Sexual Health
Quality and informed sexual health is crucial health for students of all identities. And while the importance of safe, enjoyable sex is universal, the means of achieving it are oftentimes nuanced and specific. Scroll through some of the links below to understand how these nuances might apply to you.
What You Might Have Asked Yourself
Is HIV prevention through PrEP the right choice for me?
While the efficacy of PrEP is promising and exciting, it is important to understand that it is not simply a pill, but a program. It is one important component of a well-rounded, well-disciplined HIV prevention program. To learn more, please call 410-516-8270 to schedule an appointment at our office.
Want to speak to someone in person but off-campus? Chase Brexton Health Clinic in Mount Vernon serves as a local expert in HIV prevention and treatment, and Baltimore specifically is a beneficiary of multiple large grants involving this particular drug.
Additional Resources:
What aspects of my sex life might put me at risk for sexually transmitted infections, especially HIV/AIDS?
If you’ve ever had a question about your sex life, chances are others have wondered about the same thing, and chances are this site has answered it. Run by Columbia University health education staff, GoAskAlice! is a trusted and reliable source for all these answers, about both the most random and mundane curiosities about sex (and just about everything else!). Below are some sample questions and answers:
- http://goaskalice.columbia.edu/answered-questions/hiv-transmission-risks-anal-fingering
- http://goaskalice.columbia.edu/answered-questions/help-farts-flow-freely-following-anal-sex
- http://goaskalice.columbia.edu/answered-questions/exploring-options-big-masturbation
- http://goaskalice.columbia.edu/answered-questions/circumcision-and-sex
- http://goaskalice.columbia.edu/answered-questions/can-sexually-transmitted-infections-stis-be-transmitted-during-sex-between-women
- http://goaskalice.columbia.edu/answered-questions/finger-anus-vagina-okay
- http://goaskalice.columbia.edu/answered-questions/should-i-tell-my-gyn-im-having-lesbian-sex
Are “female” condoms really only for females?
While research is still needed to prove the safety and effectives of these internal condoms for anal sex, they have been known to work for many people. So how do you put one on? Do you dispose of them the same way as external condoms? Here are two links that answer those questions and more:
I sleep with women – do I still need a pap smear?
Hint: the answer is yes!
What forms of safe sex supplies apply to my sex life?
Check out this online guide created by Brown University students to learn the whats, hows, and whys of safe sex and the tools–from internal (“female”) condoms to IUDs—to make it happen.
How can I clean my sex toys in a way that’s safe for myself and the toy?
Brown University provides some helpful information on this topic as well.
Ten Things to Discuss
Because LGBTQ folks have “unique health needs and concerns,” the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association (GLMA) recommends several very popular lists of “Ten Things LGBTQ People Should Discuss With Their Healthcare Provider.”