dating

There are so many things that make me glad in your question. Glad that L has at least one person that he feels safe sharing that part of himself with. Glad you reacted positively and confirmed his trust in you. But oh how I am not glad that he's still in a situation where he doesn't feel comfortable...

Identity can be such an obnoxious creature sometimes. Just when you think you've got it all sorted out, some new evidence pops up and you have to rethink things. And I don't need to tell you how frustrating that shift can be, because you're in the middle of it. It can be doubly trying if you've...

The tradition of "men pursue, women wait" is still culturally prevalent, and a lot of families (yours included) teach their children that men should be the ones doing the asking when it comes to romance. This notion is problematic for a number of reasons. It reinforces not-so-great ideas about how...

It's a perennial cliché in nearly every coming of age movie, book, and sitcom. An adolescent or emerging adult character brings home a new boyfriend or girlfriend, who is met with dismay or disapproval by parents. In real life, it's not unusual for parents to not immediately like the partner of their teen, or to feel wary or cautious when it comes to supporting their romantic or sexual relationship. So how do you go about working out whether or not your concerns are valid, and what to do about them if they are?

Going away to school can present some new sexual challenges. Here's a get-you-started guide to grow on.

How to tame those scary, growly feelings and use them for good.

Okay, first things first. If the bullying of him and you is at this level, then it's time to call in the administration at the school and let them know what's happening. If there's a teacher that you or he trusts, they might be able to help you with the process. But this is one of those times where...

Hooray for thinking about what you might want or feel ready for in intimate or dating relationships before you pursue them! So often people just kind of passively fall into relationships and only then try and figure what they want and need. It's not impossible to do it that way, and there are some...

When it comes to sex, women are often portrayed as nothing but warm vessels there to validate male partners' egos. The widespread cultural acceptance of a woman pursuing pleasure for her own sake is a relatively new one (at least in West's modern history), and we've still got a long way to go. It's no small wonder that many women have a difficult time asking for what they want in general, let alone when it comes to sex.

Sexual shame hinders women in far too many ways. It's a difficult beast to tackle, as it assumes so many nuanced, subtle forms in our daily lives. To be sure, some forms of sexual shame are blatant, but many of them are so deeply engrained that we scarcely even notice them. By making ourselves aware of the different ways we're made to feel ashamed, however, we can begin to overcome them.