It’s May, and you (may or may not) know what that means—Masturbation Month! Good Vibrations has you covered with a post on what the month is all about if you’re not familiar, and we hope everyone’s having a lovely time celebrating. But getting off isn’t the only way to love your body—here’s five (more) ways you can feel more confident, comfortable, and empowered in your own skin.
1. Take a look. It’s good to know (and appreciate) what you’ve got going on, so grab a mirror and take a look below the belt once in a while. If you’re curious about whether you’re “normal,” be aware that there’s an enormous variety in the appearance of genitalia. Being familiar with yourself can also help you spot any changes or irregularities sooner and talk to a health care provider about them.
2. Feel your boobies. Regular breast exams (including self-exams) can help you feel more in tune with your body and give you the sense of pride that comes from prioritizing your health. If that’s not enough, try browsing 007b.com, a website focused on breastfeeding that collects photos of real, “normal” breasts. These non-sexualized images (still NSFW) can help you appreciate all the ways breasts can be beautiful.
3. Listen to your body. Whether you’re on a run or in bed with your partner, taking the time to listen to your body’s signals can completely change your experience. Maybe you want to slow down—or speed up. Or maybe things are just right. Your body will tell you once you get in the habit of recognizing its signals.
4. Try something new. Kickboxing, pottery, the Kama Sutra—what undiscovered talents could you have? Exploring new ways to engage your body is a great way to show yourself some love. Sign up for a class or an activity that’s outside your comfort zone and have fun with it, whether or not you’re perfect at it right away.
5. Treat yourself! Sometimes the best answer is also the most obvious: love your body by treating it well. Getting a massage, trying a new food, and sleeping late are satisfying, healthy ways to pamper your body. A favorite indulgence of ours? Getting a bra fitting at a high-end lingerie store. (You don’t even have to buy anything—but you can walk out knowing your true size for the next time you go shopping.)
What other ways are you loving your body this month and beyond?
Women prefer the scent of men with shaved armpits (and other lesser-known facts about sex and smell) -
Ever loved—or hated—the way someone smelled but didn’t know why? Science has figured out a few interesting tidbits about how scent affects us, all laid out for you in our Frisky Friday archives.
You know we love us some birth control stories. Looks like BUST Magazine does too! They posted reviews of Mirena and ParaGard IUDs in a two part “IUD, You UD” mini-series. WE UD, BUST, WE UD!
(And that’s why we have so. Many. Articles. About. IUDs. In case you’re interested.)
There really should be more emphasis on cuddle naps…
(via orie-ana)
Image source: The Happy Traveler
National Women’s Health Week is drawing to a close, but thanks in part to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), we’re hoping women’s health will be on the up and up throughout the year. 47 million women have already received preventive care with no out-of-pocket costs since the ACA was signed. That’s a lot of well-woman visits, contraceptives, and domestic violence screenings—and there are more changes in the pipeline.
If you haven’t received these benefits yet, find out what actions you can take. If you think more people in your state should have health insurance coverage, you can tell your state representative(s) to support expanding Medicaid.
Boldly Going Online for Love -
We’ve come across some interesting dating sites in our day, and the premiere of Star Trek into Darkness inspired us to boldly go where we haven’t been before to investigate Star-Trek-themed dating sites to add to the list.
In case you’re interested, we’ve found StarTrekDating.com, which encourages users to “set phasers to stunning,” and TrekPassions.com, which has a special group for users who speak Klingon (we wish them Qapla’!). Any others we missed?
Now, if only these Star Trek condoms and birth control packets were real…
Image via bookishbutcorruptible.
Is it ever OK to date someone who is off-limits? -
How do you decide who’s off-limits? With so many unique people, relationships, and circumstances, it’s not always easy to know who to avoid and who to date.
Join the Frisky Friday conversation: Who do you consider 100% no-exceptions off-limits? We want to hear from you!
Image source: HopelesslyFalling27
Coach Carr has it all wrong when it comes to sexually transmitted infections (STIs), but he’s not the only one with misconceptions in that department. Fortunately, you don’t have to be a sexpert to have safer sex (although we highly encourage it!)—you just have to be proactive about prevention, testing, and (if needed) treatment.
This National Women’s Health Week, talk to your partner(s), get some condom practice, find a testing location, and make sure your body is as healthy as can be.
Image source: Raindrops on Roses and Whiskers on Kittens
Remember the SNL sketch about birth control driving Tina Fey a little cray-cray? While research hasn’t found a link between birth control and depression (or ax-wielding…or any of the other crazy activities in the SNL sketch), some women have had success improving their mental health by changing their birth control.
If you’re struggling with stress or depression, switching your method, especially to a low-maintenance option like an IUD or implant, is definitely worth considering. Research has found that being depressed or stressed can make it harder to use certain types of birth control correctly and consistently, which in turn makes an unwanted pregnancy more likely.
If you feel like your birth control could be affecting your mood, shop around for a method that works better for you. And if you’re experiencing mental health problems, remember that you’re not alone—there’s support out there if you need it.
The girls' guide to getting some privacy on your parents' health insurance -
As my otherwise awesome parents are pretty conservative about, well, everything, I don’t want them to know what type of birth control I’m using or when I get tested for STIs and HIV (twice a year, if you’re interested). When I was in college I paid for these things out-of-pocket or put them off until free services were offered at my university because I didn’t want my parents getting a play by play when they saw our health insurance information. Clearly it wasn’t an ideal situation…