Whatever Happened to Safer Sex?
| Tue Aug. 4, 2009 8:44 AM PDT
Safer sex and pregnancy prevention advocates have had their work cut out for them over the last couple of weeks. A recently published study declared that the withdrawal method was almost as effective as condom use in typical practice. Now, a study soon to be published in the Archives of Sexual Behaviour argues that unprotected heterosexual sex can improve your ability to deal with stress and curb depression.
Claims about the positive effects of semen are nothing new. Back in 2002, researchers at the State University of New York conducted two studies in which they concluded that semen positively affected women's mental health. While the 2002 study was carried out by psychologists, the theory was that it was the hormones within semen that elevated women's moods.
This time around, the hypothesis has more to do with the act itself, and asserts that both men and women can benefit from the practice of unprotected heterosexual sex. Its author, Stuart Brody, believes that's due to evolution:
"Evolution is not politically correct, so of the very broad range of potential sexual behaviour, there is actually only one that is consistently associated with better physical and mental health and that is the one sexual behaviour that would be favoured by evolution. That is not accidental."
While science may not always confirm what we would like to be true, some dispute the validity of this type of evolutionary psychology, which tends to laud heterosexual sex and support male dominance as an evolutionary necessity, providing excuses for violence.
The validity of this study is also put into question by its small sample size of only 210 subjects. Besides, as Tony Kerridge of Marie Stopes International argues, the contemporary risks of unprotected heterosexual sex probably outweigh any evolutionary benefits:
"I would have thought that the mental health of anyone would be tested if they found out they had a sexually transmitted disease or that there was an unwanted pregnancy."
While arguments about the effectiveness of condoms versus withdrawal can have the statistics to back them up, studies like these may also create risks. All kidding about the rationale of high school boyfriends aside, there are other concerns associated with unprotected sex, beyond pregnancy. The HIV rate among heterosexual couples continues to rise. According to CDC estimates, heterosexual contact led to 27 percent of new HIV diagnoses in 2006. While I am no evolutionary scientist (psychological or otherwise) I would guess that that type of risk is not evolutionarily favorable.
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Comments
this article is out of line.
Submitted by catrosinfo on Fri Aug. 7, 2009 4:15 PM PDT.
this article is out of line. I respect the author. I do. But it does not follow that heterosexual sex should be done by anyone out of a marital bond. Mentioning HIV along side heterosexual sex without mentioning the natural human order of marital union is to accentuate the problem of HIV, not the benefit it does to an individual as mentioned by the medical finding.
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You think that the martial
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu Aug. 13, 2009 9:50 AM PDT.
You think that the martial bond between two people is a "natural human order". Don't get me wrong, I am very monogamous! But I believe that monogamy was an influence of monotheistic religions becoming insinuated with western culture, and is therefore not a natural human order; just a part of our western culture.
Ideally, both partners
Submitted by rrrbert on Sat Aug. 15, 2009 9:00 AM PDT.
Ideally, both partners should get tested for STIs before initiating sexual contact, or before resuming contact if a partner engaged in contact with someone else. Many infections are not detectable immediately after exposure, so enough time between doses of must be allowed between possible exposures and testing for the tests to be accurate. Certain STIs, particularly certain persistent viruses like HPV, may be impossible to detect with current medical procedures.Natural Male Enhancement Products
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A Deeper Perspective
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun Aug. 16, 2009 9:54 AM PDT.
I for one don't think this article is out of line at all. Realistically heterosexual married couples aren't the usual audience looking for new information about sex or being taught new theories. That being said, the findings in this particular study will immediately filter down into the classrooms where our teenagers and college students attend. I can't even imagine how some of these sexually and mentally immature young adults will translate this information.
If this study is validated by mainstream America, it is very possible for this information to be infused into health education curriculums across the country. For young adults to be taught that it is healthier to have unprotected sex is extremely dangerous. Parents and married couples know better and have a responsibility to help protect the lives of their children. I for one do not want my daughter to being told that allowing a man to release without protection is good for her mental health. The last thing many 20-something single men are thinking about we they are having sex is the mental health of the one night stand they'll never see again.
Not to mention that this is another prime example of the feminization of poverty. This places responsibility/burden of birth control 100% on the woman. While men enjoy sexual freedom, women will be crucified for any mistakes or unplanned pregnancies that may happen. We are suppose to be moving forward when it comes to gender issues, not backwards! On the flipside, the study implies that pregnancy is the only issue our sons have to worry about. When condoms fail, two people can still choose whether or not to proceed with a birth - this choice isn't apparent when talking about HIV.
Instead of solely applying the information to the self, it is extremely important we analyze it in sociological, psychological and medical contexts. Leaving our children and younger generations in an accurately informed and safe position is our social responsibility. To say the least, this studiy obviously does not.
Safer sex and pregnancy
Submitted by estetik cerrahi on Tue Oct. 20, 2009 3:11 AM PDT.
Safer sex and pregnancy prevention advocates have had their work cut out for them over the last couple of weeks. estetik ameliyatlar A recently published study declared that the withdrawal method was almost as effective as condom use in typical practice. burun estetiği ameliyatları Now, a study soon to be published in the Archives of Sexual Behaviour argues that unprotected heterosexual sex can improve your ability to deal with stress and curb depression. göğüs büyütme ameliyatları Claims about the positive effects of semen are nothing new. göğüs estetiği Back in 2002, researchers at the State University of New York conducted two studies in which they concluded that semen positively affected women's mental health. göğüs küçültme ameliyatları While the 2002 study was carried out by psychologists, the theory was that it was the hormones within semen that elevated women's moods. karın germe estetiği This time around, the hypothesis has more to do with the act itself, and asserts that both men and women can benefit from the practice of unprotected heterosexual sex. vajina estetiği Its author, Stuart Brody, believes that's due to evolution lazer epilasyon: "Evolution is not poli tically correct, so of the very broad range of potential sexual behaviour, there is actually only one that is consistently associated with better physical and mental health and that is the one sexual behaviour that would be favoured by evolution. karın estetiği ameliyatları That is not accidental. "estetik cerrahi While science may not always confirm what we would like to be true, some dispute the validity of this type of evolutionary psychology saç ekimi, which tends to laud heterosexual sex and support male nazmi bayçın dominance as an evolutionary necessity, providing excuses for violence göğüs büyütme estetiği. The validity of this study is also put into question by its small sample size of only 210 subjects. göğüs toparlama estetiği Besides, as Tony Kerridge of Marie Stopes International argues, the contemporary risks of unprotected heterosexual sex probably outweigh any evolutionary benefits göğüs küçültme estetiği: "I would have thought that the mental health of anyone would be tested if they found out they had a sexually transmitted disease or that there nazmi bayçın was an unwanted pregnancy .jinekomasti" While arguments about the effectiveness nazmi bayçın of condoms versus withdrawal nazmi bayçın can have the statistics to back them up, studies like these may also create risks. nazmi bayçın All kidding about the rationale of high school boyfriends aside, there are other concerns associated with unprotected sex, beyond pregnancy. nazmi bayçın The HIV rate among heterosexual couples continues to rise. nazmi bayçın According to CDC estimates, heterosexual contact led to 27 percent of new HIV diagnoses in 2006 nazmi bayçın. While I am no evolutionary scientist (psychological or otherwise) I would guess that that type of risk is not evolutionarily favorable. nazmi bayçın
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