Hey wolfcub,

Thank you for your apology and for reflecting on your words! That's much appreciated.

But I guess it’s a bit more difficult to want that when neither of us are men and aren’t socialized to be “the pursuers” in a heteronormative world. I'm glad you brought this up! A lot of queer folx who have been raised as femme might struggle with dating because yes - they weren't socialized to be...

I guess I just assume that they wouldn’t want anything more than friendship with me, so making it vague seems like a safe way to not make them uncomfortable, you know? That's super considerate of you! I think a key thing to remember here is that while we definitely want to be respectful of others a...

Hey MusicNerd, No worries! How are you doing? Are these pandemic-related not-great things, or other stuff? Making that transition from friends to dating can be a bit scary, and also exciting! Your questions aren't stupid at all - it's perfectly normal to be unsure of how to connect with people in th...

Yay! I love this topic!

I'm feeling really excited to be taking a psychology class, because I've been really interested in the topic for a long time and I love learning about things that fascinate me.

I'm also super happy to live with my two cats, whom I adore!

You're welcome! Let us know if other questions come up!

Hi Juliaho90, Of course - it makes complete sense you're feeling upset about the situation of the world, and that the stress and change in your ability to get your medications would be disrupting your cycle. It's really responsible and resilient of you to continue taking charge of your mental and re...

Here's the link to the first page that Heather shared, about painful intercourse! https://www.scarleteen.com/article/gender/from_ow_to_wow_demystifying_painful_intercourse The stuff you found on in your underwear was just a normal type of vaginal secretion or "discharge". Vaginas secrete (...

Hi 0PT1M15T1C, I'm so sorry you're experiencing painful periods, and for quite a while, too. I'm also glad you aren't second-guessing or minimizing your pain - period pain can be very serious, and although it often just hurts on its own, it can sometimes be an indicator of another health problem. I ...

Hi wolfcub, The media you're consuming that says things like that sounds like it doesn't have a very favorable view of women (or virgins in general). It suggests that people who aren't virgins are *not* innocent or pure. "The value of being wanted by someone who wouldn't give themselves away to...

Hi Juliaho90, Sam mentioned this earlier in the thread - you should just start taking the pack when you get it, even if it's on the 4th or later. If it ends up being the case that you can't get your next pack until the 4th or later, want you'll want to do is start the pack when you get it, rather th...

Yup, totally! It can even be called "sex" if there was no touching whatsoever. "Sex" means different things to different people; generally speaking, you could think of it as anything that gets you in touch with and allows you to express your own sexuality. As you can see from the...

Hi sky, I'm sorry this person wasn't accepting of you. I know she's been really important to you in the past, and you still have a lot of feelings for her - but this is a person who is refusing to acknowledge your identity. Is that really someone you need in your life? I'd say you need people who wi...

Hi MusicNerd, It sounds like you have an excellent friend group, and some ties to the queer community in your city. What do you think about starting one of those queer sober events? It could be as simple as "queer picnic in the park" or "queer bowling" - anything! In my experienc...

Hey wolfcub, We have an article that addresses just what you've brought up: Embracing Newbiehood: How to Approach Dating and Sex in Your 20s With Little or No Experience Please give it a read and let me know what you think! hotdogfriendo brings up some great points. Our society sends a message that ...

Hi River2005, We have a fantastic guide called Trans Summer School: Let's Bust Out of This Closet! which I think will provide some answers to your questions. In the article are: a guide you can give to your parents, suggestions on how to talk to family members and questions you might hear from them,...

Hi IAmScared, Sex of any kind doesn't have to last a certain amount of time to qualify as sex. And in fact, "sex" can actually be way more than just intercourse or mouth-to-genital contact. Anything that you feel expresses your sexuality can be called sex. Here's more info here: What's Sex?

Hey thewrit3r, I hear you. It's a terrible feeling to have to choose between two bad choices, and it's painful every day to see people rally behind powerful men who have been accused of sexual harassment/assault, instead of supporting candidates who *are* women or who at least have been decent peopl...

Hi 0PT1M15T1C, So glad to hear it sounds like the psychiatrist might be a good fit! I hear you about having to explain everything all over again and build trust with a new person. That aspect of finding a new support person is exhausting. I hope that it turns out well. And ultimately, this psychiatr...

Hi flower134, Welcome to the Scarleteen boards, and thanks for being here. From what you've said, it does sound like your boyfriend's father is emotionally abusive. Telling someone they aren't good enough, that they don't deserve love and affection, and calling someone names are all examples of abus...

It sounds like your mom has good intentions - she wants you to be healthy. Part of being healthy as individuals is being able to make decisions about your body for yourself. Deciding how to handle your menstruation is a pretty personal decision; after all, you're the one who has to experience the bl...

Of course! Feel free to stop by the boards if you have other questions. You can also post in our user-to-user section if you'd like to talk to other Scarleteen users about anything.

Ok, that's good to hear. Did Sam's answer help with your concern about timing?

How are you doing now that we're under quarantine?

Hi Juliaho90, It would be okay health-wise to wait to start the next pack of pills, if you want. I think Sam is suggesting that you begin taking them when you get them to try and limit the amount of changes that your body goes through (e.g. being on the pill, then stopping it, then going back on). I...

Yes, it's very common for young people to experience irregular menstruation, so that could also be a part of why your period is late. And absolutely, stress and anxiety can affect your cycle! This pandemic can't be helping much with that. How are you doing, generally speaking? How have things change...