This just made me a soccer fan:
The World Cup football (I won’t call it “soccer” in this reference, ‘cuz aren’t we the only country that calls it that?) tournament is coming to Germany. About 40,000 sex workers are expected to travel to the country for work during the tournament. Two years ago, the German government legalized prostitution to give sex workers protection from violence and exploitation. It’s estimated that the 400,000 sex workers in Germany generate about six billion euros a year—the same kind of money major companies like
Adidas or Porsche bring in annually. Way to go! I know I’ll be rooting for Germany to win the World Cup this year. Read more.

Two notelets about sex-related medication. Ironic?

1. Masturbating won’t make you go blind, but enhancing one’s boner may..

There have been thirty-eight reported cases of vision loss in those using that little blue pick-me-up known as Viagra. Docs think this may be a coincidence, since the same kind of blood pressure problems that can lead to erectile dysfunction can also effect eyesight.

2. You may have heard of (or experienced, unfortunately) the possible link between birth control pills and loss of sex drive. Apparently women who are on the pill ( I don’t know how brand or hormone strength of the pills plays into this, though) are found to have between four and seven times the level of Sex Hormone Binding Globulin, a chemical that affects testosterone levels.

I know that the risk of blindness is, you know, just a bit more medically serious than not feeling like doing it, but I have a sinking feeling that more research has been done on topic #1 than #2, even though the Pill has been around longer than Viagra and its ilk, messing with ladies’ hormones (not to mention causing pretty serious bouts of depression–ask me how I felt between the years of 2002-2004!) for decades now.

I don’t know where I’m really going with this; it’s just something to think about..

Women’s magazines like Cosmopolitan always seem to have articles describing some “hot, new” sex position (and let’s first note the fact that these are inevitably variations from the Kama Sutra, with isn’t exactly new), as though the ones we’ve already tried are “cold, old.” You already know how I feel about sexual trendiness: fucking isn’t fashion! One’s sexuality, while open to change throughout one’s lifetime, does not go through seasons like the pages of Women’s Wear Daily.

A friend recently said to me something like, “I know this is boring, but I really like having sex in the missionary position.” She said it like it was a secret or shameful, like it wasn’t OK to prefer having sex not hung upside-down from the ceiling. She shouldn’t have to feel that way! A big part of Babeland’s mission is taking the shame out of sex. This includes accepting what you like to do to get off, from “vanilla” to super-kinky (and it’s all relative, anyway) without worrying about what anyone else thinks.

Besides, I LOVE the missionary position. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with it!  Let’s stop the mish stigma. Maybe it would help if it had a different name. Any suggestions?