Options for Sexual Health

JOEL GIBSON | March 12, 2010 | The Sydney Morning Herald

THIS Mardi Gras, Norrie received a gift that no other androgynous person in NSW [Australia] has had before.

The night before the parade, the postman brought a certificate from the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages that contained neither the dreaded ''M'' nor its equally despised cousin, ''F''.

Health Canada approved Gardasil to prevent infection caused by human papilloma virus Types six, 11, 16, and 18 and genital warts caused by HPV types six and 11.

HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection in Canada, said Merck, the vaccine's manufacturer.

In 2006, Health Canada approved Gardasil to prevent cervical cancer and genital warts in females aged nine to 26. All provinces and territories now offer school-based programs using Gardasil, which works best if given to females before they become sexually active.

November 21, 2009 | Coriana Constanda | Examiner.com

Despite its existence since the time of ancient Egypt—where it was used to mark a male's passage from childhood to adulthood—circumcision is still a contentious issue in North American culture today. Apparently, about 50% of men in the United States and Islamic countries are circumcised, and only a minority in Canada and Australia. Circumcision is even more rare in other parts of the world, including Europe, most of Asia, Central and South America, and sub-Saharan Africa (WikiAnswers).

By PATRICK McGROARTY (AP) – 4 hours ago

BERLIN — Securing sufficient funding is the greatest obstacle to improving women's well-being and rights in the developing world, officials attending a conference on sexual and reproductive health said Friday.

Type "labiaplasty," "vaginoplasty" or any of nearly a dozen female genital cosmetic surgeries into any search engine, and a flurry of doctors' Web sites will pop up touting the self-esteem, sexual enhancement, comfort and fashion benefits of female genital cosmetic surgery.

These sites, typically decorated with airbrushed pictures of lovely women in various states of undress or even nude, are replete with before-and-after photos of trimmed-down labia and gushing quotes from satisfied customers.

Today's Parent magazine explores the topic of children self-pleasuring in the July 2009 issue.  Writer Susan McClelland canvases several experts in the field, including OPT's Regional Education Consultant, Joy Becker.

Read the rest of this article here.

By Jessica Yee | June 22, 2009 | RH Reality Check

The Dartmouth | Sarah Frostenson | May 18, 2009

Over 40 percent of women suffer from female sexual dysfunction, or FSD.

At least that's the statistic put forward by many pharmaceutical companies and some of America's largest advertising agencies, according to documentary filmmaker Liz Canner, the Dartmouth Center for Women and Gender's 2009 Visionary-in-Residence.

CBC | Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Teens are being sexually active but are not getting the information or services they need to be properly educated about sex, according to a report on sexual health released Tuesday.

Planned Parenthood Toronto, York University, the University of Toronto, Wilfrid Laurier University and Toronto Public Health produced the survey.