An FDA advisory panel unanimously approved the FC2 female condom. The FC2 is very similar to the current version of the female condom and is in fact intended to replace it. The primary difference is the FC2 is made of nitrile instead of polyurethane, making it cheaper to manufacture. As that one of the primary barriers preventing women from using female condoms is cost, this is excellent news.

By now we all know that Obama is the president-elect, but what about all those other issues that were up for decision? Heather put together a guide to the ballot measures particularly relevant to Scarleteen and our mission and I thought I'd post the results.

Joanna Connors has written an incredible article about her 1984 rape and its aftermath.

I'll be honest: I don't approve of cosmetic surgery. I think it's incredibly important to love and accept our bodies for what they are, and to extend that acceptance to everyone's body. To my mind, surgically altering your body solely for cosmetic reasons is neither loving nor accepting.

I came across an interesting study on the state of sex ed in Illinois today. Illinois, like most states, receives money from the federal government for abstinence-only sex ed. Some highlights of the study include:

I don't think I need to explain that this is a step in the right direction.

The Boston Globe and AlterNet have articles going into more detail.

Mike Huckabee has recently been taken to task for his positions on the transmission and treatment of AIDS.

At this point I feel it's redundant to point out that abstinence-only sex ed is ineffective. Nevertheless, several of the folks who want to lead this country are still in favor of it or something called "abstinence-plus" education. (Abstinence-plus does offer a more balanced approach to sex ed, but puts a premium on abstinence rather than making informed, well thought out decisions.)

Congress is considering repealing the military's discriminatory "don't ask, don't tell" policy. At present the bill (The Military Readiness Enhancement Act (H.R. 1246)) is in committee with 136 cosponsors.

In the past fourteen years Don't Ask, Don't Tell has done a great deal of harm, not only to the military but to the country and individual servicepeople as well. These numbers are nothing to be proud of:

Before I get started, full disclosure: I haven't shaved or depilated anything in nine years and I just don't come in contact with much advertising. (It's amazing what you miss when you fast-forward through commercials and don't buy mainstream magazines.)

That being said, I am appalled by Nair's new ad campaign.