fuckyeahsexeducation: sexpositive: It’s Global Female Condom Day! Though a highly effective safe-sex option for women, men, and youth, most people remain unaware about female condoms or are unable to access them. Global Female Condom Day aims to increase the number of women and men around the world who know about, use, and advocate for female condoms. If you’re in Chicago, support the Chicago Female Condom Campaign and learn where you can get free Female Condoms!! This cool lady is Laura Anne Stuart, MPH. Find her at her store, Tool Shed Toys, in Milwaukee, or sex educating via the SEXPress in the Milwaukee Express. I hate the term female condom for obvious reasons and like calling them internal condoms, but they really are not utilized enough. Using them you don’t have to worry about size, they’re latex free, they’re just really awesome. “Internal condom” is a term we hadn’t heard before and plan on making a point of using more often, as you don’t have to be female to use one of these awesome safe sex devices (you don’t even have to be a uterus-owner - they’re suitable for anal play!) We’re also a huge fan of Laura Anne Stuart, who was one of our Hump Day Heroes this summer! :) High-res

fuckyeahsexeducation:

sexpositive:

It’s Global Female Condom Day!

Though a highly effective safe-sex option for women, men, and youth, most people remain unaware about female condoms or are unable to access them. Global Female Condom Day aims to increase the number of women and men around the world who know about, use, and advocate for female condoms.

If you’re in Chicago, support the Chicago Female Condom Campaign and learn where you can get free Female Condoms!!

This cool lady is Laura Anne Stuart, MPH. Find her at her store, Tool Shed Toys, in Milwaukee, or sex educating via the SEXPress in the Milwaukee Express.

I hate the term female condom for obvious reasons and like calling them internal condoms, but they really are not utilized enough. Using them you don’t have to worry about size, they’re latex free, they’re just really awesome.

“Internal condom” is a term we hadn’t heard before and plan on making a point of using more often, as you don’t have to be female to use one of these awesome safe sex devices (you don’t even have to be a uterus-owner - they’re suitable for anal play!) We’re also a huge fan of Laura Anne Stuart, who was one of our Hump Day Heroes this summer! :)

(via sexgenderbody)

The anus is the great equalizer - everyone’s got one. And if you’re interested in anal play or already an avid fan looking for more sexy tips, you’re in lucky. This month’s Spice It Up Series with Megan Andelloux is Backdoor Lovin’: an informative, spicy, & fun-filled workshop on anal play for all people and bodies. The workshop will be held at The Center For Sexual Pleasure And Health, Pawtucket, RI, on THIS SUNDAY, August 19th. Check out the Facebook event for more information & location: http://www.facebook.com/events/357156444357651 - RSVP is required, and tickets ($20) can be purchased at http://backdoorlovin.eventbrite.com/ in advance. Contact info@thecsph.org if you need a sliding scale for tickets, we want to try and make this event as accessible as possible. PS: For those who are interested in acquiring AASECT CE credit’s, this class offers two CE credits that can be used towards AASECT certification! Please help us signal boost :)

The anus is the great equalizer - everyone’s got one. And if you’re interested in anal play or already an avid fan looking for more sexy tips, you’re in lucky. This month’s Spice It Up Series with Megan Andelloux is Backdoor Lovin’: an informative, spicy, & fun-filled workshop on anal play for all people and bodies.

The workshop will be held at The Center For Sexual Pleasure And Health, Pawtucket, RI, on THIS SUNDAY, August 19th. Check out the Facebook event for more information & location: http://www.facebook.com/events/357156444357651 - RSVP is required, and tickets ($20) can be purchased at http://backdoorlovin.eventbrite.com/ in advance.

Contact info@thecsph.org if you need a sliding scale for tickets, we want to try and make this event as accessible as possible.

PS: For those who are interested in acquiring AASECT CE credit’s, this class offers two CE credits that can be used towards AASECT certification!
Please help us signal boost :)
yvonensadultsleepover: Anal toys, anyone? (Taken with Instagram) A little preview of the toys we have on display at the Center! Stop by anytime you’re in Pawtucket for a full tour - we’re open 12-5, Mondays through Fridays :) *Note: Especially since we do not sell anything from the Center, people seem to constantly wonder if the toys we display have previously been used. The answer is absolutely not - so touch, explore, and fondle away! :) (We also clean them regularly) High-res

yvonensadultsleepover:

Anal toys, anyone? (Taken with Instagram)

A little preview of the toys we have on display at the Center! Stop by anytime you’re in Pawtucket for a full tour - we’re open 12-5, Mondays through Fridays :)

*Note: Especially since we do not sell anything from the Center, people seem to constantly wonder if the toys we display have previously been used. The answer is absolutely not - so touch, explore, and fondle away! :) (We also clean them regularly)

Word Of The Day: rimming

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Although most people associate “oral sex” with the delicious activity that can take place on our fronts, it’s important not to ignore how delightful it can be on our behinds as well! Rimming, or analingus, is just that: any sexual act where mouths, tongues, and the anus all come together.

The anus is filled with nerve endings, which can make touching and licking it very pleasurable and erotic. You’ll want to work the areas around and right in the edges of the hole, which often produces more direct sensations than attempting to merely penetrate with the tongue as deeply as possible.

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A lot of people express that they are self-conscious about how they “smell or taste…back there”, which prevents them from giving analingus a try. If this is a concern, washing or cleansing yourself beforehand, after emptying your bowels, can help you feel more comfortable. If your partner is willing and enthusiastic about rimming, chances are you’re thinking more about the potential unpleasantness of the experience than they are, and they’ll rim your back door with pleasure regardless. (Of course, if you are still too uncomfortable to want to try rimming, no one should pressure you to do so.)

Just like with most sex acts, there is a risk for transmission of STIs and HIV with analingus, so it’s vital that you protect yourself with a dental dam or a condom that you cut in half*, if you are with a partner who hasn’t been tested. (Using protection can also help people who are uncomfortable with the “taste” issue, as your sensitive bits will be separated by a barrier, but sensations will still be palpable.) Never put anything (a tongue, a finger, or a toy) that’s been in the anus into the vagina directly afterward, as the bacteria transmission can cause infections!

Have a cheeky day! 

*Note: thanks to http://legalizeforeskin.tumblr.com for pointing out that neither of our pictures today includes use of safe sex products. Unfortunately, these are notoriously hard to find…if any of you have any great submissions, feel free to send them our way!

Can You Use A Condom Instead Of A Flange?

If you have an anal toy that lacks a base, can you simply put it in a condom and use the condom as a handle instead of a flange?

Carol Queen articulates exactly why if you are going to use the toy no matter what, it’s “better than nothing” to use a condom…but it’s still not a good, reliable, or healthy way to make up for a badly-designed toy.

Word Of The Day: flange

See that white protruding base at the bottom of this dildo? That’s a flange, and recognizing it may be the difference between a sexy romp and an embarrassing trip to the emergency room.

A flange is a protruding edge or base at the end of a penetrative toy, which can be used for grip or to prevent the toy from being sucked completely into the body. With vaginally penetrative toys, this is not as much of a necessity, since surgery is rarely required to remove toys from the vaginal canal (although it can be a little tricky to pull some toys out with your fingers, it is usually possible.) Anally penetrative toys, however, should always have a flange. The rectum pulls in and keeps toys like nobody’s business, and removing a toy that’s been sucked up there can be both horrifying and expensive (hospitals aren’t cheap…something to keep in mind before buying a cheap anal toy that lacks a flange!)

Flange-a-licious butt plugs!

 

A flange also doesn’t have to look like a flat base. In this case, with this set of body-friendly anal beads, the face-like handle at the end is wide enough to ensure the toy cannot be sucked into the body. You’ll want to make sure the flange is tightly attached to the toy, if not part of the toy itself (most ideal) - people often try to use batter-powered egg/bullet vibrators as anal toys, reasoning that the remote can act as a flange, but then find that the wire connecting the two can snap during removal. Be especially aware and careful if you choose to use these types of toys rectally, as we don’t recommend it.

Asides from the shock value of emergency-room stories, checking for a flange is a great metric for how body-safe your anal toy is. And when you don’t have to worry about gruesome mishaps, you can just lie back and enjoy your new toy without fear! ;)

UPDATED: What’s In Your Lube? Glycerin

Wow, guys. Thanks for reflagging our post on glycerin lube far and wide. We’re so glad that so many of you are interested and willing to help spread this information!

That said, researchable information on glycerin in lube varies widely, even among sexologists, and in our efforts to produce our last easily-accessible post on glycerin, we’ve unfortunately made a few errors in phrasing and sacrificed some accuracy for the sake of succinctness. After consulting with our medical experts and colleagues, we want to own up, apologize for our own lack of comprehensive proofreading, and offer you what we do feel is the most recent and medically sound advice on glycerin and what it can do in your body! Thanks to those who called us out on it: now let’s get down to what is and isn’t true about glycerin lube.

We have reproduced our original post below, making it very clear which things are edits and which remain accurate and up-to-date information.

—————

How often do you check the ingredients on your lube beyond the labels “silicone” or “water-based”? Today we take a look at glycerin.

Glycerin is a sugar-alcohol. It’s typically added to water-based lubes to make your naughty bits taste sweet when lubed up, and keep everything as moist as it should be. A lot of people like glycerin lubes because they complain about the bitter/bad taste of unflavored lubricant.

However, here’s why you might want to stay away from it:

For Vaginas:

  • If you’re already prone to yeast infections, using glycerin lubes is thought by some to exacerbate your chances of getting yeast infections. It may also aggravate existing yeast infections. Although there is currently no conclusive evidence that glycerin itself directly causes yeast infections, if you constantly suffer from them you may find that switching to a glycerin-free lube will make them less frequent. 
  • In our previous post, we equated “glycerin” to “sugar”, which is not true. We used an oversimplification to get a point across, as glycerin is a sugar-alcohol and the mechanisms behind its workings are complex, but as the statement was both confusing and misinformative, we are retracting this. Our bad.
For Anuses:
  • Do you know what else contains glycerin? Anal suppository laxatives!Glycerol itself is a natural, hyperosmotic laxative. If you’re using lube for anal play (which you should be!), be aware that it may cause you to drop some major deuces post-play. If you are already uncomfortable about the possibility of fecal matter appearing in your anal activities, this may not be a good choice for you.
  • Glycerin based lubrication has been shown to potentially lead to higher rates of STI transmission in anal sex. This was omitted from our last post but is crucially important, especially if you are having condomless, penetrative sex. Note that since this study was the first of its kind, more research needs to be done in the area to conclusively and consistently demonstrate the accuracy of this statement. Furthermore, you obviously can only transmit an infection if you already have an infection before engaging in play - glycerin does not create STIs!


So should I use glycerin lubes or not? Glycerin lubes are still able to be used safely both vaginally and anally. However, we continue to advise against using them on the basis of potential yeast irritation, higher rates of STI transmission, and the fact that glycerin usually makes lubes sticky and tacky in an uncomfortable way - but just because your lube contains glycerin doesn’t mean it is innately unhealthy and should be immediately thrown away. 

What are your alternatives? There are lots of glycerin-free water based lubes on the market, just read the label carefully! You could also opt for silicone-based lubes. And if the taste factor of your lube is a big deal for you, there are ways to get yummy lubes WITHOUT glycerin in them. Just reach for a flavored lube (Sliquid carries a good line) that specifically notes it uses non-sugar artificial flavorings.

Thanks for bearing with us as we make sure to keep you all updated on the most accurate sexual pleasure and health information we can produce!

chocarreras:

Betty Dodson and Carlin Ross are two intergenerational sex positive feminists whose dialogue on sexuality and feminism entertains and educates while delving into the Politics of Women’s Sexuality:

[Refining Your Masturbation Skills]

Dodson & Ross answer your questions on masturbation from getting past your childhood technique, learning how to “jack an edge” and adding anal stimulation.

How denying women reproductive rights and easy access to birth control, restricting sexual choices, maintaining a sexual double standard with the two views of woman: Madonna or Whore, and defining women’s appropriate sexual response denies women a full life.

(via safersexuality)