Politics
Judicial What? The Trials, Tribulations and Basis of the Judicial Bypass Process
In every state where consent or notification is required for a minor to get an abortion, there's also a judicial bypass option. Here's the history and mechanics of judicial bypass laws.
Sexuality: WTF Is It, Anyway?
The term "sexuality" can be used a lot like the word "sex." They're both terms we say and hear a lot, but which often aren't clearly defined. We take for granted everyone knows what sexuality means, a heck of an assumption to make with something that covers so many important things and can feel as murky as Lake Erie. So: what's it all about?
Driver's Ed for the Sexual Superhighway: Navigating Consent
As it is on the road, being attentive to and giving clear signs and signals is a big deal between the sheets. If consenting feels complicated or confusing, here's a guide to clear it up.
What's Sex?
It's obviously important if you're here for information that you know what we mean when we talk about sex, so we thought we'd make it clear.
Dating and Gender Roles when One Partner is Trans
What do you do in dating when one person is trans and one is cisgender?
Undoing Sexual Shame
Feeling ashamed about sex or sexuality? Here are some steps to help you get started on turning that around so you can learn to love, not revile, your sexual self.
What’s In A No?
What's so scary about asking when someone else may say no? Rejection. Read on to dial down the fear factor and learn to accept no like a pro.
Navigating Sexuality as a Fat Teen
Some thoughts and tips on navigating sexuality as a fat teen, and dealing with sizeism and fatphobia.
Shame & Stigma: How It Makes Young Moms and Dads Feel
As a young parent, being shamed for the decisions you have made and being stigmatized for your identity makes navigating through the world -- and pregnancy and parenting -- much more difficult.
Don't Want to Have Sex?
Then don't! Here's a feast of support and help for those who want to say no, not now, or not-like-this to sex or sexual relationships.
Be Your Own Superhero: Learning How and When to Stand Up for Ourselves
Feel like being able to clearly set boundaries, stick to them, and assert yourself must require superpowers? Nope! You've already got all the goods: here's how to develop and use them!
Casual...Cool? Making Choices About Casual Sex
What is it? Why would -- or wouldn't -- you want it? What makes it more likely to be a blast or a bummer?
Intimacy: The Whys, Hows, How-Nots, and So-Nots
Healthy intimacy is about intentionally sharing private or vulnerable parts of our hearts, minds, bodies or lives with each other. Why would we do that, how can we do that, and what is and isn't healthy with intimacy?
The Sex Goddess Blues: Building Sexual Confidence, Busting Perfectionism
Many women and girls feel insecure about sex, especially when it's new. How can we build some sexual confidence?
Wild and Untamed Things: Why a Cult Classic Still Resonates After All These Years
Scarleteen volunteer Sam reflects on the significance of The Rocky Horror Picture Show and how it relates to sexuality, identity, and her middle school experience.
You're Not Pregnant. Why Do You Think You Are?
Some people struggle with strong pregnancy fears when there isn't a pregnancy or hasn't even been any real risk of pregnancy. What's that really about, and how can you move forward?
Five Things I Learned Dating a Girl
Dating this wonderful person pushed me to think about some things in new and challenging ways. Here are some of my favorite lessons that I learned when I dated a woman.
Figuring Out How to be a Lesbian Safer Sexpert
When I started having sex with girls, there was no one cheering, especially not encouraging me to have safer sex. But over the last few years, I’ve finally begun to feel confident with safer sex, and it’s improved my sex life a million percent. I wish I’d gotten comfortable with it sooner.
The Rainbow Connection: Orientation for Everyone
Everyone has a sexual orientation and a sexual identity. Here are some basics and not-so-basics about what orientation is, some of the ways we can talk about it, how to figure yours out, and finding support.
Risky Business: Learning to Consider Risk and Make Sound Sexual Choices
Choices about sex and intimacy will always involve some risks, and making sound choices when risks, emotions and social high stakes are involved isn't something anyone is magically expert at. How can we learn to do it well, and what are some common things that trip us up?
This is About Genital Herpes
I realized that I was uncomfortable associating myself with genital herpes. Will people think I have it? Why else would someone write about genital herpes and risk that association if they didn’t have it, right? So I pressed on, putting myself at the center of an itty-bitty social experiment that resulted in some pretty big stuff.
Sp[ace] Exploration: What Sexual People Can Learn from Asexual Communities
Asexuality saved my sex life. No, seriously -- I mean that. I will declare it from the middle of a courtroom, with one hand on Our Bodies, Ourselves. Asexuality, as much as sex-positive feminism and far more than any amount of "hon, you just need to get laid already," helped me to access a confident, positive, and excited relationship with my sexual self.
Legit or Unfit? Finding Safe, Sound Sex Educators & Support Online
How can you separate the wheat from the chaff when it comes to sex educators, sex education services and online sexuality spaces for young people online? We walk you through it so you can be more sure that wherever you're talking, you're getting good information in a space that's safe for you.
Disability Dharma: What Including & Learning From Disability Can Teach (Everyone) About Sex
Being inclusive of disabled people in sex education and sexuality as a whole benefits those of us who are disabled and is something we strongly need. But it also can benefit everybody, in ways you might not expect.
Q is for Questioning
What's it mean to be questioning, why would you or someone else identify that way, how do you deal in the process and how might you answer the question?