One of life’s most significant relationships is often overlooked: your relationship with yourself. “Somebody’s relationship with themselves is incredibly nuanced,” says Lucy (she/her), 14, of Portland, OR. “I’ve always found it hard to…
Read Story »
>
I just wrapped up my first year of college and transitioning was challenging at first. My classes were difficult, I missed the comfort of home and I felt pressure that I needed to know what I wanted to do with […]
Read Story »
>
A big part of being a teenager is kicking back with some snacks and binge-watching movies and TV for hours on end. Sources of entertainment can be extremely influential in shaping our attitudes and actions. Unfortunately, movies and TV don’t […]
Read Story »
>
I first discovered Ella Fields in 2019 after her short film Bubble Gum landed on my YouTube recommended page. Over the course of nine minutes, I watched two young girls fall in love as they frolic on a beach, scream […]
Read Story »
>
My boyfriend is diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. After two years of dating, I still sometimes struggle to find ways to help him with his fears related to our relationship, about unintended pregnancy, me leaving him or that I’m mad […]
Read Story »
>
Romantic relationships are often a big part of being a teen. It can feel thrilling to get involved with someone this way but also a little daunting at first. You might have questions like, “How do I know I can […]
Read Story »
>
I’ve never jumped into relationships. I’ve always taken time to get to know people to see if I had a genuine connection with them. I never wanted to feel like I was settling or rushing into something. When I started […]
Read Story »
>
One day in the fifth grade, the boys and girls were separated. The girls were led to a classroom with a doctor who gave us our first sex ed lecture. I raced home to my mom, full of questions about […]
Read Story »
>
I received a pretty good sex education in high school, and I thought I had the lessons down pat. Make sure to obtain consent? Check! Use condoms for safer sex? Check! It wasn’t until I encountered situations with a pressuring […]
Read Story »
>
Being curious about sex is natural, but some parents and caregivers, regardless of race or culture, avoid discussing sex with their kids. As a Black teen girl, I feel fortunate to have a mom that I’m comfortable talking to about […]
Read Story »
>
(Photo credit: “Body Positive (front)” by Kit Stubbs is licensed under CC BY 2.0) Body image is a person’s view or perception of their bodies and the thoughts and feelings that perception provokes. These feelings can be positive or…
Read Story »
>
After a series of high-profile sexual assault allegations in 2017, the #MeToo movement rose up to draw attention to how common sexual assault is. One out of every six women has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape, […]
Read Story »
>
I remember being 10 years old and arguing with my best friend at the time that babies come out of the anus and not the vagina. I was so confident in my logic. After all, how could babies possibly fit […]
Read Story »
>
The idea of coming home from school and talking to my mom about how a girl I was flirting with asked me out is a completely alien concept to me. To this day I’ve never addressed anything about my sexual […]
Read Story »
>
When I was in fifth grade, my mom would drive my little sister to gymnastics class, and for the next hour, we would sit in her parked car as we read the book Sex, Puberty, and All That Stuff. At […]
Read Story »
>
Everyone has a different introduction to dating. I remember people “dating” in fifth grade with hand-holding and parent-supervised dates galore. I also know others that only started to think about dating after they entered high school or college,…
Read Story »
>
Nadya Okamoto is a 20-year-old junior at Harvard University. She is the Founder and Executive Director of PERIOD (period.org), one of the fastest growing, youth-run women’s health nonprofit organizations in the United States. Since she co-founded…
Read Story »
>
Sex, Etc. has provided teens honest and inclusive sexual health information since it started in 1994. Our readers represent all sorts of backgrounds and identities, and for some, it might be the only place they can see themselves reflected and […]
Read Story »
>
Hallie, 19, of Washington, D.C., felt like a late bloomer when she got her first period later than most of her friends. “It was weird to have friends that were experiencing all these things that I had yet to experience […]
Read Story »
>
Intimacy. What does it really mean? Generally, intimacy refers to when people can be themselves around each other and share their thoughts, feelings and emotions without fear of being judged. It doesn’t have to be sexual. You can have an […]
Read Story »
>
I can name six things that are definitely as scary as Pennywise, the iconic clown from the book-turned-blockbuster-movie It. However, having a conversation about sex with a partner doesn’t have to be one of them! The fear that can accompany […]
Read Story »
>
Whether it’s participating in or observing public displays of affection (PDA), everyone has a different boundary—a different sense of what is or isn’t OK when it comes to publicly expressing affection for a partner. PDA is precisely what it sounds…
Read Story »
>
Friends with benefits come in many different forms. It can be hooking up with an ex or taking a relationship that was never sexual and changing boundaries to allow for sex in certain circumstances. My experience seeing my friends in […]
Read Story »
>
Many teens’ first relationships are quite the learning experience. Being in a sexual or romantic relationship may be the first time you really consider your boundaries with another person. Just like consent is important for any sexual situation,…
Read Story »
>
