In addition to my book reading, I try to keep up with the parts of the Internet that include sex bloggers and parenting bloggers and news bloggers and…well, anything else that catches my interest. More often than not, I scan the first few lines and skip the rest. Yesterday, however, was quite the amazing day when it comes to good blogging and web content about sex, sex education, and sexuality in general. So, in order to share the love a bit, here’s a round-up of the best I read from yesterday:
Teen girls having less sex, turning away from older partners: study. Well, for an article with a cumbersome title, this one turns out great. It’s from Wednesday’s National Post (that’s the Canadian National Post, folks). Here’s the first sentence: “A new study says teenage girls are having less sex, which experts attribute to a shift away from older boyfriends as well as society’s growing acceptance of adolescent sexuality.” And then, further on, comes this one: ” ‘Over the last 20 years, Canadian society has gradually become more relaxed and accepting of adolescent sexuality and that has translated into a greater knowledge in young people, and most importantly, a greater comfort in seeking out information and services, like having a conversation with a doctor. That knowledge has empowered them to make conscious decisions about their own behaviour,’ said Mr. McKay, adding that knowledge often leads to abstinence.” With the exception of the wonky spelling of “behavior,” this article is spot-on. Now if only the US would only follow Canada’s successes!
Top 50 Sexpert Blogs. When I’m listed as number 7, how could I not include this one?
The Post Modern Geek’s Guide to Sex’s discussion on Texas Sexuality Education Law and Policy. Yes, you’re going to have to admit that you’re over 18 to get to read this one. But I promise, this post content and the blog surrounding it are completely safe for work. And well worth the read, particularly if you (like me) are in Texas or some of the other backward states of the Union that are completely ignoring the previously-referenced leaps and bounds that Canada is making in the direction we stammer fruitlessly about wanting to go in.
A great sex blog, Pretty Dumb Things, has come to an end. Debauchette praised this blog so highly that I had to go read through the archives. And I agree, it’s fabulous. I’m looking forward to reading back through the archives! And no, neither of these blogs or any of the posts in them are not safe for work. In any way, shape, or form. Read them at home.
And in the July/August edition of Psychology Today, of all places, comes an article about unusual sexuality: Typically Twisted. The description of the article is this: “Taboo impulses can be titillating… but more often they’re a source of concern for those who harbor secret wishes or unusual desires. If you prefer gallows humor to slapstick or kinky to vanilla, take heart: Dark inclinations have their own logic and benefits.” While most of this article is just about unusual anything, not specific to sexuality, it’s still a good read. And certainly worthwhile for any parent concerned that their teenager is “not normal” in some way or another.
Dan Savage’s column this week includes some good stuff on how parents can and should talk with their own children and other people’s children about sex. Dan’s always pretty harsh, often overly harsh, so gird your loins and all that if you decide to pop over to his sex column. But it will be well worth the girding, I promise. Oh, and ignore the title of the column. That’s referring to the second question, and the first is the one about parenting and sex education that I’m recommending.
And, last but not least, and rather off-topic for this blog, is a post on Bitch Ph.D. titled How I Got To Be An Atheist. It’s something of a riveting story. I’ll reach and say I’m including it because of the part about how the author’s slow experiments into adolescent sexuality really became the turning point of her religious path.
Happy reading and happy weekend! I’ll see everyone same time, same place on Monday.
Congratulations! Number 7 is very impressive considering how many bloggers there are on this blogosphere! I didnt read the original article on the drop in teen sex but I wondered if the numbers are statistically significant or if the numbers are just an aberrant of true trends given the constant commercial exposure to sexual innuendos.
Have a great day!
From Bitch Ph.D: “I don’t know when my faith started to waver, but I think it was around seventh grade, when the tenor of everything changed from “you are a beautiful and sweet special child that God adores” to “if you let boys kiss you, you are a bad bad person and God is very disappointed with you and you must pretend your body doesn’t exist.””
Wow.