by other FGCS surgeons" (469). How is comparing a woman's genitals to those of a 16-year-old supportive to women? </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Another thing to think about is the physical risks of FGCS. This is actual surgery with all the pain, complications and risks that come along with it. There can be scarring and the scar tissue could make the area less sensitive, which flies in the face of the idea that these procedures would increase sexual pleasure. A FGCS surgeon <a href="http://www.labiadoctor.com/labiaplasty.php">admits</a> seeing<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"> </span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">"typically <wbr></wbr>permanently scarred, irregular appearance of other surgeons' labiaplasty results"</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"> and of course, states that his work is nothing like that. Apparently, accidents and mistakes are quite common in FGCS procedures.</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">Also the government does not regulate these procedures. Standardized methods do not </span>exist and the individuals willing to perform this surgery are not willing to publicize scientific data to confirm the validity of these procedures. Also, research has not been done on the long-term consequences of these surgeries. However, you would never think so by the way it has been marketed by surgeons. It is as if they are marketing a new clothing line, not new genitalia. The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology has said that there are "ethical issues associated with the marketing of these procedures and the national franchising in this field. Such a business model that controls the dissemination of scientific knowledge is troubling" (American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 2007: 737). Medicine is supposed to be about the well-being of patients, not about creating and then preying on their insecurities. These surgeons site another reason for getting these procedures: sexual pleasure. Procedures like the g-spot amplification surgery and vaginal rejuvenation (tightening the vaginal walls) are specifically designed for increasing sexual pleasure while other procedures like labiaplasty are toted as ways to indirectly increase sexual pleasure by making the vulva more beautiful and pleasant-looking. However, Tiefer asks: "Does FGCS provide sexual enhancement? Consumers will want documentation of improved pleasure or orgasm after FGCS to know whether it fulfills its promises, but market-oriented FGCS surgeons are unwilling to subject their work to scientific assessment". And why would surgeons be unwilling to scientifically prove that the services they provide actually work? Maybe because they know that they actually don't.</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">When it's all said and done, is this just another extension of physical alterations that women will be expected to undergo? Is this another step in further cementing the idea that women's bodies are public domain and extremely susceptible to the whim of the general public? In a few years, will parents be buying their daughters new vulvas and will wives reconstruct their hymens to keep their husbands from straying? Honestly, this future terrifies me. Women, in general, are not being informed of the natural variety and beauty of the bodies they were born with and are being guilted and fooled into spending money on risky procedures to line the pockets of so-called 'feminist' genital cosmetic surgeons. If in spite of all of this, a woman still wants to undergo these procedures, I only ask that she wait until proper scientific research has been done on the immediate and future consequences of these procedures. Please, I'd rather you be safe than sorry.</span></div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4661324514509712351.post-65441014285845788252011-07-12T19:39:00.004-04:002013-06-14T06:55:09.045-04:00Bisexuality - The Thing to Be?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Bisexuality seems to be the new hip thing to identify as in our mainstream society. It seems like every college-aged women is bisexual and one can’t watch a movie or TV show without seeing two women kiss. However, looks can be deceiving. Although it seems as if individuals who identify as bisexual are the stars of mainstream sexual culture, a deeper look would reveal a very different perception of bisexual individuals in the US. I would argue that bisexual individuals (as well as other individuals who do not fit perfectly on either side of the <a href="http://www.kinseyinstitute.org/research/ak-hhscale.html">Kinsey Scale</a>) face exclusion and negativity from both mainstream/heterosexual society and the gay/lesbian community.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In general, people love categories, especially binaries. Binaries create a false sense of simplicity and order in a complex world. Binaries can obviously cause discord by pitting one group against another, but they can also render invisible other groups who do not fit perfectly within them. These groups become marginalized and are often resented simply because they do not fit in. These groups stand as proof that binaries are unrealistic and incorrect and no one likes to be proven wrong. In the context of sexual orientation, there is one major binary: Gay vs. Straight. This binary is accepted by both sides and many members of either side resent those individuals who stand in the face of their social construction. In this post, I am specifically referring to individuals who identify as bisexual.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Now, I want to specifically elaborate on the ways bisexuality is stigmatized by both sides of the binary. However, before I begin, I just want to say, “Not all bisexual individuals are discriminated against equally.” This is especially the case in the mainstream heterosexual culture. Bisexual men and women are treated and viewed in completely different ways. Bisexual women are the jewels of mainstream heterosexual fantasies. They are constantly depicted in movies and TV shows. They are fetishized by most straight men, who constantly fantasize about two women kissing and fondling each other for their entertainment. However, this is not empowering for the women in question. Their attraction to other women is turned into a toy solely for the pleasure of straight men. It is not considered a legitimate desire. Many straight men do not consider it cheating if their girlfriend were to kiss or have sex with a woman. They do not think it is possible for a woman to steal their girlfriend away because implicitly, they believe that a relationship is not a relationship and sex is not sex unless a penis is present. Also many straight men and women believe that bisexual women are ‘easy,’ greedy and completely incapable of having a serious relationship. Bisexual men, on the other hand, are ignored.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In the gay/lesbian community, bisexuality is generally rejected as a viable sexual orientation altogether. In “<a href="http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=2rh1fdNCqGYC&oi=fnd&pg=PA217&dq=bisexuality&ots=P7vQJ7Gfsj&sig=x0wZRpPxj46BlKlo0xIcTVTN6zk#v=onepage&q=bisexuality&f=false">Dismissal and Appropriation of Bisexuality in Queer, Lesbian, and Gay Theory</a>,” Christopher James discusses commonly endorsed opinions regarding bisexuality in the gay/lesbian community. Bisexuality, if it’s even acknowledged, is either seen as a liminal space (a point of transition) for individuals “who do not know their ‘true’ gay or lesbian selves” (222) or it is seen as a closet for those who are too afraid to come out. However, one’s gender does dictate exactly how one is resented in the gay/lesbian community. Bisexual men are believed to be gay men who are closeted while bisexual women are seen as straight women who only like women until they graduate from college and get married to a man. Gay men and lesbians also think bisexual individuals are greedy and unable to be in a committed relationship, not because they are necessarily slutty, but because it is feared that their desire for both sexes makes it impossible for bisexual people to commit. Now, to some extent, I can understand why homosexual individuals would be resentful of bisexuals. The best and most logical arguments I have heard involve heterosexual privilege and the origins of the homosexual orientation. Martin S. Weinberg, Colin J. Williams and Douglas W. Pyor in their book, "<a href="http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=pXxd3gDQFeIC&oi=fnd&pg=PA3&dq=bisexuality&ots=mHuClJJNee&sig=K1uKqQ0jDGglCJH1e33ncgSmMbI#v=onepage&q&f=false">Dual Attraction: Understanding Bisexuality</a>," state that “bisexuals could exercise ‘heterosexual privilege’ – i.e., they could always revert to a comfortable identity rather than suffer the consequences of standing up for their gay rights” (117). Bisexual individuals have the privilege of entering into a heterosexual relationship and would avoid a lot of the stigma that gay men and lesbians have to face on a daily basis. As result, bisexual individuals can be seen as outsiders at best and traitors at worst. And I have also heard that some gay people worry that bisexuality is a fly in the ointment for the theory of sexual orientation as a biological/genetic phenomenon instead of a conscious choice because bisexuals are attracted to both men and women. In my opinion, I do not think that this is the case. Personally, I think it is highly unfair that it is left to gay/lesbian individuals to prove that their sexual orientation is normal or natural. Heterosexual individuals have never had to justify their orientation. In fact, I’m sure many heterosexual people have never really given the origin of their orientation a first or second thought. I think this tension between the gay/lesbian and bisexual communities is ultimately caused by the burden of proof that is forced onto the collective lap of all non-heterosexual individuals in regards to the legitimacy of their respective sexual orientations. I tend to believe this rift would not exist if all orientations were considered equally legitimate without the need to justify it.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Bisexuality, or should I say female bisexuality, is becoming very popular in the mainstream media. We are being led to believe that it is a craze that is leading to a new kind of sexual revolution in this country. I doubt it. I think it is just reaffirming the same heteronormative and prejudiced views on sexuality that have been around for years. However, I think a true sexual revolution will come when all sexual orientations are treated as equally legitimate by mainstream society.</span><br />
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