New Series: Would Love Your Help!

connect & conquerI'd like to start a new series at Scarleteen to address some unique first-person experiences while also looking at generational differences and similarities, divides and bridges. All too often, people with shared experiences but of different ages talk past or over each other; have a hard time connecting and seeing where they connect, where they don't and landing in a place where we can all respect each other's experiences, no matter how different we may be.

Ideally, how I'd like this to go is to get two people of different generations -- one under 25, one over 40 -- for each of the following themes/experiences in the list below. Rather than myself or other staff asking the questions or leading the topic, I'd like each of those two people to write out five questions for the other, then each answer the questions they were asked, adding more if needed during that back-and-forth conversation, and we'll edit it all together into something polished and cohesive.

What's the point? First to get some more first-person experience content for the topics below. But it's also to provide conversation between generations on these experiences and really look at what's different and what's the same, the ways either person might not understand the other's experience, and to build some generational bridges. I think the self-interview format will allow those participating to focus on what they want to know, rather than what I might want to as an editor, and will allow people with these experiences to decide what their big deals have been rather than anyone possibly outside those experiences deciding for them.

Here's the list!

  • Two people who have been/are teen mothers: have young person, need over 40
  • Two people who have what they consider to be casual sex: have young person, need over 40
  • Two people who were sexually active in high school: have young person, need over 40
  • Two trans women
  • Two trans men: have young person, need over 40
  • Two genderqueer or agender people: have young person, need over 40
  • Two rape survivors: have young person, need over 40
  • Two lesbians: have young person, need over 40
  • Two gay men: have young person, need over 40
  • Two people who identify as bisexual or queer: have young person, need over 40
  • Two domestic violence/partner violence survivors: have young person, need over 40
  • Two intersex people
  • Two people who are involved in BDSMhave young person, need over 40
  • Two involuntary celibates
  • Two HIV positive people
  • Two people who had sex education in school: team in progress!
  • Two people who identify as asexual: have young person, need over 40
  • Two people who grew up with gay/lesbian/queer parents/families: have young person, need over 40
  • Two people who were sexually active as teens whose parents reacted very badly
  • Two people who are/were married before the age of 20
  • Two people who had abortions
  • Two people who were kicked out of their homes in their teens
  • Two people who did not have sexual relationships until marriage
  • Two people who had/have trouble reaching orgasm: have young person, need over 40
  • Two survivors of childhood sexual abuse: read it here!
  • Two people with disabilities that impact/influence their sexuality: have young person, need over 40
  • Two people who went through a sexual orientation shift/change: read it here!
  • Two people who were sexually harassed/bullied in high school: have young person, need over 40

By all means, if there's a pairing here you think I've overlooked, or you know you want to be part of but isn't on the list, let me know!

Interested in participating? Drop an email, letting us know which set you're interested in being part of. I'll keep tabs, connect people via email when we have some pairs, and give you some guidance with formatting. If you only want to be identified by a specific name to the other person/readers per your privacy, please let us know.

Teams we now have for a topic are those marked. Topics where we have someone of one age but not the other waiting for a match are also noted.

Comments

hey, you're considering asexuals and people who choose celibacy until marriage, but not involuntary celibates (forty year old virgin). I'm not forty yet, but I think this is a largely overlooked phenomenon. Knowing that I already felt pressured to have sex in high school, although it never worked out, I wonder if this may not also be an interesting pairing.

You got it! I added yours and also a couple more people have asked for. Can you toss us an email so that we have you on file if we hear from a younger-person match on this? Thanks!

Editor & Founder, Scarleteen: Sex Ed for the Real World
Author, S.E.X.: The All-You-Need-to-Know Progressive Sexuality Guide to Get You Through High School and Col