The Abstinence Machine Keeps Moving

Abstinence-only advocates have now turned their ire towards condoms.

But, condoms you say? What could possibly be wrong with condoms?! Well, nothing really. They're currently the best protection we have against STIs/STDs... apart from complete abstinence.

Ahhh... it's starting to become clear.

It's true that nothing out there can prevent pregnancy or the spread of STIs all the time, every time. And some infections are spread easier than others, with or without a condom. (Herpes and HPV are two that can be spread by contact with the skin at the base of the penis, which isn't covered by the condom.)

So, a republican senator is trying to get the FDA to revise condom labels to point out all of their short-comings (pun!). C'mon senator, condoms may not be perfect, but they're always better than nothing.

This is the biggest issue I have with the abstinence-only stance. I can appreciate that some people want to save themselves for marriage. That's their right. But to confuse kids who will probably still go ahead and have sex anyway with scare tactics about the things that could actually keep them safe... that's negligence.

So, it's true. Condoms aren't perfect and they can't prevent everything all the time. But they're the best we've got.

Read the story from InteliHealth here.

SAME SEX MARRIAGE BILL HAS PASSED!

Bill C-38, aka the same-sex marriage bill, passed just after nine this evening in the House of Commons!

Final vote: 158 to 133.

Read the good news here, on CBC.ca.

You Could Have Fooled Me...

Noite de S. João 3, originally uploaded by ssn.

Apparently it's safe to use fireworks while nude.

Or so says Nicky Hoffman, a rep for the Naturist Society of Wisconsin. A group of nude people plan on celebrating Nude Recreation Week, which begins July 4, with a whole lot of explosive stuff (fireworks) and stuff that's on fire (sparklers).

They're braver than me on so many levels.

Hoffman does warn that there's one activity that naturists really should wear protective clothing for: frying bacon.
Indeed.

Read a little thing about it here, at flashnews.com (via fark.com).

Smooth Criminals (Not a Post about MJ)

It's really not a post about Michael Jackson — a topic I've managed to avoid thus far — this is a post about actual criminals who were, in a way, quite smooth.

I'm amazed by the lenghts people go to for sex. Two handcuffed, waist-chained convicts, who were being transported to new prisons, managed to have what's being called consensual "innappropriate sexual contact" in the back of a police cruiser.

Apparently it's not unusual to transport male and female prisoners at the same time (that's news to me - maybe the States operates differently on that one), but the deputies that were in charge of the two should have probably been more vigilant. The officers have been suspended with pay for the time being, and the prisoners? Well, I'm going to guess they're probably pretty content with themselves.

(Insert witty remark about bondage, handcuffs and/or back-of-the-car sex here.)

Read the story from the jacksonsun.com (via fark.com).

My Fabulous Gay Wedding Bill C-38

2 Grooms and 2 Brides, originally uploaded by haileydai via gayjourney.com.

I hope that everyone had a safe and happy pride weekend!

It's only fitting that the gay marriage bill be coming down to the wire right about now, and it's looking like bill C-38 is going to pass before the long weekend comes.

The Liberals (most of 'em), NDP and the Bloc Quebecois are all in it together, and Peter Mackay, Deputy Leader of the Conservative opposition, made a statement today to the effect of: the bill can't lose. There's almost no point in us trying to stop it.

There's been a lot of bitching back and forth about issues around the bill. Stephen Harper is being his usual charming self and pitting federalists against seperatists, people of Quebec against everyone else in Canada, and the church against the state.

The most shocking quote I've read of late, however, came from Conservative MP Ken Epp:

"Blacks in the United States never asked to be called white. They just wanted the same rights." Epp then went on to say that women in Canada sought equal rights without demanding to be called men. "And so I ask the question in this struggle for so-called equality for same-sex couple, why do they want to use the word that describes heterosexual marriage and has for millennia?" (via cbc.ca, emphasis mine)

I can't figure out if he's implying that gay people want to be straight or that this whole issue is really about semantics. Either way, he's a complete boob.

I'm going to be watching the government closely over the next few days... let's hope that this Canada Day weekend, we can celebrate in a country where gay marriage is legal from coast to coast.

Go here and here to read more from cbc.ca.

One-Post Wonder

I've been a one-post wonder these past few days, and tonight will be no different.

In the spirit of Pride Week, NOW magazine has come up with a list of queer blogs that you should all check out. Following the link here, and surf to your heart's content.

You probably won't hear from me again until Monday, so I'll say one last time: HAPPY PRIDE EVERYONE!!!

Much love,
HD xoxo

Almond Joy

The Almond - Cover, originally uploaded by haileydai.

Move over Catherine M.
Take a seat Melissa P.
There's a new semi-autobiographical erotic writer in town, and I think she might just beat all of you out. Her name is Nedjma (well, her pen name is Nedjma) and not only has she written what promises to be a very sexy book (check out a review and a very hot exerpt here), she's done it as a Muslim woman from Northern Africa - so the book is a political act in and of itself.

Check out a NYTimes review here (though, if you don't have a subscription, you only get to read the first part of it), and if you like the sounds of it, you can order it on Amazon here.

Happy Pride!

Pride Week began yesterday, and there are festivities happening all over the world this week, culminating in grand parades and parties this weekend. Pride is always so much fun, and if you've never checked out any of the events, I'm going to help you out. Here are links to some Pride sites across Canada. Please feel free to add links to more sites in the comments section - I'll add them to this post.

Pride Toronto - www.pridetoronto.com
Pride Vancouver - www.vanpride.bc.ca
Pride Halifax - http://gay.hfxns.org/PrideWeek
Pride Calgary - www.pridecalgary.ca
Divers/Cité Motreal (actually next week) - http://www.diverscite.org/

Happy Pride everyone! Drink lots of water if you're going to be out in the sun and put on a condom if you're going to be out of the sun, if you catch my meaning.

Quick, Easy, Dirty & Cheap

Preview

Sweet Action Issue 3, originally uploaded by haileydai.

Style.com, the online home of Vogue and W, has a little 'zine round up going on today. Three of these 'zines are in the 18+ category.

One of them, Dirty Found, I've covered in a previous post.
Two new-comers:
Sweet Action
and
Blue Kitten Photos (via Arcana Books).

All good-time fun: take a gander, place an order and suffer the sweet anticipation until they arrive at your door. Hoorah!

O O O O O O O!

There has been so much about female orgasm in the news lately, I just can't keep up!

The latest is some research going on in Copenhagen that is showing that much of a woman's brain shuts down during orgasm. Fear receptors, pain receptors, all of that stuff is inactive during climax. So is the part of the brain that handles emotional control (which could explain the uncontrollable laughing and/or crying that can appear shortly after a particularly intense orgasm).

My favourite part of the article as follows:

"Dr. Holstege said he had trouble getting reliable results from the study on men because the scanner needs activities lasting at least two minutes and the men's climaxes didn't last that long."

See, there's some kind of cosmic balance to the different ways the sexes reach orgasm; it may be harder for women to get to climax, but when we do, it certainly lasts a lot longer.

Read the full story here, from The Globe and Mail.

ps - Thanks Reader R for the link!!

The Hand that Blocks the Bill is the Hand that Creeps Me Out

Harper at a Rally, from cbc.ca, originally uploaded by haileydai.

I'm not a fan of the old Harpsies. Besides his general creepiness (which will apparently be remedied by his appearance at a number of BBQs around the country this summer [and he'd better not show up in my backyard]) I was disgusted by his appearance at and involvement in an anti-gay-marriage rally in April (see image).

Now, Prime Minister Paul Martin is saying that Harper, leader of the opposition, is the one holding the reigns on the timing of the same-sex marriage bill that is currently being debated by the federal government.

They (the conservatives) even tried a bit of political bribery by offering to pass the budget amendment bill if the government took the same-sex marriage bill off the table until the fall. Nice try guys. Paul Martin would have none of it, but at the same time, seems to be dodging the issue by claiming it's all in Harper's hands.

I just got cold shivers thinking about Harper's hands. *shudder*

Read the story here, at cbc.ca.

It's "Same-Sex Marriage in Canada" Thursday

Sorry to those of you who may not be interested in the same-sex marriage debate going on in Canada right now, because that's the theme I've picked for today's posts.

First up: Gay Marriage in the Military!

Considering that homosexuals were banned from the military up until 1992, they've come a long way baby. The first same-sex marriage ceremony to be performed on military soil went down on an airbase in Nova Scotia on May 3rd.

Names haven't been released, but the base's chaplain said that the two married were a sergeant and a warrant officer. Apparently there wasn't a dry eye in the house.

The military has said that it will perform same-sex marriages in the seven provinces and one territory where it's currently legal.

And for those who don't know; Alberta, New Brunswick, P.E.I., Northwest Territories and Nunavut are those that don't allow same-sex marriage at this point. Though, Nunavut recognizes same-sex marriages performed elsewhere. Half way there Nunavut... keep 'er going.

Read the story here, on cbc.ca.

Man of the Year!

Playgirl Cover for July 05, originally uploaded by haileydai.

I have a mystery on my hands, and I can't seem to crack the case. Of late, I've noticed that a lot of you wonderful readers from all over the world are coming to my blog via image searches, and many of these image searches lead you to a Playgirl cover I posted back in April. I'm not sure why this is, but I'm sure glad it's bringing you here. That image, and the pic of a nude Peter Sarsgaard are both bringing in heaps of blog-readers... such a mystery. Why not other images? What is it about those two?

Well, I did a google search today to find out if there's been some kind of scandal with Playgirl recently, or if Peter Sarsgaard has appeared in Playgirl, or whatever the heck.

I still can't figure it out, but I did discover that Playgirl has announced their man of the year. Charles Dera (Mr. September) took home that honour, and the magazine is on shelves now.

And if anyone can tell me why those two images are so special (and they are pretty nice...) I will finally be able to sleep again.

For more info on the Man of the Year issue, go to www.playgirltv.com/magazine.

ps: Maybe this post was also a bid to bring in more readers... if one Playgirl cover brings so many, think of what TWO Playgirl covers might do!!! (Even if one is small and hard to see...?)

They're Here, They're Queer and They'll Out You

I'm referring to the innovative gay members of Spain's Popular Party, who have threatened to out the publically closeted members of the party, if the party as a whole doesn't withdraw support of an anti-gay marriage rally.

You may remember a previous post (posted on Friday, April 22) about the same-sex marriage debate going on in Spain. Looks like it's still going. And though I fully support the reasons behind his virtual blackmail, I think it's pretty dirty politics.

Read about it here, on Reuters.com.

Over 1 Million Living with HIV

There are now over 1 million people living with AIDS in the US, according to a government report that was released yesterday.

This is being declared both a victory and a failure by various groups; a victory in that those with HIV are living longer thanks to new drugs, but a failure in that goals to reduce the number of those infected are clearly not being met.

What's really frightening is that they think 25% of those infected don't even know it.

Fark.com did a good job of summing up the situation with their headline pointing to this story:
"This just in: The number of Americans infected with the HIV virus has recently surpassed one million. Now back to Missing White Woman/Pervert of the Week stories on CNN".

Read the story here on Yahoo News.

When You're in a Big Jam

Blackberry & Fig, originally uploaded by Saffron.

If you're ever in a jam — meaning, you think you may have given someone an STD/STI — there are now some handy anonymous e-cards that can help you share the bad news.

Inspot.org is based out of San Francisco, and they've come up with six different e-cards you can send to anyone you worry you may have infected. Catchy lines like "I got screwed while screwing, you might have too" and "You're too hot to be out of action" should get the recipient's attention. But, take note: people are more likely to take you seriously if you tell them personally.

Inspot.org says that if you find out you've got an unwelcome infection, you should notify anyone you've had sex with in the past six months. And yes, oral sex is considered "sex" in this case.

Also on the site: info on the various STDs/STIs and lots of links to sexual health resources.

Sex Can Wait Until You Get Out of Commuter Traffic

San Antonio, TX will soon be the proud home to a number of billboards hawking not a product, but a lifestyle choice: abstinence.

The project is sponsored by the University of Texas Health Science Center and will feature information about the dangers of STIs, encouraging teens to wait to have sex until they're involved in committed and mature relationships.

The organizers of the project hope that the billboards will encourage teens to talk to their parents about sex, and help them to make smart choices with their sexuality. If that's what comes from these billboards, more power to them.

Read the story here, via the National Post.

Poor Effort Tonight...

Sorry everyone. It was a sunny evening and there was a patio and pitcher of sangria with my name on it, so my blogging effort tonight is completely sub-par, and I apologize.

In truth, you'll have to wait until Monday for more posts (maybe Sunday if I get myself in gear). But don't think I'm not thinking of you!

In fact, I had a conversation tonight that brought up a a very good question - maybe someone out there can answer it: Why don't male strippers pole dance?

Any male strippers in the crowd? Anyone? Thoughts? Ideas?

Mull on that over the weekend, and please have a good one!
-HD

Vagina Teeth Available Soon

Fish Teef, originally uploaded by Jan Tik.

You didn't read that wrong, though you may wish you had.

A woman in South Africa has come up with a device that's meant to deter rape: it's inserted like a tampon and lodges tiny hooks into any penis it encounters. The offender requires surgery to remove the thing.

It's incredibly sad that this is what we have come to, but beyond that, there are a number of problems that seem immediate when you read about this device. The biggest concern is whether or not a rapist might hurt/kill/maim anyone who attaches one of these devices to him. And the thought of a woman wearing it around all day — just in case — is also troubling. And, by the time the penetration has happened, the rape has too. So, it'll be effective too late, in that sense.

As this article on IOL: South Africa suggests, time, energy and money might be better spent on preventing rape in the first place.

One excellent thing about this device? It can prevent the spread of AIDS, other STIs and pregnancy.

Read more about the vagina teeth here.

More about the Female O

The race to find a drug to help women orgasm has spawned a number of studies on the ever-elusive female O of late, and the BBC is reporting on another.

This study — which focused on twins, both identical and non — has found that genetics may well have something to do with women being able to orgasm:

"Overall, orgasm frequency was higher for the identical female twins than the non-identical female twins, which the researchers said suggested there must be some genetic component."

Also discussed is the idea that the female orgasm is some kind of mate-selection tool; if he sticks around long enough to get me there, he'll probably stick around to raise the kids too!
This logic seems a little flawed, but maybe it applied in the days of our ancestors.

Such a mystery, this female orgasm. Read the story here.

PS - Thanks to Reader A for the link!

Don't Gay and Drive

In Sicily earlier this week, a 23-year-old man had his driving licence suspended because he's gay. The road licence authorities discovered he'd avoided military service due to his homosexuality and suspended his licence, planning on doing some checks to determine his "suitability" to drive.

So, he's sued the authorities, asking for 500,000 euros for his trouble.

A Sicillian court was not very happy with the whole thing, and a statement of the obvious they released yesterday said:
"It is clear that sexual preferences do not in any way influence a person's ability to drive motor cars safely."

As promising as that sounds, they followed it by stating that homosexuality "cannot be considered a true and proper psychiatric illness, being a mere personality disturbance."

So close Sicilian court... so close.

Read the story here, on Stuff.co.nz.

Nihon No AIDS Mondai Desu.

a curious sight, originally uploaded by Sluggo.

It's not a secret that AIDS in on the rise in a number of places across the world. But would you have guessed that Japan is one of those places? The Japanese wouldn't have guessed that either.

AIDS has been something many Japanese think of someone else's problem, and a number of factors could lead to a vertiable crisis. To quote an Associated Press story by Natalie Obiko Pearson on Dailybreeze.com:

"The official toll of 10,070 HIV/AIDS sufferers in a nation of 127 million people pales next to some countries. Even if the actual figure is closer to 40,000, that would mean roughly 1 in 3,000 are infected, compared to about 1 in 100 in Thailand or 1 in 1,500 in China, according to estimates by UNAIDS, the U.N. body waging the global war on AIDS.

But many in Japan are alarmed at the dangerous mixture of chronic underreporting of cases, a sexually freewheeling youth culture that's less inclined to use condoms or other protection, and the powerful social stigma of a sexually transmitted disease."

Read the full story here.

PS - The image relates to Japan's Kanamara Festival. Also known as the penis festival. They really do have a penis festival. Learn about it here, on Wikipedia.

PPS - If my Japanese is rusty, forgive me. That posting head is supposed to say something like "Japan's AIDS problem." Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Too Small, Too Smelly, Too Hairy

This is what Canadian post-secondary students think of their genitals. Well, at least the virgins do. A new study posted on the website of the Electronic Journal of Human Sexuality has shown that the more sex a post-secondary student has had, the more comfortable they are with their bits. Not only that, but men are more likely to be comfy with their penises than women are with thier vaginas.

That said, when people have issues with their penises or vaginas, the issues are similar across the board. Men fear their penises are too small, and women worry about the smell and hairiness of their vaginas.

There's lots more stuff in the study including findings that people who like the way they look are more likely to be comfortable with their sexuality (meaning: willing to have sex with the lights on, willing to undress in front of someone else, etc) AND that women who have experienced cunnilingus are happier with their vaginas.

It's a collection of things that seem fairly obvious (if not a little sad), and now there's proof.

The take-away point here: love your genitals! They mean you no harm!

Read the study here.

No One Cares About Britney's Sex Life

Speechless, originally uploaded by ejshea.

Dear Britney Spears,

I think we, the media-consuming public, have lead you astray. I think we maybe misrepresented ourselves back when we made such a big fuss over you being a virgin, or not being a virgin, or whatever. I think we must have lead you to believe that our primary concern was your sex life.

I'm really sorry to have to tell you like this, but I think we don't care about your sex life anymore. I guess that when you started your show, you thought you'd try and give us what we wanted (what you thought we wanted) by going on and on and on about how much sex you have with that yeti boyfriend of yours, and how good it is and all of that. And, I really hate to say it; no one cares anymore. Your show's ratings are plummeting really quickly, Brit. They're just diving. I don't know if we even believe you about the sex: if it's really that good, would you need to go on as you do? Just asking.

I don't know what you can do about all of this, but I thought you should know. Maybe now that you know our priorities have changed, maybe you can change yours too. We seem to be really fascinated by Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes right now - can you have them on your show? I hear she's a virgin, is that true?

Thanks, and good luck with your show and with the baby and all that.
Always wear shoes in public washrooms,
HD

Check out the ratings figures here, at medialifemagazine.com.

It Starts with L, and It's More Powerful Than Sex

Love, originally uploaded by Ogster.

Give up?
I'm talking about love. Good old-fashioned romantic love.

Apparently, in a match, it beats sex every time. At least that's what a new study — which will be published in the Journal of Neurophysiology in July — is saying.

The study, announced yesterday, indicates that love is a more powerful emotion than lust. Powerful in what way? Powerful in its ability to control the human mind. The study also suggests that as romantic love develops, the brain goes through a maturation of its own.

I still have lots of questions after reading this story on livescience.com, but I'm completely fascinated. If I get more info, I'll pass it along.