This article examines how sex, gender, and sexuality impact physical and mental wellbeing and how these issues shape, and are shaped by, the types of societies we build and value.
“What do you do?” It’s a question that always makes my heart sink, which aspect of what I do should I highlight in the answer to this minefield of a question.
The answer must be brief because the attention span of the interrogator will last only as long as politeness dictates. But it must also be carefully crafted because it sets the tone for subsequent conversation. Although I’ve been asked many times I’m yet to find a universally suitable answer to this question.
On May 17 people all over Australia will stand against discrimination in support of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer (LGBTIQ) mates, colleagues and families.
Go rainbow on IDAHOBIT and use the day to publicly stand with the LGBTIQ community. It’s the perfect opportunity for your school or workplace to start small changes that can make a big difference.
Sex isn’t only a pleasurable experience, with some reports claiming the act also has health benefits that can be compared to those of exercise. In fact, the physiological response to sex is similar to that of exercise. Landmark studies in the 1960s showed people having sex had an increase in their respiratory rate, heart rate and blood pressure.
These are all signs the body is working at an elevated rate, similar to that experienced during exercise.
More recently, these findings have been replicated by a number of researchers using less obtrusive, miniaturised and wireless equipment, enabling more realistic results.
Again, they found a significant increase in markers of physiological stress, such as heart rate and blood pressure. Comparing this to what happens during exercise, they showed sexual activity elicits a moderate level of physical stress – up to 75% of maximal exercise.
When you first learn about periods and get your first one, there's a lot to take in, and get used to; tracking your cycle, managing the flow, and regularly changing your pads or tampons.
Often shushed by society, period talk – even into adulthood – can seem like whispered 'women's-only' business, a taboo topic rather than a crucial and celebrated part of women's health.
So in case you missed a menstrual memo, or just want to learn more, here are four things you may not know about the menstrual cycle.
To start with, sex shouldn’t hurt, and if it does, a good tip is to say “stop”, no matter what! The aftermath of sex also shouldn’t hurt – whether it’s two minutes, two hours or two days later...
SoSAFE! provides parents, carers, teachers, counsellors and other professionals with simple visual tools to enhance the training of social, socio-sexual and social safety skills. The explicit, rule-based format allows the learner to respond to situations, including intimate relationships, without having to make discretionary decisions, in response to their feelings or ‘early warning signs’.
The SoSAFE! Tools (together with SoSAFE! User Training) provide teachers, trainers and counsellors with skills and simple visual tools to enhance the social, social-sexual and social safety training of people with moderate to severe intellectual disability. SoSAFE! uses a standardised framework of symbols, visual teaching tools and concepts to teach strategies for moving into intimate relationships in a safe and measured manner, and provides visual communication tools for reporting physical or sexual abuse.
This article examines how sex, gender, and sexuality impact physical and mental wellbeing and how these issues shape, and are shaped by, the types of societies we build and value.
