THE CURRENT AND HERCAMPUS PRESENT
Dear Western,
Thank you for choosing to read our electronic issue about sexual health. It is an honour to be delivering this unique publication to the Western student community in partnership with Her Campus Western and The Current of the Science Students’ Council.
The topic of sexual health is both diverse and complicated, no doubt playing a significant part in our personal lives. For example, the rapid progression of science and technology brought about contraceptives and IVF, playing an astronomical role in changing our views on reproductive health. By extension, the ethical issues and social challenges of sexual health have undergone much change, sparking debates across society and may impact us or our close ones at some point in the future. In these pivotal moments, however, we can help steer society in the right direction by being acutely aware of our surroundings and acknowledging the diversity of sexual health issues before making an informed stance.
Sexual health can be complicated because a single topic can be viewed through many perspectives without necessarily offering a single answer. In order to fully understand a particular issue, sometimes we must turn to others and listen to their stories. As such, the partnership between Her Campus Western and The Current is inspired by the goal to obtain a comprehensive narrative about sexual health. In the following pages, you will read summaries about various topic on the left, informed by several source materials and composed by writers from The Current who hold a science background. On the right, you will read editorials in response to the summaries, composed by writers predominantly from Her Campus Western who hold a social science background. By applying this unorthodox structure, we hope to deliver a more inclusive perspective on sexual health topics presented in this issue.
Given the complexity and sensitivity of issues pertaining to sexual health, we understand that this publication is not for everyone. Nonetheless, we sincerely thank you for taking the time to learn more about these topics through our work. We hope to foster an open discussion around sexual health within a safe environment. Hopefully, we can help reduce the negative stigma that has plagued these discussions for so long. If you have any questions or concerns upon reading this issue, feel free to reach out to us directly.
Happy reading,
Alex SH Lee Editors-in-Chief of The Current Science Students’ Council thecurrentssc.com Disha Rawal Editor-in-Chief of Her Campus Western Western University hercampus.com/school/western
It is no secret that choosing the right contraceptive can be overwhelming. The more information that becomes available online, the more difficult it is to feel confident in your choice. While there are plenty of resources on contraceptives for females, those targeted for males are less commonly presented in the media.
Presently, contraceptives for males are available in two formats. The first of which, condoms, are a physical barrier which works to prevent pregnancy and protect from sexually transmitted infections. Condoms are made from latex (rubber), polyisoprene or polyurethane and are worn on the penis to prevent the transmission of semen from one partner to the next. This ensures a sperm is unable to fertilize an egg. As with every contraceptive, they have their fair share of advantages and disadvantages. In terms of benefits, condoms are relatively cost effective and often given out at sexual health clinics or doctor’s offices for free. If used consistently, they are 98% effective. Most people are able to use them without side effects but they can be ineffective if mishandled. All of these considerations make condoms the common choice for young adults.
The other male contraceptive is a surgical procedure known as a vasectomy. In a vasectomy, the tubes which carry sperm from a man’s testicles (vas deferens) to the penis are cut and then blocked or sealed with heat. This procedure is meant to be permanent, although reversals are available with lower efficacy. While they do prevent pregnancies with over a 99% success rate, they aren’t accessible to those who are still contemplating conceiving.
Although some choose to use the “withdrawal method” as their primary choice of birth control, it is not technically considered a contraceptive. This method, which involves no scientific technology, simply involves the male removing his penis from a vagina prior to ejaculating.
Evidently, contraceptives available to males are sparse. As technology advances, research into contraceptives similar to those available for women, like an IUD or birth control pill, will likely be explored. References:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/contraception/male-pill/
https://utswmed.org/medblog/pill-guys-male-birth-control-option-passes-safety-tests/
Growing up in an Indian-Candian household the topic of sex was never brought up. I learnt about it in school along with many of my friends. While the education system attempted to teach us, the main message I got was, “just don’t have sex”. I had no idea what sex was or why it was considered so taboo. As I got older, I learned about female contraceptives such as The Patch, The Ring, an Intrauterine Device (IUD) and the most common one, Birth Control. Yet, the only contraceptive I was able to find for males was the use of a condom. Being only 98% effective, most people choose to partake in one or more kinds of contraceptives to ensure safe sex. Right off the bat, anyone can notice the abundance of contraceptives available to females and the limited options available to males. The conversation on safe sex is always directed towards females. Society places an unreasonable amount of pressure on females to take up the the responsibility of ‘safe sex’ by placing devices up their bodies or take pills that create drastic changes to body and hormone levels. Regardless of the fact men impregnate women, there is a perception that the possibility of pregnancy lies solely with the female.
So much responsibility is placed on the women that it is normalized for a woman who has decided she doesn’t want kids to take the responsibility to donate her eggs or get her tubes tied. Therefore, it's only fair that if an adult male who knows they don’t want kids and is over a certain age, they should also take precautions by getting a vasectomy. A vasectomy is a surgical procedure for male sterilization or permanent contraception. While this option should be restricted to those over a certain age, males should take the necessary procedures if they are positive they don’t want children while engaging in sexual activity.
On the other side, getting a vasectomy is a decision that affects the rest of someone's life and unlikely that men would jump at the chance to do so. Overall, it is time for men to step up and take the responsibility. Public perspective of Male Contraceptives needs to change to allow the field to grow and empower women to take charge of their lives. Yet the lack of funding and presumed disinterest from men means that a male contraceptive pill may never be mass produced. However, a survey done by YouGov states, a third of sexually active British men say they would consider using hormonal contraception, such as the pill or the implant. This is the same percentage of British women who currently use such medication. 8 out of 10 people in the survey said contraception should be a shared responsibility. So why was funding halted? Partly because pharmaceutical companies, regulators, and men themselves appear less accepting of potential side effects. Yet, the female pill only took a decade to invent and to this day causes a number of short term and long term side effects for women. As mentioned previously, contraception is arguably seen as women’s work and there is an assumption men won’t use it. Yet gender roles are changing, which may extend to younger men more likely to see it as a shared responsibility. While the male vasectomy was invented almost 200 years ago, female sterilisation is 10 times more common worldwide despite being less effective, more expensive, and more prone to complications.
Greater gender equality is a necessary first step in removing social and economic barriers to developing male contraceptives.
We live in a time in which a heightened sensitivity to the dignity of women and the need to protect female rights is forcing us to re-evaluate long-held assumptions regarding the permissibility of various forms of sexual activity.
Some, for instance, find the idea of prostitution completely abhorrent. By reducing the status of a female body to a mere commodity, these critics argue, we effectively strip women of their status as moral members of the human race, entitled to just treatment and protection from harm.
On the other hand, proponents of total decriminalization argue that lifting prohibitions against sex work “protects human rights and public health”. They believe that legalized prostitution, like legalized cannabis, affirms the autonomy of a citizenry generally capable of making responsible decisions and living with the associated consequences.
What tends to be overlooked amidst this debate, in my view, is the need to consider a holistic spectrum of moral permissibility encompassing a myriad of grey zones. To me, the rightness or wrongness of an action by one moral agent unto another is a matter of consent. Consent, by definition, must be given voluntarily by two or more competent parties. The underaged, the mentally ill, and the intoxicated cannot render consent. Only sound-minded, of-age individuals can. This is why the practice of prostitution should, in my opinion, respect boundaries and establish firm lines in the sand. The moment that consensual kissing evolves into coerced intercourse is the moment that acceptable sex work becomes unacceptable sex trafficking. Similarly, past consent for a certain activity should not be taken as continued consent for that same activity.
The subject of sex work abhors a “black-and-white” framework of understanding because moral behaviour, unlike the hard sciences, is a fluid phenomenon with varying degrees of “good” and “bad” Nothing precludes an otherwise “responsible” prostitute from engaging in an episode of depravity in the same way that nothing precludes an “occasional” drinker from intoxicated driving. Yes, sex work should be permitted, but not in the absence of rigorous public education and smart legislation that empowers individuals who are capable of exercising autonomy while protecting those who are not References
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/289775966 The consumer the consumed and the commodity Women and sex buyers talk about objectification in prostitution
https://www globalsistersreport org/news/trafficking/worldwide-debate-about-sex-work-morality-meetsreality-48216
https://www rainn org/articles/what-is-consent
Sex work is a contentious issue at the best of times. Women have long been denied the agency of presenting their bodies as they please, trapped by societal and legal barriers, as well as legitimate concerns for safety Women engaging in sex work are often treated as social pariahs, undeserving of respect or protection Education and increased regulation of the industry is of course necessary to destigmatize and protect women’s autonomy in sex work Yet recent trends in sex work, particularly in the digital realm, have added a new layer of complication to the issue.
Online sex work allows for women to exercise agency over their own bodies in a safe space The popularity of apps such as OnlyFans also helps to chip away at the stigma surrounding sex work, particularly during the pandemic when engagement online has skyrocketed Women are given complete ownership of their content, set their own prices, and control who has access to it This seems to some like a dream come true, finally allowing women to present their own bodies in a way that puts them in control and allows them to profit.
However, women’s autonomy continues to be disrespected online. Pictures and videos from OnlyFans are leaked onto free porn websites, where the women not only lose control of their own image, but are no longer able to profit from their work Even worse, there have been multiple cases of “doxxing,” through which an OnlyFans subscriber threatens to send a woman’s images or videos to her family or work. A particularly disgusting case of doxxing even operated supposedly to “help” these women escape sex work Needless to say, no men on OnlyFans were targeted in this “helpful” campaign
The general disrespect surrounding women who engage in online sex work demonstrates how little people respect women’s bodily autonomy. The same men who consume porn are furious when women are able to profit off of it, indicating that the issue is perhaps not with sex work online, but with women being in power.
https://globalnews ca/news/6938645/online-sex-work-halifax-coronavirus-covid
19/https://www dailydot com/irl/man-outing-onlyfans-content-creators/
Hypersexualization, or the act of accentuating the sexuality of someone or something, has allowed the media to project racial prejudices onto women of colour through fetishization. From colonization to slavery, the powerful white man strategically sculpted a system that inherently demoralized BIPOC bodies. In turn, the predisposition to associate women of colour with inferiority and sub-humanity enabled the gross misrepresentation of BIPOC bodies as something to be gawked at.
Take for instance, Sara Baartmaan. As a South African woman brought to Europe in the late 18th century, she was unwillingly put-on display as a human spectacle. With her “large buttocks” presented as a freak show exhibit, she simultaneously became infamous and dehumanized. Black female slaves were eventually belittled to nothing more than “breeders”, constantly being raped by their owners, while indigenous women were raped, beaten, and murdered in what could only be called a genocide.
To justify these inhumane acts, slavers and colonizers compared black and indigenous women to wildlife, arguing that they were morally underdeveloped with a bestial sexuality. Not only does this invigorate the association between BIPOC bodies and animalistic hypersexuality, it also furthers the distinction between the dehumanized woman of colour and the symbol for humanity in the form of whiteness.
In the modern world, despite the growing activism for equality, we find ourselves inherently abiding to the system left behind. Terms such as “chocolate” or “caramel”, equating the colour of someone’s skin to something edible, signifies that these women were meant to be devoured and subsequently provide pleasure. This fetishization is not just reflected in the characterization of skin tone but is prevalent in all forms. From accent to body proportion to hair colour and texture, these women are illustrated as beautiful outcasts at every turn.
We see the formation of a bewildering dichotomy wherein women of colour are both repulsive and desired, alluring and untouchable, human and pariah. Ultimately, the ideology remains, in which whiteness is the convention and all else on the spectrum, the deviation.
https://www.unicefusa.org/stories/not-object-sexualization-and-exploitation-women-and-girls/30366
https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-35240987
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/2374623816680622
The hypersexualization and demoralization of colonialism and slavery still bleed into our culture today, yet most of the time we don’t even realize it.
In the case of Sara Baartman and her large buttocks, women of colour are constantly fetishized for their backsides. They’re desired for being voluptuous and naturally curvy, but not respected. I was once told that I had a “donk” in the 9th grade. I had no idea what that meant; I just knew I was the “brown chick with the donk.”I was desired, yet repulsed at the same time.
My 14 year old booty seemed to be on the wrong face. I had boys who would stare at me, but never come up and talk to me to get to know me.
But when Kim K broke the internet, the concept of the white girl IG baddie who had what seemed to be a stolen body shape from women of colour emerged. It was embraced; it was celebrated! It has since become even more popular for white women to be praised for “being a white girl with an ass”, frequently going for spray tans, or having thick eyebrows.
When I got older, being Indian seemed to be more “cool.” Suddenly, the Indian accent was “sexy” and my skin became a dessert. Personally, I enjoyed the changes; I enjoyed being complimented, rather than ridiculed, but lines continued to be crossed.
Once again, I found myself as an object of attention. I admit I love so called “sexy” accents myself; sometimes, I listen to dumb British men talk on TV simply because I like the sound of their voice. Like anyone else, I appreciate different skin tones and cultures, but that’s the key: appreciation, not fetishization.
Fetishization comes
When we appreciate BIPOC women, we can acknowledge that they are worthy of being seen as full humans, rather than just being known for their sexual assets It’s not about completely disregarding sexual attractiveness either Rather than being only known for having bootylicious bodies, BIPOC women deserve to be known for being intelligent, kind, hardworking, and having bootylicious bodies.
SofiaMellico
Many students at Western have gotten tested for STIs; USC Health Promotions hosts the Get Tested event each year, with over 1300 students getting tested in February 2020. However, few people know how STI tests actually work.
Different types of STIs generally require different tests. To test for HIV, for example, an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) is generally used, which detects antigens/antibodies from HIV in blood. Antibodies are produced by the immune system in response to viruses. After blood is taken from a patient, antibodies are separated from the rest of it. The patient’s antibodies are then run over an assay plate with clinical HIV antigen/antibody fixed to it. If those antibodies recognize the HIV antigens and bind, the person is HIV positive. If a patient gets a positive test result, they will be tested again to confirm the diagnosis.
Chlamydia, which is the most common STI in Canada, is caused by bacteria, as opposed to a virus. Testing for chlamydia is done by nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs), like PCR. A physician will take a urine sample or a urethral, endocervical, or vaginal swab. The DNA or RNA in the sample is amplified, so there are many more copies of it; this way, even if the sample only contains very little chlamydia DNA, the test can detect it. After amplification, the sample is then probed with complementary DNA, in which case binding indicates that the sample is positive. NAATs are also used for diagnosis of HPV, gonorrhea, and trichomoniasis.
The stigma around STIs is real and even discourages people from getting tested. While getting tested may seem scary, it is important to do so regularly if you are sexually active. Western University offers free testing services, and you can book your appointment at https://www.uwo.ca/health/shs/shs_appointment.html.
https://www.healthunit.com/news/get-tested-western-2020
https://www.healthline.com/health/elisa-western-blot-tests-for-hiv#procedure
https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/diseases-conditions/report-sexuallytransmitted-infections-canada-2013-14.html
https://www.publichealthontario.ca/en/laboratory-services/test-information-index/chlamydia-trachomatisnaat-urine
https://www.verywellhealth.com/nucleic-acid-amplification-tests-3132631
Growing up, aspects of our sexual education curriculum were introduced at various levels of detail, from dipping tampons into water bottles to colour coding a diagram of the reproductive system, but STIs were brought up as a non-issue. It was implied that if you followed through with abstinence or limited the number of partners you had, you had nothing to worry about.
Not only does this contribute to the stigma surrounding sexually transmitted infections, but it resulted in gross misinformation of the subject.
In tandem with our educational system, the media contributes to this hurdle when discussing sexual health. While I’m all for normalizing these topics, television and film portrayals are often erroneous or just plain harmful. Oftentimes, they are placed on characters as a punishment for their actions through the plot: perhaps they were too promiscuous, or they served as the holier than thou main character’s rival. This “they got what was coming to them” trope reinforces the stigma, and results in the belief that those afflicted with an STI somehow deserved it.
I am forever grateful to my eighth grade homeroom teacher who showed us episodes of Degrassi Junior High/Degrassi High at the start of the day. Whether it be the episode that the twins thought they had infectious mononucleosis with a b plot that discusses the virus and its symptoms, or the episode Joey discovered his classmate had HIV during Sexual Awareness Week, the late eighties/early nineties Canadian show tactfully tackled controversial topics and educated its audience while maintaining its entertainment value.
We can all take a lesson from this cheesy soap opera-style television show that was ahead of its time, from updating sexual education curriculums to bringing accurate media portrayals of STIs. This taboo topic fueled with inaccuracies follows people to their daily lives, and its ramifications can have a real negative impact on people’s lives.
Fiction is littered with character tropes — the nerdy girl, the dumb jock, the socially awkward geek, and so on. Unfortunately, minorities can often find themselves being relegated to just one or two of these character tropes, and one prominent example of this in Western pop culture is the stereotypes surrounding East-Asian women. Two of the most notable tropes that are used to define female East-Asian characters are the “China Doll” and “Dragon Lady” stereotypes.
The “China Doll” trope is one that presents the character as submissive, politely-natured, and sweet. The “China Doll” character is highly fetishized, viewed as exotic and eager to please This trope is less common in modern films, TV shows, and books today, but a quick look at the 2019 Pornhub insights indicates how troubling and long-lasting the implications are. “Japanese” was the most searched term on the website in 2019, and searches such as “hentai,” “Korean,” and “Asian” all landed in the top 10. This overtly hypersexualized perception of EastAsian women is harmful. Projecting an image of docility and subservience on to East-Asian women also suggests that traits such as individualism, loudness, and disobedience, are not deemed acceptable.
On the other end of the spectrum lies the “Dragon Lady” stereotype. The “Dragon Lady” character is painted as mysterious, sexually alluring, tough, and untrustworthy. She often wears cultural clothing, such as a kipao or kimono. One example of this is the Siamese Cats in Disney’s The Lady and The Tramp, who relish in causing trouble and act deceptively in their short time on-screen. Much like the “China Doll” character, the “Dragon Lady” is unrealistic, often portrayed as unfeeling and merciless.
This largely binary representation of East-Asian women in Western pop culture is damaging Characterizing all East-Asian women is belonging to one of two extremes either soft and accommodating, or unyielding and aggressive explicitly insinuates that there is no room for a complex, human middle ground Instead of depicting East-Asian women as idealized, sexualized beings, writers should start to illustrate them as real people.
https://web.uri.edu/iaics/files/07Wang.pdf
https://www.pornhub.com/insights/2019-year-in-review
https://decider.com/2019/11/12/lady-and-the-tramp-siamese-cat-song-remake/
There’s something nefarious about boxing East-Asian women into one of two categories—a “China Doll” or “Dragon Lady.” And there’s something entirely despicable about the complete emasculation of East-Asian men in Western popular culture. Unfortunately for us, we still live in a society where East-Asian stereotypes can be used in music, television, and film as the brunt of a joke—whether it be Gwen Stefani’s “Harajuku Girls”, Steve Harvey making jokes about the sexual appeal and prowess of Asian men, or Ken Jeong’s infamous penis scene in “The Hangover” .
What is perhaps just as harrowing is the complete absence of any meaningful East-Asian presence in epicentres of Western pop culture like Hollywood and the Oscars until fairly recently. Whereas our white peers grew up surrounded by familiar features, stories, and cultures on the popular culture they consumed, most of us East-Asians did not. Frankly, we did not see ourselves in Hannah Montana [Hannah Montana] or Troy Bolton [High School Musical]. The most we got was London Tipton [The Suite Life of Zack and Cody] and Tina/Mike Chang [Glee]—Asian sub characters in a white storyline. And while London and Tina were (thankfully) not “china dolls” or “dragon ladies”, they weren't enough. There’s a reason why all my Asian friends and I flocked to Cineplex for the premiere of “Crazy Rich Asians” or held viewing parties to celebrate the win of “Parasite” for Best Picture at the Oscars. It’s because we have been starved of any real, threedimensional representation for so long.
It’s comforting to see your own parents in “Bao” or “Minari” . And it’s exciting to see someone on-screen who looks like you that isn’t Lucy Liu or Henry Golding Popular culture is culture consumed by the masses, many of whom are of East-Asian heritage And our demands are simple We want to be sexy WITHOUT being sexualized; we want to laugh with you WITHOUT being laughed at; and we want to be comforted and excited by just a couple more minutes of OUR stories, OUR culture… So what about that is so hard to understand?
https://globalnews.ca/news/6193310/gwen-stefani-defends-harajuku-girls-denies-cultural-appropriation/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpXLXw5WK-Ihttps://www.huffpost.com/entry/ihangoveri-star-talksope_b_219879
https://www.thrillist.com/entertainment/nation/bao-pixar-short-film-before-incredibles-2explainedhttps://www.cnn.com/2021/02/11/entertainment/minari-review/index.html
https://www.thrillist.com/entertainment/nation/bao-pixar-short-film-before-incredibles-2-explained https://www cnn com/2021/02/11/entertainment/minari-review/index html
Human rights of women have been under attack worldwide over many generations. One of the greatest violations of women's human rights is the partial or total removal of female external genitalia occurring everywhere, even in Canada. Although female genital mutilation (FGM) appears to be an issue that is primarily occurring in third-world countries, there is more beneath the surface.
FGM is the partial or total removal of female external genitalia for nonmedical purposes, and it is a violation of the human rights of women. FGM is commonly practiced in several African, Middle Eastern and Asian countries. Some countries with high prevalence include Somalia, Egypt (all >90%) and even Malaysia (estimated >85%). Though many might believe otherwise, this procedure is not related to a single religion but more so closely linked to cultural practices. Young girls, aged 15 and younger, are most commonly the victims of female genital mutilation (FGM). It is commonly practiced due to the belief that it would preserve feminine modesty. However, it is deeply discriminatory of women and young girls because FGM violates their right to life, security, and health.
There are different cases of FGM including clitoridectomy, the partial or total removal of the clitoris, excision, the partial or total removal of the inner labia, and infibulation, the narrowing or covering of the vaginal opening. All of these practices cause many health complications, including cysts, bleeding, issues with urination, complications with childbirth and newborn death. FGM also has severe mental health impacts. Women who have undergone this procedure can suffer from PTSD, depression, anxiety and even chronic pain syndrome.
Since these practices are typically carried out behind closed doors, there is little data and information on FGM in Canada. In addition, there is little information on how many Canadian citizens have experienced this in their home countries, before they immigrated to Canada. Beyond including FGM to Canada’s criminal code in 1997, there have been no prosecutions and few initiatives to support survivors. Increased awareness on this issue is the first step to providing more support for survivors.
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/female-genital-mutilation
https://www.kidsnewtocanada.ca/screening/fgm
https://www.28toomany.org/continent/asia/
https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/fgm-in-canada-2/
https://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/topics/fgm/mental problems and fgm/en/
In my high school social science class, ethnocentrism was one the first things we were taught to avoid. Judgement of others’ cultural standards based on your own, we were told, was one of the greatest sins any anthropologist can commit. The idea made sense to me, but there seemed to be a vague boundary for when criticisms can be acceptable for events that do not directly affect your culture. While the fear of being labelled as ethnocentric has sometimes prevented me from engaging in such criticisms, I find it extremely difficult to not voice a strong opposition against such occurrences as FGM, regardless of cultural differences.
Coming from an Iranian background, a country that bears a near 100% male circumcision rate, the idea of FGM did not at first scare me. Since it is not a common nor spoken-about practice in Iran or Canada, I wasn’t at all familiar with what the procedures entail, let alone their risks and complications. I had ignorantly assumed that like circumcision, they are minimally invasive and standardized procedures with some debatable benefits and risks.
Reading the long list of complications for which victims of FGM are at risk and the human right violations that the procedures consequently commit, along with the high frequency of the practice in such countries as Somalia and Egypt, makes me question the limited coverage of the topic. Is it a similar fear of ethnocentrism?
While the most impactful advocacy may come from internal opposition by those directly affected by FGM, I believe it is important for all of us to risk being “judgmental ethnocentrics” when there are issues that have evidently led to harming of individuals. Raising awareness of the topic and supporting the opposition of FGM (or any other similar situation) while being on the “outside” will further empower those who will ultimately implement the necessary changes.
https://pophealthmetrics.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12963-016-0073-5/tables/1
WritersfromTheCurrent:
AlexSHLee
RasaEskandari
EmiRoni
SeungwonHan
DhvaniMehta
IshleenSudan
MadelineMcrae
ShenbeiFan
SofiaMellicovsky
TabaKhan
WritersfromHerCampus:
DishaRawal
NetanyaThomas
RoveenaJassal
SophiaBelyk
Designers:
EmiRoni
HelenZhang
LahariBasu
