One thought I had: if you think that giving them any sort of ultimatum might mean they hold your debit card hostage, you may want to get that first before you talk about anything else. Do you have documents like your social security card, passport, birth certificate, etc at your parents' house? If t...

That's fantastic! What a great response from your professor.

That is fantastic!

The bleeding you have during your placebo pills is indeed called a withdrawal bleed! Many people do call it a period, since it is also the shedding of the uterine lining and often feels similar to how a period feels, but "withdrawal bleed" is the proper term.

It's a good thing that you're looking out for your sister. I don't think checking her phone or facebook is a good idea; violating her privacy like that is likely to make her less likely to trust and open up to you in the future if she has an issue. It sounds like sitting down with her and having a t...

Also, any time you're worried that a drug or supplement might interfere with your birth control, you can call and ask your doctor or a pharmacist about it and they should have information for your specific situation.

Another bump to gently remind y'all why we need to set limits around this.

One thing that might be nice to keep in mind is that dating can look like whatever you both decide it should look like. It's easy to find a lot of other people's opinions about what a "good date" is or how people should structure a relationship but you don't have to do any of that. So, if ...

Hello, and welcome to Scarleteen. Not all transgender people feel disgust or discomfort around their own bodies; some do, for sure, but not having that feeling isn't a sign you aren't transgender. It certainly sounds like you've had a lot of instances where picturing yourself as a woman is comfortin...

Saying "I've changed" is a pretty vague statement! That may be true, but it doesn't mean the changes will align with what you're looking for. Is he interested in the same kind of committed relationship you are? What does that mean, exactly, to each of you? Those are things you can ask him ...

In a long-term relationship there are times when folks might need to step back and re-evaluate or re-learn how to craft a sexual relationship that works best for both of them. It sounds like you might be in a point like that right now! I think patience and open communication will be your most useful...

The best thing to do, when taking a test, is to go by the instructions on the test package as some brands can be slightly different. When you look at packages in a store, they'll all say when they're most effective, so that's the best authority on timing.

I think that if you haven't mentioned this to your therapist or doctor, this could be a good place to start. Many people report decreased sexual desire when dealing with depression; it can be directly related to the depression itself or to medications/supplements people use to treat it. It does look...

One thing that can help with long-distance relationships is to set up regular "dates" in the form of phone/skype calls, or using one of those services online where people can both watch streaming tv or movies together. It might take him a bit to figure out where to fit that into his new sc...

You're quite welcome!

Yep! If you just look at it as you're taking it off, and it seems intact, there's no reason to do anything else, and you can trust that it worked just fine. Especially filling it with water - that's something we often hear people discuss as a way to test for leaks, but because condoms aren't designe...

I absolutely agree with how creepy it all is! I think a good thing is that there are plenty of folks who enjoy dating in a non-transactional way. Sometimes it might not be really evident if someone has gross views about "treating" a partner, but I think in general it's something you can su...

I do think it's worth noting that articles of "stuff men hate!!" and similar topics generate pageviews, which is what websites want; I'm sure there are guys who think these things but I wonder if maybe the extreme end of "traditional dating views" aren't represented in a skewed w...

Hi Ni-Ni, and welcome to Scarleteen. I think it's ok to use labels and identity terms for yourself if they feel right or good to you, even if there's some uncertainty there. I think it's really common for folks to feel hesitant or uncertain when they first start identifying a certain way. That feeli...

A nice side-benefit of finding a place to escape to can be that you learn which of your family members also need the escape! Sometimes that can result in a good family ally.

Sometimes a way to avoid unpleasant situations or discussions can be to look for tasks that need to be done and use them as an excuse to take a break. Offering to do dishes/stir a pot/put up decorations/run to the store can help you get away from stressful moments without you necessarily having to t...

Hi IvyJade, and welcome to Scarleteen. We actually have a pretty great article that can help you think about whether you're ready for sex: Ready or Not? The Scarleteen Sex Readiness Checklist When you're talking about "going all the way" or taking "the next step," are you specifi...

The Breeders album Last Splash came out a little before I turned 13 but I discovered it about a year after it was released. It was definitely a constant in my tape deck around that time and even now, listening to it feels a bit like a jaunt in a time machine.

Do you feel like you could ask your dad to lay off the comments in general? Maybe you could say something like "these comments are really hurtful to hear. Even if there are things about our relationship you don't understand, can you at least accept that it works for us and not say these things ...

Another thing to think about is that even when you are feeling relaxed and aroused, intercourse or any other insertive sex is likely a fairly new sensation (even if you've used tampons in the past, they're generally much smaller in diameter than anything else you'd be inserting other than a small fi...