Written by: Paul MacPherson (he/him), PhD, MD, FRCPC. Edited by: Etienne Maes (he/him). While most healthcare providers strive to deliver patient-centered care, when it comes to minorities, many feel uninformed about the specific health issues and the broader social determinants of health affecting different populations. Providing care to gay and…

Written by: Natalie O. Rosen (she/her), PhD, Registered Clinical Psychologist. Edited by: Meghan Sullivan (she/her). Do I just need to relax during sex? Is this pain all in my head? Why does sex seem so easy for everyone else when it’s painful for me? Will my partner stay with me…

Written by: Dr. Jared Walters PhD, Dr. Christopher Dietzel PhD, Brittany Matchett MA, Dr. Matthew Numer PhD. Edited by: Janani Ramamurthy (she/her). “Yes means yes!” “No means no!” “Consent is as simple as tea!” These are some of the ways that universities have explained and publicized sexual consent to convince…

Written by: Patrick O’Byrne (he/him), RN-EC PhD. Edited by: Étienne Maes (he/him). What do you think about when you hear the words “self-test”? Pregnancy test, glucose test, or even an allergy test might come to mind. But what about an HIV self-test? What is GetaKit? It all started in late…

Written by: Celeste Trianon (they/them), Trans* Advocate Edited by: Miles Llewellyn (they/them). With all the vicious attacks on the rights of transgender and gender-diverse youth around the world, it’s becoming increasingly important to revisit the truth behind puberty blockers and hormone blockers– the lifesaving, reversible drugs used to save trans*…

Written by: Dr. Lori Brotto (she/her), PhD, Psychologist. Edited by: Zahra Taboun (she/her). The World Health Association recognizes sexual health as a fundamental component of general health and well-being. Sexual health is viewed as a basic human right that many individuals strive to attain. Sexual satisfaction is associated with better…

Written by: Despina Z. Artenie (she/her), Sexual Assault Counsellor. Edited by: Janani Ramamurthy (she/her). Disclaimer: This article uses the term survivor as opposed to victim to describe individuals post sexual assault. However, Sex[M]ed acknowledges that there is no “right” term and respects individuals right to identify themselves as they choose. …

Written by: Abbey Ferguson (she/her), certified Abortion Doula. Edited by: Danielle LeBlanc (she/her), RN. For those looking to their elders with questions regarding abortion access in the Maritimes, they may feel like they’re up against an uphill battle. Parents, friends, and family may describe driving outside of their province (or…

Written by: Brandi Anne Berry (she/they), RN. Edited by: Camille Zeitouni (she/her). In high school, my sex education wasn’t abysmal, but STI prevention began and ended at condom usage. I spent a lot of time wondering what happened after someone acquired an STI. Surely STI’s happen, some are incurable, and…