communication

The first thing I want to mention here is that I’m not sure there is such a thing as “a normal teenager”! Seriously, each individual is different, with different needs and desires, and so there is no one way to be in the world. The best we can do is make decisions that are well-informed and that…

What it sounds like, to me, is that whatever it is you’ve been doing sexually just isn’t something you feel okay with yet or good about right now. I get that it feels good at the time, but when I talk about sex feeling good, any kind of sexual activities at all, what I mean is sex feeling good…

Short answer: Absolutely, yes. There could be—and likely are—plenty of other reasons why your boyfriend does not want to do sexual things with you. Longer answer: Our decision about whether to have sex, or whether to engage in any type of sexual behavior is rarely the result of a single factor. It’s…

If I only had a dollar (heck, even a quarter) for every time a young person wrote into Scarleteen to ask us if we think they might be [fill in a sexual orientation here], I’d be pretty freakin’ wealthy. This is in no way to make light of your question to us, more just to let you know that this is…

A friend dying is usually a really big deal, especially when you’re young and death isn’t expected like it is when we’re 60, 70 or 80. While young people can sometimes feel like their lives are going to be short, I think it’s safe to say few people actually expect anyone’s life to end when they’re…

Libido – the desire for sex of any given kind – is a very complex thing, much like sex and sexuality are complex. It’s emotional, it’s intellectual, it’s chemical and physiological, it’s both personal and interpersonal, it’s spiritual, it’s metaphysical, it’s historical, it’s aspirational. Our…

It’s normal for a woman’s body to respond to anything she finds pleasurable, and every woman’s body responds in similar yet different ways. What you’re really talking about here is arousal. What we know about sexual response is that there is a basic cycle – generally referred to as the sexual…

For starters, congratulations for seeking treatment and starting on your road to recovery. You deserve major recognition for that; it’s not easy but taking those first steps are so important, if hard, and I’m really proud of you! My quick answer to your two questions is that you are definitely not…

I am glad to hear that you and your boyfriend are happy together. Finding a great partner can be a rare and wonderful occurrence, regardless of age! I have been mulling over your question for a couple of days and have a few thoughts to share. I will start by saying that I support your relationship…

While getting an erection when it’s not necessarily wanted is not something you hope will happen, I can assure you that it’s completely normal. What you’re describing here is something referred to as reflex erection. Young people with penises have reflex erections during any time of the day or night…