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Thursday, January 31, 2008

Too old for Soulja Boy



I can remember a time when I used to lie about how old I was – old being the operative word. I can also remember thinking how absurd it was that people would actually lie about their age in efforts to appear younger than they were. Why, I naively thought, would anybody rely on random time, the solar calendar in our case, to dictate how good they felt about themselves? My, what a difference a few rounds of 365 days makes! As I continue to get on in my years, which, if nothing else, is good indication that I’m still alive, I’ve come to appreciate the errors of my ways. For the first time in my life, I realize that I am no longer as young as I always assumed I’d be. To the contrary, I find myself out of touch with any actual semblance of today’s youth, a segment of the population I am decidedly no longer a part of. The tip off was “Soulja Boy,” a song that apparently has a dance that goes along with it, one I had no clue existed. But with no bar-mitzvahs, sweet sixteens or alcohol free-clubs to guide me along, how was I supposed to know the Macarena was over and done with? Maybe the first sign of getting older is recognizing that you’re no longer young... Whatever the case, I have a new perspective on those who lie about their age; they are brave, brave men and women, and I hope they’ll allow me in their ranks should I one day decide to join. Until then, thank god I’m not thirty yet.

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iraqi policewomen get their guns back!

I just loved this photo so much that I had to post it. Click here for the article accompanying the pic.


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Monday, January 28, 2008

"10 things you shouldn't say to a guy"..the 1950's edition

I wanted to give MSN Lifestyle kudos, for reminding us that: Men are From Mars and Women from Venus. Luckily, they've decided to help the sexes communicate by publishing this very helpful list of the "10 things you should never say to a guy"

I'm going to skip the formalities and reveal the #1 faux pas according to MSN Lifestyle:

1) "That looks cute."
For the most part, men hate cute. We don't want to hear about it, we don't want to see it, and we sure as hell don't want to be it. If we come down stairs after getting dressed and you tell us we look cute, there's a 100 percent chance we're changing. We're supposed to be your protector, your rock, and cute does not fit into that picture.


Could it get any WEAKER?

God, you'd think that they'd include something that at least alludes to the fact that it's 2008, something a smidgen plucky. I have a few suggestions of my top 10 things to never say to a guy: "You're right honey, birth control IS my responsiblity" or "Oh, don't worry about cleaning that up. I'll take care of it later". But maybe I'm just old fashioned.

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Thursday, January 24, 2008

Westboro Baptist Church to Picket Heath Ledger Memorial Services in US


Like many, I was saddened to learn of Heath Ledger's death on Tuesday. My thoughts go out to his family and friends, and movie goers like myself will miss his vibrant screen presence.

My sadness turned to outrage when I read a Fox new report that the Westboro Baptist Church (WBC) is spreading the message that Ledger is "now in hell" and plans to picket memorial services in the US. Such hate mongering is repulsive, and church spokespeople such as Shirley Phelps-Roper should remove themselves from the public limelight and take the time to return and read the Gospels. Somehow I don't think Jesus would approve of their actions.

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Tuesday, January 22, 2008

35 years of safe, legal abortions

We're pretty slammed here in the midst of co-hosting the Sex Tech Conference: Focus on Youth with ISIS ( Internet Sexuality Information Services), but I wanted to make a quick note about a VERY important anniversary.

Today is the 35th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the landmark case that made abortion legal (and safe) in this country. And, though there have been some setbacks, we made it through the Bush years. Time for new leadership and a revised Supreme Court composed of judges who make intelligent decisions based on what is best for all Americans.

If you don't know much about this case or what is happening with reproductive rights today, I would highly encourage you to visit these sites. This is also a good chance to thank these organizations who are fighting to protect our rights to make safe and informed decisions about our own bodies:

Planned Parenthood
NARAL
Center for Reproductive Rights

The Physicians for Reproductive Choice are giving us the chance to thank doctors who were brave enough to perform safe sterile abortions pre-Roe. These are the heroes who risked their own lives to help save many women from life-threatening back alley abortions. Click here to send your support.



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Monday, January 14, 2008

MRSA and the Gay Vector

According to a recent University of California, San Francisco led study reported in the Annals of Internal Medicine, a highly drug-resistant strain of staph infection related to the MRSA bacteria is spreading among gay men in San Francisco and Boston. In recent years, the MRSA bacteria has become an important public health concern, particularly in hospitals, which until now were the primary sources of infection. Now, it appears that the bacteria is being transmitted sexually through skin-to-skin contact.

While not discounting the importance of the study and the real concern it poses for the health of gay men, the media reports are strangely eerie of early HIV reporting. As in this quote by Dr. Binh Diep, PhD, a scientist at San Francisco General Hospital Medical Center - "The potential widespread dissemination of multi-resistant forms of USA300 into the general population is alarming."

Hum. I think it's alarming that gay men are coming down with MRSA. And I thought that in 2008, gay men were now part of the "general population." If not, who else isn't part of the general population? Women? Farmers? Medical researchers?

The take home public health message from the story is that the bacteria may be more easily transmitted through sexual activity than non-sexual skin-on-skin contact. This implies that all sexually active people and their health providers should be on the look-up for signs of infection. Let's leave the gay men infection vector language in the history books.



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Friday, January 11, 2008

Gender Algebra




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Hand jobs without borders

This blog has been moved to a new location: http://nsrc.sfsu.edu/dialogues/users/rvaleev/blog/hand-jobs-without-borders

Read more of our blogs at http://nsrc.sfsu.edu/dialogues/communicate

NSRC

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Wednesday, January 09, 2008

What Sex Ed Works for You?

The Fresh Focus Sex Ed Video contest is hitting the home stretch. Check out more than 40 entries and vote for your favorite at dogooder.tv. The voting deadline is Wednesday, January 16th. Winning videos will be shown at the upcoming SexTech Conference, hosted to ISIS, Inc. and the NSRC on January 22-23 in San Francisco.

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Tuesday, January 08, 2008

Someone pass Hillary a tissue...


I don’t know about you, but I when it comes to the President of the United States of America, I don’t want no stinking cry baby. Yeah, you heard me Miss Hillary; those had better been some crocodile tears if you know what’s best for you. If you can’t handle a little Iowa caucus, whatcha gonna do when North Korea goes all Kim Jong IL on our asses and Will Smith is tied up in Bad Boys III post production? Cry to your country? Break down with human emotion? Get with it lady! Politics are for the boys – and I mean men who hold back all feeling until they collapse a la Dick Cheney. That’s the type of person we want at the helm of this great state of ours. Not someone who, (gasp!) might get tired after two months of traveling around on a bus, pretending to be interested in every annoying last one of us. Cause really, if her lipstick is slightly smeared now, just imagine when Bill has to tell her to tell her to wipe it off her teeth.

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Sunday, January 06, 2008

Happy New Year!

How was everyone's vacation, holidays, and New Years? Mine was great, although I'm sure I've gained about 10 pounds. Well worth it though to get that extra helping of pie.

I know I'm a little late, but I just saw this story.

What a great way to start a new year. We've got a prominent clergy member in the Episcopal Church speaking out strongly in support of her Church's decision to appoint an openly gay Bishop. She's doing the right thing by going on the offensive and calling out other Churches for their wishy-washyness. Here's the quote:

"[Gene Robinson, the newly appointed openly gay bishop,] is certainly not alone in being a gay bishop, he's certainly not alone in being a gay partnered bishop," she said.

"He is alone in being the only gay partnered bishop who's open about that status."

Amen, sister. Way to go.

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