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Normalized: Speaking Up About Erectile Dysfunction

By Gabriela Glueck,
Anita Rao
Published January 12, 2024 at 5:30 AM EST
An illustration of an over-the-shoulder view of a masculine person looking at their phone. We see their short dark brown hair, right ear, the right shoulder of their blue sweatshirt and the right leg of their black pants. On their phone we see a web page open to Reddit and the r/erectile dysfunction thread. On a bedside table next to them is a blue and white pill bottle with diamond-shaped blue pills scattered next to it. Black text against a yellow background reads “Normalized” across the top right.
Charnel Hunter

Erectile dysfunction affects as many as 30 million people in the U.S. — yet the fears of not being “normal” prevent folks from speaking up about it. Anita meets a man who was silent about his ED for 10 years before getting surgery and opening up to partners…and talks with a sex therapist who challenges the word “dysfunction.” Plus, a 72-year-old describes how he’s redefined intimacy in his 30 years of experiencing ED.

Meet the guests:

  • Ven Virah, a public speaker and global healthcare staffing professional, talks about experiencing erectile dysfunction for 10 years before seeking help
  • Dr. Reece Malone, a sexologist, sexuality educator and sex therapist, discusses how ED can be a gateway to discussing other relationship, mental or physical problems
  • George Marx, a retiree in his 70s who started experiencing ED in his 40s, talks about how he's developed intimate relationships without penetration

Dig Deeper:

Reflections on ED from George's blog

An interview with author Will N. Richards, and his book "Mother" that features a character with erectile dysfunction

Steve Jones’s new book of poetry, Words Woke Me: My Prostate Cancer Journey in Poetry.

The blog, A Touchy Subject, which Steve credits for preserving his sanity during his ED experience

The documentary Hard: The Fight to Solve Erectile Dysfunction, which features personal ED stories and info about inflatable penile prosthesis

Shannon's Facebook group

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Gabriela Glueck
Gabriela Glueck is a producer for Embodied, a weekly radio show and podcast about sex, health and relationships.
See stories by Gabriela Glueck
Anita Rao
Anita Rao is an award-winning journalist, host, creator, and executive editor of "Embodied," a weekly radio show and podcast about sex, relationships & health.
See stories by Anita Rao