sexual health

I joined forces with Durex, The Body Shop, MTV Networks International, the MTV Staying Alive Foundation, singer Solange Knowles, and The Naked Cowboy to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS and to promote safer sex. Yesterday, we launched the new campaign, “Say yes, yes, yes to safe sex,” and introduced The Body Shop’s new Tantalizing Lip Butter. Five dollars of each sold goes to the MTV Staying Alive Foundation to support HIV/AIDS education for young people around the world. Durex donated 100,000 condoms which were distributed in Times Square.

The launch event began at a swanky loft in Soho. Solange Knowles spoke about HIV prevention and the need for more education for teens about safer sex. She also discussed how President Obama has inspired her to help others. Solange was poised, well spoken and lovely. I spoke about safer sex, including the fact that there are over 33 million people living with HIV and AIDS around the world. I also mentioned that according to the Durex survey, sixty percent of people say that even though they know about the risks of contracting HIV from sex, they still do not always use protection. There’s no reason to say “no” to condoms, because today new thinner condoms (such as Sensi-Thin and Extra Sensitive) feel better than condoms have ever felt. Also, there are many ways to integrate condoms into lovemaking, so that they can even spice up people’s sex lives, which, of course, I detail in my book.

We reassembled in Times Square where models wearing “yes, yes, yes” pajamas distributed Durex condoms. The Naked Cowboy, who played a “yes, yes, yes” labeled guitar, attracted tons of attention as he sang a little ditty about safer sex: “If you don’t want to mess with HIV, then join The Body Shop and MTV. Say yes, yes, yes to safe sex with me.” He sang this same song over and over for hours. (Although, I swear that once I heard him sing, “If you don’t want to masturbate, then say yes to safe sex with me.”)

It was a great day for HIV/AIDS education in NYC.

While an uncircumcised penis leaves more for a man (and his partner) to play with, a new study confirms that circumcision reduces the chance of infection from HIV, HPV and Herpes-2.  

A study published today in the New England Journal of Medicine examined the occurrence of syphilis, herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) and human papilloma virus (HPV) in both circumcised and uncircumcised men in Africa. After two years, it found that circumcised men had a 25 percent reduced risk of infection of HSV-2 and a 35 percent reduced risk of infection of HPV.  Syphilis showed no difference. Previous research found that circumcision may reduce the risk of HIV transmission by 60 percent.  The results are said to be generalizable to American men, yet the study is not without its caveats. To read the details, check out the New York Times article about it.  Also, here’s the abstract to the study.

There are too many misconceptions about Plan B, and I’d like to correct some of them.

Yesterday when I appeared on CNN Headline News, I heard many misconceptions about Plan B — also called EC, Emergency Contraception, and The Morning After Pill — and about what it means for our government to allow 17 year olds to buy it without a prescription. Here are the top misconceptions, and then the realities. (more…)