The V-Word

Lubrication is a fact of life – it is the grease that keeps the crank turning, the fluidity of a conversation that goes late into the night, the moisture that transforms the friction of skin-to-skin contact into a glide. I have spent much of my adult life thinking about lubricants, specifically sexual lubricants – and how to make them better. When I first began studying lubes, it was personal. I was searching for something that didn’t create so many negative side effects. The itching and burning from using them not only killed the mood but was threatening my desire to have a sex life. 

Last year, we collaborated with MADE SAFE on a list of the top five ingredients to avoid when purchasing body, skin, and hair care products. It continues to be a great starting point for anyone looking to reduce the role of toxins in their daily life. But with summer upon us, we’re likely using products like sunscreen, deodorant, or dry shampoo, and these all have ingredients we didn't cover two years ago. Here is your guide to the five ingredients to avoid in products this summer.

3 Things You May Not Know About BVMany women are unaware of the risks of bacterial vaginosis (BV), and many don’t even know what it is. BV is a condition that occurs when there is too much of certain bacteria in the vagina, affecting the vaginal flora. This changes the normal balance of bacteria in the vagina. BV is one of the most common vaginal infections. Here are three things you may not know about BV:1. BV is Not an STDAlthough bacterial vaginosis and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) have similar symptoms, they are not one and the same. You do not need to be sexually active to get BV.

According to Baby Center, 85 percent of couples who actively try to get pregnant will conceive within about one year, or 12 menstrual cycles. If they are not able to conceive after one year, it is recommended at that time that they may want to consult a fertility expert. (This time period is reduced to six months before seeing an expert if the woman is over 35 years old.) 

Regardless of whether you’re in the early stages of trying to conceive or have been trying for a while, here are a few science-backed tips that may help get your body primed for fertility success.

I remember one of the fathers of a little girl on a soccer team I was coaching years ago who came out to me and told me he was going to go through a transgender process. We were friends, so I was able to ask him about his motivations to go through the painful and expensive process. He said he wanted to finally look how he felt. 

 

Did you know that June is LGBTQ Pride Month? Pride is celebrated in June due to the Stonewall Riots that happened in June of 1969 when the police raided the Stonewall Inn—a New York City gay club. This marked history’s first major protest for homosexual equal rights.

It was only a couple of weeks ago when I was sitting in the waiting room, having been called back for another magnified view of my mammogram and an ultrasound for some suspicious lumps in my left breast. Something similar had happened several years before when I first began the yearly mammogram rite of passage, so I tried to assuage my fear that it was probably nothing. This is true for many women, getting called back in and frequently it is a false alarm – but, not always. The rate of illness in this part of the body is mind-boggling. Breast cancer affects one in eight and heart disease kills one in four women. 

This weekend (June 3) was National Cancer Survivors Day, a day for those with a history of cancer to celebrate milestones, connect with one another, and recognize their support network. Most, if not all of us, know someone in our family or community who has been affected by a cancer diagnosis. In fact, roughly 38% of women in the U.S. – or more than one in three – will develop cancer during their lifetime. Given those odds, it seems only fitting to reflect on three practical things to know about reducing our risk. 

Consent is a popular topic in the news these days – and for good reason! The best sex happens when both partners are choosing to be in the moment and...