It’s the ninth annual HIV Vaccine Awareness Day. Let’s hope there isn’t a need for too many more. The event is intended as a time to thank all the volunteers and professionals working together to find a safe and effective HIV vaccine, and to educate people about the importance of preventive HIV vaccine research. Organizers […]
Today is International Day Against Homophobia. The organizers see the event as complementary to Gay Pride Month. Pride Month is for celebrating our identities, they say. The goal of IDAHO is geared more towards direct action against homophobia and related violence: To articulate action and reflection in order to struggle against all physical, moral, or
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) led a team that recently released new recommendations for women’s pre-pregnancy health. Most of the guidelines are old hat: treat existing conditions, stop smoking and alcohol consumption, take folic acid supplements, and maintain appropriate weight and nutrition. More controversial, though, is the suggestion that “all health encounters
Are children today exposed to too much media, too young? A group of experts convened by the National Institutes of Health discussed the matter today, and came to no firm conclusions. Most seemed to agree that content, limited quantity, and parental involvement were central in ensuring children get the most out of any TV or
The results of a long-term study indicate that stay-at-home moms are not as healthy as married working mothers. SAHMs had the poorest overall health, followed by single mothers and the childless. Unclear if the study included lesbian moms. The researchers hypothesize that an employed mother’s multiple roles keep her in better shape. I dunno. For
Two new studies question the long-term effectiveness of inhaled steroids for treating asthma in infants and toddlers. Asthma is the most common chronic condition among children, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA). Asthma is also the leading cause of school absenteeism and the third-ranking cause of hospitalization for children. May is
The lesbian brain has made headlines recently. Scientists at the Center for Sapphic Studies in Lesbos, Greece, have taken this research a step further in a study of the brains of lesbian moms. Below is an image from their latest paper, “Lesbian Mothers of Toddlers: A Neurologic Analysis.” Further research may be forthcoming, as soon
The U. S. ranks second to last among industrialized countries in newborn survival rates, according to a new study. Not surprisingly, this varies along income and racial lines, with infants born to higher-income, white families more likely to survive. The researchers claim that in the U. S., lack of national health insurance and short maternity
Scientists in Sweden have found further evidence that sexual orientation is innate. They discovered that certain odors produce different responses in the brains of straight and lesbian women. The pattern of brain activity for lesbians was similar, but not identical, to that of straight men. A year ago, the same team showed a similarity in
3738 women in Manila yesterday set a world record for simultaneous breast feeding. Organizers say the event was meant to raise awareness about the benefits of breastfeeding. In the U. S., we’re slowly latching on to the idea that it’s acceptable to breastfeed in public. In Oregon recently, a woman was asked to “cover up”
