Author Archives: Dr Petra

Sorry but I can’t vote Labour – A letter to my grandparents

By Dr Petra | Published: 4 May, 2010
Sorry but I can’t vote Labour – A letter to my grandparentsDear Gran and Granddad I’ve something to tell you. I won’t be voting Labour at the coming election. I know you will be disappointed. I know socialism was core to both your lives. The work you did organising and running youth groups and later [...]
Posted in Politics | Comments closed

“Sex, fertility and commitment: what men really think”: Times Weekend fails to fully explore psychosexual problems and infertility

By Dr Petra | Published: 1 May, 2010
“Sex, fertility and commitment: what men really think”: Times Weekend fails to fully explore psychosexual problems and infertilityToday’s Times Weekend focuses on an important yet taboo issue - Infertility. ‘Sex, fertility and commitment: what men really think’ includes in depth interviews with several men about the topic. While it’s right to talk [...]
Posted in (In)fertility, Erectile Dysfunction, Female Sexual Dysfunction, Orgasm | Comments closed

Politics, PR, science and evidence making – lessons from the field

By Dr Petra | Published: 27 April, 2010
Politics, PR, science and evidence making – lessons from the fieldOne thing that has marked this election is the growing focus on science issues. This has partly been down to the interest of some politicians in the subject, and mostly due to the activism of a number of scientists (natural and social), science journalists [...]
Posted in Evidence based, Reproductive health, Safer sex, Sex education, Sexually transmitted infection(s), Surveys/questionnaires, Technology, Television | Comments closed

Clitoraid responds to their critics, but key questions remain unanswered

By Dr Petra | Published: 21 April, 2010
Clitoraid responds to their critics, but key questions remain unansweredClitoraid have officially responded to questioning of their organisation and the controversial ‘adopt a clitoris’ fundraising scheme (a summary of discussions to date on this topic can be found here). In a press release on April 21 2010 and a more frank statement on [...]
Posted in Activism and Open Access, International | Comments closed

Catching up on Clitoraid

By Dr Petra | Published: 18 April, 2010
Catching up on ClitoraidLast week I posted about an organisation called ‘Clitoraid’ run by the Raelian organisation and supported by some sex positive practitioners. Their controversial ‘adopt a clitoris’ scheme to raise funds for a ‘pleasure hospital’ in Burkina Faso offering reconstructive surgery to women following FGM/C quickly attracted critical attention as requests to [...]
Posted in Activism and Open Access, International | Comments closed

Asking questions about Clitoraid

By Dr Petra | Published: 10 April, 2010
Asking questions about ClitoraidJust before Easter a friend of mine forwarded a request to me. It read ‘End FGM/C [Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting]. Adopt a Clitoris’. And linked to an organisation called Clitoraid that promised to restore pleasure to women who had undergone genital cutting. At first glance it sounded like a wonderful idea. Not [...]
Posted in Activism and Open Access | Comments closed

Young People betrayed as Sex Education in UK unlikely to be statutory

By Dr Petra | Published: 7 April, 2010
Young People betrayed as Sex Education in UK unlikely to be statutoryOver the past few years there have been a number of developments in UK sex education. With rising STI rates and concerns over teenage pregnancy rates and relationship violence, it has been acknowledged by parents, teachers, politicians, healthcare providers and young people that [...]
Posted in Politics, Sex education | Comments closed

UK Election Called – now it’s time for you to get involved

By Dr Petra | Published: 6 April, 2010
UK Election Called – now it’s time for you to get involvedThe date for the general election has been confirmed for May 6th. So we can look forward to plenty of spin, speculation and lobbying over the next month. I'll be posting about issues relating to science, policy and health in the coming weeks. [...]
Posted in Activism and Open Access, Politics | Comments closed

‘Rigged for her displeasure’* – Problems with Durex’s UK Sex Survey 2010

By Dr Petra | Published: 29 March, 2010
‘Rigged for her displeasure’* – Problems with Durex’s UK Sex Survey 2010The latest UK Durex Sex Survey was launched this weekend, and it’s clearly pinned around topical media favourites of cheating, sexting and promiscuity. Among other things the study claims British people have sex four to five times a week, and paints a [...]
Posted in Condom(s), Critical appraisal, Surveys/questionnaires | Comments closed

Pox-ridden dictators, media delusions and online activism–36 hours in the syphilis/social networking story

By Dr Petra | Published: 26 March, 2010
Pox-ridden dictators, media delusions and online activism–36 hours in the syphilis/social networking storyYou may have seen or heard the news coverage yesterday suggesting a link between rising rates of Syphilis and hooking up via Facebook. It came from a statement made by the Director of Public Health in Teeside who in a press release suggested an [...]
Posted in Activism and Open Access, Journalism, Sexually transmitted infection(s) | Comments closed