By Megara Bell, Partners in Sex Education
The best workshop that I went to at CFLE’s National Sex Ed Conferencewas one that I didn’t even intend to go to. A workshop that I couldn’t have predicted would be as interesting or as relevant as it was.
I passed Matthew Morales on my way to another workshop and he seemed so enthusiastic that I made a last minute change of plans. His workshop, “The Testicular Whisperer,” on testicular cancer self-exam, was riveting. We learned all about the complicated and fascinating anatomy of testicles. Testicles are spoken of symbolically, and humorously, with reverence and scorn, but rarely explained as an anatomical and reproductive miracle. While we talk to women about breast cancer, breast health, breast self-exam, while we devote much needed attention to the important topic of breast cancer, we never give testicular health its due. But testicular cancer is easy to check for, and has the highest survivability, provided it is caught in time, and is the only cancer that affects primarily young men. Testicle cancer is the #1 cancer killer for men in their 20s and 30s, and is so easy to detect. Since the majority of my students are young men, why wouldn’t I be teaching testicular care?
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| “Snow Balls” illustration by Demetri Martin on WhoSay |
How to choose a workshop? Forget the title, maybe even the subject. Choose the workshop with the best and most passionate presenter and you will never go wrong. Thank you, Testicular Whisperer, for enthusiastically advocating for men’s health and shining a light into the drawers of young men everywhere.
Learn more testicular cancer facts at http://www.tc-cancer.com/facts.html and here Tom Green (comedian, testicular cancer survivor) sing “Feel Your Balls” here.
I too attended this workshop, and it was AWESOME! It’s too bad that more people didn’t benefit from this important discussion.
Cheers to learning about testicles!