DISCLAIMER - In no way shape or form am I saying condoms are bad. They are one of the best prevention techniques for pregnancy and std's. Condoms as a category are an awesome thing that my life would surely suxors without.

Latex condoms. Wonderful devices that I highly promote the use of, but I also secretly hate. I love the wonderful pregnancy and std protection they provide, and my only complaints are aesthetic in nature. The smell, taste and feel are all kind of disgusting to me, but I most certainly would never disregard using one, even though I'm on my birth control again. So I set out in search of a condom that doesn't have the other icky qualities, and at the pharmacy counter of my local Rainbow(food library grocery store) i found these. Thought what the fuck, let's give it a try as both my partner (formerly HGAW) and I are STD free. Fucking sweet i tell you. A little different as they are made of natural membrane, so there is no resevior tip (remember to leave some space for the spermies gentlemen) but they don't leave any smells and it feels fucking great! He agreed enthusiastically when I asked if we should keep purchasing them, so we went to Rainbow to pick up more and...they were out. So we went to Walgreens, where the same condoms which cost 6.99/12 at rainbow cost 39.99/12.
w..t...f..
Everywhere else I have looked they are at least 2-3 times the price of latex condoms, so needless to say, I'm fucking going to Rainbow for all my condom needs.

Recently an excellent article came to my attention throught the amazing Feministe blog. This series about an "ex-gay" ministries seminar attended by a gay man. It's a series that is still being updated, and so far it is one of the best I've read in regards to "infiltrating enemy territory for recognisance", otherwise known as checking out the other side's viewpoint. He handles the heavy material matter well with an even look at both the psuedo-science and rhetoric being spewed by those who are putting on the seminar, as well as the anguish, confusion and pain that those who attend these seminars experience.

He discusses the language that is used by groups like Focus on the Family and Exodus to promote their agenda. Like any involved field of study (no matter how reputable) they have developed a vocabulary to define their world view. They define any kind of gay interaction as being pathological, and the only way out of that pathology is through Jesus. People are not gay, only their actions. It's a delicate line of Newspeak, almost the definition of blackwhite. It is also insidious and can be terribly damaging to people.

He described a large portion of the people there being family members and friends of lesbians and gays. I imagine many of them were there to learn to how to help change those who they love, or at least get an idea if their own idle prejudices are well-founded (I'm not comfortable with that, so it must be bad or at least unnatural and unhealthy). That was what shook me, is that these are not hate-filled homophobic asshats (for the most part, there were exceptions I'm sure) these were vulnerable people looking for answers to very real and difficult questions. What they got was nothing more than well- planned doublespeak, anecdotal 'evidence'*, and religious salesmanship. 

*I don't remember what blog it was from, or what commentor said it, but the multiple of anecdotes does not equal fact.

I know, I know what can I expect, it's men'shealth.com but jeebuz

Can't Tell the Players Without a Scorecard
"So much subliminal information is conveyed in those first seconds of contact," says Carol Kauffman, Ph.D., a relationship therapist and psychology instructor at Harvard medical school. Okay, so you're on the clock. Make every second count. Below are 10 ways - in rough chronological order - a woman judges your fitness to be her proverbial daddy.

The first statement, quite true, the eye contact, body language, tone of voice, not to mention what is said initially effect every relationship. I thought this was true for both sexes and pretty much everyone in general (it's certainly how my cat's interact anyway). Apparently only women take this information into affect and it's only so they can find someone to replace their father! Excellent, I'm, excited now I know how to date like a real woman! Do i really need to mention the creepy overtones of that statement or trying to lend credibility to their statements by using a quick-quote from a doctor? Okay good.

Can He Talk About Himself and Listen to Me?

She'll carry 80 percent of the conversation load. Just make sure your 20 percent is about something.

Nice straw-woman. Very nice.

Does He Have the Potential to be a Good Father?

"For long-term potential, she considers whether you have the values she wants in a man," says Jean Koehler, Ph.D., president of the American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors, and Therapists. If she can't see tykes on your knee, she's wasting her time. How you interact with your own family can be a strong indicator here.

I believe this was the one that inspired rage. It's not outlandish to say they may look at certain things you do for possible long term relationship sometimes, but the automatic assumption that all women everywhere (or at least straight women as we shall presume that a periodical such as Men's Health is not catering to lesbians) are looking for a man to inseminate them, well I feel insulted how about you ladies? I know I enjoy being told I am nothing but a baby hungry relationship seeker.

Time to stumble off in a slightly drunk rage to bed.
Read the rest, it's um, pleasant