Sex Education is always a hot topic. Michigan, like many other states, use abstinence- based sex education to teach middle and high school students about sexual health. MDHC’s Michigan Abstinence Program (MAP) gives guidelines of sex education, the objective, and the ultimate goal of the implementation of the program.

If you could create a sexual health program for your community…what would it look like?

I’ll wait while you brainstorm….

Okay, now that you have thought through it a little, here’s the goal and a little snippet of the guidelines and objectives for MAP*:

Goal:
To increase the number of youth ages 12-18 (up to 21 years for special education populations) who abstain from sexual activity and other related risky behaviors.

Priority needs:

• To teach youth the decision-making skills necessary to choose abstinence, reject sexual advances, cope with social pressures, avoid risky situations and understand the relationship of alcohol and other drug use to increasing sexual vulnerability
• To support communities in developing and maintaining social environments that support sex-free and drug-free lives for youth;
• To teach parents/adults/caregivers how to communicate effectively with youth about the importance and benefits of choosing abstinence from sexual activity and other related risky behaviors such as the use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs.

Are the needs of MAP the same guidelines and needs that you would want for the community? What would you add or take away from this list?

Federal abstinence guidelines:

• Teach abstinence from sexual activity outside marriage as the expected standard for all school-age children;
• Teach that abstinence from sexual activity is the only certain way to avoid out-of-wedlock pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and other associated health problems;
• Teach that a mutually faithful, monogamous relationship in the context of marriage is the expected standard of sexual activity;
• Teach that sexual activity outside the context of marriage is likely to have harmful psychological and physical effects;

What do you think about the MAP program? Where does comprehensive sex education fit into this program? And do you think methods of contraception should be taught to youth ages 12 to 18 years of age? Why or Why not?

*Note: for the complete outline of the guidelines and objectives please see the Michigan Department of Community Health website.

For those of you who didn’t make it out for the Women’s and Girls Health Awareness Conference “Sex, Sexuality, and the Spirit: Because I am Worth It”…you definitely missed out! But not to worry, I am here to provide you with a full recap.

A week ago today YOUR Center hosted their annual conference. It was complete with a series of workshops, free on-site STI testing (provided by Planned Parenthood), great food, and various vendors from the community.

The workshops went on throughout the day and covered everything from STIs and Safer Sex to LGBT issues and was facilitated by influential members of the community. The informative workshops lasted about two hours and ran concurrently with other workshops, but were spread out over the course of the day so that everyone got a chance to visit the workshop that interested them. Here’s a few that caught my attention:

“Because your worth it”

“Trying to Get Nasty” – Sexually Transmitted Infections and Safer Sex

“Coming Our Process” Understanding How to Work With LGBT Youth

Y.O.L.O – YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE
“When I was a Girl”…How Not to Talk to Your Child About Sex

“LOL ” The Entertainment Industry, HIV, and YOU

The SeXpert team also put on a skit during lunch that allowed the audience to engage in open dialogue around issues that face the youth of the Flint community. Not only were the members of the SeXpert talented, entertaining and engaging – but they brought an educational piece to sex education that was definitely appreciated!

Lesson for Today: Take a little time for your health and keep your eye out for next year’s Women’s and Girl Health Awareness Conference.

Event was also posted on MLive

Given that this is a sex blog, it is totally okay that your mind was completely in the gutter when reading this title.

This past weekend, one of my friends asked me for a ride home after we had been on campus all day…and I said sure. We got in, buckled up (safety first), and I put my car in gear, and she looked down and said “you drive a stick,” proud of my driving skills (no pun intended) I smiled and said “of course.”

So I gave her the story about my first car and she told me that I was the only other girl we knew that could drive one (she could drive one too), and then she said… “you know…that is the best pick-up lines when you meet a guy.” My initial reaction was “REALLY?!?!” – as I have never used it before, but begin to think of all my missed opportunities.

Well, this 5 minute car conversation brings me to this week’s blog post – learning how to drive a stick (hahaha!) Okay, well not really, but driving a stick + sex = positions.

I conveniently found two positions that are undeniable associated with being able to drive a stick shift (that is not to say that if you can’t drive a stick shift you can’t drive the other stick – I would argue quite the contrary).

http://www.kamaday.com/5.html

http://www.ivillage.com/7-outrageous-sex-positions-0/4-a-283706

Lesson for Today: Experiment. Have fun. Try new positions. But ALWAYS be safe.

I know I said I would only talk about STIs once a month, but I couldn’t resist the chance to talk about Gonorrhea given its recent appearance in the news. But before we get to the good stuff, let me layout the background information.

Gonorrhea is a bacterium STI that is very common in the United States. Caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae – gonorrhea multiplies and reproduces quickly in the moist reproductive tracks of both men and women.

Just within the United States, the CDC estimates that there are more than 700,000 new gonorrheal infections reported each year. Meaning we could fill the Ford Field Lions Stadium almost 11 times, or the Big House Football Stadium 6 times! Considering that The Big House is one of the largest football stadiums is collegiate sports…that is a ton people #justsaying.

So, what are the symptoms of Gonorrhea?! You guessed it…

Most of the symptoms in men and women are nonexistent, and gonorrhea is spread by contact with an infected person and their fluids (remember it’s like moist areas). The main point here is that there doesn’t have to be ejaclate or cum in order for the infection to be passed from person to person. With that said, the bacterium can grow in the vaginal track, the penis, mouth, throat, eyes, or anus (which is all reported by the CDC, however, the numbers of cases of eye gonorrheal infections are probably rare).

If symptoms do appear they are slightly different in men than in women. Men may experience a burning feeling while using the bathroom, painful or swollen testicles, or a white/yellow/green discharge from the penis. While women also experience a burning sensation while peeing, and an unusual vaginal discharge*. They may also experience bleeding between periods, and the symptoms may be mistaken for a bladder or vaginal infection.

When gonorrhea goes untreated it can also cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which can lead to further complications in women’s reproductive organs. In men it can cause epididymitis. Both of these are also a result of chlamydia – the bacterial STI that we discussed earlier this month.

Although this seems a tad be frightening, normally when tested for STIs, you can rest assured you are being tested for the four most common STIs at your local clinic. Namely; chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and HIV/AIDS.

And because gonorrhea is a bacterial infection (like Chlamydia) there are antibiotics that can be prescribed to treat and cure the infection. However, re-infection is always a possibility if exposed to another infected person.

So, I just stated gonorrhea is curable…right…well that is indeed true – to an extent. Recently, the CDC has confirmed that there have been cases in the United States of antibiotic resistant strains of gonorrhea. And while we do have medications to treat this STI it is becoming more difficult because it seems that gonorrhea is evolving as rapidly as the medicine we are using to cure it. (One more reason to wear a rubber )

I know I know…it’s Valentines Day, but frankly gonorrhea doesn’t care what day it is!!

*Note: that vaginal discharge is normal for most women given the course of their menstrual cycle. However, if you believe that your discharge is abnormal in texture and/or smell, and is more than normal please consultant a health care provider.

References:

CDC- Gonorrhea Fact Sheet