“At what age should I go to the gynecologist?”

There really is no specific age. As soon as you have questions about your body, sexual health, STIs or birth control – that’s a great time to make an appointment. And don’t be nervous – be proud you’re taking steps to keep yourself healthy and protected.

Want more info on what to expect when you go? Check this out: https://vimeo.com/68232393

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We would not dare judge someone for going to the gym to work out to maintain a healthy body. We would
not dare judge someone for taking vitamins every day. We would not dare judge someone for ordering a salad. But the same does not go for those that seek condoms and birth control. Why do we commend those who exercise, eat right, and take care of their bodies but shame those who use birth control and condoms?
They are all the same thing because the use of condoms and birth control betters our health.

I get it. Condoms and birth control are not considered normal by many people, especially in the
conservative South where I come from. Despite this stigma, 96 percent of sexually experienced females have used condoms at least once and 56 percent have used the birth control pill. We see that the use of  various contraceptive methods are not uncommon among young women, and they only benefit from having access to such protection. However, I have friends who are denied birth control pills from their parents because they believe their children are supposedly too young to have sex. I know boys who cannot go into our local Walgreens to buy condoms because they are made to feel ashamed by store workers and adults in the store. By attaching stigma to young people seeking contraceptives, we are doing a disservice to the health of our youth.

We need to wake up and realize that sex is something that is natural and going to happen for the vast majority of people at some point in their life. Many teens are going to do it, if they aren’t already sexually active. It is inevitable. As people begin to cope with teenagers having sex, we also need to understand that if we do not want unplanned teen pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases, then contraceptives need to be seen as normal and acceptable. If we want people to make healthy decisions, then going to buy condoms and using birth control should be viewed as a smart decision and something that is commendable. If
people do not start seeing the use of contraceptives as normal, then we will never get rid of unintended pregnancies and STDs running throughout our communities.

The use of birth control and condoms needs to be seen as normal as going to the gym, eating a salad, or taking daily vitamins. After all, once someone has chosen to be sexually active, the use of contraceptives is, indeed, a healthy choice.

The post Hey you: There’s no shame in carrying condoms or birth control. appeared first on Fact Not Fiction.

If you have risk factors like having unprotected sex or having sex with someone who has HIV, then you should get tested more often.

Find a clinic near you for free and confidential testing! www.factnotfiction.com/clinic-finder

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Yep it’s true 😟 Bacterial Vaginosis can cause discharge, itching, burning or a strange odor. It’s not an STI, but can increase your chances of getting one.

Get the deets: https://factnotfiction.com/post/79889392774/separating-fact-from-fiction-bacterial-vaginosis

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In the South, many adults talk about how teen pregnancy is bad and how young ladies “should just keep their legs closed”. They talk about the absence of a father in the home. They sit around and state the obviousness of this complicated situation and offer no realistic solutions to address the actual causes of teen pregnancy. There is always so much focus put on young women when teen pregnancy is discussed; about how they should be in more control of their mind and bodies. When many people think of teen pregnancy, the image that usually pops in their mind is a young women with a baby. When many people talk about solutions to prevent teen pregnancy, the concentration is on young women. It’s almost like it’s been forgotten that there is a male factor associated with the conception of a child.  Young men are just as responsible for a teen pregnancy; and with proper awareness, education, and resources can play an important part in reducing the high rates we see in Mississippi.

There is a culture that has been adopted in many of our communities in Mississippi that teaches young men, specifically young men of color, to have sex as a means of acceptance. It is almost mandatory in order to fit in, like you’re not a “real man” until you’ve had sex. This is how sex is introduced to us among our peers, on the internet, in movies, and on television. And instead of sex being introduced as something natural between two consenting people, it is portrayed as something rushed and meaningless; something that we need to do to be respected. With the way sex is presented to young men and the lack of proper education and resources we’re given, many young men see preventing pregnancy as more of the responsibility of women. This isn’t right.

Male youth today need education on contraceptives, how to have conversations with our partners about contraceptives, and how to take control of our bodies, our sexuality, and our lives. How can a person expect a sexually active teen to be responsible without the proper information, tools, and services available? It should a top priority in our communities and for our local, state, and federal governments to address because this is not just a health issue, it’s also an economic one. But too often, we are not given the information, tools, and resources we need.

I personally know of how hard it is to obtain such information and contraceptives in the state of Mississippi. I haven’t had sex education in school, and getting condoms is a hassle. I see why some young men don’t go get them. I had a close friend of mine have a pregnancy scare recently. He and his girlfriend didn’t use any protection. Had they became pregnant, they could have been financially and emotionally crippled for years to come. It was both of their responsibility to be protected, but they, like me, don’t have easy access to information and contraceptives, and they acted irresponsibly because of it. The reality of the issue of teen pregnancy is that most teen males, if given the opportunity, would act responsibly. There are a couple of solutions to this problem, and education is one of them.

Everyone should teach our young men in order for all of us to have a brighter and more productive future free of unplanned pregnancy. So I challenge you today to take a young man under your wing and give him the information, tools, and services he needs. Teach him to live for something more than the “acceptance” that we’re taught all too often.

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The FNF Nurses explain in this video!

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