Sexual Health Pop Quiz #2

You may call me a stern and demanding taskmaster, but because the last one was so much fun, it’s time for another pop quiz on men’s sexual health. This one is based on real-life, case-based questions.

1)A man takes Viagra® in anticipation of a romantic encounter with his partner, hoping it will help him be the best that he can be. What should his next move be?
A. Watch Law and Order, a rousing drama to stir the loins.
B. Go to the post office and renew his passport.
C. Eat tacos and drink beer.
D. Play strip poker with his romantic encounter.
Answer: D. Viagra® and other erection pills do not provide an instantaneous erection. They may take from 20 to 60 minutes to work. In addition, their potency is diminished with food in the stomach. Lastly, they won’t give you an erection unless you want it to occur. Engaging in stimulation and foreplay is an excellent way to spend your time waiting for the pill to kick in.

2) Good sex ALWAYS involves:
A. Multiple orgasms from your partner.
B. Whatever looks really freaky in the last pornographic film you saw.
C. Kinky stuff.
D. Leather of one sort or another.
E. None of the above.
Answer: E. In our society, exceptions to any rule fascinate us. Pornography has us believe that extreme acts are the norm, but that’s not what makes sex good for most people. There are many ways to explore intimacy and sexual pleasure without going to extremes. Communicate with your partner is the best way to figure this out.

3) The problem with porn on the Internet is that:
A. There is no problem! It’s good fun and free!
B. The video is fuzzy and far too pixilated.
C. I can’t watch it at work without getting caught.
D. I can get too used to it, and sex with my own partner could become unsatisfying.
Answer: D. The easy accessibility of internet porn has posed a serious problem. Men who are without partners become accustomed to that kind of sexual stimulation and then end up needing that same kind of stimulation to become aroused with a partner. Then, when they find themselves face to face with an honest-to-goodness, flesh-and-blood woman, they may have trouble performing. Now more than ever, sex therapists are increasingly having to work through this problem with their clients.

4) TRUE or FALSE: You and your partner stay in for the night. You turn off the television, go upstairs, and tenderly give each other long, leisurely massages with body oil in a room lit only by candles. You have a great time. This constitutes a satisfying sexual experience.
Answer: True. “Sex” does not have to involve sexual intercourse, climax, and orgasm. The real point is to feel satisfaction and closeness with your partner. Of course, sex can involve pure carnal pleasure, but that definition should be broadened to include other emotional and physical intimacy.

5) TRUE or FALSE: Since the advent of free love, we’ve become liberated from the sexual taboos of our parents.
Answer: Profoundly False. Although we’d like to think that we have evolved on this subject, sex therapists see tales of embarrassment and lack of communication between couples now more than ever. Being able to express our needs, both emotional and physical, without embarrassment or shame is still an issue most of us have yet to overcome.