This month’s celebrity sex toy, Sex in the Can by Fleshlight, is awarded to John Edwards, because if he’d had this handy masturbation sleeve around during his promising political ascension, he may not have ruined both his career and his marriage (the Edwards announced their separation this week) by having an extra-marital affair. That said, he’s really just one of a whole slew of male politicians and celebrities who lay their careers and their relationships on the line because they can’t keep their pants zipped: Tiger Woods, David Letterman, Mark Sanford, Eliot Spitzer, and of course Bill Clinton, to name a few.

What astounds me is these guys don’t seem to think they’ll get caught, despite  hounding media and ubiquitous cell-phone cameras. If only these boys had been introduced to the Fleshlight, which is adored by legions of men around the globe, they might have made smarter choices (hey, you can’t program speed dial into the Fleshlight). And these sleeves boast all manner of features, so the dudes can get one that might, dare I say match their tastes: find one that vibrates, looks like pussy lips, resembles an ice-princess, or my all time favorite for these men: the Succu Dry, a sleeve that looks like a succubus.

Here’s what I’ve been reading this week:

Did you know there was a board game called Orgy? Me neither. Thanks, BoingBoing.

Some thoughts on men, masculinity and feminism from a friend of mine at this blog, Low End Theory.

Oprah picked her favorite sex toys and porn!

A great new blog on Trade Secrets for Sex Workers

The Stupak anti-abortion amendment could end coverage for all women. All. Call your congresspeople now!

Dr. Kate at Em & Lo answers a question about whether or not to disclose HPV

Cory Silverberg at About.com discusses what’s missing in the search for female viagra

Stupak

If you’re like me, you may have been feeling at excited that we were finally getting somewhere on health care coverage. Then, the House passed the Stupak-Pitts Amendment. In case you haven’t had time to read up on just why this amendment is horrible, here’s a brief primer on what it will do:

The Hyde amendment requires that no federal funding go for abortions, under health care reform, this already would have included the public option plan, which most people were expecting and which everyone had agreed to.

The new Stupak-Pitts amendment bans private for-profit insurers from covering abortion as a part of women’s reproductive healthcare for all plans in the insurance exchange created by the healthcare bill, even if women pay most of the premiums. That would mean a drastic reduction in the coverage that millions of women already have.

If a version of this amendment makes it into the Senate bill, it will most likely remain in the final bill and may get signed into law. If this happens, it will be the most dramatic reduction in women’s reproductive health care we’ve seen in decades.

Please do the following:

• Call your senators. Tell them that you do not support any amendment like Stupak-Pitts.
• Find out how your House representative voted on Stupak-Pitts. If they voted no, call them to say thank you. If they voted yes, (especially if they are a democrat), call them and tell them how much you disagree with their vote.
• Sign a petition to Harry Reid not to allow any anti-choice amendments into the bill.
• Send a coat-hanger to the 20 pro-choice Democrats (all men, might I add) who voted for Stupak-Pitts
• Join a phone bank at NARAL from your home

President Obama wants Congress to vote on a final bill by the holidays so this is all happening right now. The senate may start debating a bill as early as next week. The time to call is NOW!