Sexual Health Rankings™ presents Sex Stories, a weekly roundup of sexual health news from around the country.
Mississippi Passes Controversial Religious Freedom Law (Time)
Mississippi residents may soon be able to sue over laws that “impinge on their religious freedoms.” Opponents of the law worry it will be used to discriminate against LGBTQ individuals. The Governor, a supporter of the bill has yet to sign it. The bill also adds the phrase, “In God We Trust” to the state flag.
Mississippi Governor to Sign Bill Banning Abortion at 20 Weeks (Fox News)
Mississippi will soon join a number of states that ban abortion at 20 weeks. The law, which the Governor expressed eagerness to sign, makes an exception for women who face death or injury and in cases of severe fetal abnormality. It is expected that someone will file a legal challenge. Opponents feel that the ban will affect poor women while supporters argue the unborn child is of higher concern.
Utah Bans ‘Revenge Porn’ (Daily Mail)
Utah is the sixth state to pass laws criminalizing “revenge porn” or sexually explicit images published with intent to cause emotional stress or harm. The law has been criticized because its requirement for harmful intent leaves leaves a loophole for webmasters and others who post such content for other reasons such as income.
Statins Found to Improve Erectile Function (Fox News)
A new review of 11 randomized control trials examining erectile dysfunction (ED) and statin use found that such medications may have benefits beyond treating heart disease. Statins were associated with significantly higher scores on the International Inventory of Erectile Function. Such results further suggest the connection between overall health and sexual function.
Marriage May Help Keep Your Heart Healthy: Large US Study Links Vows to Lower Risk of Cardiovascular Illness (National Post)
A study of over 3.5 million people in the US found that married individuals have a lower risk of any type of heart or blood vessel problem. Such results were true regardless of age, gender, and other risk factors. This may be the result of having a spouse who encourages them to take care of themselves. It is important to note that most participants were white and female which can skew the results.
Harvard Student Who Claims On-Campus Assault Slams University Policies (ABC News)
Old policies have once again put Harvard at the center of the college sexual assault controversy. A survivor recently wrote an op-ed in the school’s newspaper accusing college officials of not providing an adequate response to the assault. The case speaks to the larger issues of rape culture and a lack of training for college officials on how to deal with sexual violence.
SC House: Sex-ed Classes Should be Medically Accurate, Not Just Focusing on Abstinence (The State)
As part of an effort to update South Carolina’s health and sex education laws, a House committee voted that all health information taught in schools must be medically accurate. The bill also requires sex-ed teachers to be certified in health and enforces stricter reporting to both the state and parents. Compromises, including removing language on sex outside of marriage, were removed in an effort to get the bill through.