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Hard talk: getting real about erectile dysfunction

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.
Charnel Hunter

Between the ages of 40 and 70, more than half of all people with penises will deal with some form of erectile dysfunction. While that experience can elicit a deep sense of shame, it can also prompt a period of reflection on identity, masculinity and intimacy.

In his book Impotence: A Cultural History,” scholar Angus McLaren put it best: “Western culture has simultaneously regarded impotence as life’s greatest tragedy and life’s greatest joke.”

For folks who experience erectile dysfunction, it is the deep sense of shame and stigma associated with the condition that leaves many isolated in their pain. That was the case for public speaker and global healthcare staffing professional Ven Virah. Host Anita Rao talks with Ven about his ED experience and the ten years he spent suffering in silence before seeking help.

Anita also checks in with sex therapist, sexologist, and sexuality educator Dr. Reece Malone about how he works with clients experiencing ED to help them unravel the stories they’ve told themselves about what the condition means about them and for them.

Also joining the conversation is George Marx, a blogger and social activist, who gets open and intimate about what having ED feels like and how he’s worked to redefine sexual intimacy without penetration.

Special thanks to Will N. Richards, Shannon Munford, and Steve Jones for their contributions to this show!

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