Sense Project

Q: Where can I get free condoms in Montreal?

A: You can get free condoms here at Head & Hands (5833 Sherbrooke St. Ouest) - see our website for our opening hours, or call our streetworkers who always have them on hand!  You can also get them at CLSCs (find your nearest CLSC here), at many schools/CEGEPs/universities (try the nurse’s office or health services, guidance counsellor or social worker), and at other community organizations or youth centres, like AIDS Community Care Montreal, Rezo, Dans la rue/Pops van, or Head & Hands’ teen drop-in centre, J2K. Concordia’s 2110 Centre for Gender Advocacy and McGill’s Union for Gender Empowerment also stock condoms and other safer sex supplies.  Happy searching!

We are still getting more and more questions in our “Ask Anything” question box to the right! –> Sense volunteer Liam tackled today’s question…

Q: My boyfriend and I are planning our first time. I’ve been looking into birth control and trying to figure out which one will be best, but besides that, we’re both virgins and neither of us really know what to expect. I want this to be special. Advice?

After much time spent dwelling on what I would say to two people about to have sex for the first time, I was able to narrow my characteristic longwindedness down to 3 topics: Communication/Consent; Safer Sex/Birth Control; Pleasure.

–Communication/Consent—

Communicating about sex is really a win-win: you can make sure that your partner is consenting and into it as well as maximize the pleasure of everybody involved. From a super practical standpoint, communicating might look like saying things along the lines of “is it cool if I take off your pants”, “oh my god, what you just did felt amazing”, “Could you go a little slower”, “Stop for a second, I need a break”, or seriously a bazillion other things. I generally shy away from making sweeping generalizations BUT sex will probably be better if you know that your partner is listening and responding to you and would stop as soon you asked. To make communicating easier, some people like to use code words that you and your partner can come up with beforehand. A really common set is the traffic light system where ‘green’ means everything is fantastic, ‘yellow’ means turn it down a bit, and ‘red’ means stop immediately. Coming up with code words can also be a helpful way to start a conversation about sex, consent, and boundaries with your partner.

Read the rest of this entry »

We are getting more and more questions in our “Ask Anything” question box to the right! –> Stay tuned for more questions & answers coming up next week!  Julia, a very special Sense volunteer, answered today’s question…

Q: how can I have safe sex without getting pregnant?

There are several ways you can negotiate safer sex without getting pregnant.

Condoms are the only form of contraception that also prevent the transmission of Sexually Transmitted Infections [STIs]. They are easy to use, easy to find and cheap, and you may even be able to get them for free at many locations, such as clinics and youth community centres like Head & Hands! They are mostly made of latex, but may also be made out of polyurethane and other hypo-allergenic products. They are available in many varieties, including lubricated and non-lubricated, ribbed, coloured, flavoured, etc. Water-based lubricants can also be used with condoms to make penetration way smoother and reduce the risk of condom breakage.

There are many other forms of contraception available that prevent unwanted pregnancies. For example, the Pill, the patch, the ring, and the Depo Provera injection are all forms of contraception that use hormones to prevent pregnancy. IUDs (Intra-Uterine Devices) are inserted into the uterus, and you have the option of having an IUD that also releases hormones. You need a prescription for all of these, which means a visit to your local clinic, sexual health clinic, or family doctor. The diaphragm and cervical cap are barrier methods that prevent sperm from entering the uterus, and you can call different clinics to see if they offer fittings.  Check out this handy chart from Planned Parenthood for more information about these different birth control methods!  It’s important to remember that none of these options protect against the transmission of STIs, so you can pair them with condoms to make sex safer. 

If you don’t want to use condoms and would like to use one of these other contraceptives to prevent pregnancies, there are still many ways to have safer sex. Using lube will reduce vaginal (or anal) tearing during penetrative sex, and this may reduce the chance of transmitting STIs. Communicating with your sexual partner(s) about sexual history and getting tested regularly are great ways to have safer sex. Finally, choosing to do only certain sexual acts that are both low risk for STI transmission and no risk for pregnancy is a great option - for example, hand jobs, grinding, making out and kissing!

We are getting more and more questions in our “Ask Anything” question box to the right! –> Stay tuned for more questions & answers coming up throughout the week!

Q: I have sores in mouth and have been having oral sex without a condom, only my partner has never done any sexually activities before and neither have I, whats up?

Thanks for your question! Unfortunately, it’s impossible for us to know exactly what the sores are without seeing you in person, but you would be welcome to come into our clinic if you’re in the Montreal area and between 12-25 years old. Our medical clinic happens on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, and you just have to arrive between 4:45-5pm to get entered into the draw for that night’s clinic. You can view the clinic schedule and more information on the Head & Hands website. If you can’t come to our clinic, we can help you find a clinic that’s more convenient for you. One thing that’s important to remember is that the doctor will need to see the sores in order to help you figure out what’s going on, so make sure that you go to a clinic while the sores are present.

So although we can’t diagnose anyone over the internet, we can offer some information that may be useful to you. Read the rest of this entry »

What’s up, everyone? We just got some new condoms over here, of the “moulant” a.k.a “true fit” variety.  We were pretty excited about this shipment because we often wish that condoms were made in more shapes and sizes… so we had a little photo shoot to introduce our new friends in the bright green packaging!

Testin' them out on some woodies!

“Moulant” translates more literally into “skin-tight”, so these condoms are basically narrower in the shaft area, taper in slightly, and then are roomier in the head/tip area. Lengthwise, they are the same as the “Regular” condoms we have here at H&H. Condom fit is super important for comfort, pleasure and safety, and Scarleteen agrees that the roomier fit around the head of the penis can increase pleasure and stimulation.

More pics if you click! Read the rest of this entry »