Not throwing away my shot!

Written By Wendy Ramsay

Still in a daze recovering from Pride in July, I was at a loss for what to write about this month. (I did have a very specific idea, but that idea has been moved to be in next month’s blog/newsletter… suspenseful music in the background) What do I do when I can’t decide? I check out to see what health observances are happening related to sexual health and or being part of the Queer Community. What did I find? August is National Immunization Awareness Month, so I thought I would lay out some info about vaccines related to sexual health directly and also why vaccines as a whole are important. I must admit this may be preaching to the choir or falling on deaf ears since this topic has been hijacked by those who are politically motivated. Also know this sexual health educator, like many if not most or all, believes that we should generally have autonomy over our own bodies. And, at the same time, that sometimes can come into conflict with a belief that we should care about the people around us, in our community, especially people who are more vulnerable to harm. We sometimes have to sort through some of our values when we are making those decisions.

Part of sorting through those decisions is deciding who you trust for health information and risks with potential side effects. Vaccines are only recommended when the benefits outweigh the risks. Very few people, if any, would say that the general public shouldn’t take aspirin, naproxen, or ibuprofen just because I, and a few others, personally have a severe allergic reaction. If you needed a blood transfusion to save your life, you wouldn’t deny it knowing there is an extremely small (negligible) chance of HIV infection.

There are a few different vaccines that are directly related to sexual health. Here are links to reliable sources to get more information.

Vaccines that Can Prevent STIs | ASHA

The American Sexual Health Association (ASHA) is America’s nonprofit authority for sexual health information. They are an award-winning and trusted non-profit organization that has worked to promote healthy sexuality since 1914. I remember when I was in college and got diagnosed with HPV back in the early 90s, it was the only place where I could find thorough accurate and honest information about HPV. What stood out to me was that it was transparent about what information wasn’t certain. A lot of people do not like it when experts say “I/We don’t know yet, but we think maybe…” I would encourage people to actually see this as a strength. As more data is collected and there are more controlled studies to analyze information, we learn more and our information becomes more accurate with time. ASHA has always been on the cutting edge of information about sexual health information and research. https://www.ashasexualhealth.org/vaccines/

The article mentions, “Currently, vaccines are available to protect against infection with HPV, hepatitis A and hepatitis B, and mpox. Other vaccines are under development, including those for HIV and herpes simplex virus (HSV). A phase 1 trail for a possible new chlamydia vaccine has also shown encouraging results.” and then gives more information for each of them!

"Why I Vaccinate" with Dr. Maria Trent
I often hear people concerned about vaccinating children for HPV and thinking they should wait until people are older. Maria Trent, MD, MPH, knows the importance of vaccinating adolescents against HPV. She shares her experiences treating HPV disease and explains why vaccination is “a gift” for our children. https://youtu.be/WYSJcc-opoE?si=TzD4PEbaVCCJKT9o

What about Monkey Pox?

What about HIV?

There are currently very effective ways to help prevent HIV transmission, but not a vaccine, yet.

Updates from the Pros! Here is more news you can use!

Wendy Ramsay
Next

Pride Preparation Checklist!