Genital herpes isn’t uncommon; the Centers for Disease Control estimates that about one in six people between the ages 14 to 49 have genital herpes. It is perfectly normal to feel upset and scared on first hearing a diagnosis of herpes but those feelings will subside over time, gradually getting better. People who are living with herpes have long, healthy lives, with very few consequences.
It lasted about ten seconds. I was just about to say, “This really hurts,” when, suddenly, it didn’t hurt anymore, and the doctor was snapping off her gloves.
“Was that it?” I said as I felt the speculum come out. The doctor didn’t say anything, but my companion said, “That’s it. You did great.”
“Holy shit,” I said. “That was hands down the best abortion I ever had in my whole fucking life. You’re amazing.”
In January 1966, The Washington Post ran a four-part series on how women in the Washington area obtained abortions. At the time, abortion was illegal with few exceptions in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia. Now, nearly a half-century after Roe v. Wade, new abortion restrictions are being imposed in Alabama, Georgia, Missouri, Ohio, Utah and other states. Below is an abridged version of The Post’s four-part series, edited to highlight personal experiences.
Increasingly, we’re seeing more women onscreen dealing with mental illness, often in ways that treat their disorder as just one element in a fully human, complex character. But all of these women are white. Women of color—specifically African American women—are not afforded the same type of humanity onscreen, if they’re even represented at all.
Masturbation allows me to completely empty my mind. I focus purely on the pleasure and sensation of what I’m doing. For a few minutes, there’s nothing else that requires my attention: no bills to pay, no deadlines to meet, no worries about the future.
When Viagra — sildenafil citrate — was tested initially as heart medication, its well-known properties for men were discovered. “Hallelujah,” said Big Pharma, and research ceased. However, in subsequent tests the same drug was found to offer total relief for serious period pain over four hours. This didn’t impress the male review panel, who refused further funding, remarking that cramps were not a public health priority.