Advice
Alissa asks:
I’ve been homeschooling my children for 4 years now. While we’ve previously talked about puberty, sex, relationships, etc., I’ve never taught a formal class about the subject. The only discussion I ever had with my own mother on the subject was when I got my period. Basically she tossed a pad at me, wouldn’t talk about what was going on, and then treated me like I was diseased. To say it was a bad experience would be mild. I’ve had discussions on and off with my kids since 5th grade, they’re 12 and 14 now. We’ve covered basics of sex, puberty, bodies, contraception, and relationships.
Bunny asks:
Hi! Due to neurodivergence, burnout, and chronic pain and fatigue, my sleep schedule is inconsistent at best, as are my energy levels (or spoons) but I want to spend more time with friends and not cancel on them much. Do you have any ideas on how to help with this?
Laura asks:
A few years ago in college I had drunk sex with a guy I didn’t really know, he was a friend somewhat from high school but not really. He had pretty intense mental health issues, did not seek help and, shortly after having sex with me, committed suicide. I did not know how to feel and still grieve every year when I can bring myself to feel something. It’s weird because it’s like apathy but the sexual feelings were so strong.
Eye asks:
I've recently done a lot of internal sexual exploration. Around three years ago, I came out to most of my family and friends as bisexual. This year I became MUCH more attracted to men than I've ever been. It was confusing but I ended up coming to the conclusion that labeling my sexuality was a confusing waste of time and energy for me. I also realized that while, yes, I am predominantly attracted to men, it's mainly "submissive" men. It REALLY turns me off when I think about a male partner being dominant with me.
Sam asks:
Hi you guys! I sometimes see some self-proclaimed feminists posting on the internet in the name of sex knowledge, saying that women's vaginas are supposed to be used for childbirth, so it's harder for women to have vaginal orgasms through sex than to masturbate to clitoral orgasms, and that this is the main reason for some of the "feminists" who are against women having sex or hook-up/casual sex. Some even believe that women should masturbate instead of having sex, and that it would slut-shame those women who are hook-up or having casual sex.
Kyle asks:
I'm an 18 y.o. male. I like ornamenting my body with different things; I wear necklaces, bracelets, rings... But I just got into a more unorthodox type of accessory, wearing rings on my toes. I always feel awkward wearing toe rings in public though, like while I'm wearing sandals on a hot day. I feel awkward even discussing this.
Anonymous asks:
I'm a 15 year old girl living in a very conservative area where the vast majority are members of a pretty conservative Christian religion. Combine this with the lack of good sex education taught in schools (that teaches abstinence-only, the state prohibits encouragement of contraceptives, and a whole bunch of other problematic stuff), most kids here, including my friends, don't know that much about sex and/or are uncomfortable talking about it.
Michael asks:
My boyfriend and I have been dating for almost 5 years now. We used to have sex all the time, if we hung out alone it was just bound to happen. In the past year or so, I've just stopped wanting to. I know it definitely has something to do with my sexual assault PTSD, which he knows about and also probably has himself, but I genuinely don't want to have sex anymore, and I have no problem with that, on my own. I am absolutely fine not being sexually active, in fact, part of me prefers it. The problem is my boyfriend.
Philip asks:
I have been looking for some information on what and how friends with benefits works. I am straight, does it only mean casual intercourse or can it be just things like “spooning” and holding hands? I am thinking of asking a very close friend if they want to be friends with benefits. But I am only comfortable with just cuddling or holding hands, maybe more but only if we both feel ready. How do I ask them? Do I need to specify what activities I feel comfortable with, or is that something that’s implied? I don’t want them to feel like I want to have sex when I just want to hold hands.
I'm turning 18 soon and I have a myriad of problems regarding sexuality. I have a few guesses as to their origins, and it's incredibly complicated with too many different factors. it's something very complicated that could only be managed with years worth of mental health counseling, but so much as talking about it in real life (as opposed to texts) sends me into panic attacks.