S4 E7 Dan Savage on the Magic Question “What are you into?” & Dr. Ina Park on How Providers Can Help

Dan Savage is a sex-advice columnist and podcaster, and Ina Park is a sex positive STI researcher, physician, and author. The two come together in this episode to discuss desire, pleasure, and how to communicate about what feels good with partners and providers. Dan delves into discovering kinks, pleasure as we age, and trying new things alone and with partners. Ina reflects on her experiences as a provider, having conversations with patients around sex and pleasure as bodies, needs, and abilities change.

Dan says that gay people might be better at sex, “not because we’re magic…we use the 4 magic words ‘what are you into?’” Ina explains that honest communication with a partner, a physician, a sex columnist, or a therapist knocks down barriers to explore sex and discover pleasure. The two emphasize the importance of both having providers and friends (with a good sense of judgment) with whom you can discuss sex freely.

This is our first episode of the 3-episode mini-series on pleasure.

Download the transcript of this episode.

Resources:

Connect with Dan: https://savage.love/, @dansavage on Instagram, and @fakedansavage on Twitter/X

Connect with Ina: https://www.inapark.net/ and @InaParkMD on Twitter/X

Learn how to include pleasure in sexual health history-taking from the National Coalition for Sexual Health: https://nationalcoalitionforsexualhealth.org/tools/for-healthcare-providers/video-series

Bios:

Dan Savage is a sex-advice columnist, podcaster and author whose graphic, pragmatic, and humorous advice has changed the cultural conversation about monogamy, gay rights, religion, and politics. “Savage Love,” Dan’s sex-advice column, was first published in 1991 and is now syndicated across the United States and Canada. He also hosts the Savage Lovecast, a weekly, call-in advice podcast that has tens of thousands of paying subscribers for premium Magnum content. Both his podcast and column can be found on his website Savage.Love.

Ina Park MD, MS, is the author of Strange Bedfellows: Adventures in the Science, History, and Surprising Secrets of STDs. She is the Principal Investigator at the California Prevention Training Center. She is a Professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of California San Francisco School of Medicine and a Medical Consultant in the Division of STD Prevention at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She is a co-author of the 2021 CDC STD Treatment Guidelines, the country’s premier resource for diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted infections.

Inclusive Services: Approaches to Improve Sexual and Reproductive Health Care for People with Disabilities

May 10, 2023

Description:

According to the National Survey of Family Growth, approximately 12% of “women of childbearing age” have a disability, and yet our educational and training programs devote little to no time in preparing us to provide accessible, appropriate, quality services to these populations. This webinar will define the population, identify the sexual and reproductive health needs, barriers to health care and health care disparities for people with disabilities, and present best practices for providing accessible, equitable sexual and reproductive health care for people with disabilities. This webinar will also discuss actionable items providers can immediately implement in their practices to make them disability accessible.

Learning Objectives:

Develop an inclusive definition of the populations that comprise people with disabilities
Identify sexual and reproductive health needs, barriers to health care and healthcare disparities for people with disabilities
Outline best practices for providing sexual and reproductive health care for people with disabilities
Identify concrete actions providers can take to improve access to and quality of sexual and reproductive health care for people with disabilities
Become knowledgeable on language, culture, and medical equipment suggestions

Speakers:

Erica Monasterio, MN, FNP-BC-Retired
Clinical Professor Emerita at University of California, San Francisco
35 years of clinical experience in primary care for youth and families at UCSF and the San Francisco Department of Public Health
Works in collaborations with organizations at the local, state, and national level providing training and technical assistance

Robin Wilson-Beattie, B.A
Disability Sexual and Reproductive Health Educator
Certified by the American Board of Sexology and City College of San Francisco as a Sexual Health Educator
Member of the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT), the Women of Color Sexual Health Network (WOCSHN), and a graduate of the San Francisco Sexuality Information Training (SFSI) Sex Educator Training
Speaker, writer, and advocated for disability and sexuality

Resources:

Examination and Interpretation of Wet Preparations of Vaginal Specimens

In-person laboratory course onsite at the UC San Francisco campus
Intended for practicing clinicians with prior wet mount experience and microscopy skills
Capacity limited to 8 persons

The course begins with a fifteen minute didactic presentation on applicable issues of CLIA regulation, quality control, and interpretation vaginal wet mount (VWM) for common causes of vaginitis. This will be followed by a fifteen minute video that details through the microscope footage of findings on VWM including trichomads, yeast and clue cells associated with BV. The remaining two and one-half hours consists of experiential training, including laboratory practicum on examination of saline and KOH vaginal wet mounts (VWM). During this portion of the training, participants will have an opportunity for group discussion, explanation, and demonstration, as well as practice and return demonstration.

Learning Objectives

Practice proper preparation of saline and KOH specimens of vaginal fluid to increase viability of specimens for microscopic evaluation.
Perform proper use of the light microscope to improve examination of saline and KOH wet mount specimens.
Assess wet mount microscopy specimens to appropriately interpret findings that support diagnosis of vulvovaginal candidiasis, bacterial vaginosis or trichomoniaisis.

Let’s Talk About Doxy-PEP

What, how, and why to talk to your clients about Doxy-PEP.

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Inclusive Services: Approaches to Improve Sexual and Reproductive Health Care for People with Disabilities

Wed, May 10, 2023 12:00 PM – 1:45 PM PDT

This webinar is offered by th

Learning Objectives

Develop an inclusive definition of the populations that comprise people with disabilities
Identify sexual and reproductive health needs, barriers to health care and healthcare disparities for people with disabilities
Outline best practices for providing sexual and reproductive health care for people with disabilities
Identify concrete actions providers can take to improve access to and quality of sexual and reproductive health care for people with disabilities
Become knowledgeable on language, culture, and medical equipment suggestions

Presenters:

Erica Monasterio, MN, FNP-BC-Retired

Clinical Professor Emerita at University of California, San Francisco
35 years of clinical experience in primary care for youth and families at UCSF and the San Francisco Department of Public Health
Works in collaborations with organizations at the local, state, and national level providing training and technical assistance

Robin Wilson-Beattie, BA

Disability Sexual and Reproductive Health Educator
Certified by the American Board of Sexology and City College of San Francisco as a Sexual Health Educator
Member of the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT), the Women of Color Sexual Health Network (WOCSHN), and a graduate of the San Francisco Sexuality Information Training (SFSI) Sex Educator Training
Speaker, writer, and advocated for disability and sexuality

Syphilis Treatment Intervals in Non-Pregnant Patients: A Clinical Resource for Providers

What are appropriate treatment intervals for late latent syphilis or syphilis of unknown duration in non-pregnant people?

Prepared by the STD Control Branch, California Department of Public Health and California Prevention Training Center. Revised February 2023.

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STI Clinical Update Webinar-Back to Basics: Fundamentals of STI/HIV Prevention

Tuesday, March 28, 2023 from 12:00-1:15PM (PDT)
A review of screening, treatment, and vaccination tools to prevent STIs and HIV.
Presented by Drs. Caterina Liu and Kurtis Mohr

Learning Objectives:

Review screening and treatment guidance for STIs and HIV.
Integrate biochemical prevention tools for STIs and HIV into clinical practice.
Summarize recommendations for Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, HPV, meningitis, and mpox vaccination.

Reproductive and Sexual Health Considerations for Transgender and Nonbinary People

December 16, 2022

Description

This webinar is presented by Gayge Maggio, FNP-BC, AAHIVS and will focus on the reproductive and sexual health needs/considerations of transgender and gender non-conforming people. There will be a focus on learning to approach sexual health in a culturally sensitive, non-judgmental manner and how to deliver family planning needs and contraceptive options for patients who identified as transgender and/or non-binary.

Objectives

Discuss and perform a culturally sensitive sexual health inventory with transgender patients
Describe how to provide culturally sensitive, trauma-informed cervical cancer screening and the impact of testosterone on testing
Discuss options for contraception in assigned female at birth transgender and gender non-conforming patients

Speaker:

Gayge Maggio (She/They) FNP-BC, AAHIVS

Nurse practitioner working at Callen-Lorde Community Health Center in New York City, an LGBTQ+ focused federally qualified health center FQHC

She works as a primary care provider, providing primary care including sexual and reproductive health services, gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT), treatment of HIV, and substance use disorder (SUD) treatment

She also works in the FlexCare program, providing walk-in primary care to patients

Resources:

October 19, 2022

Description

Quality contraceptive care is more than just knowing the facts about all available birth control methods. In order for clients to select methods and get what they want from their birth control, it is crucial to provide contraceptive counseling that helps people identify their preferences in the context of their lives, values, and beliefs. This webinar will review best practices in person-centered contraceptive counseling and offer practical tools for providers to employ in their clinical encounters.

Objectives

Demonstrate skillful, efficient, person-centered questioning for contraceptive care visits
Discuss reproductive desires with clients of any gender and sexual orientation
Identify 3 examples of plain language to explain characteristics of contraceptive methods
Demonstrate Affirm-Share-Ask cycles for person-centered communication

Speakers:

Joely Pritzker, MS, FNP-C

Nurse Practitioner at Vista Community Clinic

National Trainer for Envision SRH & the PATH Framework Sexual and Reproductive Health Trainer and Consultant

Contributing author for the upcoming 22nd Edition of Contraceptive Technology

Patty Cason, RN, MS, FNP-BC

Assistant Clinical Professor

UCLA School of Nursing

President, Envision SRH

Resources:

August 17, 2022

Description:

Since the first HPV vaccines were introduced in 2006, rates of cervical cancer and other HPV-related cancers have decreased in immunized populations. Family PACT will add HPV immunization as a benefit in July 2022 and will utilize guidelines developed by the CDC Advisory Committee of Immunization Practices (ACIP). This webinar will provide information about the effectiveness and safety of the HPV vaccine, review the current CDC recommendations for the use of the 9-valent HPV vaccine, and provide advice on how to have effective shared decision-making conversations with clients about being immunized. In addition, new Family PACT policies about coding and billing for HPV immunization services will be discussed. There will be ample time for your questions at the end of the presentation.

Learning Objectives:

• List 2 effective strategies for engaging with patients who have vaccine hesitancy

• Demonstrate a person-centered technique for providing a strong recommendation without coercion

• Describe the impact of HPV vaccination on the natural history of HPV

• Discuss the safety profile of HPV vaccines

Speakers:

Patty Cason, RN, MS, FNP-BC

Assistant Clinical Professor

UCLA School of Nursing

President, Envision SRH

Michael Policar, MD, MPH

Professor Emeritus, UCSF

Senior Medical Advisor, CAPTC and California OFP

Clinical Fellow, NFPRHA

Resources:

Transcript: Talking with Family PACT Clients About HPV Immunization

Slide deck: Talking with Family PACT Clients About HPV Immunization

Q and A: Talking with Family PACT Clients About HPV Immunization