This article examines how sex, gender, and sexuality impact physical and mental wellbeing and how these issues shape, and are shaped by, the types of societies we build and value.
“What do you do?” It’s a question that always makes my heart sink, which aspect of what I do should I highlight in the answer to this minefield of a question.
The answer must be brief because the attention span of the interrogator will last only as long as politeness dictates. But it must also be carefully crafted because it sets the tone for subsequent conversation. Although I’ve been asked many times I’m yet to find a universally suitable answer to this question.
On May 17 people all over Australia will stand against discrimination in support of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer (LGBTIQ) mates, colleagues and families.
Go rainbow on IDAHOBIT and use the day to publicly stand with the LGBTIQ community. It’s the perfect opportunity for your school or workplace to start small changes that can make a big difference.
Sex isn’t only a pleasurable experience, with some reports claiming the act also has health benefits that can be compared to those of exercise. In fact, the physiological response to sex is similar to that of exercise. Landmark studies in the 1960s showed people having sex had an increase in their respiratory rate, heart rate and blood pressure.
These are all signs the body is working at an elevated rate, similar to that experienced during exercise.
More recently, these findings have been replicated by a number of researchers using less obtrusive, miniaturised and wireless equipment, enabling more realistic results.
Again, they found a significant increase in markers of physiological stress, such as heart rate and blood pressure. Comparing this to what happens during exercise, they showed sexual activity elicits a moderate level of physical stress – up to 75% of maximal exercise.
This article examines how sex, gender, and sexuality impact physical and mental wellbeing and how these issues shape, and are shaped by, the types of societies we build and value.
