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One of the hardest things in life is to admit that you are wrong. Well here I am, admitting just this. 4 years ago, I came to this site to get out my frustrations about attempting to come out. I claimed my father didn’t agree with it and that my step family stopped speaking to me. I was an idiot. At the time, I truly believed my father didn’t love me – silly I know…but through my eyes, it was as if did not care. So I posted and posted again about how they disagreed with my lifestyle, attempting to find attention elsewhere. I was stupid and young. I do not condone what I did as teen even though I understand it. The truth is my step family is wonderful…my step mom and I may never see eye to eye but she is an incredibly intelligent woman who makes my Dad happy. My step sister is just brilliant and has grown up to be a beautiful young lady. Through word of mouth I have heard about her fantastic published works and her latest accomplishments. I honestly regret not getting to know her better…but that is what the rest of our lives are for I guess. My relationship with my Dad isn’t great, but we are working on it. They never once denounced me for my sexuality and are surprisingly tolerant people. Though we may not all be as close as I would like, we are getting there.
Hope all is well.
C
May is observed throughout the nation as many things but one of the most important things that is observed in May is Teen Pregnancy Prevention. Teen pregnancy is a big problem in the US as we have some of the highest rates in the world among our peer nations. This is for a variety of reasons including a societal taboo in discussing sex among teens, a de-emphasis on healthy relationships being portrayed in media and an insistence on keeping abstinence only sex education in our schools. I also think that not starting sex education early enough contributes. If I had a magic wand, I would make all these reasons go away, but I cannot. All we can do is work to change society’s minds to further improve the health of our teens.
In the meanwhile, it becomes important during the month of May that raise awareness to practice safe sex!
To raise awareness on safe sex practice, here are a few tips:
South Carolina still has some of the highest teen birth rates in the country, and we have the ability to change this! For more information on pregnancy in SC, visit www.southcarolinasafersex.org!
I have spoken with people about the various birth control options that are available, as well as discussed reasons for not using a method, and some of the reasons I heard for not using a birth control option has really just been myths regarding their possible side effects. There will be side effects for any type of medication we use, but just because a side effect is listed on the medication DOES NOT mean that that side effect will occur for you.
It is important to do research of a method you may be interested in and weigh all of the pros and cons. Even if one method does not work, try another one and SWITCH IT UP! There is nothing against or wrong with trying more than one method to find one that works for you. It is also important to switch it up if need be, especially because one method that works horribly for “Suzie” may work perfect for you and vice versa. Ask around to get personal experiences, but don’t limit your options based on that or other myths you have heard. Check in with your health care provider if you are thinking about “switchin’ it up!” And remember, SAFE SEX is the BEST SEX and you should always be protected!
For more information on your birth control options and to find a healthcare provider in your area, text SEXT to 74574!
After 25 years, the Senate has finally voted to end the federal ban on research into organ donations from HIV-positive donors to HIV-positive recipients.
The HOPE Act (HIV Organ Policy Equity Act) legislation would establish a review process in which the Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary evaluates the progress of medical research into procedures that would allow transplants from HIV-positive donors to HIV-positive recipients.
In a rare show of bipartisanship, Senators from both sides of the aisle decided that the 1988 ban on even conducting research on transplants from HIV-positive donors was not only discriminatory, but also medically outdated. With recent medical advancements HIV-positive people are now living longer, and like other older Americans, are also developing medical conditions that require organ transplant. Medical experts estimate that the bill can help save over 1,000 lives every year.
The legislation will now move over to the House of Representatives where support from more democrats will prove crucial. If you can, call your representative and tell them to support H.R. 698.
BREAKING: Lawmakers have solved all of the United States’ problems through legislation. Now they have time to devote to dangerous, blatantly unconstitutional bills that they know have no chance of becoming law!
That’s what you’d think is going on anyway. Congress yesterday passed a nationwide ban on abortion after 20 weeks.
They know that Roe v. Wade ensures women the right to an abortion to the point of viability, without a specified time limit.
They know that just a month ago a federal court struck down Arizona’s 20-week ban.
And they know that this bill is doomed to fail in the Senate.
But since they were bored (I guess?), they went ahead with it anyway.
Anti-abortion activists brought their usual common sense and intellectual rigor to the debate, with the bill’s sponsor Trent Franks arguing against allowing an exception for rape and incest on the grounds that that doesn’t happen; and with Michael Burgess (R-Texas) claiming that abortion is wrong because male fetuses masturbate.
Meanwhile, within a few hours, a thousand of you signed a petition urging Congress to drop the bill. Many of you observed in comments that the bill was unconstitutional. Others mentioned the danger barriers to access pose to women. Some called the bill “using women’s bodies to further a political agenda,” ”an embarrassment,” “a waste of time and money,” and “a violation of women’s rights.”
Congress replied,
Here’s a short list of the stuff Congress totes fixed before they took up the 20-week ban:
- LGBT discrimination
- Sexual assault in the military and on college campuses
- Deadly gun violence
- A little thing called The Economy.
….Wait no. I meant: A short list of things they still haven’t managed to fix, which still cry out for their attention, which are receiving widespread media attention and which millions of Americans care about. That kind of stuff. I guess they’ll work on it when they have time.
Ogilvy & Mather Argentina recently created a campaign for Huggies with the aim of sharing the experience of pregnancy with fathers who usually do not experience a baby’s growth in utero the same way a woman does. It was sweet, until I noticed they used one word – “compensate”.
“Pregnancy was always about her. That’s why at Huggies, we did something to compensate fathers…”
Sorry fathers. We didn’t know you wanted to experience the joys of pregnancy too. I’m sure women everywhere have been chastened by this commercial, and are ashamed about making it all about themselves. I mean, the process of growing a tiny human, carrying it around for 9+ months, and then pushing it through a small, magic orifice with superhuman strength is quite selfish. Why haven’t women thought to include fathers instead of being divas about it all? But now we know that while we suffer through the back pain, nausea, crazy cravings, weight gain, swollen feet, indigestion, fatigue and more, we are obligated to somehow find the strength and brainpower to make a father feel like a sequined, shimmering princess by strapping a fancy gizmo to his tummy that lets him feel the baby kicking. Awww! How touching. Do you feel compensated?
That word completely marred the emotional value of that commercial. Where else would this kind of nonsense exist but in a patriarchal society?
“Compensated”, they said. KMT
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last year I made a post about the amazing work they were doing and how much I loved the idea and will support their advocacy work with the launch of their Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) material around HIV and pregnancy prevention among teenage and young adults. But more recently Eve for life continues to build their movement with the aid of UNICEF Jamaica.
UNICEF handed over a new vehicle to Eve for Life, an NGO that supports teenage mothers and young women living with HIV, to help expand their outreach in rural communities.
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