Dr T

Tlaleng Mofokeng

Description

‘Dr T’s voice – contemporary and thoroughly African – is vital in a country where too many women are taught to be ashamed of their bodies and their sexual desires, and too many men believe they should shame women.’ – SISONKE MSIMANG

The indomitable Dr Tlaleng Mofokeng – affectionately known as Dr T – is passionate about making sexual health and well-being services available to all, regardless of their sexual and gender identities and their economic status.

This updated edition of her bestselling book is filled with the specifics of sexual anatomy and health as well as advice and facts about pleasure and sexual rights, and includes additional resources along with new sections on coercive control as well as sex and pleasure during the time of COVID.

Dr T, with her typically honest and warm approach, makes the reader feel comfortable reading about topics that are not always discussed freely, providing ALL the information that demystifies sex and sexuality in a way that is entertaining and enlightening.

Sujets

• Health Care Issues
• Women's health
• Sexuality
• Health
• Fitness

Informations

• Publié par: Pan Macmillan South Africa
• Date de parution: 18 janvier 2021
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781770107717
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 2 Mo

Extrait

Praise for Dr T
‘Dr T brought a revolution to South Africa from our bookshelves to our twitter feeds when she released Dr T: A Guide to Sexual Health and Pleasure .’ – The Witness
‘An absolute pleasure of a read.’ – Upper Highway Mail
‘The book is appealing in that it’s comprehensive, not overly academic and sex positive. The magic is contained in its warm, motherly, vulnerable and non-judgmental delivery.’ – Sunday Sun
‘The hyper-medicalisation of sexual health, and the stigmatisation of sexual pleasure, has left people disempowered, fearful, and ashamed – harming their safety and their happiness. We need a way out of this prison of the mind, and Dr T has provided it in this book. Her groundbreaking guide has helped countless readers overcome harmful taboos, gain insights and confidence to look out for themselves and others, and learn again to love their bodies – and themselves. Get this book as a gift to yourself – you deserve it.’ – Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director, UNAIDS

Me,
You,
Us.
Our lives
Our herstory
Our sexualities
Our experiences
You and I
Us.
We are!
The Indomitable.

Dr T
A Guide to Sexual Health and Pleasure
Updated edition with new content
Dr Tlaleng Mofokeng (MBChB)
MACMILLAN

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the medical information and advice contained in this book, but the onus is on the reader to consult with a medical professional to verify and clarify anything that they are not sure of. Remember that Google is not a doctor!
First published in 2019
This edition published in 2021 by Pan Macmillan South Africa
Private Bag X19,
Northlands
Johannesburg
2116
www.panmacmillan.co.za
ISBN 978-1-77010-770-0
eISBN 978-1-77010-771-7
© Tlaleng Mofokeng 2019, 2021
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of both the copyright owners and the publisher of this edition of the book.
Editing by Jane Bowman
Proofreading by Claire Heckrath and Sally Hines
Design and typesetting by Triple M Design
Illustrations sourced from iStock
Cover design by publicide
Author photographs by Zuzi Seoka
Make-up by Nikki Pitso
Hair by Unathi Ntakana

Dear readers
There are no words to describe the deep gratitude that I hold for all of you. Dr T: A Guide to Sexual Health and Pleasure has been a success from day one. I have lost count of the number of reprints that have been printed owing to your unwavering love and belief in the Pleasure Revolution. This book has been gifted and celebrated in so many countries around the world, way more than I could have hoped for. I have loved seeing your photos and artistic posts on social media as well as receiving updates on how your lives have changed and been enhanced by reading my book. I wish you joy and affirming experiences as you enjoy these updates. Ke a leboha.
Thank you especially to Letlhogonolo Mokgoroane of The Cheeky Natives, for your generosity and for trusting Dr T: A Guide to Sexual Health and Pleasure as the first book to be officially sold by The Cheeky Merchant. Thank you to all stockists, bookstores and supporters of my work. Your support is invaluable.
Yours in revolutionary pleasure
Dr T
December 2020


Contents
What Dr T is up to now
Introduction
About this book
Note for readers
Section 1 : Sexual Health
Physiology
Vagina, vagina, vagina!
Let me tell you about the C.L.I.T.O.R.I.S.
Keep it tidy
Don’t panic! It might just be an ingrown hair!
Intersex
Penis, penis, penis!
Circumcision
The hormonal orchestra: Puberty
Menstrual Health
My first period
What is the menstrual cup?
Toxic shock syndrome
PMS
Pain management
A quick anatomy lesson
Termination of pregnancy
Medical Conditions
Sexual dysfunction
Painful sex
Air trapping
Sex and allergy to latex
Sex and back injury or spinal disease
Sex and contraceptives
Sex and endometriosis
Sex and fibroids
Sex and hypertension
Sex and menopause
Sex and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
Sex and sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
Sex and urinary tract infections (UTIs)
Sex and diabetes
Sex and cancer
Sex and cervical cancer
Sex and hormones
Abstinence
Bereavement
Pregnancy
Section 2 : Sexual Pleasure
Why the interest in sex, Dr T?
Sexual consent
The Big O
Sexual fantasy
Communication during sex
#TeamLayATowel
Anal play
Girl on girl
Section 3 : Sexual Rights
Advocating for sexual rights
More than the birds and the bees
Sex work is work
LGBTQIA+
Coercive control
Epilogue: Sex and pleasure during the time of COVID
A glossary with a difference
Health and wellness checklist
Acknowledgements
Selected references
Social and medical resources


What Dr T is up to now
In February 2020, I led a delegation to the UN headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, from the South African Commission for Gender Equality (CGE), in my capacity as Commissioner, to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). We had been invited to deposit a country report, as well as oral submissions to the Pre-session Working Group of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) on the specific progress made by South Africa.
Because the CGE is a national human rights institution with a mandate to promote, protect, develop and advance gender equality, it utilises international human rights instruments, regional instruments and national human rights standards to hold itself, and in this case the country, accountable.
Although I had been to the OHCHR before, this was the first time I was going as a Commissioner and not as an independent activist doing civil society work. And this time I was accompanied by two colleagues from the CGE. The UN space can be intimidating and aside from its size, it is possible to go from complete silence in the open spaces while sessions are in progress, to a chorus of people speaking in so many different languages, clad in various cultural dress. And of course it’s important to maintain the typical ‘diplomat’ decorum despite feeling overwhelmed at times.
On previous visits, I’d often sat at the coffee shop overlooking the awe-inspiring Lake Geneva. There it is possible to meet, in a less formal manner, diplomats, mission staff and secretariat and, on all my other visits to the OHCHR, it was a popular space for my comrades and I to meet for a catch-up and strategy sessions.
It was in this same spot while overlooking the lake, that I had noticed an online UN notification that the applications for independent experts was open. I went through the list and, further down, the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the ‘right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health’ was listed. Reading the mandate overview moved me and, by the time I finished reading it, I knew that on my way home, I would be summoning the ancestors to send me a signal. It felt every bit like it was the right time and I needed the universe to make way for it so I decided to apply and the rest is history. Well, first it took me three days to complete the application form and then send it through and then a few weeks of nervous waiting and then I received the news that I was shortlisted and that I would be one of the candidates to be interviewed. At the time, South Africa was deep in the coronavirus lockdown and it was starting to take its toll on my mind and spirit.
I recall letting go of any expectations immediately after the interview was over. I felt I had done the best I could and, on a personal note, it was one of the best experiences of an interview I had had in recent years. I had started to forget the whole process had even happened though, when the public notification was posted on the UN website and I emerged as one of two finalists and the preferred candidate to be appointed. The day of the announcement drew closer and as the moment approached, I called my mom, Ausi Aggie. When I called she told me she was putting her last load of washing on the washing line and I quickly reminded her to click on the UN Web TV link I had sent her on WhatsApp so she could follow the proceedings live. I had no idea if they would read out the candidates’ names or what to expect and I was a bit more anxious than I thought I would be. Ausi Aggie reminded me that nerves are good as it meant that I cared. As I heard the chair of the session resume with the agenda, the names were projected on the screen and my name was there, as the special procedures mandate holder to be confirmed and appointed. At its 44th session in July 2020, the United Nations Human Rights Council appointed me, Tlaleng Mofokeng, ngwana Qwa-Qwa, as Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health. To share that moment with Ausi Aggie, the person who literally made me, was incredibly special.
The UN Human Rights Council appoints Special Rapporteurs for a three-year renewable term for a specific issue, country or human rights theme, with these independent experts holding that official mandate to monitor violations and promote related rights. ‘Facilitating accountability for human rights realisation, Special Rapporteurs support rights advancement through country missions, government communications, public statements, and Counci