Wednesday, February 7, 2007
Mapping Sexual Health Care in Our Communities
filed under: Smart. Safe. Sex. by Melissa Gira
Here’s an experiment for all you social media sex nerds. I just now started this collaborative safer sex Google map using Wayfaring (seriously, it took me 10 minutes and a few sips of raspberry mocha to get it going).
My vision is that Sexerati readers will dive in and and create Waypoints for the places where they’ve recieved good sexual health care — where to get a rapid HIV test, a Hepatitis vaccine, a Pap smear, Plan B, free condoms and lube, peer counseling, or (and hopefully, and) support.
To make the most of the map, note in the comments for each location you contribute the website and phone number of the clinic or community center and a brief rundown of the services they provide. We can experiment with adding services to the tags, as well, though that can get pretty crazy pretty fast, with all the great, comprehensive sexual health care services out there.
My hope is that we’ll fill this thing up so well that we’ll outgrow it and have to make our own custom Google mashup (sex-positive API smartys? you’ve been warned).
Comments
Leave a Comment
If you would like to make a comment, please fill out the form below.
At first glance, it wasn’t obvious to me how you add locations to the map. Is this something one is supposed to be able to do without an account, or must you sign up for Wayfaring and “Edit Map” - or is “Edit Map” intended for the maintainer (you)?
I could spend a minute or two figuring it out, but I fear that if it’s not immediately obvious to new visitors, and if it requires signing up for Wayfaring (which many people won’t be familiar with), it’s not likely to succeed without some concerted organization to get people to add locations.
I suppose if one could edit a Google map at the command line, yeah, it’d be more self-explanatory to some readers.
To clarify: you do have to sign up for an account, and anyone can — and should — edit.
Thanks for this!
[…] of my favorite sex columnists, or “Pink Ghetto” writers, Melissa Gira. She created a collaborative Safer Sex map using Google maps and Wayfarer. It relies on user input to find local clinics and community centers […]
The CWHC is a great community health resource in chicago. They do extensive outreach to the GLBT and sex worker communities as well as lower income women.
A run-down of services from their site:
* Sliding scale fees and flexible payment plans
* All woman staff
* Longer appointments which allow time to focus on health education
* Emphasis on preventive/self care including breast and cervical self-exam
* Education about and referrals for alternative health care
* Street-level accessible exam room for women with physical disabilities
* Feminist therapy services
* Affordable emergency contraceptions
* Cervical cap fitting