What's up with the split between Susan G. Komen and Planned Parenthood? Don't take all dating advice. Are you addicted to love with random people? Ten things not to say in bed. Is he really who he says he is? Bring your grandma on a first date, seriously. Is he going to cheat? More dating advice to forget. Why are some guys getting so muscular? Android users like to do it.
As a young girl—ovaries yet to ripen and hymen still in intact—reading Judy Blume books were like porn for me … educational porn. These were the pre-internet days, before I could Google "funny feeling down there" or "penis, hard-on." All I had was my imagination and my canon of Judy Blume books to aid my highly curious pre-teen mind. They were a permanent Sharpie mark on my burgeoning deviant mind.
The latest national statistics show 14 percent of Americans are uninsured. Assuming half of them are women, that's approximately 21 million females who might not have affordable access to routine checkups or birth control. Healthcare is certainly an unorthodox gift choice, but what would a wife, mother or sister enjoy more: a new sweater or the ability to catch a disease in its early stages?
In a classic case of "do as I say not as I do," it seems thirtysomethings are less responsible about having protected sex than the under-20 set. According to a recent British study, teens aged 16-19 are twice as diligent about using protection when having sex with a new partner as those in the 35-44 age group. The results were particularly astounding to Brit officials, as the STD rate there has risen six percent in the past year. "Interventions are urgently required for people in their 30s and 40s and older who are increasingly forming new partnerships," the study's lead researcher told Metro. Before anything becomes "urgently required" on this side of the pond, here are some solutions to some common condom complaints from the older and arguably un-wiser set:
Planned Parenthood estimates that more than one-third of women in the United States will undergo an abortion by age 45. In the words of a friend, "Chances are, we all know someone who's had one." Despite such astounding figures, the topic remains hushed. Personal, political or religious preference make "I had an abortion..." stories rare. While a woman's right to choose is broadcast loud and clear as a political issue from every mainstream news outlet, a 23-year-old woman's blog recounting her experience having an abortion has been circulating the web anonymously. Other women are stepping boldly into the media spotlight, putting faces, names and personal accounts to the controversy.
It looks like the British government is ready to get serious about unplanned pregnancies. While their rate of teen pregnancy is in decline, it is still a drag to the economy and families. The first step is a $20 million campaign to educate doctors about the alternatives to the pill. More to come.
While “Juno” lost out to “Sweeney Todd” for the Best Musical or Comedy Golden Globe at last night’s ceremony…er, press conference, the comic tale of a 16 year old who becomes pregnant has had America talking not only about the film’s wit but its unintentional pro-life undertone. The New York Times ran an opinion piece yesterday exploring Juno’s “fairy tale” message of an unwanted pregnancy with a happy, carefree ending vs. the reality of what this means, physically and psychologically, for women, specifically teenagers.
