Just out of curiosity, do you ever worry about your digital footprint? I only ask because I noticed you’re a medical student and I’m pre-med. I’ve heard a lot of things about online privacy when you’re applying to medical schools (and other kinds of employment), and I’m just wondering what your thoughts are on this, since you use your real name and even your picture.
—P.T.
Yeah, P.T., I’ve occasionally worried about it, but primarily because people keep telling me I should be worried about it. It’s true, sometimes I swear more than I probably should, and I’m sure there are many readers who regard the Dirty Bird mostly as frivolous entertainment. But I really believe in what I do. I write about sexual health, and sexual health is inexorably linked to physical and emotional wellbeing. We all deserve to have our sexual health questions treated with the same respect as any other medical concern.
I don’t yet know what kind of doctor I want to be, but regardless of the field I (or any of my colleagues) choose, the chance of someday encountering a patient with a sexual health issue is approximately 100 percent. When that day comes, being an open, affirming, knowledgeable health care provider has the potential to make an enormous difference in someone’s life. Therefore, I don’t view this column as separate from my medical aspirations—I regard it as a natural extension of them.
To illustrate the awesome awesomeness of information:
Where are some good places to go online for information about sex? I started reading this column this year and I’m actually interested in reading some more about sex and health. Can you recommend some reliable and accurate sources for more information about this?
—Interested Reader
As you might have guessed, reading about sex is a high-ranking pastime of mine. Lots of good (and bad) stuff is out there, but here are my personal go-to sites, referenced just by title so as not to be a parade of links. I’ve also included some print sources, in case there are some readers interested in curling up with a good book, and some community resources for those looking for some local goodness.
In no particular order, my favorite sex info sources include “Scarleteen,” “Go Ask Alice!” and “Sex, Etc.” Some that are a little more medical in tone (but still rock-solid) are the websites for the Center for Disease Control (for real! Lots of info on STIs and reproductive health), Guttmacher Institute and Planned Parenthood.
If you’re after more cerebral explorations of sex, gender and politics, then I’d recommend a trip to “Tiger Beatdown,” “Yes Means Yes!,” “RHReality Check,” “Pandagon” (which has a most enjoyable tags collection, including “Batsh*t crazy,” “Choads,” and “Science for Choads”), “Feministe,” and “Fugitivus.”
More of a book person? One of my favorite writers is Tristan Taormino, author of “The Ultimate Guide to Anal Sex for Women” (I have my own signed copy, nbd), “Opening Up: Creating and Sustaining Open Relationships” and “The Big Book of Sex Toys,” among other books. She also has her own website. Other classic sexual health tomes include “Sex for One” by Betty Dodson, “Our Bodies, Ourselves” by the Boston Women’s Health Collective and “Exhibitionism for the Shy” by Carol Queen.
Finally, if you’re interested in getting your education in a hands-on, face-to-face format, there are a number of organizations around campus which offer free programming (often student-run), print materials and cool places to hang out. Check out Sex Out Loud (where I got a huge portion of my training) on the 3rd floor of the SAC, Promoting Awareness, Victim Empowerment (PAVE) right next door, the LGBT Campus Center and the Campus Women’s Center in Memorial Union.
In sum, P.T. and IR, accurate and nonjudgmental sexual health information should be a right enjoyed by anyone who wants to access such information. At this juncture in the U.S., that right is constantly repressed and bastardized. Working to change that, whether it is by informing ourselves or by helping others get informed, ought to be a priority for anyone who values public health or individual freedoms.
Still looking for more ways to educate yourself on the ubiquitous mysteries of sex? E-mail Erica at sex@dailycardinal.com for more sources and some smokin’ hot tips. .whatever tickles your fancy.
