There has been much to-do, over the past several months, about “plus-sized models.”  All of this conversation is, of course, moving media images in the right direction.  But it is using language that is damaging.
First, some history:
The bulk of this conversation started back in September when Glamour magazine put a photo of a woman with [...]

While this is not a topic that is terribly related to adolescent sexuality, it is one that is receiving a lot of attention recently.
One week ago the Supreme Court heard arguments on whether sentencing a juvenile - someone under 18 years old - to life in prison without the possibility of parole is cruel and [...]

I don’t think I’ve mentioned in this space that I dyed my hair purple about six months ago.  I hadn’t ever dyed my hair before, and I thought it would be fun.  So away I went!  Bleach first, then a luscious dark purple.  The purple is in a crown around my hairline - the majority [...]

So here’s my overview from last Thursday and Friday’s conversation on sexting:

Yes, it can be problematic, as can almost any form of communication.
Texting is (currently) a ubiquitous communication method, and it doesn’t appear to be going anywhere anytime soon, so as parents, teachers, and caring adults, we have to make our peace with it.
Texting about [...]

Yesterday I wrote about sexting, in the original, text-based sense.  Today I get into those terribly troubled waters when teenagers send sexual images - either stills or video - of themselves.
I’m hesitant to write about this topic, which is perhaps telling in and of itself.  I write about a lot of controversial issues [...]

The problem is that almost everything worth talking about - certainly anything related to sex and sexuality - is probably nuanced.  Scare tactics are black and white.  So too much of the conversation is left out, and the wrong impression can be easily taken away.
The most recent version of this conversation is about a viral [...]

Two weekends ago I turned 30.  My darling husband threw me quite the party, I went out dancing with friends after, and we started a major art project in our front yard.  Quite the perfect weekend, for me.
Since then, I have been ruminating on age and on these milestones.  I was talking with a dear [...]

Last weekend I took 10 middle school students to buy condoms.
None of the students wanted to come to class, which was unusual for them.  Their parents pushed them, made them come.  The students told me and my co-teacher: No way.  We’re not going to buy condoms.  The students asked me what they should say if [...]

Last week, Time Magazine published an article called How to Bring An End to the War Over Sex Ed.  The short answer?  Actually teach sex ed!  Among other lovely points, Time points out that:
We now have a pretty good sense of which sex-education approaches work. Substantial research–including a 2007 Bush Administration report–has concluded that comprehensive [...]

“How old ARE you??”
“You have KIDS??”
“Wow, I never would have guessed.”
At this International Women’s conference, they have decided to group youth (high school) and young adults (19 through 35 years old) together into a social group they call YAYAs (Youth And Young Adults).  This means that I am technically a young adult, and that my [...]