Cory Silverberg's Blog, page 21
February 13, 2012
When You Want to Want to Have Sex
This week I got an email from an About.com reader who is in a loving relationship, with a man they adore, but who isn't having the kind of sex they want, isn't feeling the desire they crave, and doesn't see how anything could change.
I've known many people who were in perfectly terrible relationships - no communication, completely different values, different interests and aspirations - who nonetheless had great sex, regularly. And of course I've also spoken to many others who were in...
February 9, 2012
American Ecstasy - Interview with Barbara Nitke
I have a serious crush on Kickstarter. If you aren't familiar with the site, they describe themselves as "the world's largest funding platform for creative projects." Through Kickstarter I've been a part of making eight books, five films, one calendar, one art show, one graphical assistive device, and one window farm company make their dreams a reality. Which also means I got all that stuff to show for it. Not all the projects I've backed with a contribution (I've given everywhere from ...
February 7, 2012
RIP: Brenda Z. Greene, Advocate for School Based Sexual Health Programs
On Friday February 3 Brenda Greene passed away. Since 1987 Brenda was responsible for directing the school health programs for the National School Boards Association. She came in at a time when few were pushing for HIV/AIDS education in the schools and she was a tireless advocate for teachers and students, for good education and good health.
I never met Brenda but reading remembrances from colleagues who worked with her (as well as the memories that are posted here I wanted to learn more. ...
February 2, 2012
When It Comes to Sex, Is it the Thought That Counts?
There are times when the saying "it's the thought that counts" fits. For example, if someone you don't know that well remembers your birthday, but forgets to buy you a gift, you might say "that's okay, it's the thought that counts" and mean it. But what if it's someone you are close to? Or a family member? Or what if it's any old friend and while they remember your birthday they neglect to call or email or even post something on your Facebook wall? They still thought about your...
January 25, 2012
The Penis Roller Coaster
Construction metaphors figure prominently in iconic images of erections. Tall objects built on a flat plane, penetrating the sky, standing firm and tall, immoveable and awe inspiring in their stand-out-ness, their pokey-tude.
But real erections aren't constructed from raw materials, they aren't built so much as they are evoked. And the analogy with construction falls apart completely when you consider that no one has complete control over their erections, and erections can disappear as...
January 23, 2012
Calling for Better Care: New Recommendations for Sex and Heart Health
In the past, if you had a stroke, a heart attack, or a more minor event that led to a diagnosis of cardiovascular disease and you asked your doctor about your options for having sex, the response wouldn't be very encouraging. Something along the lines of it being better safe than sorry, so why not wait. How long you had to wait, and exactly what you had to wait to do was never clear. But there wasn't much research to guide doctors, and in a society where sex is seen more as a perk and...
January 19, 2012
Sexual Surrogacy Comes to Sundance
A new film, The Surrogate, has it's first screening on Monday at the Sundance Film Festival. According to the description of the film in the festival program, it's based on the writings of Mark O'Brien. O'Brien was a journalist and poet who wrote frankly and vividly about his life, most of which was spent inside an iron lung. One of his most shared pieces of journalism was an article he wrote about seeing a sexual surrogate. That article used to be available for free online but...
January 17, 2012
When Moving Is Bad for Sex
It may be hard to imagine sex without moving, but sometimes it's the moving that makes it hard to imagine ever having sex.
This week instead of answering one sex question in particular I took inspiration from about a half dozen questions I've received over the past year all about whether or not it's "normal" for your sex life to slow down after you move in with a partner.
Of course "normal" is code, and in this case I think it's code for a few things: predictable, okay, understandable...
January 16, 2012
Pee in Peace: Using Technology to Counter Bathroom Violence
I'm already getting excited about this year's Sex::Tech conference. For the past five years ISIS has organized a one of a kind international conference devoted to the newest developments in sexual health and technology. One thing I'm often struck by is how the most successful projects are often the simplest. Recently I heard about a new app which I think is a good example of this. I wanted to know more so I virtually sat down with Maureen Kelly, who is part of the team behind the new...
January 13, 2012
XOXOSMS: Can online love work IRL?
If you haven't figured out what you're doing on Valentine's Day yet (and if you have, how are you that organized, or into Valentine's Day?) I recommend you spend part of it with Nancy Schwartzman.
Not in person. That might be weird (after all I don't know her very well and she may have plans already). But online. You should see her online.
She'll be screening her short documentary film XOXOSMS: The Internet Love Documentary several times throughout the day, and then following it up with ...
