Dental what?

Okay, so I got the safe sex talk in school. Abstinence!condomsbirthcontroldiaphragmsblahAbstinence!

Anyone else get this kind of health class? Joy for Arkansas education. Because teens totally aren't having sex- that's why my high school had a daycare for all the teen mothers, not to mention two pages in the yearbook.

Fact is, they were. And all the little straight kids and gay boys got a healthy enough dosage of information about condoms, though it was usually suggested by teachers and whispered by peers.

What about all the lesbians in the class? Or straight guys, for that matter.

I've yet to meet a lesbian who practices safer sex, at least in terms of using a dental dam or some equivalent. I've had the most educated of lesbians tell me that it's okay, since women have such lower chances of "catching" anything.

Uh huh. Just like gay men didn't really need to worry about safer sex because, after all, they weren't risking getting anyone pregnant. Then *poof* AIDS.

I'm not saying that's how the AIDS epidemic went down. I'm just trying to make a point. AIDS showed up out of nowhere, devastating an entire generation of gay men.

Just because we don't have penises doesn't mean there isn't some new, life threatening disease waiting on the horizon to attack the cunning linguists of the world.

I know I'm paranoid, but really, anything's a possibility in terms of new diseases.

And for that matter, there are plenty of diseases to be caught now, just through oral sex, including herpes, syphilis, and hpv (not a disease, okay, but a virus that can cause cervical cancer. Ick.)

However, since we don't have to worry about getting knocked up, and since we're considered a "low risk group" for contracting HIV, we don't bother with safer sex. We don't talk about it; it's an uncomfortable subject.

For that matter, while I'm on the soap box, let's talk about gynecology visits. According to some websites, lesbians are less likely to seek regular gynecological treatments. After all, the main reason most women go is so they can acquire birth control, which isn't a problem so much.

Newsflash: a penis doesn't have to touch you for you to have gynecological problems. Tumors, cysts, endometriosis- these are all problems which can be left untreated if you don't go to a gynecologist or if you're open with him/her/other about your sexual history. If your doctor makes you uncomfortable, get a new one. If you worry he'll have problems with your sexuality, then 1. Who cares what he thinks? and 2. Get a new doctor.

So. Try at least to be aware of safer sex practices, and get your cunt checked out. The end.