This is a very interesting and eye opening blog post. Definitely something to check out!
Gay Sex vs. Straight Sex
Monday, October 25, 2010
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Monday, June 7, 2010
Scholars Examine Cyberbullying Among College Students
By Jill Laster
http://chronicle.com/article/2-Scholars-Examine/65766/
When Megan Meier hanged herself three weeks before her 14th birthday, in 2006, it sent shock waves through the small town of Dardenne Prairie, Miss. But when an investigation revealed that she had done so after being bullied online by the mother of a friend, Megan's death made national news and helped spark a wave of research on cyberbullying.
While much of the scholarship has focused on adolescents, work has also been done on the phenomenon at the college level. Ikuko Aoyama, a doctoral candidate in educational psychology at Baylor University, presented her work on sex differences in cyberbullying at a recent conference of the American Educational Research Association. She spoke with The Chronicle along with her adviser, Tony L. Talbert, an associate professor in Baylor's School of Education.
Q. What sort of differences have researchers found in male and female bullying?
A. Ms. Aoyama: In traditional bullying, sex differences are well documented. Males are engaged in more physical types of bullying, such as hitting and kicking; on the other hand, females are engaged in more indirect and psychological bullying, such as social exclusion or rumor-spreading. ... We looked at if the similar pattern was observed for cyberbullying contexts. In the beginning, the results on sex differences were inconsistent across the researchers. However, more studies have found that there are no big sex differences, like in traditional bullying.
Q. Why do you think that might be?
A. Ms. Aoyama: In cyberbullying, physical strength, or age or sex, is not a factor to determine if they are a victim or a bully, because they don't involve face-to-face interaction.
Q. How does the fact that this is all taking place virtually affect bullying?
A. Ms. Aoyama: Studies we have done did not identify "pure victims" or "pure bullies," and many students are in a "bully-victim" group. Because students can avoid face-to-face interaction and remain anonymous, it is easy for victims to cyberbully back others.
Mr. Talbert: From adolescence to high school to college, the technology literally becomes almost this great equalizer. It becomes this medium where people create these alternative identities—from Second Life to social-networking sites—but the rules as we understand them from bullying from a physical standpoint have completely changed.
Q. How does the effect of cyberbullying on the victim differ from that of traditional bullying?
A. Mr. Talbert: The impact from a psychological perspective hasn't really changed. Our laws have not really kept up, and our psychological education of using technology and its impact on the psyche has not kept up, either with the technology or the users of the technology.
Q. What are universities doing now to curb cyberbullying among their students?
A. Ms. Aoyama: I have never heard of colleges or universities limiting cyberbullying or taking preventive actions, but it is necessary to raise the awareness among administrators and students. For example, our school has "Alcohol Awareness Week" or "Eating-Disorder Awareness Month," and they have posters or speakers all over the campus during the week or month. I wish we could do something like that.
Q. The paper presented at the education-research conference says that "considering the fact that as many as 70 percent of middle- and high-school students have experienced cyberbullying, it is probable that the prevalence among college students will be higher" in the future. Why might that be true?
A. Ms. Aoyama: Many cyberbullying studies are focusing on middle- and high-school students, and there are few studies on college students. But I don't think many high-school students who experienced cyberbullying will suddenly change once they enter college, even though they may be more mature. I think they already learned that this is a way to put down others.
Q. Students coming to college in 10 or 20 years will be more comfortable with technology from a younger age. How do you think that will affect cyberbullying at a postsecondary level?
A. Mr. Talbert: As attitudes evolve and as the use of technology evolves among university students, what could be interesting is looking at it from a longitudinal standpoint. Here's this cohort of students in 2010—what happens in 2015? What's interesting is to look at digital natives from 2010, 2015, 2020, 2025, and see if we do have a shifting in the moral or psychological attitude.
http://chronicle.com/article/2-Scholars-Examine/65766/
When Megan Meier hanged herself three weeks before her 14th birthday, in 2006, it sent shock waves through the small town of Dardenne Prairie, Miss. But when an investigation revealed that she had done so after being bullied online by the mother of a friend, Megan's death made national news and helped spark a wave of research on cyberbullying.
While much of the scholarship has focused on adolescents, work has also been done on the phenomenon at the college level. Ikuko Aoyama, a doctoral candidate in educational psychology at Baylor University, presented her work on sex differences in cyberbullying at a recent conference of the American Educational Research Association. She spoke with The Chronicle along with her adviser, Tony L. Talbert, an associate professor in Baylor's School of Education.
Q. What sort of differences have researchers found in male and female bullying?
A. Ms. Aoyama: In traditional bullying, sex differences are well documented. Males are engaged in more physical types of bullying, such as hitting and kicking; on the other hand, females are engaged in more indirect and psychological bullying, such as social exclusion or rumor-spreading. ... We looked at if the similar pattern was observed for cyberbullying contexts. In the beginning, the results on sex differences were inconsistent across the researchers. However, more studies have found that there are no big sex differences, like in traditional bullying.
Q. Why do you think that might be?
A. Ms. Aoyama: In cyberbullying, physical strength, or age or sex, is not a factor to determine if they are a victim or a bully, because they don't involve face-to-face interaction.
Q. How does the fact that this is all taking place virtually affect bullying?
A. Ms. Aoyama: Studies we have done did not identify "pure victims" or "pure bullies," and many students are in a "bully-victim" group. Because students can avoid face-to-face interaction and remain anonymous, it is easy for victims to cyberbully back others.
Mr. Talbert: From adolescence to high school to college, the technology literally becomes almost this great equalizer. It becomes this medium where people create these alternative identities—from Second Life to social-networking sites—but the rules as we understand them from bullying from a physical standpoint have completely changed.
Q. How does the effect of cyberbullying on the victim differ from that of traditional bullying?
A. Mr. Talbert: The impact from a psychological perspective hasn't really changed. Our laws have not really kept up, and our psychological education of using technology and its impact on the psyche has not kept up, either with the technology or the users of the technology.
Q. What are universities doing now to curb cyberbullying among their students?
A. Ms. Aoyama: I have never heard of colleges or universities limiting cyberbullying or taking preventive actions, but it is necessary to raise the awareness among administrators and students. For example, our school has "Alcohol Awareness Week" or "Eating-Disorder Awareness Month," and they have posters or speakers all over the campus during the week or month. I wish we could do something like that.
Q. The paper presented at the education-research conference says that "considering the fact that as many as 70 percent of middle- and high-school students have experienced cyberbullying, it is probable that the prevalence among college students will be higher" in the future. Why might that be true?
A. Ms. Aoyama: Many cyberbullying studies are focusing on middle- and high-school students, and there are few studies on college students. But I don't think many high-school students who experienced cyberbullying will suddenly change once they enter college, even though they may be more mature. I think they already learned that this is a way to put down others.
Q. Students coming to college in 10 or 20 years will be more comfortable with technology from a younger age. How do you think that will affect cyberbullying at a postsecondary level?
A. Mr. Talbert: As attitudes evolve and as the use of technology evolves among university students, what could be interesting is looking at it from a longitudinal standpoint. Here's this cohort of students in 2010—what happens in 2015? What's interesting is to look at digital natives from 2010, 2015, 2020, 2025, and see if we do have a shifting in the moral or psychological attitude.
Lubricant Use May Raise HIV Infection Risk During Anal Sex
HealthDay
By Alan Mozes
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
TUESDAY, May 25 (HealthDay News) -- The use of lubricants during unprotected anal intercourse may indirectly raise the risk of HIV transmission in the receptive partner, among both men and women, new research warns.
Concern about the possibility is being raised in the form of two new studies, and revolves around the fact that HIV infection risk rises if other infections are already present in the rectal lining of the receptive partner, the study authors noted.
In that light, indications that some lubricants may contribute to a generally increased risk for sexually transmitted infections, and therefore in turn for HIV, are scheduled for presentation this week in Pittsburgh at the International Microbicides Conference.
Conducted between 2006 and 2008, one study -- which focused on approximately 900 residents in the Baltimore and Los Angeles region -- observed that men and women who use lubricants in general are three times more likely to have some form of a rectal sexually transmitted infection. The finding held regardless of gender, HIV status, condom use, and the number of sex partners the study participants had had in the prior month.
Although no specific lubricants were identified as particularly problematic, most study participants said they used a water-based lubricant (76 percent), while 28 percent used silicon-based products, 17 percent oil-based lubricants, and 6 percent said used a numbing lubricant.
The second study -- led by Charlene Dezzutti of the University of Pittsburgh and the Microbicide Trials Network -- looked at five of the most popular over-the-counter and/or mail-order lubricants, identified as such through a survey of 9,000 men and women living in 100 different countries.
All the lubricants were water-based, except for one silicon-based product.
The research team -- including collaborators from International Rectal Microbicide Advocates (IRMA) -- did not examine the effect of lubricant use during actual sex. However, in laboratory testing, some of the lubricants were found to have a toxic effect on cells and rectal tissue, perhaps as the result of the dissolved salts and sugars the products contained.
PRE and Wet Platinum were found to be the safest lubricants in terms of toxicity, whereas Astroglide and KY Jelly appeared to be the most problematic.
"We know we can't make any conclusions based on this one small study," cautioned IRMA lubricant safety advocate Marc-Andre LeBlanc, in a news release. "Further research is absolutely necessary to understand the potential role of sexual lubricants in HIV transmission. We should be able to provide consumer guidance regarding lubes that are found to be safer than others."
"Some lubes are probably better than others, but we don't know where any of the currently available products fall along the spectrum from good to bad," added IRMA chair Jim Pickett.
"We must ensure that existing lubes don't facilitate HIV transmission," he added. "People have a right to this kind of information, and it's very past due."
Conference organizers pointed out that in the United States, 90 percent of men who have sex with men -- whether self-identified as gay or not -- engage in receptive anal intercourse. Between 10 percent and 35 percent of heterosexual women have done so at least once. And in either instance, condoms are often not used, while lubricants are.
SOURCE: International Microbicides Conference, news release, May 25, 2010
By Alan Mozes
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
TUESDAY, May 25 (HealthDay News) -- The use of lubricants during unprotected anal intercourse may indirectly raise the risk of HIV transmission in the receptive partner, among both men and women, new research warns.
Concern about the possibility is being raised in the form of two new studies, and revolves around the fact that HIV infection risk rises if other infections are already present in the rectal lining of the receptive partner, the study authors noted.
In that light, indications that some lubricants may contribute to a generally increased risk for sexually transmitted infections, and therefore in turn for HIV, are scheduled for presentation this week in Pittsburgh at the International Microbicides Conference.
Conducted between 2006 and 2008, one study -- which focused on approximately 900 residents in the Baltimore and Los Angeles region -- observed that men and women who use lubricants in general are three times more likely to have some form of a rectal sexually transmitted infection. The finding held regardless of gender, HIV status, condom use, and the number of sex partners the study participants had had in the prior month.
Although no specific lubricants were identified as particularly problematic, most study participants said they used a water-based lubricant (76 percent), while 28 percent used silicon-based products, 17 percent oil-based lubricants, and 6 percent said used a numbing lubricant.
The second study -- led by Charlene Dezzutti of the University of Pittsburgh and the Microbicide Trials Network -- looked at five of the most popular over-the-counter and/or mail-order lubricants, identified as such through a survey of 9,000 men and women living in 100 different countries.
All the lubricants were water-based, except for one silicon-based product.
The research team -- including collaborators from International Rectal Microbicide Advocates (IRMA) -- did not examine the effect of lubricant use during actual sex. However, in laboratory testing, some of the lubricants were found to have a toxic effect on cells and rectal tissue, perhaps as the result of the dissolved salts and sugars the products contained.
PRE and Wet Platinum were found to be the safest lubricants in terms of toxicity, whereas Astroglide and KY Jelly appeared to be the most problematic.
"We know we can't make any conclusions based on this one small study," cautioned IRMA lubricant safety advocate Marc-Andre LeBlanc, in a news release. "Further research is absolutely necessary to understand the potential role of sexual lubricants in HIV transmission. We should be able to provide consumer guidance regarding lubes that are found to be safer than others."
"Some lubes are probably better than others, but we don't know where any of the currently available products fall along the spectrum from good to bad," added IRMA chair Jim Pickett.
"We must ensure that existing lubes don't facilitate HIV transmission," he added. "People have a right to this kind of information, and it's very past due."
Conference organizers pointed out that in the United States, 90 percent of men who have sex with men -- whether self-identified as gay or not -- engage in receptive anal intercourse. Between 10 percent and 35 percent of heterosexual women have done so at least once. And in either instance, condoms are often not used, while lubricants are.
SOURCE: International Microbicides Conference, news release, May 25, 2010
Monday, May 3, 2010
Is The Media Selling Sex to Young Adults?
By Anais Morales, SBI Health Education Intern
Of course it is! The mass media greatly revolves around our society. Billboards, magazines, music videos and even commercials are selling sex to everyone, regardless of who it is. I would describe the media as an open market full of scammers. The media does not care who is watching or reading these ads, as long as the message or product is delivered to the general public. They are willing to brain wash consumers into their form of thinking in order to sell. Young adults tend to be easily intrigued and convinced by others. For this reason, the media target teens and young adults as their main consumers.
How can the media be so influential to young adults? According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (2001), “by the time adolescents graduate from high school, they will have spent 15,000 hours watching television, compared with 12, 000 hours spent in the classroom”. These findings indicate that teens are spending more time watching television than in school, which can be problematic. Too much television can greatly influence the lives of young adults. “Nearly 50% of adolescents report getting information about birth control from the mass media. Four out of ten teens (40%) report that they have gained ideas for how to talk to a boyfriend or girlfriend about sex directly from media portrayals” (www.soc.ucsb.edu). Teens and young adults are utilizing information learned from the media to make decisions about their sexual behavior.
In my opinion, the media should not be the main resource for information that young adults seek for answers. Young adults are unaware of the messages that are presented to them. The media gives negative messages to young adults. For instance, while engaging in sexual activity, precautious acts are not portrayed before sexual intimacy. Why do you think that is?
The media is not educating the public on proper sexual behaviors, instead they are just selling sex because sex sells. And they take advantage of that. For this reason, the media controls the minds of vulnerable young adults to sell sex. We, as a society, should encourage community organizations, such as Planned Parenthood, and AIDS Community Services of Western NY, on educating teens and young adults on safe sex. Overall, the media should not be the main source of information that teens use; instead they should seek for professionally trained individuals in the community who will provide valid and knowledgeable information to make a “smart” decision.
Resources:
http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;107/1/191
http://www.soc.ucsb.edu/sexinfo/article/sexuality-in-the-mass-media
Of course it is! The mass media greatly revolves around our society. Billboards, magazines, music videos and even commercials are selling sex to everyone, regardless of who it is. I would describe the media as an open market full of scammers. The media does not care who is watching or reading these ads, as long as the message or product is delivered to the general public. They are willing to brain wash consumers into their form of thinking in order to sell. Young adults tend to be easily intrigued and convinced by others. For this reason, the media target teens and young adults as their main consumers.
How can the media be so influential to young adults? According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (2001), “by the time adolescents graduate from high school, they will have spent 15,000 hours watching television, compared with 12, 000 hours spent in the classroom”. These findings indicate that teens are spending more time watching television than in school, which can be problematic. Too much television can greatly influence the lives of young adults. “Nearly 50% of adolescents report getting information about birth control from the mass media. Four out of ten teens (40%) report that they have gained ideas for how to talk to a boyfriend or girlfriend about sex directly from media portrayals” (www.soc.ucsb.edu). Teens and young adults are utilizing information learned from the media to make decisions about their sexual behavior.
In my opinion, the media should not be the main resource for information that young adults seek for answers. Young adults are unaware of the messages that are presented to them. The media gives negative messages to young adults. For instance, while engaging in sexual activity, precautious acts are not portrayed before sexual intimacy. Why do you think that is?
The media is not educating the public on proper sexual behaviors, instead they are just selling sex because sex sells. And they take advantage of that. For this reason, the media controls the minds of vulnerable young adults to sell sex. We, as a society, should encourage community organizations, such as Planned Parenthood, and AIDS Community Services of Western NY, on educating teens and young adults on safe sex. Overall, the media should not be the main source of information that teens use; instead they should seek for professionally trained individuals in the community who will provide valid and knowledgeable information to make a “smart” decision.
Resources:
http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;107/1/191
http://www.soc.ucsb.edu/sexinfo/article/sexuality-in-the-mass-media
Summertime! When the living's easy!
By Rachel Pazda, Volunteer
Summer is just around the corner and we will all be going our way for a few months. Some of us have been accepted to that summer internship, some will be working to save some cash, while still others are just trying to make it through finals and will decide what to do with the summer months later. Whatever is in your day planner, don’t forget the most important thing this summer…. Personal protection!
Throughout the school year SBI Health Education offers sexual health education, counseling for women’s health and birth control, free condoms and STI/HIV counseling for all students at UB. These services are also offered during the summer time Monday through Thursday from 9am to 4pm. However, as most of us will be leaving for the summer, the office won’t be its usual bus ride away. So what options are available for the summer for safety and testing?
Most states have Planned Parenthood offices, Health and Disease Control Centers, HIV Prevention organizations, and of course, local hospitals. Your family doctor is also a valuable resource for you to use if you have any concerns for your health during the summer. Local drugstores have condoms and emergency contraceptives for sale, so take advantage of the opportunity to guard yourself against STI’s and unwanted pregnancy! In the case of domestic violence or assault, Crisis Centers around the nation are always on call to help you and give you any support you need, free of any charge.
Any question that you might have about anything, SBI Health Education is a great place to pick up some info before everyone heads their separate ways! Have fun and enjoy your summer break this year!
Summer is just around the corner and we will all be going our way for a few months. Some of us have been accepted to that summer internship, some will be working to save some cash, while still others are just trying to make it through finals and will decide what to do with the summer months later. Whatever is in your day planner, don’t forget the most important thing this summer…. Personal protection!
Throughout the school year SBI Health Education offers sexual health education, counseling for women’s health and birth control, free condoms and STI/HIV counseling for all students at UB. These services are also offered during the summer time Monday through Thursday from 9am to 4pm. However, as most of us will be leaving for the summer, the office won’t be its usual bus ride away. So what options are available for the summer for safety and testing?
Most states have Planned Parenthood offices, Health and Disease Control Centers, HIV Prevention organizations, and of course, local hospitals. Your family doctor is also a valuable resource for you to use if you have any concerns for your health during the summer. Local drugstores have condoms and emergency contraceptives for sale, so take advantage of the opportunity to guard yourself against STI’s and unwanted pregnancy! In the case of domestic violence or assault, Crisis Centers around the nation are always on call to help you and give you any support you need, free of any charge.
Any question that you might have about anything, SBI Health Education is a great place to pick up some info before everyone heads their separate ways! Have fun and enjoy your summer break this year!
Infidelity on Campus
By Stephanie Osei-Bonsu, Intern
Infidelity… a lot of things come to mind when we hear this term. Simply put, infidelity is cheating. However, in order for the act to be considered cheating there must be a mutual agreement of commitment. Often times its hard to prove this small fact because relationships are so complicated and how one person feels about commitment may be completely different from another persons view point.
As we all know college can be and is a life altering situation. For many of us that travel from different states or parts of the state, it can be our first time away from home and our “Parental Units.” For some people, this is an opportunity to step out of what they may consider to be a “sheltered” life and experience the many diverse cultures represented on campus. But amongst all the culture, diversity, and lifestyles, there is one thing that remains and probably will always stay consistent; SEX IS A BIG PART OF LIFE. The college mindset tends to be very freeing and very selfish; people look at relationships in an expendable manner and often treat new experiences like the army, “DON’T ASK, DON’T TELL”. So although commitment may be present, it isn’t always communicated to new people who may become future dating prospects.
Add this already confusing equation to the college atmosphere and you have a possibility for dire results. As we all know, SEX CAN BE A GOOD THING, if not for anything, it’s how we all came to be. But it seems like for the college demographic, we have become so “SEXIFIED” that for some people, sex is as equally as important as eating. Because THE NEED FOR SEX IS SO IMPORTANT, as a generation, we have come up with labels for ourselves as a means to alleviate the stress and necessity of being in a monogamous relationship. Some of these terms are: boo, boothang, booty, booty call, friends, friends with benefits, and sex buddy.
When I decided to explore this topic for my blog, I automatically thought of the New Boyz song “You Ain’t Gon’ Tie Me Down”, TLC’s “Creep” and a bunch of other songs. The way I see it, if commitment is not your thing, then why bother having any form of relationships to begin with? Because no matter how much we may all want to deny it, developing some sort of feelings is inevitable. Why waste time hurting others and potentially even yourself? Communication, I have learned and am still learning, is the key to success in life. If we took the time to verbalize how we felt to one another, especially to those we are intimate with, I personally think CHEATING in relationships as well as marriages would decrease, which would most likely cause a domino effect and decrease the incidence as well as precedence of STI’s in our communities.
I remember speaking to a friend about a sexual encounter she was going to engage in. She and her prospective partner had never talked about relationships or their past or present, so she decided to bring it up. Come to find out that he had a girlfriend back home!! The guy was shocked that she had actually asked, he confessed to her that it was never his intention to even tell her of his girlfriend and that he was truly surprised that she asked him.
Whether or not you’re engaging in LATE NIGHT CREEPING SESSION, a word of advice, “BE WISE AND CONDOMIZE.” You never know what additional luggage your buddy may be carrying that they don’t even know about. THE MOST COMMON SYMPTOM OF ANY STI IS NO SYMPTOM!! CONDOMS ARE FREE ON CAMPUS AT THE SBI TICKET OFFICE OR SBI HEALTH EDUCATION.
Infidelity… a lot of things come to mind when we hear this term. Simply put, infidelity is cheating. However, in order for the act to be considered cheating there must be a mutual agreement of commitment. Often times its hard to prove this small fact because relationships are so complicated and how one person feels about commitment may be completely different from another persons view point.
As we all know college can be and is a life altering situation. For many of us that travel from different states or parts of the state, it can be our first time away from home and our “Parental Units.” For some people, this is an opportunity to step out of what they may consider to be a “sheltered” life and experience the many diverse cultures represented on campus. But amongst all the culture, diversity, and lifestyles, there is one thing that remains and probably will always stay consistent; SEX IS A BIG PART OF LIFE. The college mindset tends to be very freeing and very selfish; people look at relationships in an expendable manner and often treat new experiences like the army, “DON’T ASK, DON’T TELL”. So although commitment may be present, it isn’t always communicated to new people who may become future dating prospects.
Add this already confusing equation to the college atmosphere and you have a possibility for dire results. As we all know, SEX CAN BE A GOOD THING, if not for anything, it’s how we all came to be. But it seems like for the college demographic, we have become so “SEXIFIED” that for some people, sex is as equally as important as eating. Because THE NEED FOR SEX IS SO IMPORTANT, as a generation, we have come up with labels for ourselves as a means to alleviate the stress and necessity of being in a monogamous relationship. Some of these terms are: boo, boothang, booty, booty call, friends, friends with benefits, and sex buddy.
When I decided to explore this topic for my blog, I automatically thought of the New Boyz song “You Ain’t Gon’ Tie Me Down”, TLC’s “Creep” and a bunch of other songs. The way I see it, if commitment is not your thing, then why bother having any form of relationships to begin with? Because no matter how much we may all want to deny it, developing some sort of feelings is inevitable. Why waste time hurting others and potentially even yourself? Communication, I have learned and am still learning, is the key to success in life. If we took the time to verbalize how we felt to one another, especially to those we are intimate with, I personally think CHEATING in relationships as well as marriages would decrease, which would most likely cause a domino effect and decrease the incidence as well as precedence of STI’s in our communities.
I remember speaking to a friend about a sexual encounter she was going to engage in. She and her prospective partner had never talked about relationships or their past or present, so she decided to bring it up. Come to find out that he had a girlfriend back home!! The guy was shocked that she had actually asked, he confessed to her that it was never his intention to even tell her of his girlfriend and that he was truly surprised that she asked him.
Whether or not you’re engaging in LATE NIGHT CREEPING SESSION, a word of advice, “BE WISE AND CONDOMIZE.” You never know what additional luggage your buddy may be carrying that they don’t even know about. THE MOST COMMON SYMPTOM OF ANY STI IS NO SYMPTOM!! CONDOMS ARE FREE ON CAMPUS AT THE SBI TICKET OFFICE OR SBI HEALTH EDUCATION.
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