Slate’s Advice Column Tackles 3 Reader Dilemmas, Including Long COVID and Post-Breakup Sex Toys
Updated
Updated · Slate · Jun 17
Slate’s Advice Column Tackles 3 Reader Dilemmas, Including Long COVID and Post-Breakup Sex Toys
2 articles · Updated · Slate · Jun 17
Summary
Slate’s “How to Do It” published answers to three reader questions: how to respond when others are surprised by a same-sex relationship, what to do with an ex-partner’s intimate belongings, and whether devices can address long-COVID-related penile shrinkage.
On the relationship question, the column advised low-drama replies such as “Well, now you know” or “Yeah, I get that a lot,” framing others’ reactions as ignorance rather than something worth escalating.
For the breakup dilemma, it urged the reader to contact his ex and offer to return her lingerie and sex toys by mail, saying throwing out someone else’s property would be wrong.
On long COVID, urologist Charles Welliver said RestoreX has the strongest data for restoring length—about 1.5 cm on average—while standard vacuum devices are a reasonable option but have limited evidence for straight stretching.
The column also noted RestoreX costs $525, may be FSA/HSA eligible with a prescription, and said over-the-counter pumps such as Bathmate do not appear clearly better than other vacuum erection devices.