Contemporary Sexuality - February 2009 - (Page 9) teens were “8.4 times more likely to report having attempted suicide, 5.9 times more likely to report high levels of depression, 3.4 times more likely to use illegal drugs and 3.4 times more likely to report having engaged in unprotected sexual intercourse” compared to those who had “no or low levels of family rejection.” Latino men reported the highest rates of rejection by family. “We saw that in so many cases, families and caregivers thought what they were doing would help their children have a better life, fit in, belong and be accepted by others,” Ryan says. “They’d try to change their gender identity, forbid them from spending time with a gay friend, not let them have access to information about what it’s like to be a gay, lesbian or bisexual person.” Instead of trying to change behaviors, families should emphasize how much they care about their sons and daughters. “Most of these families feel that being gay is wrong or sinful or the worst thing that could happen,” Ryan says. “What often doesn’t get communicated is that they still love their child.” (U.S. News & World Report, Dec. 29 and “Family Rejection as a Predictor of Negative Health Outcomes in White and Latino Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Young Adults” abstract, Pediatrics, Jan. 2009) their reproductive status,” says Deborah Arrindell of the American Social Health Association. (Reuters, Dec. 11.) SSRIs may be a sexual downer Do antidepressants diminish the sex lives of some users? That may depend on whether doctors ask about sexual side effects or whether they wait for patients to offer the information first. Warning labels suggest that only about 4 percent of Prozac users and 0 to 28 percent of Paxil users report sexual side effects. But Richard Balon, MD, a psychiatry professor at Wayne State University, believes 30-50 percent of people taking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) may be experiencing a lack of libido, sexual “numbness” or other sexual downers. “I tell patients there’s a good chance they may have sexual problems” while takings SSRIs, “with the most frequent being delayed orgasm,” Balon says. There are at least two ways to measure whether SSRIs have a negative effect on people’s sex lives. Doctors can wait until patients report a problem. Or physicians can ask directly: “Have you been having trouble reaching orgasm?” More people report problems when asked about the effects of SSRIs on their sex lives. “This is such an upsetting issue,” says Aline Zoldbrod, PhD, a Lexington, Mass. psychologist, sex therapist and AASECT member. “There are people for whom SSRIs are really life-saving, I think, but the idea that someone would have to choose between getting out of the darkness of depression and having a good sex life is horrible.” (Boston Globe, Dec. 15) “When I talk to my patients … the biggest concern they have it that it’s noisy … a ‘snap, crackle, pop.” — Paula Hillard New female condom wins preliminary approval The female condom isn’t especially popular in the United States. Of the 34.7 million units produced by Female Health Company, just 10 percent are sold to Americans. Part of the problem is price. The female condom first introduced in 1993 costs about $2.80$4.00 each compared to about 50 cents for a male condom. Another issue is noise and texture. “When I talk to my patients … the biggest concern they have it that it’s noisy … a ‘snap, crackle, pop,” says Paula Hillard, MD, a gynecologist at Stanford University Medical Center. The current female condom, known as FC1, requires “welding sheets of polyurethane to form a sheath, then welding rings at each end.” A new female condom, known as FC2, is made of less expensive synthetic rubber. Many other countries have already approved FC2 and it appears the U.S. will soon join them. A Food and Drug Administration (FDA) panel of experts voted 15-0 to approve Female Health’s quieter, softer and less expensive female condom. “Female condoms are the only woman-controlled method of safer sex and we also know what the birth control pill did for women: It allowed them … unprecedented control over February 2009 Vol. 43, No. 2 | www.aasect.org Contemporary Sexuality seeks new Editor-in-Chief After almost three years, Contemporary Sexuality’s wonderful editor-in-chief, Annette Owens, is stepping down. The Board of Directors of AASECT is seeking a new editor-in-chief to begin July 1, 2009. The editor-in-chief works closely with authors, the senior writer, and editorial committee to produce our outstanding monthly newsletter. In consultation with the Communications Chair, the editor-in-chief is responsible for the final content of Contemporary Sexuality. An outstanding candidate will have an advanced degree, at least three years of publications experience and five years in the sexuality field, and 10 – 15 hours of volunteer time a month to devote to the position. Interested candidates should send a cover letter detailing interest in the position and a resume to Debra Haffner, Board Communications Chair, at debrahaffner@yahoo.com by March 15, 2009. Contemporary Sexuality 9 http://www.aasect.org
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