Scarleteen Testimonials

Curious about why our readers and supporters love Scarleteen so much? Check out some testimonials. "Someone had told me Scarleteen was the best place on the internet for sexual health info, and I see now that they were completely right. It's the scariest feeling in the world to not know what's going on with your own body, and even worse to feel like you have no one you can talk to about it. I am thanking Jeebus, the Easter Bunny and Hare Krishna that people like you exist." - Brigitte

I am an RN working in an STD clinic in the Bible Belt of West Texas. I am so impressed with your site and I recommend it on a regular basis to many of my patients. Comprehensive sex-ed is extremely hard to come by here. Oftentimes my visits with my patients are the only sex-ed they have ever received. I love my job, and I plan to continue in the field of reproductive/sexual health, but it is very difficult in a region that prefers to stick their heads in the sand and claim to the grave that abstinence-only is the best education their children can receive. So, thank you. Thank you for having the courage, spunk and know-how to ask the hard questions and provide the right answers. AND all within a framework that is fun, fresh and relevant. I tip my hat to you....keep fighting the good fight. - Lindsay

"Thank you very much for your answer to my question. It has made me feel much better about everything and I feel positive about being able to sort things out. I think the website is fantastic - it shows how lovely people can be to each other and how life should be enjoyed. It is so valuable to have such level headed, intuitive and knowledgable people to give advice. I hope that word spreads are more people can learn and draw inspiration from the articles." - Min

"This website is probably the best resource of its kind. I only recently came across the site and since I'm at the end of my teen years, I just wish I had found it when I was younger. This straight-up information has guided me in many different situations and has been there for me in times when I had questions. This type of sexual health information has been absent from school sex education and even from other internet sources where it should be readily available. I am so lucky, as are all readers of Scarleteen, that this website exists and can provide facts to those who need them." - Robin

"As a teenage girl living in the UK I don't have that much access to good sex education (apart from the sterile talks we had in school). I just wanted to say that I think that your website is great because not only does it concentrate on the practical side of sex, but also the emotional side without making me feel like I'm being lectured. I think that sex education for teenagers all over the world should be more like this!

Since discovering Scarleteen I feel so much more in control and less passive about my sexuality. Scarleteen has empowered me to communicate more with my boyfriend about issues I felt too embarrassed to talk about previously and that I thought I had no right too because, hey, everything with him was fine! I've realised now (through being educated from certain scarleteen articles) that what I thought previously was the right decision for me maybe wasn't, but I don't feel bad about that, I actually feel happy and positive about my future sexual relationships because I now know more than what people today are brainwashed into thinking about sex! So once again, thank you for creating such an excellent website." - Rachael

"I'm a mom. Thanks so much for this site. You guys have made it so easy to talk to my daughter about "all this." Not that I'm uncomfortable, but she is. Thanks thanks thanks thanks THANKS! Oh, and thanks." - Gina

"I have gone through my entire teenage years thinking I got the short end of the stick when it came to lady parts. I seriously thought I had been born a guy or something simply because I didn't think "it" looked normal. However, I finally decided to figure it out, and I have never been more grateful than I was when I found and perused your website. I really just want to express how much your website not only helped, but really touched me. I think it is great that you all took the time to create such a place for myself and all the others like me. Especially when we live in a world that wants to hush it up and label such helpful outlets as "inappropriate" or "obscene." Screw the right-wing fanatics, you guys are heros!" - Ani

"I felt really stupid since I never had partnered sex yet (and I'm at the age where I feel that it's long overdue) and this site just makes me feel so much better. I didn't think a site about sex would make me feel good about not having sex... I've recommending the site to a couple of friends who feel similarily awkward about the intercourse they have or haven't had. I really like the sections about how masturbation isn't the worst thing in the universe and how intercourse for women isn't always so hot... Again, it all just makes me feel better about what I like to do and what I don't want to. Thank you so much. " - Ash

"I just wanted to say thank you for this amazing site. I'm a 18 year old female who lives in Chile (South America, that long thin pizza crust on the left side), a country that has little to no effective sexual health and responsibility policies: the morning after pill has just been banned, abortion is illegal (although 100,000 reported cases of abortions happen each year, with serious consequences like infertility and/or death), and frankly people just don't talk openly and frankly about sex. I've learned a lot in your site, and you guys have made it possible for me to make informed decisions about my life and sexuality. I just wanted to let youknow that you're not just helping people in the US, but all over the world: you are, in some unfortunate cases as mine, the only source of unbiased upfront honest and reliable source of information for hundreds of girls that don't have anyone to turn to. For that, you have my most sincere gratitude." - Sofia

"Going to the doctors today reminded me how much I appreciate all the work that you guys do here. My doctor reminded me that if I change partners, I'm going to need STI tests more frequent than the yearly pelvic exam, and I happily chirped "I know!" It feels so empowering to know that I know how to take care of my sexual health! Now that I'm 18, I'm starting to realize that I need to take charge of my health and my sexuality, and Scarleteen has helped me do so safely and with confidence! It's so inspiring to see you all help teens like me, and even change lives with all the advice that you give here on the boards and on the main site. Thank you everyone, for everything that you do here!"- BunBun

"Thank you so much to the team behind this site! I am 17 and have been with my boyfriend for over a year now. He was my first and we have been sexually active for about 6 months. This is the first website I have come across that doesn't talk down to teenagers and accepts the fact that there is a myriad of sexually active teenagers out there who are in healthy relationships and have every right to be enjoying sex. I have found the information presented here so useful. Thanks again!" - Hannah

"I just wanted to say how impressed I am by this site. I am a 45 year old mom of 2; 14 and 11. I am also an RN and taught Childbirth Ed classes, worked in Labor and Delivery and Women's Health and currently I teach a class aimed at peri-menopausal women and sexuality. I strive to provide accurate information and to debunk the many myths that surround a women's sexuality and sexual health after about age 40-50.

In my years as a childbirth ed teacher and also a Labor and Delivery nurse, I had many occasions to work with teens and young adults. Of course teen pregnancy is not a light topic and having worked intimately with these young women has often broken my heart and raised my ire. Our society does so much harm by sexualizing teens in the media at every turn and then refusing to take a realistic and proactive approach in real life. Pushing teen sexuality under a rug, denying easy access to birth control and tools for safe sex, refusing to permit discussions about masturbation and non-penetrative safer sex alternatives is such an injustice to this amazing, yet impulsive and short sighted population. Sites like yours are so important.

My daughter who is 14 and just finished her vaccination series for HPV is definitely going to have access to this site. While she is a bit of a late bloomer as far as girl/boy relationships are concerned, I am wise enough and have a good enough memory to know that your feeling of being ready can pretty much change over night. It just takes that first relationship, one which I hope will be with someone who is as special as she is, to change her mind. Anyway, thank you for what you do on this site and as an RN with a fair amount of additional education on sexuality, reproduction, pregnancy, and STD's, I can say that the information you have on here seems to be very valid and accurate." - Laurel

"I'm an 18 year old Male from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. I first came to this site feeling a bit uptight about my self-image down below. I posed a question on these boards about it and low and behold I received a reply a couple of hours later.

Later on in the year I developed a severe clinical depression. I felt like I needed someplace else to rant and some advice from people who have gone through something similar to me, other than my only friend so I once again turned to these boards for help. The magnificant volunteers here gave me advice and made me feel as if i was not the only person going through what I was going through at the time.

This place is unique as it is one of the only places in which advice is always free and willing. You are not judged because of the problems you faced, your gender, race, religion, or sexual orientation. This place offers an alternative for teenagers and young adults alike to ask questions that may be too risky or embarassing to ask our parents or doctors. The volunteers at this site also offer support, and are willing to give advice no matter what the situation. I am very glad I have found this forum as it has made an impact on my life, as well as the lives of many others. Many thanks goes out to Heather Corinna as well as all the other Scarleteen volunteers for their support, and willingness to carry out this sort of peer mediation. Thank You." - Sexualghost

"I am a 16 year old female who has never had any type of sexual education, and multiple times I have had questions to which I could find no answers. This site is amazing because it lets you post your questions anonymously, eliminating any embarrassment. Through Scarleteen I have received quick replies to every question I have asked and this accurate, candid information has helped me to make more informed decisions to protect both my emotional and sexual health. Thanks Scarleteen, for all that you do for teens like me. You guys rock!" - sportchick

"I just wanted to tell you how much I appreciate your website, as a feminist, the daughter of a feminist and as a teenager. It has changed the way I think about sex and sexuality, and I am seriously questioning the gender roles that have been projected on me my whole life. I love biology and along with the book Woman by Natalie Angier I have realised how male-centric most biology and sex-education curriculums are. This culture has told me what is wrong with sexuality, and what is wrong with my body my whole life. It's so empowering to have adults tell me that its good to respect and love my body for what it is and that the diversity of orientation is normal. You're doing an excellent job at what schools and most of our parents have failed at or haven't even attempted. You rock."- Jane

"I have a 16 yr old adolescent that recently entered his first physical relationship with the opposite sex. Of course as a parent I worry about him making the right choices. The truth is that at this age a great majority of kids begin "experimenting" out of curiosity, peer pressure, etc. I have to say THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH for your website. I surfed the web for over an hour before stumbling upon your site and want to tell you that yours has the most realistic answers to offer my teenager to so many questions they often ponder at this stage in their lives. Not only is your advice to teens "sound" and gets down to the heart of the matter, but your wording is at times funny! and this for teens makes the advice not seem so scary to take in, and more welcoming for them to want to satisfy their curiosity to so many questions that evolve when entering what should be a safe and in many ways memorable time of their lives."- Liz

"I love Scarleteen because it is one of the few places that even acknowledges the simple reality that teenagers are capable of being sexually active, and therefore need the education to keep themselves safe. More than that, the Scarleteen attitude is to RESPECT that need, and to empower each person--of any age, gender, or orientation--to be in control of their own personal decisions, fully armed with accurate information.

I know I come to Scarleteen both with helpful knowledge and with misinformation that I've picked up after years of living in a teen culture that spreads false rumors about sex in an attempt to fill in the blanks that so many adults refuse to address. So much of that is dispelled here, not just through sexpert-to-questioner interaction, but peer-to-peer as well. The Scarleteen boards create a healthy, compassionate environment in which peers CAN help, encourage, and educate each other under the supervision of informed, mature adults. Scarleteen encourages everyone who reads/posts in its articles/boards to take responsibility for their OWN sexuality and their OWN safety and education. It is the breeding of that sense of responsibility, that comfortable open dialogue about sex, and that taboo-eliminating sense of community that helps to deliver the info with such effectiveness." - Irmelin

"Kia ora (may health and good life be with you)! Just a quick message to congratulate yourselves for a brilliant site and for the service it provides to our future world leaders. I work for the NZ AIDS Foundation as a health promoter in the HIV prevention area. I have not seen a better, more informative, non-judgmental site to date for our youth. You people are worth your weight in gold... Keep up the good work and thanks for another place I can direct our youth to for valid, robust information."- John Wrathall

"We love your site! It is full of useful information that has really helped us out. We are Head & Hands, a non-profit feminist community organization dedicated to youth empowerment. We operate a sexual health peer education program that runs in the Montreal area. We have used some of the information from your site as part of a manual for this peer education program."- Head & Hands

"I'm 24, from New York. I first came to Scarleteen because I wanted some objective, non-parental feedback on what first-time sexual experiences were like. Opening up to strangers about my relationship problems unnerved me at first, but after I saw that the community here is worldly and varied, I felt relieved. Scarleteen was the first step I took toward getting professional counseling. Heather Corinna and other volunteers here helped me realize that my emotional repression in intimate relationships was not out of place, and something that I couldn't necessarily surmount without educated advice.

Scarleteen has the largely-unappreciated task of providing forthright sexual education without moral imperatives. It allays young people's fears, responds to their interest in their own bodies and mental health, and reassures them that their experiences are worthy of attention."- Kitka

"Scarleteen has really helped me especially as I reside in a very conservative country where sexual activity is offered referred to as taboo and something illegal in many cases. Your message board along with the articles has not only increased my knowledge, it's actually helped me take a more mature stance towards life on a overall basis and even helped me learn from my mistakes.

The fact that you can ask Scarleteen absolutely anything is such a relief to teenagers especially ones who aren't fortunate enough to get the right facts and not what they hear from so and so. However, best of all, you know that when there's no one to turn to and you have a problem regardless of however small or big it might be, whether you guys have the answer or not you ALWAYS help any way you can."- Misty

"I am 19. I love what you are all doing here. This is one of the best things I have ever seen and I am wondering how I can help out. I am an education major at the University of South Carolina. This sit and what it stands for hits home with me. I started having sex when I was 16 and I remember it being a confusing time and it was tough having a bunch of questions with no where to go. Thank you so much for starting this and running it amazingly. You handle everything so honestly and refreshingly young. It is extremely helpful and practical. This is exactly what the entire young adult population of the US needs (and I assume everywhere else but i only really know the US). I love the fact that you very responsibly answer these questions and keep an incredible grasp on the security of your users. The fact that you are trying to make people be ok with themselves, their bodies, and their sexuality is probably the best part. Keep up this amazing idea and website. I eventually want to get into sex ed in my future career." - Patrick

"What a brilliant site! And not in the dry manner at all, but wickedly brilliant! I'm recommending this site to all my friends. Collegestudents tend to know as much about sex as when they were in high school, except now we pretend to know better!"- Smita

"I'm a seventeen-year-old female. When I got my first period, I was terrified - I knew vaguely what it was, but I hadn't expected it to be so messy and gore-y. Panicking, I called my best friend, who directed me to Scarleteen. Since then I've used this site whenever I have a sex-related question.
Although I had sex-ed in school, the general consensus among sex-ed teachers seems to be "Explain the basics and show them some diagrams. Whew, thank god that's done!" As a result, kids know generally how to have sex, but they don't know how to answer questions specific to their situation. I can't think of anyplace else where I could get answers to things I've needed to know over the past four years - Scarleteen has saved me from worrying endlessly that" my body is abnormal."
- Camiro

"I just wanted to say, thanks so much for this site! This site is perfect; it's not some dumb .edu thing telling me I'll get AIDS, but its not some porn site telling my how to get a girl to turn to jelly. Its right in the middle: not boring and not hypersexual, just educational and still fun. Thanks a lot!"- DJ

"I am an Outreach Worker at a Women's Centre in Golden, BC, Canada. I just wanted to say that your website and book are fabulous and I think you are doing amazing work. I will definitely be letting girls and women I talk to know about your awesome resources. I especially love your article "Safer Sex for Your Heart." It is so important to be able to talk about sex in more ways than just protect yourself from STI's and unwanted pregnancy. This will be a great resource for the group I run for teenage girls. Thanks."- Sara Davis

"This site is wonderful. I don't know what I would do without it, honestly. I am 20 years old, and from Winchester, Virginia. When I first came to this site I was experiencing severe depression. I have been diagnosed with Bipolar disorder for several years, and I am a rape survivor.

My main purpose for visiting this site was to find a way for myself to cope with what had happened to me. I could never really talk about being raped to anyone, but keeping it all inside was driving me crazy. . . So, one day at work I had a break down and cried. I got online hoping to find a site of rape survivors telling their stories and maybe I would find away to cope with this. It was then that I found Scarleteen. Since that day, My life has drastically changed. Everyone on this site has showed me that it wouldn't be easy for me, but if I took small steps, I could beat this. I could get past it. And I did.

Now, I visit this site every day. I post on this site quite often. I know if I have a question about anything, I can rely on my friends here at Scarleteen to help me find the answers I need, and If I am feeling down and hopeless, I know that everyone at Scarleteen will be there for me to fall back upon, and when I need it, their words and advice will help me find my way back to my feet.

Another thing that is wonderful, is that you can interact with other people. You can read posts written about similar problems or topics, and it gives you a sense that you are not alone in how you feel. I know it makes me feel incredible when I read a post someone else has written about a similar topic, especially rape, and I can type a reply and help them in some way. It is amazing. And so are the people who are part of this site. Thanks guys!"- Lea

"Sex advice and info and sites are now quite popular. However, before Scarleteen I had not found a site that focused on teen issues specifically while also being willing to go into the nitty gritty of sex. I appreciate Scarleteen because it recognizes that teens are capable of being responsible people who deserve to learn about sex in an intelligent way just as much as some frustrated, older couple. Also I think Scarleteen is part of several sources working to increase this generations comfort with open dialogue on sexual issues, something important for comfort and mutual respect in relationships, I believe."- likewhoa

"I am a 16 year old girl and I applaud this website. I am interested in becoming and OBGYN, and I have already learned a few things here and there from different websites. I learned a lot about the female body that isn't really taught anywhere else. Not even in health class. I appreciate this website taking the time to educate people about the female body, seeing as even a 5A high school won't even teach it. Much love and support. "- Sierra

"I'm an eighteen year old female, but I wish I'd found your site a two years ago when I started trying to figure my sexual self out. This site is the most down to earth, friendly, accessible, nonjudgmental resource I have come across in a very long time. I think it's of critical importance that young men and women learn about their sexual selves from a source they feel they can trust. I was blessed with extraordinarily understanding parents but this is just one of those topics! My hat is off to everyone who had and continues to have a hand in the maintanance of this site!"- Liz

"Coming from South-East England, where the whole issue of sex, especially for teenagers, seems to be something you cant openly talk about, I came to Scarleteen seeking to find out whether I was "wrong" in being bisexual, and coming from a high school that seems full of homophobes, it was amazing to find a group of people who didn't treat any form of sexual orientation amongst young people as taboo, but as something that can be talked about in a mature way. It's also a place where you can ask all the so-called "yukky" questions that its hard to ask anywhere else.

And, seriously, without Scarleteen I think I'd be in big trouble, as much trouble as total ignorance on STIs, contraceptives and sexual orientation can cause."- Marquis_de_Carabas

"When I first came to Scarleteen, I was confused, uninformed, and terrified after contracting an STI. I was only 18 years old and had only one sexual partner. I was dizzy with questions, and I couldn't talk to anyone about what I was going through. The intelligent volunteers and experts at Scarleteen not only shed light on the STI and the treatment available, but lent a caring, informative, and thoughtful hand so that I might recover from the resulting emotional trauma.

Scarleteen is a venue that promotes healthy self-image, a healthy lifestyle, and a healthy sex life. I can think of no other site that could be a better safe haven for teens all over the world. Thank you, Scarleteen Staff, for changing my life, and the lives of many other teens, for the better."- Hallie

"Just wanted to send a very heartfelt thank you to everyone who works on this site. It seems like it's one of the few places one can go for honest and thorough advice about the many layers of "Sex Ed". Growing up a follower of Christianity, I never sought out any information about my innate sexuality. Older and no longer holding the same beliefs, it is so helpful to have this information at my fingertips. Your checklist for sex readiness almost made me teary, it struck me as incredible wise, logical, and 100% sensitive to what a virgin really needs to be aware of. Thanks so much for braving the nasty emails and comments. Please, never stop encouraging people to be aware of themselves in total. Thank you thank you thank you!"- Toqitoes

"I already loved your website. But today I came across the Vagzilla piece and I think it changed my life. What fun, and what a great, fun writing style you have! Thank you SO much for doing what you do." - Vivien

"I'm 16 years old from the UK. I first came on here with questions about the pill I'm on. I was sexually abused and raped as a child and quite shy, so I looked on some of the articles written like safer sex kits, how to use a condoms, on the rag and even some written about first time sex, etc. It really made me change the way I look at my body and my outlook on sex a great deal- although attitudes do not change overnight - I am working on it. When I think of before i didn't respect my body enough to even touch myself ... now I can! I am more positive about saying no to guys if need be whereas before I was scared to... now I am in a stable relationship and Scarleteen has really taught me that safe sex IS sexy and that no matter who are, where you are it is an important thing to be clued up about. So THANKS Scarleteen: you truly do a wonderful job."- Keekee

"I'm a 21 year old female who has been coming to Scarleteen.com for four years now anytime I've had a question or concern. Scarleteen offers information that allows young people to understand their options in birth control, sexual intercourse of all types, and the role of their self esteem and personal choices in all sexual issues. From the time when I was considering sex to now when I'm curious about alternatives in feminine hygiene, Scarleteen has been there to give me unbiased answers that allow me to make my own choices. The beauty of the site is its capacity as a hub of peer commentary, physiological information, sexual health reporting, and fostering of individual opinions and values."- the firework days

"I am an 18-year-old young woman, feminist, and sex educator.I first happened across Scarleteen when I was 14 and questioning my sexuality. I loved how informative and engaging the articles were, and the way that the forums were so well-moderated and were supportive and comfortable places to ask questions.

Over the past few years, I have definitely passed on lots of information I got from Scarleteen (and recommended the site!) to dozens of acquaintances. Doing this eventually made me realize that I wanted to do more formal sex education, so I joined an internship to be a peer educator. I really liked doing peer education, but I found that the program I was in didn't measure up to Scarleteen. People tended to be less well informed, more heterosexist, etc. I knew that things could be done better, and told someone who worked at a young women's leadership development organization about how I thought sex education should be done, and the organization offered me a position teaching a sex education class! Now I'm thinking of going into sex education reform and advocacy for a job, and I don't know if I'd be doing this if I hadn't had Scarleteen as a model of positive sexuality education.

I stay on the boards because I like seeing what's on people's minds and helping people and sometimes I even learn something new!"- Blink

"The people here are AMAZING! They're so attentive. Before, I had posted a couple of questions on another site that had a section for help of this sort, and it was pretty much abandoned. I would get an answer around a month later or so. When I came to Scarleteen, I was worried this would be the case. In my first post, just in case, I said I needed answers "ASAP". I didn't think they'd take me so seriously! I was answered in about an hour, even if it was already past midnight where I live. I was amazed at the service! It's hard work to have jobs and social lives and still answer posts on a site practically on a 24/7 scedule. You're all amazing.

I've learned so much here. I can correct my friends when they have misconceptions about sex now! Before I came here, as an example, I thought you could tell just by looking at someone if they had an STD; I didn't know flavoured condoms are not recommended for vaginal sex; I barely knew my own anatomy. The list goes on. It's so incredible to find somewhere where you can talk about taboo things without a fear of being judged, where people can talk about it as easily as talking about what to eat for breakfast. Keep it up!"- Nailo

"I am 14 years old in Oklahoma, and have been coming to the site for... 1 week? 2 weeks? Already all of my questions about relationships and sex [that I couldn't ask my family and friends] have been answered. The message boards as well as the articles have helped me so much in just a week or two, I may never leave! All of you make it so comfortable here, we all know we can ask what we need and get the right answers and not be teased about the question."- Samantha

"My name is Mathilde, and I am 17 years old. I ran across Scarleteen whilst checking out the links on Sex, Etc. Now I have converted to a full-time Scarleteen visitor. I come here everyday, and I am so happy that I finally found this place.

When I came here, I was looking for a place where I could share my experiences and help people. I also needed a place where I could discuss sex and sexual health openly with other people without fear of ridicule. Scarleteen is a great place, because the people here aren't afraid to tell it like it is. The volunteers and experts are kind people, so the users don't feel threatened at all. It's nice.

I stay here because things never get old. There's always something new to see, something new to read about. Scarleteen has helped me with a few of my relationship issues, and they have also helped to shed light on other issues in our society that I had yet to realize before I came here. ST has taught me many things, and I'm grateful for that. I think that I have developed a bit more confidence in my own opinion. I could have a decent thought, as long as it was backed with solid fact. "- Mathilde

"I am an ex-nurse, foster parent to a young gay guy, with a daughter facing issues of gender identification - all of which I am fine with. I just found your site a couple of days ago. I cannot express how impressed I am with you. The accuracy, the no-nonsense approach, the plain English, the respect you show in the way you answer - kudos to you all! I will be using you as a major reference for clients in my counseling work, as you are, without a doubt, the best site I've found." - Morrigan

"I merely wanted to say, Well done! I am a youth worker here in the UK, a substance misuse specialist with a brief to work with 16-25 year olds on alcohol abuse and have my own counselling practice for adults many of whom have been victims of child abuse as children. I stumbled across Scarleteen browsing and wanted you to know what a breath of fresh air it is to read the content of your site. Intelligent, balanced and informative to the sector of people who need sound advice of this sort on a daily basis. I shall recommend it and have it linked in our IT suite for our young people to access for its no nonsense realistic and wonderfully balanced approach." - Andy

"I love your site sooo much. It was so great to find one that had all the info and support and still it looks like fun and cool not like all the other ones." - Colleen

"What an awesome site. I'm really impressed by both the variety and quality of the articles. Rarely have I seen a site that's so spot on with both sexuality and gender. I hope a lot of kids find it and read it, especially the kids who might not hear this sort of straightforwardness, acceptance, and diversity at home or elsewhere in their daily lives." - Grace