Masturbation in the News

From time to time, Solo Touch posts informative and interesting news articles from various sources on the Web.

August 24, 2005 » A Great Read for Teenage Girls

Real Girl/Real World: Tools for Finding Your True Self is a fun and essential guide book, where real girls share their experiences, showing that there's no one "right" way to navigate the twisting road of adolescence. The authors explore a wide range of topics central to young women's lives, including:

- beauty and the media
- body image and self-esteem
- eating disorders and good nutrition
- sex and sexuality
- feminism and today's new activists

By dispelling myths and putting issues into perspective, Real Girl/Real World gives girls the power to become strong women and make informed decisions about their lives.

July 7, 2005 » Female Masturbation Ad Gets Banned

An ad for London-based Accurist watch company was banned by the Advertising Standard Authority. Among the compaints: "...masturbation is somehow offensive and demeaning to women." Is masturbation demeaning to women? How 'bout images such as this one? Let others know what you think. (Full Article | More Images - Requires Macromedia Flash Player, click "Advertising")

June 28, 2005 » New History of Circumcision Book Says It's Outmoded and Harmful

A newly published book traces the history of circumcision from its Middle Eastern origins to its unlikely reincarnation in modern America. "Marked in Your Flesh: Circumcision from Ancient Judea to Modern America," by Leonard B. Glick, shows that for nearly two millennia circumcision was practiced by Jews as a mark of their covenant with God, while Christians rejected it as spiritually worthless. The book is a forceful critique of a medicalized practice many Americans take for granted. (Full Article | Get the Book)

June 28, 2005 » Botswana Adds "D" to the "ABC Campaign" To Combat AIDS

The Youth Health Organisation (YOHO) has developed a radical and promotional campaign recognising masturbation as another option for youth to avoid HIV infection. In addition to the ABC (abstain, be faithful and condomise) approach, YOHO added D, for do-it-yourself. (Full Article)

June 9, 2005 » Erectile Dysfunction Drug Lawsuits Begin

A Texas man is the first to file a lawsuit against Pfizer, "claiming he suffered blindness after taking its best-selling impotence drug Viagra." (Full article)

June 7, 2005 » Genes Linked to Orgasm in Females

"The reason why some women have problems reaching orgasm might be down to their genes, say UK scientists. By studying 4,000 twins, Keele and London researchers found female orgasm is not all psycho-social as some claim." (Full article)

June 3, 2005 » AARP Sexuality Study

AARP Magazine has an interesting article, called "Sex in America," that highlights results from their 2004 study of 1,682 adults ages 45 and older. The study's purpose was "to measure attitudes and other factors affecting their sexuality and quality of life." Here's an interesting quote from the article: "Women, in particular, are bringing a whole new meaning to the term 'do it yourself.' According to the AARP study, more of them—nearly a third more than five years ago—said they masturbated at least once in the last six months. Nearly half of women in the 45-to-49 age range reported doing so. And 20 percent of women 70 and older said they masturbated. Just as important to understanding contemporary attitudes is this response: a majority of all women—even those 70-plus—told AARP that self-stimulation is an important part of sexual pleasure at any age." (Full article)

May 30, 2005 » Impotence Drugs May Be Causing Vision Loss

Reuters is reporting that "U.S. regulators ... have received more than 40 reports of a type of blindness in men taking impotence drugs, most involving ... Viagra, but have not determined if the medicines were responsible." Dr. Michael Berelowitz, Pfizer's vice president for worldwide medical, was quick to point out that the link could be a coincidence, saying, "It's quite hard to see causality" between the vision loss and Viagra use. (Full article | Related articles)

May 24, 2005 » Beware of Penis-Enlargement Scams

I was happy to see that MayoClinic.com is telling male readers not only to be aware of penis-enlargement scams, but also to relax about the size of their penis. (Full article)

April 4, 2005 » 14-Year-Olds May See Oral Sex as Abstinence

WebMD is reporting that "Nearly a third of 14-year-olds plan oral sex within six months—and nearly 20% say they've already tried oral sex, a California survey shows." Citing a possible reason, the article says, "The young teens say oral sex is a safer, more acceptable alternative to vaginal sex." Safer, yes. Completely safe, no. (full article | other articles)

March 28, 2005 » Americans Too Sleepy for Sex

Yahoo! News, UK & Ireland is reporting that a recent poll found "Americans [are] too sleepy for sex." Actually, the poll found that many Americans are sleepy in general, and it's affecting many areas of our lives, including sex. I could go on, but I'm too tired. (full article)

March 22, 2005 » Virginity Pledges Don't Cut STD Rates

WebMD is reporting that "young people who take virginity pledges are as likely to get sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) as those who do not make the same pledge, new research shows." (full article | other articles) On the other hand, regular condom use will make you less likely to get an STD. And no one has yet to catch an STD from solo masturbation. Perhaps we should have adolescents take "Keep Your Hands, Etc. to Yourself" pledges.

February 28, 2005 » Male Genital Mutilation Bill Sent to Congress

On February 28, 2005, mgmbill.org announced the resubmission of the circumcision bill to Congress: "Today marks the second attempt by a San Diego based health and human rights organization to protect boys from the practice of circumcision. Although girls in the U.S. have been legally protected from circumcision and other forms of genital cutting since the Female Genital Mutilation Act was passed by Congress in 1996, protection for boys has lagged.

"Circumcision is a medically unnecessary surgery to remove the foreskin. Research has shown that the male foreskin contains specialized nerve endings designed to enhance sexual pleasure, and that it protects the sensitivity of the soft erogenous tissue of the penis. Despite such evidence, slightly more than half of all American boys are routinely circumcised for cultural and religious reasons." (full article)

February 18, 2005 » Catholic Church Sees 1,092 New Sex Abuse Claims

Reuters is reporting that "the U.S. Roman Catholic Church received 1,092 new claims of priest sexual abuse last year and paid more than $157 million to deal with them, according to an audit of the pedophile scandal released on Friday." (Full Article)

If you or someone you know is involved in an abusive relationship or has been abused, please visit the Where To Get Help page of Solo Touch.

December 6, 2004 » Sex-Ed Classes Giving Incorrect Information

Many American youngsters participating in federally funded abstinence-only programs have been given misleading information about sex and STDs. Research has shown in the past that being misinformed about human sexuality can increase one's risk of contracting an STD or having an unwanted pregnancy. We need to do a better job. Perhaps we could learn something from the Dutch. In any event, it's important to teach your children well. There are many helpful links on Solo Touch.

November 3, 2004 » Consumers Warned about Supplements

The Food and Drug Administration warned consumers Tuesday not to buy or use the supplements Actra-Rx or Yilishen because they contain an ingredient that could lower blood pressure to unsafe levels.
Full Article

November 3, 2004 » Masturbation Case Called Test in Canada

There's no place for the state in the living rooms of the nation, the Supreme Court of Canada was told yesterday as it heard the bizarre case of a B.C. man caught masturbating by his next-door neighbours.
Full Article

November 3, 2004 » [Another] Mother Outraged by Book's Sexual Content

A mother is outraged by the racy reading material her 11-year-old daughter checked out from the school library. Now she has a warning for other parents.
Full Article

October 20, 2004 » STD Risk Information

Planet Out published an informative STD Risk Chart. They left this out: "Solo masturbation: no risk."

July 28, 2004 » 11th Circuit Court Upholds Alabama Sex Toy Ban

Looks like residents of yet another state will have to settle for "muscle massagers."
The Ledger-Enquirer, GA
Guardian, UK
more...

July 28, 2004 » Viagra Use Increasing Among Young Men

Viagra is becoming popular among young men around the globe. This is not a good thing.
TVNZ, New Zealand
Indian Express, India
The Globe and Mail, Canada
Independent, UK
more...

July 1, 2004 » Impotence Drugs May Affect Reproductive Health

"New research by scientists at Queen's University has revealed that Viagra affects fertilization and early embryo development in mice."
Fertility in Mice Affected by Viagra

July 1, 2004 » Orgasms Get Good Press Again

Aside from referring to sexually active girls as "dirty" and their male couterparts as "Don Juans," this commentary has some good information about our favorite passtime.
Not Just Good, But Good for You
[Note: If you don't see the article after clicking the above link, you may need to scroll down.]

June 25, 2004 » Fake Drugs Sold Online

Fake drugs are being sold online the world over. Viagra seems to be one of the most commonly fabricated. If you order drugs online, please use caution!
Warning Over Fake Drugs on Internet
Internet Stores Ship Fake Drugs to U.S., Congress Unit Finds

June 24, 2004 » PETA Links Meat Eating to Impotence

People For the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) continues to try to display advertisements linking meat eating to impotence. They're not having much luck, but hey, they made it on Solo Touch!
Meat-Linked Hardening of Arteries Can Lead to Softening of Vital Organ

May 5, 2004 » Apple Rejects The First "Dirty" iMix

The Webmaster of methodshop.com recently submitted an iMix called "One to Tango: Songs with a Masturbation Theme" to Apple's online iTunes Music Store. Apple promptly rejected the mix. For more info and a graphical list of the songs in the mix, check out his article about it.

April 18, 2004 » Modern Circumcision: A Ritual of Ignorance...

Solo Touch's position on circumcision is that it's wrong. Here's an interesting article about the practice. It includes the Web addresses of sites about circumcision.
MensNewsDaily.com

April 6, 2004 » Frequent Ejaculation May Protect Against Cancer

That's right! Once a day may keep the doctor away. This is further evidence to back up earlier research.
Reuters | NewScientist.com | ABC News | more...