Happy new year!

This is a great time to start charting your menstrual cycle. Charting your cycle can help you to better understand your body and how it works. Here's a chart that I found online and edited (Click here to see the original). You can print it out or save it and use a program like paint to add in your information.

Here's some helpful information on how a menstrual cycle works. I found it here http://iheartguts.com/uterus

Happy menstruation everyone!

- Alice

That's Gay

That's Gay is a recurring segment on infoMania, addressing clueless/negative/horrifying media portrayals of gay and lesbian identities in a way that is simplified, insightful, and super funny. I find this a really interesting medium to disperse information about important issues and to allow people to question their own biases and reproduction of oppressive ideas. It's the sort of thing that makes you laugh and think at the same time, making is accessible and easy to engage with.

I love you Bryan Safi!

- Vivian

Create Community Expore Research Build Change

Research with Pride is taking place on October 2nd! For any of you interested in participating, go over to the website and register as it will likely fill up soon.

"The Research with Pride Forum provides the opportunity for community members, academics, and students to come together to explore community-based research (CBR) with regards to wellness and health among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, two-spirited, and queer people and communities (LGBTT2Q, henceforth referred to as the "Queer" community). Research with Pride is about exploring the potential of CBR to transform our communities and create positive change."

- Vivian :)

Sexual Health & Pleasure Article in Macleans Magazine

Interesting article about sexual health and pleasure education.

Enjoy!

Marshall Miller and Dorian Slot

I came across Marshal Miller and Dorian Slot's website the other day and their workshop on female orgasm seems really interesting. I'm going to contact them to see if they'll be in Toronto anytime this school year and perhaps they could come and do a workshop for us!

Check out the page for this particular workshop here.

Event: Intimate Conversations with Women of Action in Our Communities

(Copied from my email)

Toronto Rape Crisis Centre/Multicultural Women Against Rape

Political Think Tank

presents:

Feminist Activist Herstory Forum
Intimate Conversations with Women of Action in Our Communities

Rejoice with us as the women who have worked to make our voices heard,
our talents seen, and improve the lives of women everywhere share their stories.

This free interactive speakers series celebrates our lives, adventures, successes, and struggles in front-line and grassroots participation, in all its incarnations.

Taking place in and around the City wherever our energy is effected, the Forum

* recounts our stories
* remembers our purpose
* re-embraces the activist in all of us
* redefines Feminism, and
* rejuvenates our spirit for continued personal and political action

this week:

Cheryl Dobinson is a bisexual writer, researcher, and activist. In addition to working on various DIY projects such as the bi women's zine she founded in 2002, The Fence, Cheryl facilitates support groups, leads workshops and teaches courses on bisexuality. In 2003 she completed a project on bisexual health for the Ontario Public Health Association and was co-convenor of the first ever Bi Health Summit, held in San Diego. She is currently involved in research on bisexual mental health and emotional well-being as well as on sexual orientation and health disparities in Canada. Cheryl is very involved in her local bisexual community, lives in Toronto’s gay village, and wants to start wearing a t-shirt that says "This is what a bisexual feminist looks like."

Your input is invited: Bring your questions, ideas, thoughts, and energy.

Please join us

Sunday, August 9 at 2:00 pm
519 Community Centre (519 Church Street)

Refreshments. ASL by request. Accessible.

FREE. Everyone welcome.

Call TRCC/MWAR 416-597-1171 x230 for more information.

Stay updated on future events. Join our facebook group: Feminist Activist Herstory Forum

Wash Zine @ Toronto Women's Bookstore

WASH's, Things You Should Know Zine issue 1 is now available at the Toronto Women's Bookstore!! Located at 73 Harbord Street right near Spadina. Go check it out! TWB is also a great resource center. You won't want to leave!

Also, feel free to email us with feedback or ideas/issues you want to read more about.

-Evy

ZINE ISSUE #1 AVAILABLE NOW!

WASH is really pleased to present issue #1 of its brand new zine!! Issue number one tackles, Hormonal Birth Control, an important topic that people do not know enough about! This issue tackles hormonal birth control myths and misconceptions, and begins to dissect what it is, how it works, and how it affects women's bodies. In conjunction with the zine there is another book that goes into more detail about each individual method and its medical and non medical (active and inactive) ingredients and what you should know about them. There are a limited amount of handmade, handbound, silkscreened copies for sale for $10. There are also photocopied copies available for anyone who is interested. We will accept pwyc donations for them but no one will be refused one for lack of funds. If you would like either copy, please get in contact with us and we will send you one!

Starting June 19th copies will also be available for purchase at Toronto's, Heartbeat 960 (960 Queen St West) and for reading at the Toronto Zine Library located at Brunswick and Bloor! The Sheridan Zine Library as well as the Zine Library at the Ontario College of Art & Design will also be carrying copies shortly. We will be working on getting the zine into more and more locations so we will keep you updated. If you have a distro, store or space that would like to carry our zine, please get in contact with us!

And finally, WASH now has miniature hand knit uterus pins (currently in pink or multicoloured)! They are cute and only four dollars. Want to support the cause? You can donate and get one in return!

The purpose of our zine is not to dictate but to educate and inform those interested, unsure or curious. Learning is fun!

Please email us with any interest or feedback!

-Evy

Artist of the month: Shannon Gerard (by popular demand)

This month's artist is not only one of Toronto's best print and book art artists (in my opinion), but also one of the best people i've met in a long time, and recently had the privilege of having as an instructor. Shannon Gerard is most well known for her crocheted boobs and penis' that come with a hand made booklet with illustrated instructions on how to do your own self examinations. The penis or breast contain a lump inside them that the user must find using the method of self examination explained in the book. She also crochets nipples, mustaches, and 'mature' finger puppets (entitled, Four Play). Shannon also creates and self publishes her own books. Her work is hand made, beautiful, playful, sincere and honest. Her books and book art such as her series, Hung, draw a lot from personal experience. She confronts us with the difficulties and complexities of human interaction, intimacy and emotion that is on going in every day life.
Shannon teaches at the Ontario College of Art and Design and constantly encourages her students to contribute their ideas to the community by partaking in self publication and independent practices. You can catch her and her work at many Toronto independent press events such as Canzine, Small Press Book Fair, or the Toronto Comic Arts Fair. What i most appreciate about her work is her interest in education and outreach. Her website lists many helpful websites and locations for those who are interested in getting into print or book art/publication in Canada. Her humor and good nature leaks even through the type on her website. Her work and attitude is exactly the type of thing we love to see here at WASH: work that encourages understanding, tolerance, education, and support from our very own community.To view more of her work, check out her catalogue at her website. You can also check out her entire array of crocheted work over at Etsy.

-Evy

Paps: Why, What, How?

A friend of mine sent this to me months ago and I forgot to post it! Click here for info on who should have paps, why they're important, and what the results mean.

I am a strong advocate for getting paps! I'm not sure what "sexually active" means (women who are/have been sexually active are usually encouraged to have a pap), but similar to what Vivian has said in her post on BSE, you should get to know your body!

Paps can feel incredibly invasive and even painful at times, so it's a good idea to have it done somewhere that you feel safe (ie: at a gynaecologist's office if you have issues with your family doctor), and to consider bringing along some kind of supportive person if you're nervous.

Contact us if you would like to be referred to a sex clinic near you. Getting a pap done at one of these can be helpful because 1) they do them all the time and 2) they will explain everything about the procedure to you (which may not be the case at your family doctor's office). (S)experts are always helpful :).

- Alice

More on the Breast Self-Exam!

I am a firm believer that being familiar with your mammary region is immensely beneficial. Regardless of what your gender is, or how many breasts you have, or the size/shape of your breasts, or any other particularity (and there are many!), there is really no downside to being able to detect changes in your body. Taking this further, it is great to be able to detect when these changes are cause for alarm and when they are simply processes that the body goes through.

That said, breast self-examination is not for everyone. It is an extremely personal choice. I posted an entry a few months back about controversy over whether breast self-examination is useful or harmful and this might be useful for anybody considering whether BSE is a "habit" they'd like to take up.

When should I do a BSE?
Normally, it is recommended to do a BSE once each month. The entire process takes about 15 minutes and is relatively easy. You can also tailor your BSE routine, figuring out what is best for you.

For those who menstruate, you may notice that your breasts are particularly tender/swollen/etc. during certain times of the month (due to changing hormone levels). Normally, it is best not to BSE during these. Rather, choose a time of the month when hormone levels are relatively stable and your breasts are less tender/swollen/etc.
*Note: there are countless reasons why breasts may feel swollen/tender -- pregnancy, medication side-effects, stress, breast growth, etc. (just to name a few)

What am I looking for during a BSE?
1. Hard lumps/knots inside the breast(s)
2. Changes in the way the breast(s) look or feel (i.e. skin dimpling, change in colour/texture, rashes, scaly skin, etc.)
3. Nipple discharge other than breast milk (i.e. blood, unfamiliar fluid)
4. As far as I am concerned, whenever I feel something "off" I like to have it checked (this is how I found I had a benign cyst in my left breast at age 13!)

How do I do a BSE?
1. Visual Exam I: Stand in front of a mirror, hands on hips and check the appearance of your breast(s). Take note of changes, especially those listed above.
2. Visual Exam II: Raise your arms, cradling the back of your head with your palms and check the appearance of your breast(s). Take note of changes, especially those listed above.
3. Manual Exam I: Raise one of your arms and use the fingers of the opposite hand to feel the mammary region, applying some pressure. Work your way around the densest part of the breast, then feel underneath it, above it all the way up to the collar bones, and up into the armpit. Repeat on other side. Check the nipples/areolae for unfamiliar discharge.
4. Manual Exam II: Lay back hoisting your head and shoulders with a pillow. Repeat steps for Manual Exam I.

*I have never used this, but a friend directed me to the Bemitt website. The Bemitt is a product that is supposed to be helpful when performing BSEs by reducing friction and enhancing the sense of touch. I have not tried this product but if anybody has, a review would be most welcome!

Some interesting/useful sources

Keep A Breast (I<3Boobies)

Abreast: The Basics of Boobies

Susan G. Komen for the Cure

- Vivian

Celebrating the Right to Choose

I'm Not Sorry

"I'mNotSorry.net is a site where women can share their positive experiences with abortion. The stories posted on this site may contain graphic descriptions of medical procedures, as well as attitudes that may not be in current vogue. We welcome all visitors of all opinions as long as they are respectful of our views"

- Vivian

Perspectives on Breast Self-Examination

I'm a strong advocate of breast self-examination. Here are some links which might be helpful to understand what BSE is, why it is recommended and how you can do it:
Breast Self Exam
and
Breast Self-Examination: A Handbook for Women with disAbilities

I was intrigued upon finding this article which argues that breast self-exams are not useful and in fact, may do more harm than good (i.e. in leading to unnecessary biopsies/treatment, psychological distress).
Do Breast Self-Exams Do Any Good?

It is an interesting perspective but I continue to stand by the idea that BSE is absolutely useful in the early detection of breast cancer/abnormalities, especially for women under 40 who do not undergo regular mammograms. Speaking from personal experience, I have gone to my doctor on two separate occasions regarding "lumps" I found through BSE. The first time I was sent to have an ultrasound which revealed two harmless cysts. The second time (currently) my doctor reassured me that the lentil-shaped lump I have discovered is likely a subcutaneous nodule (which is not attached to my breast tissue - a good thing) and most likely nothing to be concerned about.

Neither of my instances have involved benign tumors, mind you, and thus have not required biopsies. I think it's problematic to discourage women from forming the habit of BSE based on the possibility of unnecessary treatment or incorrect diagnoses. I would argue that BSE is an important way to understand one's body - its shape, its changes, its variations - in order to detect when something is not right. Early detection does make a difference.

- Vivian

Toronto Public Health - Sexual Health

The Sexual Health division of Toronto Public Health has a considerable amount of interesting resources. Here is their website where you can find everything from general information about sexual health, to clinical services, to upcoming workshops. Check it out!

- Vivian