Sexual and Reproductive Health (Page 3)

For decades, sex education in Malta was focused on abstinence and not getting a sexually transmitted infection. In the 80’s and 90’s, for example, the approach to sex education was not a sex-positive one, and sexual desire and sexual needs, especially outside of marriage were generally seen as immoral and wrong. Choosing to have sex in a long-term, heterosexual monogamous relationship was deemed to be the most appropriate course of action. The underlying message was that we are better people, better women, when we choose to reject and live ‘above the needs of the flesh’. Unfortunately, this seems to have left a whole generation withRead More…

Male impotence or what is now known in sexual medicine as erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common condition where an individual cannot get or maintain a penile erection. This difficulty may lead to a loss of sexual intimacy and usually effects the mental health of both partners in a relationship. According to the American Urological Association, ED effects close to 30 million males causing difficulties with self-esteem, relationships, depression, and anxiety. A literature review carried out by Anna Kessler and colleagues in 2019 noted that most of the studies carried out on the incidence of erectile dysfunction suggested that it increases with age. However, erectileRead More…

In the 80’s and 90’s the closest we came to porn were productions similar to ‘Colpo grosso’ on Italian or Sicilian television or if you knew the right people you could get copies of the Playboy magazine or look out for page 3 girls on The Sun. In fact, in Malta pornography and obscene material was illegal until 2016 even if directed to an adult audience. As late as 2011, the Maltese Court of Criminal Appeal upheld the conviction against soft and hardcore pornographic films being aired at City Lights Theatre in Valletta. However, in 2015, the then Minister of Social Justice Owen Bonnici startedRead More…

In a Facebook post back in 2015, Mark Zuckerberg shared that miscarriage was a ‘lonely experience’ and that ‘you struggle on your own’. He and his wife were expecting a baby girl after having three miscarriages. At the time, the post received 1.7 million likes and the couple received widespread praise for their openness to discuss such a difficult subject. Research indicates, that miscarriages are the most common complication of pregnancy occurring in up to one in four pregnancies. This loss can have devastating effects in both men and women facing this experience. Unfortunately, in most cultures, miscarriage still is a taboo subject and couplesRead More…

Menopause is associated with various changes which may affect a woman’s sex life. Lower hormonal levels, for example can lower your sex drive or make vaginal tissue drier and thinner, resulting in uncomfortable sex. Increased irritability or feelings of stress are common around this time, and sleep may be impaired by night sweats and hot flushes. However, sex and intimacy during and after menopause are not only about loss. Research studies focusing on this particular time in a woman’s life indicate that menopause can also be an opportunity for growth, healing and increased sexual pleasure and satisfaction. A woman can feel more empowered during herRead More…

A few weeks ago I got this message from a colleague and friend that revolves around the subject of gender, sexual and relationship diversity: “I see young women nowadays struggle to understand their sexuality, whether they are hetero, homosexual, bisexual, asexual, pansexual or demisexual…so many terms I did not hear or know about growing up. It seems to me that through the sexual education teens are getting at school, there seems to be an increasing stress due to the need to conform to a particular sexuality. My daughter knows that I would accept her and support her in anything she chooses to be, so thatRead More…