As many of our readers  know – in December IRMA, the Microbicide Trials Network, and Population Council launched the video “The Rectal Revolution is Here: An introduction to rectal microbicide clinical trials.” The 14-minute video includes researchers, advocates, and trial participants and discusses the need for rectal microbicides and the role of clinical trials in developing products Read More >>

via Daily Collegian, by Roy Ribitzky Men’s assumed and undeserving position in society is coming at a huge cost to our health. The performance of hegemonic masculinity is forcing men of all races, classes and education to sacrifice their mental and physical health. Men are expected to be strong, athletic, successful, competitive, in control, relentless, risk takers, Read More >>

via Johns Hopkins School of Public Health Female sex workers in low- and middle-income countries are nearly 14 times more likely to be infected by HIV compared to the rest of country’s population, according to an analysis by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. The findings suggest an urgent need to scale up Read More >>

Via EmpowHer, by Hannah Cutts. Whether you are a committed fan, a non-subscriber, or have been considering engaging in anal play, I believe it is a subject that women should make an effort to include in their sexual awareness and conversations, even if only to expand their education on the female body and become resources for friends/family Read More >>

via The Atlantic, by Natasha Vargas-Cooper Excerpt: Porn’s new pervasiveness and influence on the culture at large haven’t necessarily introduced anything new into our sexual repertoire: humans, after all, have been having sex—weird, debased, and otherwise—for quite a while. But pervasive hard-core porn has allowed many people to flirt openly with practices that may have always been Read More >>

via SANGONeT pulse, by Tian Johnson Excerpt: Now, with the Soccer World Cup a few days away we wonder how far we as women’s rights activists need to go to ensure that this critical life saving (and sexy!) disease prevention tool remains on the agenda – free of profiteering, corruption and power games that strip away yet Read More >>

via The Daily Beast, by Joyce C. Tang The first version of the female condom made a weird noise, fell out, and was expensive, too. Now public health experts are pushing a new and improved version in American cities. Can it overcome stigma? Made from polyurethane, which is less pliable than latex, the female condom could be Read More >>

Acknowledging anal sexvia The Michigan Daily, by Rose Afriyie [thanks for this important piece Rose!] Excerpt: The vision of sexual tolerance we must adopt is one where everyday people acknowledge differences in sexual relations while promoting public health provisions that accommodate our sexual diversity. We need a sexually tolerant healthcare system that accounts for the various kinds Read More >>

An FDA advisory panel on Thursday voted 15-0 to recommend approval of the new, less costly version of the female condom developed by the Female Health Company, Reuters reports. When determining whether to recommend approval of the new product — called the FC2 female condom — the panel heard that the condom’s lower price could attract more Read More >>

So far more than 100 people have endorsed the mission of the 2009 LGBTI Health Summit coming to Chicago next August. It’s a great start, but we need more support. Please keep spreading the word out far and wide. Remember, by endorsing the Summit, you are voicing your support for the health and wellness of the LGBTI Read More >>