family

Intellectually, I understand that success and safety do not invalidate struggle. I understand that I will feel the impacts of sexual violence regardless of how well I do in school or how much better life gets for me. But because a majority of people in my life only see the “successful” parts and not the difficult parts, and because so often people’s expectations of survivors stand counter to this, many people find it harder to believe that I’ve even experienced sexual violence. And that can make it harder for me and other survivors to emotionally feel and believe what we intellectually understand: our success does not invalidate our struggle.

Em, I wish I could reach through the screen and give you a hug. You, and the two classmates of your sister's who have been targeted by their peers and failed by the adults who should have protected them. I am so very angry on their behalf, and on yours. This situation sucks in no small part because...

If you are a teen or young adult who lives at home during COVID-19, and are dating or sexually active with a partner, navigating this part of your life -- with your partner, with parents or guardians -- is complicated. A lot of households and families are having to negotiate what the new dating normal looks like. Here are some ideas to help make those discussions smoother.

For as long as I can remember, I have worked on cultivating strong and meaningful friendships. It’s through these friendships that I have discovered what I hope to get out of romantic relationships. My friendships teach me the importance of trust, communication, and commitment.

First off, I'm so glad that your family has shown you so much support. Everyone deserves to have loving support from friends and family if and when they choose to come out to them, and it's great that your family's standing behind you right now. Their acceptance and support of your bisexuality is a...

When a young person comes out, the adults in their lives can have all sorts of reactions. If you're trying to be a supportive parent, here are just a few of the ways you can help them navigate those moments.

Because of the global COVID-19 pandemic, in many households, the strains of closed schools, lost jobs, health issues, and close quarters mean that tensions are high, tempers are short, and privacy has become a luxury. If you’re a young queer person who is now isolated with trans- or homophobic family members, you probably know that better than anyone. Here are a few ideas to help you stay as physically and emotionally safe as possible during these difficult days.

As the children of immigrants in the U.S. look for love, a question emerges: how do you deal with the idea of losing your cultural identity?

I'm so sorry that N is constantly misgendering you; that sounds like a painful situation. I know from experience that it can be incredibly hurtful and demoralizing to have someone in your social circle do this even after being corrected multiple times. Even if he acts like this behavior isn't a big...

Hello! You're dealing with a situation that's very familiar for many teenagers (and ex-teenagers like myself): You're growing into your body and...you're not sure how you feel about it. But just because this is a common stage of human development doesn't mean you need to sit in silence, and I'm so...