Sexy Time: Sexual Health

There’s a lot of things that come with having a grown-up, healthy sex life. Our sex ed classes were taught by those who preached about “sexual health,” but never really explained what that meant. Does it just mean going to the doctor or are there more things that can fall under the umbrella of “sexual health”?

By Ness

There’s a lot more to leading a healthy, sexually active life than just visiting the doctor (though, we’ll talk about that too), so let’s take a look at what we can do to live those sexually healthy lifestyles we’re always told about.

Be honest with yourself and your partner. Are you ready to be having sex? Have you thought about the possible long-term implications and responsibility that comes with being sexually active? The important answer here isn’t just whether it’s yes or no – but it’s that you stay true to whatever that answer is. If being sexually active isn’t in the cards for you at the moment, be honest about it, own it, and don’t ever do anything you don’t think you’re ready to do.

Get on birth control. If and when you decide you’re ready to get naked with another person, you must get yourself on some form of birth control. There is no excuse for not using protection, and unless you’re planning on having a child anytime soon, it’s best to get yourself on birth control stat. If, for some reason, being on hormonal birth control isn’t an option for you, check out responsible alternatives such as condoms (which you should be using with BC anyways), or IUDs. (Editor’s Note: Seriously, ask your doc about an IUD. It’s the best thing I ever did.)

Don’t be afraid to see your doctor. Once you become sexually active, you should be seeing your doctor once a year to receive your annual PAP smear. While the experience might not be the most pleasant, it is incredibly important to have a doctor make sure everything is a-OK. While you’re at it, requesting an STI test is always a good idea. While not all STIs can be tested for during a pelvic exam, your doctor will talk to you about the ones you can be checked for, and gladly oblige to send a few more tests to the lab. Bottom line is that having a healthy vagina is way worth the few moments of discomfort it takes to get it all checked out.

Say no… but only if you want to. In my opinion, one of the most important things about being sexually active is taking pride and being confident in your sexual decisions.  It doesn’t matter if you have sex with three people or 23, what matters is how you feel about your choices. It’s okay to say no, but more importantly, it’s also okay to say yes. Just be safe, be confident, and don’t let another person’s opinions or pressures affect your decisions.