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MyOne Perfect Fit Condoms

by Matthew Nolan on 03/17/2020 at 12:02 am

Is it appropriate to be making comics about condoms in the middle of the Covid-19 frenzy? I’m not even sure. We’ve had today’s comic in the works for a while now and, heck, if we’re talking about protecting ourselves (and society) from one virus, why not also talk about protection for some of the other viruses out there? Maybe you’re self isolating with your boo, looking for a way to burn time, AND maybe you’ve never really found the right condom for the job. Well…

MyOne Perfect Fit

MyOne ALSO has a 15% discount for OJST too! Just add ‘OhJoy’ at checkout!

I was really happy with my MyOne Perfect Fit Condom experience. There’s something pretty magical about having a condom that’s tailor made to fit your willy perfectly. While I probably won’t be reaching for them often – most average-sized condoms fit me fine and I like the thinner ones I can find – I know they’ll be invaluable for some of you with more uniquely-statured cocks. They also just get me EXCITED for the future of condoms. Every condom line should be doing this! It’s 2020 and our peckers deserve the best.

On a personal note, I know the world is scary as heck right now – the situation seems to keep changing day to day. But Erika and I are remaining positive. We want to be here for you whenever you need it. We know that visiting your online sex-ed and sex toy review webcomic might not be the first go-to choice of escapism. But we’re here for you regardless, we’ve got your back.
In a Netflix menu style of options, we’ve got sexy comics in abundance, some good porn websites to recommend, books to peek at, and even a porn game recommendation. Plus, if you’re ever looking to buy a toy to pass the time, we’ve got a whole frigging shopping list.

Stay safe friends. Follow the good advice of staying self-isolated – that’s what we’re doing. And, even if it might be too late, we’re hoping to cover Covid-19 care/best-practices in a few weeks time. Fingers crossed things will have improved by then!

└ Tags: barrier, cock, condom, condoms, dick, johnny, my one, myone, myoneperfectfit, penis, perfect fit, perfectfit, protection, review, rubber

Some Thin Condoms

by Matthew Nolan on 09/19/2017 at 12:01 am

Short and light little comic this week, as Erika and I prep to do some travel prep – I try my best to go back and see family every year when we can afford it!

Ok, so, I didn’t go in-depth on these condoms and I haven’t tried everything out there. The thing is, finding the right condom for YOU is a very personal thing. So much needs to be taken into account – your physical attributes, how you want it to look or feel, whether you want it to help or slow down your ejaculation and whatever else might be important. I wasn’t looking to make a be-all and end-all list of condoms here. Just show you what I’ve been trying recently and which ones have been making the cut into my personal condom box. If you’re on the hunt for YOUR condom – go ahead and give yourself permission to buy a bunch and sample them!

Buy from our Friends (with Benefits)!

Coupons to use at checkout!

Early To Bed - 10% off - OHJOY
Lovehoney - 15% off - OHJOY
PleasureChest - 15% off - OJST
Stockroom - 15% off - OHJOY
TwistedMonk - Free USA shipping - OHJOY
Fun Factory - 10% off - OJST

And, finally while we much prefer and encourage you to buy from a small business, here's an Amazon link!

Amazon

Coupons to use at checkout!

Lovehoney.uk - 15% off - OHJOY

Lovehoney

Coupons to use at checkout!

Lovehoney.eu - 15% off - OHJOY

Lovehoney

Coupons to use at checkout!

Lovehoney.au - 15% off - OHJOY

Coupons to use at checkout!

Lovehoney.ca - 15% off - OHJOY

Having said all that, I was CRAZY shocked at the 0.04 condoms. I didn’t think you could make a condom that felt so thin, and I didn’t expect it to make SUCH a difference in sensation. I’m super impressed. Apparently, the same company makes 0.01, 0.02 and 0.03 (both the name of the product and its thickness in millimeters), but they aren’t widely available, and gosh – I get paranoid that they’ll tear or rip when it gets THAT thin – so they become difficult to recommend. Plus I sort of feel like a condom shouldn’t ever cost more than a Buck?

I think next I’ll be trying the Aoni 001 condom’s see how that feels.

Why should I be trying condoms when Erika and I are both tested and fluid bonded? Well, I actually think they are super sexy? I don’t wear them all the time, but I like putting one on occasionally to switch things up. Plus they are just handy to have around. If you want to see some of my older condom reviews and read about my love-story for condoms check out my previous comic here!

Also check out our comic on the super different internal condom too!

Condoms I’ve tried and never really fallen for? Sir-Richards Condoms – despite being a good ethical choice, I just never brought more than one box, they just aren’t special enough. ONE condoms – I liked how these looked in the wrapper and that’s about it. Durex – I had ALOT of brand loyalty for Durex, having been raised in the UK, but they always just felt very regular. Reliable but regular. I guess that’s not as important for me anymore.

Good luck gang! Guest comics are up next week and the week after!

FINALLY – Have you seen the NEW site? And read about our Sponsorship news? We’re sooooo excited! Hope you are too.

EDIT:
Some folks have given me a heads up that a sea of lube prior to putting on a condom can put you at risk of increased condom-slipage! In previous comics I’ve always said a drop or two, and forgot to say it this time! So use your common sense – a few drops will help sensation but don’t go TOO crazy with the lube, or the condom might start slipping. Play safe friends!

└ Tags: 0.04, 004, Beyond Seven, condom, condoms, crown, kimono, Lifestyles, Skyn, thin, trojan, zero zero four

Condom Basics

by Matthew Nolan on 01/06/2015 at 12:01 am

Guys, I love Condoms, and I realllly want you to love them too.

If you’re still feeling uneducated and want to learn more about condoms, head over to Planned Parenthood.

The Condoms I listed in the comic are:
LifeStyles Skyn
Beyond Seven Ultra Thin

Those are just fast single links, but you can pick up the condoms at pretty much all our favorite stores. Check our affiliated friend’s stores, and give them a search!

Buy from our Friends (with Benefits)!

Coupons to use at checkout!

And, finally while we much prefer and encourage you to buy from a small business, here's an Amazon link!

Amazon

Coupons to use at checkout!

Lovehoney.uk - 15% off - OHJOY

Lovehoney

Coupons to use at checkout!

Lovehoney.eu - 15% off - OHJOY

Lovehoney

Coupons to use at checkout!

Lovehoney.au - 15% off - OHJOY

Coupons to use at checkout!

Lovehoney.ca - 15% off - OHJOY

Other condoms that I’ve tried and likes but didn’t make it past our comic editing process:

One Zero thin Condoms
– circular packets!
– Ethical choice! Purchases supports HIV/AIDS efforts in Africa
– nice shape: comfortable to wear

Durex extra sensitive
– dead simple.
– My old European easy-to-find choice

Kimono Microthin
– Super thin!
– a bit tight

Erika also did another comic about putting on condoms for Cards Against Humanity, which you can read here!

└ Tags: barrier, bc, Beyond Seven, birth control, cock, condom, condoms, contraception, dick, Lifestyles, lube, Matthew, oral sex, penis, review, safe sex, safer sex, Sir Richard

Internal Condom

by Erika Moen on 01/28/2014 at 12:01 am

You can learn more about internal condoms in general over on Planned Parenthood or specifically the FC2 Female Condom over on their site or you can get some for yourself below!

Buy from our Friends (with Benefits)!

Coupons to use at checkout!

And, finally while we much prefer and encourage you to buy from a small business, here's an Amazon link!

Amazon

Coupons to use at checkout!

Lovehoney.uk - 15% off - OHJOY

Lovehoney

Coupons to use at checkout!

Lovehoney.eu - 15% off - OHJOY

Lovehoney

Coupons to use at checkout!

Lovehoney.au - 15% off - OHJOY

Coupons to use at checkout!

Lovehoney.ca - 15% off - OHJOY

└ Tags: bc, birth control, condom, contraception, disease, education, fc2, fc2 female condom, female condom, infection, internal, internal condom, pregnancy, protection, review, safer sex, sti

Best Of 2020

by Matthew Nolan on 12/15/2020 at 12:02 am

Comic »
Review Comics

This year’s been like pushing through molasses, you all are amazing for making it this far.

With everything the way it’s been, I think we’re all feeling empty, worn out, and low on libido– at least, Erika and I are. Which is ok! Sex is supposed to be fun and good for everyone involved. If 2020’s getting to you and you ain’t feeling it: don’t push yourself, don’t stress out about it, explore other ways to stay connected and intimate that may not involve your genitals. Focus on being kind to yourself, friends. Sex and sex toys can wait.

But for those of you who are feeling it or for when the mood takes you in the future: we got you. This list is here for you! Oh, but first, let us be cheeky and drop a link to where you can buy/pre-order our two newest sex education books ;)

Our Books!

We didn’t really add too many new names to the list this year. Instead, you’re getting the tried and true few, the ones we DO keep near and dear. If it’s not enough of a selection, take a peek at what we thought was the best in the last handful of years! We covered a few more categories in the older comics. Plus it’s just fun to see how much our art has changed year to year.
2019 – 2017 & 18 – 2016 – 2015 – 2014

Buy from our Friends (with Benefits)!

Coupons to use at checkout!

And, finally while we much prefer and encourage you to buy from a small business, here's an Amazon link!

Amazon

Coupons to use at checkout!

Lovehoney.uk - 15% off - OHJOY

Lovehoney

Coupons to use at checkout!

Lovehoney.eu - 15% off - OHJOY

Lovehoney

Coupons to use at checkout!

Lovehoney.au - 15% off - OHJOY

Coupons to use at checkout!

Lovehoney.ca - 15% off - OHJOY

Also, something of note we wanted to mention here in the blog post: we listed a whole lot of We-Vibe toys in today’s comic and we are also Sponsored by them, so we felt like we should make it clear that these toys made it into the best-of comic on their own volition and had nothing to do with the Sponsorship. That is: we woulda included them even if they weren’t our sponsors this season. We aim to always remain impartial and fair. Maintaining a good reviewing ethics is really important to us! So take their appearance for how we intended to show it: we think these are the bee’s knees.

If you want MORE in-depth reviews, dive into our Reviews Archive OR if you just want to read some of our best comics check out our Favorites Archive.Then, while we might not have reviewed much this year, we DID hire a ton of AMAZING Guests Artists. It was a great year for stories!

Some direct links to our reviews if you want MORE deets…

Vibes Large
– Doxy
– Magic Wand Classic
– Magic Wand Plus
– We-Vibe Wand

Vibes Medium
– Zumio
– Fun Factory Laya 2

Vibes Small
– Crave
– We-Vibe Tango
– Bullet

Rabbit
– Nova

Suction
– Satisfyr Pro – Not yet reviewed, but we have them both!

Fuck Sleeves
– Fleshlight Turbo
– Tenga Spinner
– Tenga 3D Spiral
– Fleshlight Quickshot
– Buck-Off
– Buck-Off Kiss

Butt Stuff
– Njoy Plugs
– Satisfyer Plug Set
– Snug Plug

Dildos
– Vixen Creations Vixskin X
– Vixen Creations Bandit
– Fleshjack Boys Dildos
– Blush’s Avant Pride Collection

Strap-On Gear
– Jaguar Harness
– Fuze Dildo – Velvet

Lubes
– Sliquid H20
– Uberlube

Condoms (all the same link!)
– A collection of condoms review, I haven’t comic-reviewed all of the ones listed tho!

OTHER things that didn’t make it into the comic but we LOVE:

Cock Rings
– Plain ol simple ones

Expensive Stuff
– Black Label Esse Chaise Lounger
– F-Machines Pro 3 Fuck Machine

Porn
– LustCinema.com
– CrashPadSeries.com (and check out the time we visited their live set!)
– Filthy Figments
– AFourChamberedHeart.com (not yet reviewed, porn site link)

└ Tags: 2020, best of 2020, bestof2020, Blush's Avant Pride Collection, bo2020, buck off, Buck-Off Kiss, bullet, Crave, doxy, Fleshjack Boys Dildos, Fleshlight Quickshot, Fleshlight Turbo, Fun Factory Laya 2, Fuze Dildo - Velvet, Jaguar Harness, Magic Wand Classic, magic wand plus, Njoy Plugs, nova, review, Satisfyer Plug Set, Satisfyr Pro, sliquid h20, snug plug, Tenga 3D Spiral, Tenga Spinner, uber lube, Vixen Creations Bandit, Vixen Creations Vixskin X, We-Vibe Tango, We-Vibe Wand, zumio

Let’s Talk About It: The Teen’s Guide to Sex, Relationships, and Being a Human

by Erika Moen on 07/09/2020 at 1:45 pm

Posted In: Blog

Today we can finally share the cover of our upcoming Random House Graphic novel:

LET’S TALK ABOUT IT: The Teen’s Guide to Sex, Relationships, and Being a Human
Coming out January 21, 2021, you can learn more and pre-order a copy through your favorite bookseller here. This is our first book made specifically for young adults and it’s our publisher’s first nonfiction title, to boot!

When the name “Sex Education” comes up, people tend to think of biology lessons on how babies are made or of awkwardly rolling down a condom on a banana in a classroom. But what comes before condoms and babies? Teens need to know how to talk to each other about sex and relationships and boundaries and consent long before they wind up in a situation where condoms are being pulled out of pockets.

Let’s Talk About It follows an assortment of teens as they find themselves in uncharted territories, from figuring out identity to navigating consent to understanding why certain fantasies keep springing up in their minds to being rejected.

This book gives young adults the tools to make informed decisions, advocate for their needs, and respect other people’s boundaries. It’s a guidebook for people who know that life is messy and we’re all doing the best we can with the resources we have available. By sharing the kind of real life situations people inevitably find themselves in, Let’s Talk About It gives teens a vocabulary and the foresight to make thoughtful, compassionate choices when they run into their own uncharted territories.

Hey, but don’t take our word for it…

People Talk About It

“‘Let’s talk about it’ is a much needed inclusive, accessible comic guide to love and sex for teens. Erika Moen and Matthew Nolan do a great job of covering the questions young people really want answered, through dialogues between a beautifully drawn cast of characters who’re navigating their own way through this complex, confusing territory. The guidance given is warm, friendly, realistic, and clear, likely to alleviate much of the fear and shame readers have around these topics.”
–Meg-John Barker, author of A Practical Guide to Sex

“Based on Erika and Matt’s past work, I already knew that I would like Let’s Talk About It but I wasn’t prepared for how much I would love (and I mean LOVE) this book. Let’s Talk About It is a beacon of light for teenagers and parents who are doing their best to sort out hormones, bodies, sex, gender, flirting, dating, and who they are or who they love. This is what sex education at its best – accurate information, engaging characters, and a reassuring tone. Highly recommended.”
–Debby Herbenick, PhD, Professor at the Indiana University School of Public Health and author of The Coregasm Workout

└ Tags: book, let's talk about it, random house, random house graphic, sex ed, sex education

Back To Nature by Kadath

by Matthew Nolan on 03/10/2020 at 12:02 am

Today’s guest comic is by Kadath, who’s bringing that PNW-naughty-outdoors-flavor to OJST with this super NSFW and lovely comic. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Kadath’s work caught my eye a while back – he’s a super prolific comicker with a ton of interesting stories on a broad range of kinks and fetishes. I strongly encourage you to check out his work, especially the comics he has on Gumroad, some of them are choice. I also know he’s just re-released an illustrated erotic novel called Bucking the System, although I haven’t had the chance to read it yet.

Go drop him a follow and thank him for the gorgeous work today!

Next week Erika and I talk about some new condoms we’ve discovered (spoilers they are awesome) and then after that we’re hoping to maybe do a comic on coronavirus, coughing, and washing hands – it’ll be the first time in forever that we’ve tackled a current affair =D I’m sorta nervous, wish us luck?

Also, if you’ve fallen out of the loop or just fancy a fresh reminder, this year Erika is trying to split her attention between OJST and her Patreon. She’s hoping to make more autobio comics over there and share more of her personal life. So if that grabs your interest go dive on in – now’s a good time to back it. Hopefully, we’ll be seeing some of this new stuff in the next few months! So stay tuned and stay healthy!

└ Tags: anthro, anthromorphic, exhibition, forest, furries, furry, guest, guest comic, hiking, kad, kadath, moss, nature, outside, spy, tree, trees, voyeur, watching, wood, woods

Best Toys Of 2019

by Matthew Nolan on 12/10/2019 at 12:02 am

Comic »
Review Comics

End of a year and time we hand you our buying-sex-toys-made-easy list!

While we try to do one of these each year, last year we decided that there wasn’t very much different we would recommend so we ended up with a comic on just stuff we like. Granted – this year not exactly much different from our best of 2017-18 list either! We’ve just not encountered anything game-changing in 2019. But don’t let that caveat phase you, this list is our current GO-TO for recommendations if you’re looking to pick up something quick.

If you want MORE and in depth reviews let me recommend the Reviews Archive, OR if you just want to read some of our best comics; check out our Favorites Archive.

Buy from our Friends (with Benefits)!

Coupons to use at checkout!

And, finally while we much prefer and encourage you to buy from a small business, here's an Amazon link!

Amazon

Coupons to use at checkout!

Lovehoney.uk - 15% off - OHJOY

Lovehoney

Coupons to use at checkout!

Lovehoney.eu - 15% off - OHJOY

Lovehoney

Coupons to use at checkout!

Lovehoney.au - 15% off - OHJOY

Coupons to use at checkout!

Lovehoney.ca - 15% off - OHJOY

ALSO can’t hurt to peek at the previous years’ Best Of lists! They all come with a bit more story and shenanigans and are just a fun trip down memory lane! Plus they talk about toys and things we still ADORE but we just didn’t have space to include this year. Like, for example BOOKS!
2017 & 18 — 2016 — 2015 — 2014

There’s just not space to dive into details. So here are all the links to our reviews (if we’ve done them). Make use of the categories and search at the top of the site too if you’re hankering for anything in particular. I think at this point we’ve got about 300 comics on the site, so there’s a good chance we’ve reviewed a toy that’ll work for you!

Vibes
– Doxy
– Magic Wand Classic
– Magic Wand Plus
– Magic Wand Rechargable
– Mystic Wand
– We-Vibe Tango
– Zumio
– Silver Bullet

Suction
– Womanizer
– Satisfyr Pro

Fuck Sleeves
– Fleshlight Go
– Tenga Flip Zero
– Tenga Spinner

Butt Stuff
– Njoy Plugs
– Aneros
– Snug Plug

Rabbits
– Nova
– Fun Factory Miss Bi (not yet reviewed – but a real delight!)

Dildos
– Bandit
– Fleshjack Boys Dildos
– Blush’s Avant Pride Collection

Strap On Gear
– Jaguar Harness
– Fuze Dildo – Velvet (look at Fuzes Alpha model (store link) if your looking for something bigger!)

Lubes
– Sliquid H20
– Uberlube

Condoms (all the same link!)
– A collection of condoms review, I haven’t yet given the mega Big boy or Okamoto 0.04 their own reviews yet!

CockRings
– Plain ol simple ones

Expensive Stuff
– Black Label Esse Chaise Lounger
– F-Machines Pro 3 Fuck Machine

Porn
– LustCinema.com
– CrashPadSeries.com (and check out the time we visited their live set!)
– Filthy Figments
– AFourChamberedHeart.com (not yet reviewed, porn site link)

FINALLY – if you’re just looking to dick about and read some comics, go explore our Favs list here, our Adventure comics here, OR just skip it all and take a look at the time we reviewed a sex doll over here.

└ Tags: 2019, aneros, avant, bandit, Bareskin, best of, Beyond Seven, crash pad, doxy, esse cahise, f-machine, filthyfigments, fleshjack, fleshlight go, flip zero, fourchambered heart, fun factory, fuze, jaguar, liberator, LustCinema, magic wand, mega big boy, miss bi, mystic, njoy, nova, okamoto, satisfyer, sliquid h20, snug plug, spinner, tango, tenga, trojan, uberlube, velvet, vibratex, we-vibe, womanizer, zumio

Miscarriage

by Erika Moen on 10/22/2019 at 12:02 am

As always, please use our comic as a starting point on your own research dive. Here are a few links to get you started:

Resources

► Miscarriage on Planned Parenthood
► Miscarriage: What It Is, Why It Happens and How to Deal on Scarleteen
► Miscarriage Association

Support

► All-Options Talkline
► Miscarriage Support on Tommy’s
► The Best Advice I Received After My Miscarriage on Good House Keeping
► After a Miscarriage: Surviving Emotionally on American Pregnancy
► How To Support Someone Going Through Pregnancy Loss on Huffington Post

Our previous comics on reproduction can be found here: Pregnancy, Pregnancy Sex by Boum, In-Clinic Abortion, Medical Abortion, and our comics on contraception can be found here: Emergency Contraception, The Pill, Paragard IUD, Condom Basics, Internal Condom, Other Contraceptive Methods

On a personal note, here’s the conversation Matt and I had when my period was a week late.

└ Tags: education, miscarriage, miscarry, pregnancy

Our First Sex Doll

by Matthew Nolan on 03/05/2019 at 12:01 am

A HUGE thanks to the team at Silicon Wives for thinking of us and sending us one of their ladies. It was exciting getting to try one of these out!

I think a large part of the appeal of Alabama (and high end sex dolls in general) is all about the website and presentation of the dolls. So before I go chitty-chatting I really encourage you to check out the Silicon Wives website. They take incredible photos and tell backstories about the ladies they sell. Seeing these almost lifelike and expertly done photos breathes life into them, beyond the frozen figure you get in the mail.

Edit:
Before you go clicking the link to Silicon Wives, heads up: some of the copy on their site is… not very respectful towards women. So click if you’re interested, but be ready for text that is marketing to a different sort of crowd than we normally cater to here.

We've got a new addition to our family 💞 pic.twitter.com/RT2vGtm2af

— Erika Moen 🐌 ECCC H15 (@ErikaMoen) December 19, 2018

(a couple of other photo’s here! and here!)

Some tips I DID pick up on: A sex doll is COLD, you need to buy a heated blanket to put over her before getting intimate. Also, if you get a model with an in-built vulva (Like Alabama!), use Internal Condoms to save on having to wash her out afterwards. There’s also a SUPER helpful How To Use A Sex Doll guide on the website that’s very much a must-read if you’re about to shell out for a $2k toy.

Also, a big thing I didn’t talk about in the comic is that it’s nearly impossible to recycle a TPE sex doll. There ARE some places that’ll take TPE, but it’s difficult and hard to find, and the idea of chopping her up for the recycle plant is just gruesome. Because of that and the high prices, there is a thriving second-hand market out there. Which brings me to my next announcement…

EDIT – shes been sold! <3 ~~If you’re in the Portland area and are interested in buying our once-used* Alabama for like $500, drop me an email. I would love for her to find a good local forever-home.~~

*Used with an internal condom, she never came into contact with any bodily fluids.

And on a completely different note….
Next week, we’re heading out for the Emerald City Comic Convention!
Come find us if you’re in Seattle 14-17th in the Artist Alley, Booth H12! We’ll be doing a couple of signing and panels too.

Friday 15th 1-2 Oni Booth – Drawn to Sex Signing
Sat 16th 6.30-7.30 TCC L3-R2 Lucy Bellwood and Erika Moen host, Too Boat, Too Boner.
Sun 17th 2-3 Oni Booth – Drawn to Sex Signing

└ Tags: Alabama, review, Sex Doll, Silicone Wives, TPE Doll

In-Clinic Abortion

by Erika Moen on 09/04/2018 at 12:01 am

If you’d like some more OJST comics on the subjects of pregnancy, contraception, and abortion, you can find them here: Pregnancy, Medical Abortion, Emergency Contraception, IUD, The Pill, The Implant, Miscellaneous Contraceptives (Cervical Barriers, The Patch, The Shot, Spermicide, The Sponge, Vaginal Rings), Condoms, and Internal (“Female”) Condoms.

We did the best we could to cover the essentials in in-clinic abortions, but of course there’s never enough room to include everything you need to know about a subject in our comics, so please do spend some time reading through the list of resources below to gather a much more comprehensive understanding!

Resources

Learn More About Abortion
► All About Abortion (Scarleteen)
► How do I get an in-clinic abortion? (Planned Parenthood)
► Surgical Abortion (First Trimester) (University of California San Francisco)
► About Abortion, including Abortion Facts, Patient Stories & more (National Abortion Federation)
► Abortion procedures – surgical (Better Health Channel)

Talk to a Real Person
► All-Options: Pregnancy, Parenting, Abortion, Adoption
► (FOR TEENS) Text Scarleteen
► NAF Hotline Fund (National Abortion Federation)

Where to Find an Abortion Clinic
► Abortion Services (Planned Parenthood)
► Find A Provider (National Abortion Federation)

Debunking Abortion Myths and Misinformation
► Abortion Myths (National Abortion Federation)
► How to (Un)pack for a Real Discussion About Abortion

“Crisis Pregnancy Centers” (How to Spot ‘Em!)
► How can I tell crisis pregnancy centers and real reproductive health centers apart? (Planned Parenthood)
► How to Tell a ‘Crisis Pregnancy Center’ from a Legitimate Abortion Clinic (LifeHacker)
► Fake Health Centers (NARAL Pro-Choice America)

Remember, it’s always a good time to donate to Planned Parenthood!

└ Tags: abortion, Clinic, D&E, Dilation and Evacuation, In-Clinic, Inclinic, Surgical, Vacuum Aspiration

Other Contraceptive Methods

by Erika Moen on 04/10/2018 at 12:01 am

Matt and I are so close to finishing up our new collection of purely sex education comics for our upcoming book, Drawn to Sex: The Basics! (Kickstarter launching in MAY.) Ideally I woulda had the time and space to devote a full comic to each of these contraceptive methods, but, y’know. That is not the world we live in. Fortunately, I have links to much more in-depth resources below!

Here’s all the comics on contraception we’ve already covered:
► The Pill
► Condom Basics
► Internal Condom
► Paraguard IUD
► The Implant by Lucy Knisley
► Emergency Contraception

Plus ALL the sex ed topics we’ve featured here on the site, including an explanation of how pregnancy even happens in the first place.

As always, let me direct you towards SCARLETEEN, which is the be-all-end-all resource when it comes to comprehensive, compassionate, sex education. If you find their information useful (which you will), please support this independent organization with a couple bucks and send their volunteers to camp.

Birth Control Info

► Birth Control Bingo
START HERE if you wanna figure out which BC may be the right fit for your body and life style. It leads to all of the pages I’m about to link below.
► Cervical Barriers (Diaphragms and Cervical Caps)
► Combined Oral Contraceptives (The Pill)
► Condoms
► The Contraceptive Implant (Implanon)
► The Contraceptive Patch
► Depo-Provera (The Shot or Jab)
► Emergency Contraception (Plan B or the Morning-After-Pill)
► Fertility Awareness (FAM)
► Intrauterine Devices (IUD, IUC or IUS)
► Progesterone-Only Oral Contraceptives (Minipills)
► Spermicides
► The Sponge
► The Vaginal Ring (Nuvaring)
► Withdrawal

Buy from our Friends (with Benefits)!

Coupons to use at checkout!

And, finally while we much prefer and encourage you to buy from a small business, here's an Amazon link!

Amazon

Coupons to use at checkout!

Lovehoney.uk - 15% off - OHJOY

Lovehoney

Coupons to use at checkout!

Lovehoney.eu - 15% off - OHJOY

Lovehoney

Coupons to use at checkout!

Lovehoney.au - 15% off - OHJOY

Coupons to use at checkout!

Lovehoney.ca - 15% off - OHJOY

└ Tags: babies, cervical barriers, cervical cap, condom, contraception, depo provera, no babies, no spermies, pregnancy, pregnant, sperm, spermicides, Sponge, the implant, the patch, the shot, vaginal ring

Best Toys Of 2017 & 2018

by Matthew Nolan on 12/05/2017 at 12:01 am

Another year FLIES BY and, yeesh, what a year.

This’ll be our FOURTH Best Of! And jeez, the list gets bigger and bigger each time. If you’re interested, check our 2016, 2015, 2014 Best Ofs! You can peek at just how much our art has changed and evolved, plus you get to see that a lot of the toys we’re recommending are still on our list: they are that good!

Before I link you our specific reviews and whatnots, here’s a list of our fav stores for you to hit up if you fancy picking up a toy. We trust ’em and love them all!

Buy from our Friends (with Benefits)!

Coupons to use at checkout!

And, finally while we much prefer and encourage you to buy from a small business, here's an Amazon link!

Amazon

Coupons to use at checkout!

Lovehoney.uk - 15% off - OHJOY

Lovehoney

Coupons to use at checkout!

Lovehoney.eu - 15% off - OHJOY

Lovehoney

Coupons to use at checkout!

Lovehoney.au - 15% off - OHJOY

Coupons to use at checkout!

Lovehoney.ca - 15% off - OHJOY

ONE more thing, before I go dropping you all the links: At the time of this comic going live, OJST is partially sponsored by Vibratex, who makes/distributes the Mystic Wand Rechargeable AND Magic Wand Rechargeable (which we both recommend!). We wanted to let you all know that their sponsorship doesn’t affect our reviews at all because these toys have been on our annual favorites list for years now and we would include them regardless because they’re genuinely good products! Like, that’s why we reached out to them about sponsorship in the first place. We like what they make.

LINKS!

Now, let’s get into the nitty gritty!
Our best-of’s strips aren’t in-depth exposés, so here are all the links to our comic reviews of said toys (if we reviewed them!). But do go explore the site yourself – there’s a bunch of things we didn’t include this year but have reviewed – check out the categories on the menu! We hope it helps with your holiday shopping!

Vibes
– Nova
– Mimi Soft
– Mystic Wand Rechargable (not yet reviewed, store link! But we HAVE reviewed the cheaper battery one)
– Silver Bullet
– Magic Wand Rechargable
– Doxy
– Womanizer

Fuck Sleeves
– Sex In a Can
– 3D Spiral

Butt Stuff
– Severin
– Bootie
– Njoy Plugs

Cock Stuff
– Fleshjack Boys Dildos
– Bandit

Strap On Gear
– Jaguar Harness
– Velvet Dildo (look at Fuzes Alpha model (store link) if your looking for something bigger!)
– Underpants Harness
– Pierre Softpack

Lubes
– Uberlube
– Almost Naked
– Sliquid H20

Condoms (all the same link!)
– Kimono MicroThin
– Trojan Bareskin
– SKYN

CockRings
– Plain ol simple ones

Books
– Most stuff By Cara McKenna (not yet reviewed, store link! Try Crosstown Crush or her book of short stories, Strange Love!)
– Come As You Are
– Its Perfectly Normal (ages 10+) (not yet reviewed, store link!)
– It’s So Amazing (ages 7+) (not yet reviewed, store link!)
– It’s NOT the Stork (ages 4+) (not yet reviewed, store link!)

Furniture
– Black Label Esse Chaise Lounger

Porn
– ManyVids.com (not yet reviewed, porn site link)
– CrashPadSeries.com (and check out the time we visited their live set!)
– LustCinema.com
– AFourChamberedHeart.com (not yet reviewed, porn site link)

FINALLY – if your just looking to dick about and read some comics. Go explore our Fav’s list here, OR our Adventure comics!

└ Tags: 2017, 3D Spiral, AFourChamberedHeart, almost naked, anal, bandit, Bareskin, best of, bestof, black label, book, Bootie, bullet, butt, butt plug, Cara Mckenna, come as you are, condom, CrashPadSeries, doxy, Esse Chaise Lounger, Fleshjack Boys, harness, It's NOT the Stork, It's So Amazing, Its Perfectly Normal, jaguar, kimono, lube, LustCinema, magic wand, ManyVids, masturbation sleeve, Mimi, Mystic Wand Rechargable, Njoy Plugs, nova, pierre, porn, pornography, review, Severin, Sex In a Can, Skyn, sleeve, sliquid, strap-on, strapon, toy, uberlube, velvet, vibe, vibratex, vibrator, womanizer

Other Barriers

by Matthew Nolan on 10/17/2017 at 12:01 am

Sharing bodily fluids can be a bit of a scary and risky thing to do nowadays. Thankfully there are a BUNCH of barriers out there. Today we finally cover some of the more important ones outside of condoms, with our personal recommendation that you get yourself a box of cheap nitrile gloves for the side of the bed – so darn useful.

Buy from our Friends (with Benefits)!

Coupons to use at checkout!

And, finally while we much prefer and encourage you to buy from a small business, here's an Amazon link!

Amazon

Coupons to use at checkout!

Lovehoney.uk - 15% off - OHJOY

Lovehoney

Coupons to use at checkout!

Lovehoney.eu - 15% off - OHJOY

Lovehoney

Coupons to use at checkout!

Lovehoney.au - 15% off - OHJOY

Coupons to use at checkout!

Lovehoney.ca - 15% off - OHJOY

└ Tags: barrier reef, barriers, condom, cot, cots, dental dam, education, finger, tip

Manual Sex

by Erika Moen on 09/12/2017 at 12:01 am

The subject of Manual Sex is quite the handful! With our limited space, Matt and I could only provide the briefest introduction to the various methods and protections you can employ, but don’t worry: You can dive so much deeper following the links below. The keen observer will note that a good number of them go to Scarleteen. If you find this information useful or you just generally want to support comprehensive sex education, throw ‘em a buck or two, dude.  

What “Counts” As Sex?

Ok, so first up, here are some resources on what “counts” as sex, what you can expect, what you can catch, and how to protect yourself as much as possible.

Oral sex, manual sex, anal sex…what’s it all mean, jellybean? on Scarleteen 

What the heck does “sexually active” mean? on Scarleteen 

Why does getting fingered feel better than sex? on Scarleteen

Manual Sex Safety

How To: Have Safe Manual Sex on The Condom Depot

How To: Safe Manual Sex on Spicy Gear Blog

I didn’t feel a thing with fingering: is there something wrong with me? on Scarleteen

Fingering (for vulvas)

How To Touch A Woman & Finger Her Vagina, In 8 Beginner Steps on Bustle

How To Finger A Woman To Make Her Orgasm With JUST Your Hands on Your Tango

Fingering (for butts)

(Video!) This Is How You Finger A Man’s Butt by DaveyWaveyRaw

The Beginner’s Guide to Butt Play on LifeHacker

12 Anal Foreplay Tips for Beginners on Cosmopolitan

Butt Fingering 101 on Persephone Magazine

 Fisting

(Video!) Jiz Lee on Fisting Tips by Sex is Back

Fisting Day by Jiz Lee

Queer Porn meets Sex Ed in CrashPad’s Guide to Fisting on CrashPad

A Complete Beginner’s Guide to Fisting on Cosmopolitan

Anal Fisting – Learning the Basics on Deviance and Desire 

Handjob

The 10 Best Hand Job Tips To Remember Next Time You Want To Take Him For A Ride on Bustle

How To Give A Good Hand Job, According To A Man on Bustle 

└ Tags: anal, anus, butt, butt hole, butt play, cots, duck, finger, finger blasting, finger cot, finger fucking, fingering, fist, fisting, g spot, glove, gloves, gspot, handies, handy, how to, labia, manual, manual sex, prostate, sex, touch, vulva penis

The Pill

by Erika Moen on 06/20/2017 at 12:01 am

There is so, so, so much more to know about The Pill and we only had time to skim the surface! Please read through the following sites and then donate some dollaz so they (Planned Parenthood and Scarleteen) can continue to be free, accessible, comprehensive sex education resources on the internet :)

Birth Control Bingo: Minipills on Scarleteen
Birth Control Bingo: The Combination Pill on Scarleteen
Birth Control Pill on Planned Parenthood

Not sure where to even start when it comes to picking the birth control that’s right for you? Scarleteen has JUST the choose-your-own-adventure-er-I-mean-birth-control game for you over at their Birth Control Bingo resource.

We’ve also covered a few other birth control options here on ol’ OJST!
The Paraguard IUD (this is the BC I’m on!), Emergency Contraception, The Implant by Lucy Knisley, Condom Basics, The Internal (Female) Condom, aaaaaand in order to understand how contraception works you should prolly brush up on how folks get pregnant in the first place.

└ Tags: babies, baby, bc, birth control, birthcontrol, Combination, contraception, daily, estrogen, menstrual, Minipill, ovulation, pill, pregnancy, pregnant, progestin, The pill

Best Of 2016

by Erika Moen on 12/06/2016 at 12:01 am

We blinked and all of a sudden Oh Joy Sex Toy became THREE years old. It’s amazing. Thank you everyone, new and old, for visiting our site, looking at our silly dick-n-fart joke comic, reading up on our sex ed, and buying sex toys. We couldn’t make this comic with out you, thank you for all your support.

This year’s been a blast but, wow, crazy hard! We made a whole new book AND it started appearing in book stores!

In today’s comic we take you to our bedroom once again and show off the toys that REALLY get used in our house; the ones that, if you came asking for recommendations, we would eagerly point you to. Check out the best of 2015 and 2014 if you want a trip down memory lane!

Buy from our Friends (with Benefits)!

Coupons to use at checkout!

And, finally while we much prefer and encourage you to buy from a small business, here's an Amazon link!

Amazon

Coupons to use at checkout!

Lovehoney.uk - 15% off - OHJOY

Lovehoney

Coupons to use at checkout!

Lovehoney.eu - 15% off - OHJOY

Lovehoney

Coupons to use at checkout!

Lovehoney.au - 15% off - OHJOY

Coupons to use at checkout!

Lovehoney.ca - 15% off - OHJOY

Our wrap-up strips aren’t in depth exposés, so here are all the links to our comic reviews of said toys (if we reviewed them!). We hope it helps with your holiday shopping!

– Njoy Pure Plugs
– Doxy!
– Magic Wand Rechargeable
– Mystic Wand
– Blewit
– Bandit
– Uncut #2
– 6″ Pride Dildo (not reviewed yet, it’s a great cheaper option.)
– Alpha (not reviewed, but check out the Velvet review, it pretty much covers the basics of the toy! Alphas just bigger.)
– Velvet
– Jaguar Harness (reviewed here!)
– Sliquid lube
– Uber Lube
– Good Clean Love
– Condoms
– Chaise Esse Lounger

———

Porn!
– Lucie Makes Porn
– Four Chambers / A Four Chambered Heart (not yet reviewed, but gosh, guys, its SO GOOD)
– Crash Pad (and check out the time we visited their live set!)

———

And now things we didn’t have SPACE to mention!
– Simple cock rings Matt loves! (but hasn’t had a chance to review)
– Come As You Are, the book! We just LOVE this. Mandatory reading, it’ll blow your mind!
– Queer: a graphic history, the book! An amazing academic look at ‘Queer’. Educational.
– Coming Out Like A Porn Star, the book! A lovely collection of coming out stories, puts you in touch with the humans who make your porn.

└ Tags: 2016 wrap up, 4 chambered, a four chambered heart, alpha, bandit, best of, Beyond Seven, black lable, condom, condoms, crash pad series, crashpad, doxy, esse chaise, good clean love, harness, jaguar, lifestyle skyn, lube, lubes, Lucie Blush, Lucie Makes Porn, magic wand, mystic wand, njoy, porn, pride, pure plug, sliquid, uberl, uberlube, uncut #2, velvet, vibratex

Colossus & Ride On

by Matthew Nolan on 10/04/2016 at 12:01 am

I love Vixen Creations‘ toys and these two penis extenders are pretty great IF you fit those internal dimensions exactly.

– 4″x1″? The Ride On is perfect for you, Erika swears by that Bandit mold.
– 5.5″x1.4″? The Colossus will fit a treat, even if it might make you TOO big for use!
– Any other size? You’re out of luck!

Something I didn’t really go into with this comic is how tricky it can be to slide these extenders on. Vixen has quite the ‘how to’ that’s a balancing act of copious water-based lube, creating a vacuum in the toy for entry, and shifting into position. It’s a bit intense and worth a few practice runs by yourself before trying to put it on in front of a partner.

Regardless, if you fit either of these, I can’t emphasize how cool it is to visually ‘upgrade’ your wang, I got a real kick out of it!

Buy from our Friends (with Benefits)!

Coupons to use at checkout!

And, finally while we much prefer and encourage you to buy from a small business, here's an Amazon link!

Amazon

Coupons to use at checkout!

Lovehoney.uk - 15% off - OHJOY

Lovehoney

Coupons to use at checkout!

Lovehoney.eu - 15% off - OHJOY

Lovehoney

Coupons to use at checkout!

Lovehoney.au - 15% off - OHJOY

Coupons to use at checkout!

Lovehoney.ca - 15% off - OHJOY

I’ve also read that some people find these toys helpful for continuous fucking even when you’ve lost a hard-on. This isn’t something I can attest to, but seems reasonable? The grip on the balls is pretty good, even when sweaty, and I think if you’re at least half-hard you would still be able to control it fine. I ALSO read elsewhere that they can be used instead of a condom. That’s not something I would recommend at all: it’s not a ‘tight’ seal like a condom, so you’re likely to leak out places when you’re at it!

I think if you’re looking for a confidence boost and some bonus size these are just great.

└ Tags: cock sleeeve, Colossus, extender, penis, Ride On, sleave, sleeve, vixen, vixen creations

Toys that Live in the Bedroom (Best of 2015)

by Matthew Nolan on 11/24/2015 at 12:01 am

We had a bunch of fun last year making a 2014 Best Of, that we wanted to do it again! But this year we wanted to do a different take on it! So this year let us introduce to you the toys that live in our bedroom, the ones that get actual use!

Buy from our Friends (with Benefits)!

Coupons to use at checkout!

And, finally while we much prefer and encourage you to buy from a small business, here's an Amazon link!

Amazon

Coupons to use at checkout!

Lovehoney.uk - 15% off - OHJOY

Lovehoney

Coupons to use at checkout!

Lovehoney.eu - 15% off - OHJOY

Lovehoney

Coupons to use at checkout!

Lovehoney.au - 15% off - OHJOY

Coupons to use at checkout!

Lovehoney.ca - 15% off - OHJOY

Obviously, we’re not able to go too in-depth in this end of year wrap up, so here are all the links to our comic reviews of said toys. We hope it helps with your holiday shopping!

Doxy!
Magic Wand Rechargeable
Bandit
Uncut #1
nJoy Plugs
Sliquid lube
Pink Silicone lube
Condoms
Cock Rings (haven’t yet reviewed the basic rubber o-ring tho!)
Mystic Wand
Fuze Velvet (haven’t yet reviewed the awesome Aslan Jaguar harness tho!)
Tenga Spiral
Fleshlight O’Doyle

└ Tags: 2015, anal, aslan, bedroom, best of, Beyond Seven, condom, condoms, dildo, doxy, fleshlight, good clean love, LifeStyle, lube, magic wand rechargeable, mystic wand, njoy, o-ring, other, pink, pink lube, review, Skyn, sliquid, tenga, uncut #1, velvet, vibrator

#SexPeriod Recap

by Erika Moen on 02/12/2015 at 11:13 am

Posted In: Blog

Cross-posted from GladRag’s recap about our #SexPeriod twitter party!

On Thursday, we co-hosted a Twitter party with sexperts Heather Corinna of Scarleteen and Erika Moen of Oh Joy Sex Toy. Our highly informative (and frequently laugh-out-loud funny) #SexPeriod chat focused on how menstruators and their partners feel about period sex. Read on for a recap of our chat!

1. Sex with a partner and/or masturbation while on your period: great, gross, or just oh-whatever?

Most of our Twitter partiers agree: getting down with some sexy times during menstruation definitely helps with cramps. Some feel a little lower libido than usual, but for the most part it was a unanimous YES to this question (especially if you put down a towel first).

2. How have your sexual partners handled your period, or you theirs?

While one tweeter once had a young man tell her she was disgusting for wanting to have sex while on her period, a surprising number of partners couldn’t care less about a little extra lubrication! Way to go, non-menstruators.

3. Do you feel more or less sexy — or the same — whatever “sexy” means for you, when menstruating?

Aside from the cramps, bloating, constipation, and period zits, you’re feeling super sexy when you’re on the rag! And nothing’s sexier than a partner who soothes you during a particular bad bout of PMS.

4. Who finds their cycle influences your desire for sex? And how?

Some people find their desire is higher because they’re less afraid of accidental pregnancy. Others’ libidos drop due to hormonal impacts. In our Twitter party, many menstruators reported feeling most aroused the week leading up to their periods or when they were ovulating.

5. Do any of you feel any pressure to suppress periods (if that’s not what you’d want, ideally), especially when it comes to sex?

Most of us have skipped periods using hormonal birth control at least once, particularly when we were younger. Reasons included: long-distance partners coming to visit, staying at a significant others’ home and not wanting to stain their sheets, general convenience, or to avoid painful periods. Pro tip: if you’re going to skip a period, keep your OBGYN in the loop and always use a condom for back-up.

6. Why do you think people who treat or think of menses so differently than other body fluids do?

This question got responses ranging from blood is GROSS to societal fears of women’s bodies. Gloria Steinem’s famous essay If Men Could Menstruate was cited as an example of how menstruation might be viewed differently if men were the ones with periods… and then quickly devolved into a competition of who could fill their menstrual cup faster.

More questions & answers from our #SexPeriod chat participants:

Q: I’ve heard if you avoid sugar during/before shark week cramps aren’t so bad. Anyone know if this is true?

“Definitely helps me! And eating right in general.”

Q: Anyone noticed a heavier flow since going hormone free? Things haven’t been this messy since I was a teenager, or had a baby!

“My period got heavier and cramps worse when I got my copper (no hormones) IUD inserted”

“I’ve had the opposite! After stopping hormonal bc my period has been super manageable.”

“My flow was really heavy before my IUD”

Q: I’m hoping for some sex toy conversation because I am a sex toy n00b.

“I’d say definitely use non-porous toys or a porous toy with a condom, or there might be staining, etc”

“Some folks earlier were asking about periods and sex toys: easy to clean as usual, or just cover with a condom for ease!”

And of course, no menstrual discussion is complete without a few funny period stories:

Favorite ex-boyf period sex story: After we banged on a HEAVY flow day, he didn’t have anything to clean up the massacre… So, he walked out in nothing but a condom, COVERED in blood, and told his roommates, “Guys… I… I killed her.” Epilogue: All of his roommates screamed and ran out, & he was free to leisurely walk into the kitchen for a roll of paper towels.

True story: The first time I got my period, my mom had JUST finished telling me about it. After, I had to pee, so I went to the bathroom, looked down, and said “Uh… Mom…? What do I do now that I started?”

Menstruation confession: I’ve always found my period to be embarrassing since when I started we were at Buffalo Wild Wings. And my mom got so excited that she shouted it out at my dad, 4 bros, and everyone watching football.

When I got my first period I didn’t realize it because the color was brown instead of red, so I assumed I sharted w/out realizing. And when it kept reappearing throughout the day I was like “HOW AM I WET FARTING WITHOUT FEELING IT???” panicked at my mom and she explained what was happening. And then my whole family took me out for a pizza dinner and hugged me.My dad was so proud of me, the memory of his smile and hug that night is my default mental image of him.

Major thanks to our pals Erika and Heather, and everyone who showed up to tweet about sex and periods! If you agree that everyone deserves quality sexuality education, please support Scarleteen with a donation. Knowledge is power!

Erika Moen is the co-creator and cartoonist behind Oh Joy Sex Toy, which is a weekly comic reviewing sex toys, sharing sex education, and generally promoting sex positivity. She is a queer, 16 year comics industry veteran, wife, and cat mom in Portland, Oregon. Be sure to check out her comic review of the Moon Cup and GladRags Pantyliners!

Heather Corinna is the founder of Scarleteen. She’s also an activist, writer, artist, teacher and community organizer. She has been widely recognized as a pioneer of both women’s and young adult sexuality information and education online, having brought inclusive, feminist, creative and comprehensive sexuality content to the web and beyond since 1997.

└ Tags: cloth pads, diva cup, divacup, gladrags, menstrual, menstrual cup, menstruation, moon cup, mooncup, pads, period, reusable menstrual, scarleteen, sexperiod

eBooks

Books & Merch These books are for 18+ Please download files to a PC/Mac first, before uploading them to your devices. Drawn to SexBodies & Health89, 172, 306 mb PDFs $8 Our follow up to ‘The Basics’. A purely sexual health and body focused comic book! In our second book of the series, we’ve lasered […]

Emergency Contraception

by Erika Moen on 08/27/2013 at 12:01 am

Like it says above, this comic just covers the basics of how emergency contraception pills work (and if you need a refresher, I explained how conception and pregnancy work earlier!). I encourage you to read up more on this method of emergency birth control over at Planned Parenthood!

Plan B on Amazon

You can read the full interview with Saundra below!

Interview with Saundra

What made you think you may be at risk of pregnancy (unprotected sex, birth control failure, etc?)

I’ve taken it three times, at an embarrassingly advanced age (probably should have known better). The first/third time it was unprotected, and when I did the math, I realized my birth control was too risky a back-up. The second time was condom failure.

What was your process of getting the pills (Specifically, did you have any drugstore employees refusing to sell it to you)

I went to Planned Parenthood (comparison shopping — luckily, I live near one and I knew they were much cheaper there).

While I never had to deal with drugstore employees being jerks to me, I took up the issue several years ago when Plan B became available over the counter. I was working at an altweekly in Ventura, California, and we printed a handy cut-out sheet of area drugstores that would be stocking Plan B over-the-counter.

I’ve also been sure to know which drugstores I live near that carry it (I’m not saying the 24-hour Walgreens was the ONLY reason I moved to 37th & Belmont a few years back, but it was a plus).

What were the side effects like?

Emotionally draining, but definitely physically draining. I am always much more tired. The first time, I got nauseated for a couple hours, and crampy.

The first time, I got my period a couple days later. This was fine and expected, but it did throw off my cycle considerably. I still have little to no idea what’s going on with it.

But each time I’ve taken EC, I’m genuinely sad and a little depressed. It caused some friction with my partner (in his defense, he’s always extremely grateful when I elect to take EC just to be safe). But for whatever reason, he couldn’t quite understand how carpet-bombing one’s system with extra hormones makes a person a bit more delicate, emotionally. (It was also early in the relationship, which started out rocky. Kind of a double-edged sword: I wasn’t myself, and then I was doubly upset he couldn’t understand where I was coming from. I once sat at work and forwarded him links to forums of women talking about how batshit insane they felt after taking EC. For, like, an hour.)

Communication has improved exponentially with him, and I think we’re just so much kinder to each other in general. Still, It occurs to me that if I ever take EC again, I would ask for him to give me a couple days by myself, just to avoid conflict. I’m only half-serious about that, but it’s tempting.

To illustrate the hormonal blues: the last time I took EC was the weekend the new Arrested Development episodes came out. There were probably other external issues stressing me out, on the periphery, but I remember sitting in my apartment on a beautiful warm Sunday and just feeling down and in a funk. And I thought, “Not even new, long-awaited episodes of one of my all-time favorite shows can save me? What is WRONG with me!?”

When I remembered I’d taken Next Choice the day before, I felt relieved. Much in the way I’ll sometimes find myself feeling sad and reflective, then get my period soon after, and think, “Oh, thank God! Something to explain feelings!”

How did you feel about the experience once the side effects were over?

Complaints aside, the side effects were surprisingly minor and relatively painless. And feeling a bit off was reassuring — I equated it with the pills’ efficacy. EC just felt like a safeguard.

I’m still functional on the stuff, and I feel a sort of gratitude toward the product. I now have a couple packs I keep around just in case. The brand is Ella, and by virtue of the package design and the name, the whole thing strikes me as actually quite positive. (I was a huge Ella Fitzgerald fan in high school, so the box really puts me at ease — someone in marketing knew what they were doing.)

This is probably outside the focus of the article, but there’s a political issue in all this I struggle with — sexual politics, really. In my experience, anyone who hasn’t taken EC can’t quite appreciate how rough EC is on the body. Even with a supportive partner, it’s a strangely isolating experience, I guess? It’s all consistent with the uneven nature of birth control and family planning in general, of course — women tend to shoulder an inordinate physical burden.

Another side, not necessarily relevant, story: I was once on the phone with my best friend from middle/high school, and we were talking about how her first pregnancy was going. I, meanwhile, was walking to Planned Parenthood to get EC. It struck me as a funny illustration of how we were in somewhat different stages of our lives. I found it kind of novel, rather than upsetting.

Would you use EC again?

Yes. I’m even more careful with birth control now, since I’m loathe to subject myself to a day or day and a half of generalized sadness. But as I’ve said, EC is a great safeguard, and I have two packs of it in my bathroom drawer.

└ Tags: bc, birth control, contraception, ec, education, emergency, emergency contraception, morning after, pill, pills, plan b

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