Washington, DC's one-stop, comprehensive sex and wellness resource.
Fact versus fiction. Myth versus truth. When faced with an unknown epidemic that causes certain death, it’s easy to fall victim to misinformation and unsubstantiated opinions. That was the atmosphere within our country during the early years of AIDS. Friends and lovers were dying all around us, decimating the gay communities within large cities but also infecting our…
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June is traditionally gay pride month in most of the country and the world. It’s a time to celebrate the progress we’ve made as a society and culture, and to understand our differences within our own community. During the AIDS epidemic in the early 80s, so little was known about this horrific virus. Fear and misinformation fueled panic and confusion to the extent people were…
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Taking control of your health includes understanding the historical inequities that create barriers to quality healthcare and how biases adversely affect you today. It also means understanding the need for culturally competent services and providers, in other words, physicians and facilities that focus on inclusivity and the unique needs of women and women of color. …
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Women: A Fundamental Group in HIV Prevention and Treatment Strategies It was in 1981 that what we now know as HIV was first officially reported. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published a report in their journal, the *Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report*, which described the cases of five young gay men in Los Angeles, California, suffering from an unusual form of pneumonia. This report marked the beginning of the recognition of the disease that was erroneously linked exclusively to the gay community. However, subsequent studies indicate that the virus emerged in Central Africa around 1920, although it was not detected until 1981 in the United States. During…
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I clearly remember, in 1983 when AIDS became the “bogeyman” of my gay community. I was living in Anchorage Alaska at that time. Not much was known about this new “gay cancer” or “gay disease” that was afflicting and killing so many young gay men throughout our country. Doctors and scientists were struggling to get…
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In a world where we post everything from our monotonous daily routines to some of our most intimate moments on social media, it’s surprising that we still don’t talk openly about sex. As a matter of fact, this thing we all do is the reason we are even here. Everyone wants to do it. Oftentimes, it is glamorized. But who…
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It’s officially back-to-school season in the District, kiddos! Seas of new faces have arrived in our fair city to study at one of our many esteemed collegiate institutions, bringing with them boxes of clothes, their hopes and dreams, and, of course, their supercharged hormones. It doesn’t matter where your alumni allegiance may lie *cough, #RaiseHigh…
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As if periods weren’t already enough of a pain in the… well, you know where… now we have to worry about toxic metals in our tampons? It’s enough to make anyone want to curl up in a ball and hide under the covers for a couple of days (which, coincidentally, is about how long my…
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Spring isn’t just for dusting off shelves and sorting through the attic – it’s also the perfect time to spruce up your sex life! As nature blooms and the days grow longer and warmer, consider this your sign to freshen up your intimate engagements, from the physical tools of the trade to emotional connections. Whether…
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There are two schools of thought regarding sexual education. Some parents simply say, “Don’t do it,” while others arm their children information. While most would prefer the latter, there are some schools in the country that are skipping out on sex ed with dire consequences. Sexual Education is a vital part of teaching our youth…
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