Sorting fact from fiction about sexual health
Even though there are lots of resources and websites to help educate us about sexual health, there are plenty of mistruths out there, too. Read more about debunking the most popular reproductive and sexual myths out there and why we shouldn’t listen to the noise.
Only Promiscuous People Get STDs
Anyone, regardless of having one or numerous sexual partners, is at risk for contracting an STD. Actually, past studies have shown that people in monogamous relationships may be more at risk for HIV and STDs because they are more willing to forgo using condoms.
You Can’t Get Pregnant Your First Time
All it takes is one time, especially if you are ovulating—when a woman’s egg is released from her ovaries and is pushed down to the fallopian tubes waiting to be fertilized. Whether you are just starting to have sex or have been having sex for a while, your risk of pregnancy is the same.
If I Had an STD, I Would Know
I know that we’ve all seen the “cauliflower” slides in sex ed class, but in reality many people, especially men, are asymptomatic. This means that whatever STD they have, it shows no symptoms. The only way to know if you have an STD is to get tested.
Pulling Out Works
The pull-out method is tricky because there are studies that show that it can be somewhat effective in preventing pregnancy. But keep in mind: It’s not foolproof and there is no way to improve your technique. Also, pulling out doesn’t protect you from STDs because you don’t need to ejaculate per se to transmit or contract an STD such as herpes, gonorrhea or chlamydia.
You Can Catch an STD From a Toilet Seat
STDs don’t live outside the body long enough for them to be picked up by someone else on a surface, especially one that is cold. Yet, you can pass STDs like herpes and genital warts from skin-to-skin contact.
For more sexual health facts, go to BET.com.
