Sexual Health Capsule for the Queer Woman

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Just like it is always important to seek our psychological well-being when it comes to psychological health, it is also important to seek our sexual well-being as individuals, pertaining to our preferences, and our sexual experiences with our partners, when it comes to sexual health.

Talking about sexual health isn’t merely knowing or learning about sexually transmitted infections, sexual health includes emotions and the comfort one feels when having sex, and it is important that one reaches emotional and physical happiness whether it’s solo, with a partner, or more.

Some advice for women, particularly queer women

For starters, before any sexual relationship between two parties or more, it is important that there is an informed consent among all parties; what’s an informed consent? meaning there should be a conscious approval and acceptance between parties in the relationship, with each person’s comprehension of the results of any decision that is agreed upon, with all their freedom and no coercion; simply it means, for example, the two parties agree on the sexual relationship together beforehand, each party takes the consent of the other before doing anything, and they respect each other’s decisions if one party refuses one thing or changes their mind about continuing the act.

Let’s get into the advice

First: How to keep the genitals healthy and clean?

The genitals are considered as very sensitive areas of body, so there’s no need to over clean them, and do not use fragranced or bath soap, or even use perfume, because most of the time this would cause painful irritation in your genitals. In the case of wiping your genitals following urination with paper towels, it is preferred to wipe from front to back not the opposite way. It is possible to use natural unfragranced soap which has no chemical additions to only wash the area around the genitals, in a delicate non-violent manner, daily.

Second: What if I use sex toys?

In the case of using sex toys, it is better to use a condom with them for pretection, and make sure to always wash them before use, whether you use them alone or with a partner.

Third: How do I protect myself from sexually transmitted diseases?

STDs come via infections transmitted between individuals via sexual contact, mostly through oral, vaginal, or anal sex. The most sexually transmitted diseases among women are Herpes, Genital Warts, Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, and Syphilis; we can protect ourselves from being infected with these diseases with protection methods that are, in majority, available and simple...

Once again, always using a condom whether it’s with sexual toys or a penis, and this goes for all not women only; Like using a medical gloves or dental dam which is a thin, 6-inch square sheet, usually latex or nitrile, used in dentistry to isolate the operative site from the rest of the mouth.
Avoiding oral sex if the lips are wounded or have any inflammations, so no infections would occur that the person has no clue about.
There’s an infection that can be sexually transmitted through hands and fingers, and this is why we must always make sure to wash them whether before or after sex, or if it’s self-satisfaction.

Lubricant is a liquid transparent matter that is used on the vagina openings, anus or the penis to facilitate the sexual intercourse without feeling pain or friction. If the sexual relationship needs a lubricant it is important to use a medicinal one, and to remove the remnants of it after you are done, by washing the vagina, anus, or penis with warm water in order to avoid any symptoms of allergy caused by it; sexual lubricant has many medicinal types, there’s the watery, oily, and gel. We absolutely cannot use just any type of creams, oils, or other substitutes, because these substitutes aid the transmission of STDs and cause pain and ulcers to the body part, whichever it is.

Fourth: tests and checks you can do to keep yourself safe

Blood Tests like VDRL for syphilis / HSV2 IGG and HSV IGM for Herpes / HCV for Hepatitis C/ and HIV test.
You can visit your Gynecologist for Physical Exam will check for LGV/ Crabs/ Scabies/ Chancroid /Yeast infection.
You can also do a Vaginal Smear that will help checking for BV/ Gardnerella /Trichomonas /Gonorrhea /Chlamydia /Yeast infection. Furthermore, with a Pap Smear you will be able to check for Trichomonas and HPV affected intraepithelial cells

Sexual Well-Being:

Practicing sex whether it’s in multiple or few times is not something to be ashamed or scared of, most importantly, first and last, is the person being comfortable in these practices, feeling well whether in its time or afterwards, and reconciling with the idea that the person can have a sexual relationship just to feel good not because they’re forced or obliged to do it; especially for women, if there is difficulty in reaching orgasm, don’t keep pushing yourself and take your time, and if you couldn’t reach this with yourself or with a partner, it’s just important to be in a good mood after the relationship or masturbation. What’s important is for sexual practices to be correct and maintain one’s health, and if there is any suspicion or doubt that there might be something that would negatively affect one’s sexual health, consulting a doctor is important.

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