Em-URGE-ing Voices

Posts Tagged: sex education

Media and The Unrealistic Expectations of Sex

Being a part of gen z is kind of crazy. We still got to experience the remnants of the great era that was the 90s while simultaneously witnessing all of the advancements of technology. We experienced some of the first touch screen phones, the rise of social media, and the continuation of trashy teen sitcoms. The world went from landlines and physical dictionaries to having infinite knowledge at our fingertips. It would be easy to sit here and talk about how all of these technological advancements have improved the lives of young people everywhere. However, the topic of how detrimental this rise in technology has been is often shied away from–until now. As most of us know, the internet has been an amazing tool for young people. We can now… Read more »

Mind F*ck: Sex Ed Trivia Night with Feminist Union @ University of North Texas

Since the semester just started, Fem U wanted to host an event centered around sex ed and sex positivity that also built community amongst new and returning members. The top three with the highest scores won prizes with mystery bags from a local sex shop as well as fun giveaways and self care goodies. In addition to the trivia (which was free to participate in), the chapter had raffles that people could pay to be entered in and were a really fun fundraiser!  The event was held at local queer coffee shop called Q’s and the staff there were so amazing and supportive. The chapter plans to host a fat and body positive burlesque show in October during Love Your Body Week! We also had the Condom Club from UNT… Read more »

Trump’s Plan to Fund Abstinence-Only Sex Ed is Grossly Misled

Last Friday, the Department of Health and Human Services announced that grants for sexual education programs available through the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program will favor programs that focus on abstinence-only sexual education. Both The Hill and The New York Times report that the grants will focus on supporting programs that follow one of two models: “sexual risk avoidance” and “sexual risk reduction.” The Times also notes that “the announcement … mentioned an ‘emphasis on cessation support,’ a phrase many involved in teen pregnancy programs interpreted as urging sexually active teenagers to stop having sex.” In essence, Trump’s administration is favoring abstinence-centric sex ed programs over comprehensive sexual education. They see avoidance as the main option, and the administration is leaning away from evidence-based programs. Here’s why this is a big… Read more »

Breaking News: Sexual Education Did Not Prepare Me for Sex

Let me introduce myself. I am an upper middle class woman who grew up in a fairly prosperous area. I went to a middle school and high school that are highly ranked in the country. I am currently in the Honors College at a well-ranked public school on the pre-medical track. My friends, for the most part, are progressive and openly talk about sex. All of these factors, one may think, might make me more prepared for sexual encounters. This may be the case, but I still would not label myself as “prepared”. In fact, I think I was fairly far from it when I started having sex and still do not know as much about sex and sexual health as I would like. I have made many mistakes along… Read more »

Supporting Sexual Health Care in Kansas Starts with Education

Last week, I attended the Protecting Sexual Health in Kansas forum at Kansas State University. Speakers Jennifer Greene, director of the Riley County Health Center, and Micah Kubic, executive director of the Kansas ACLU, discussed the state of sexual health care in the country and in Kansas, specifically Riley County. Greene called Riley County a “contraceptive desert” as it only has two publicly-funded clinics that offer a range of family planning options. Many of the surrounding counties in the area don’t have a single clinic like that, so the need for contraceptive services are greater there. Looking at the entire state, Greene said that in 2010, 45 percent of pregnancies in Kansas were in unintended. In Riley County alone, 9,190 women (aged 13-44) are in need of publicly-funded sexual health… Read more »

Tell Me I Look Sexy With My IUD Strings Pushed Back: Let’s Chat About IUDs

Let me tell you a true story: I took the birth control pill for less than a month, and it made me feel horrendous. I gained weight, my skin broke out, and my pre-existing anxiety got even worse. This is where my first true love, my Mirena IUD, comes in.   I’ve never had huge issues with my periods. They’ve never been particularly intense or cumbersome, but, instead, merely just annoying and inconsistent. I decided to get an IUD by the suggestion of my doctor before I went to college. It felt like not only the responsible thing to do as I take my first steps into ~adulthood~, but also, the thought of not having a period for FIVE years sold me. If you do the math, that’s roughly seven… Read more »

President Obama Just Took a Big Step for Sex Education

Bless you, Barack Obama. This week, President Obama sent the U.S. Senate his proposed budget for fiscal year 2017, and he made a huge step for reproductive justice. Obama’s proposed budget cuts funding for abstinence-only sex education programs. Currently, this education is being funded by a $10 million grant from the Department of Health and Human Services. It is safe to say this grant has been a complete waste of time and has set sex education back decades. Up to this point, abstinence-only sex education has been encouraged and utilized in schools because of the funding it was receiving; this is obviously problematic. Students have been missing out on sex education that is actually informative because school districts want more money. This means young people have been inadequately informed about… Read more »

Your Cervix Is Beautiful, according to this organization

Have you ever wanted to see just what your stomach looked like? Or your heart? Or liver? What about your cervix? Not a lot of people know about the fundamental functions or appearance of their reproductive organs — I didn’t know what a prostate did until I was well into college, knowing until then only that it was something that can end up cancerous. Unlike the digestive system, and the circulatory system, or even the nervous system, rarely do we get briefed on the inner workings of the reproductive system beyond the function of the sperm and the egg (if that at all). The cervix is one such organ that people may have never seen. In some circles, it is viewed like the prostate: generally something that exists gives you… Read more »

Strive for Honor? Texas Tech receives terrible sexual health rating

There are a lot of things that make me really proud to be a student at Texas Tech. The campus, traditions, sporting events and overall environment of the university make me proud to be a Red Raider. But recently, I was disappointed to find out that the university I am so proud of failed  the annual Trojan sexual health report card. Texas Tech was ranked 134 out of 140, this is a huge step back from 2014 when Tech was ranked 112. Many factors could contribute to this embarrassing ranking; the report might even be excluding Texas Tech’s new RISE office on campus. RISE stands for Risk Intervention and Safety Education and it has made a huge impact on the university. As a center for condom distribution,  sexual health facts, and… Read more »