Sexual Decisions: The Ultimate Teen Guide

by L. Kris Gowen

Overview

A fully updated edition of one of the first books published in the "It Happened to Me" series, Sexual Decisions: The Ultimate Teen Guide, Second Edition includes expanded information on:

Sexuality and Gender Orientations

Sexually Transmitted Infections and Diseases and Seeking Treatment

Contraceptives

Intimate Partner Violence

Sex and Technology

This resource will help young people navigate the decisions they will face regarding sex in their adolescence.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781442277830
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	03/06/2017
Series:	It Happened to Me Series
Edition description:	Second Edition
Pages:	244
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 10.10(h) x 0.80(d)
Age Range:	12 - 17 Years

About the Author

L. Kris Gowen, PhD, EdM, is a sexuality educator and researcher. She is the coauthor of Image and Identity: Becoming the Person You Are (Scarecrow Press, 2005), part of the It Happened to Me series.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments     ix
Introduction     xi
The Importance of Sex Education     xi
What I Hope to Do in This Book     xiii
Who Is This Person Anyway?     xv
Female Basics     1
Reviewing Puberty     1
The Hymen     2
Menstrual Cycle-How It Really Works     4
Discharges: A Normal Part of Being a Woman     7
Irregular Periods     8
PMS     10
Going to the Gynecologist     11
The Clitoris and Sexual Response (Orgasms)     12
Breasts     14
Male Basics     17
Reviewing Puberty     17
Sperm     18
Penises     19
Testicular Cancer-Preying upon the Young     22
Orgasms     25
Pre-ejaculate     25
Pregnancy     27
Getting Pregnant     27
Think You Might Be Pregnant?     28
Your Options     31
Bringing Baby Home     43
Sexually Transmitted Diseases     45
Who Gets STDs?     45
First, the Basics     46
Specific STDs-Recognize and React     48
If IDon't See It, I Don't Have It, Right?     56
Getting Tested for STDs     57
Choose the Right Doctor for You     58
Recent Research: Chlamydia in Teens     59
Spread the News, Not the Disease     59
Sex: What It Is, Who Is Doing It, What It's Like, and Other Important Questions     61
Basic Stats on What Is Going on "Out There"     61
How Do You Feel about Sex?     62
What Is Sex?     64
Are You Ready?     67
The First Time     68
Safer Sex     75
What Is Safer Sex?     75
Choosing to Not Have Sex     75
What Is Sex? The Experts Answer the Question This Time     76
Intimacy: Don't Knock It 'til You've Tried It     79
Casual Sex     82
Being Safe through Testing and Monogamy     83
What Choice Are You Going to Make?     86
The Safest Sex of All: Masturbation     87
Birth Control Options     93
Controlling Your Behavior: It's All up to You     94
Barriers: Keeping the Sperm. Away     99
Hormonal Methods: Less "Fuss," Less Protection From STDs     111
Surgery: Once It's Done, It's Done     117
Emergency Contraception: The Morning-After Pill     120
I Know What to Do, So Why Is It So Hard to Do What I Know Is Right?     121
Peer Pressure-From the Inside     121
Partner Pressure-Doing It to Stay Together     124
Media Blitz-Don't the Movies or TV Talk about Anything Else?     125
Gender Pressure-Being a Boy or a Girl in a Sexual World     129
Gender and Culture-Adding Fuel to the Fire     133
How Believing in the Names Prevents Safer Sex     134
How the Heck Do I Think Differently from Everyone Else?     135
Communicating about Sex     139
Know What You Believe     139
Know What You Want to Say     139
Know When Is a Good Time to Say It     140
Know How to Say It     141
Negotiating Strategies     144
Talking with Adults     146
Great Relationships     149
Humans Need Relationships-But Not That Much     149
Reasons to Like Someone     150
Crushes     152
Now That We Are Together, How Do We Make It Last?     155
Thinking about Your Relationship     157
Things That Can Make a Good Relationship Bad     158
Abusive Relationships     163
Dating Violence and Abusive Relationships Are Everywhere     163
Anyone Can Be a Victim     163
There Are Different Kinds of Dating Violence     164
The Warning Signs     166
How to Get Out of an Abusive Relationship     167
Whereto Go     168
If the Abuse Is Taking Place in Your Family     168
Recovery Takes Time     169
Rape     171
What is Rape?     171
Rape Drugs     174
What to Do If You Are Raped     175
Preventing Rape     178
Other Important Topics     181
Body Image     181
Older Guys, Younger Girls     183
Alternative Sexual Behaviors     185
Online Flirting and Dating     189
Breaking Up Is Hard to Do     192
Sexual Orientation     195
Interracial Dating     199
Drinking and Drugs and Sex     201
Conclusion     205
Notes     207
For Further Information     217
Index     223
About the Author     227

Editorial Reviews

This book covers such important topics as body basics, gender identity, sexual orientation, sexually transmitted diseases, and contraception. The book incorporates recent information, imperative teen viewpoints, and visuals; it also uses special boxes to highlight important points. Reading lists, websites, and a substantial index system enhance content navigation. Moreover, the writing style helps engage a hard-to-reach audience. The expert information assists parents, guardians, and librarians in their understanding of a variety of teen and lifestyle problems. Decisions: The Ultimate Teen Guide may help teens consider postponing activities and emotional behaviors that have life-altering consequences. The succinct information alerts teens regarding consequences of sexual activities in the midst of emotional decisions and the normal flow of intense new feelings. This book may serve as an incentive for teens to pause and think. Recommended for high school and academic libraries.

American Reference Books Annual

Gr 7 Up-Although missing the mark as the ultimate guides promised by their subtitles, these series entries provide thorough coverage of their respective topics. Both take a knowledge-is-power approach to arming readers with plenty of information to help them make informed and wise choices. Gowen discusses puberty for girls and boys, pregnancy, STDs, intercourse, safe sex, birth control, ethics, abuse, and rape. She offers facts, differing perspectives, and encouragement, and emphasizes that every choice carries a consequence. Strong titles on teen sexuality abound. No library should be without Ruth Bell's Changing Bodies, Changing Lives (Times, 1998), which includes contributions from hundreds of teens in wonderful depth and breadth of coverage. Paquette writes with calm compassion. She begins with a history of asthma and proceeds through its diagnosis, triggers, and treatments. Ways to cope at school and home are addressed, and teens' need to be proactive in treatment is emphasized. Paquette's title will complement Francis V. Adams's thorough The Asthma Sourcebook (Lowell House, 1998), which has good diagrams. Both books lack visual appeal; they include minimal illustration of the physiology involved and poor-quality, black-and-white photos. The "personal stories," de rigueur for teen self-help books, are set off by small, bold type that is difficult to read.-Joyce Adams Burner, Hillcrest Library, Prairie Village, KS Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

School Library Journal

The text uses an easy-to read, conversational tone from the author to instruct teens on a broad array of subjects which includes the basics of female and male anatomy, reproduction and pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, safer sex, and family planning options....it was refreshing to read a book written specifically for teens that was sex-positive and not afraid to tackle complex issues regarding sexuality...

American Journal For Sexuality Education

The text uses an easy-to read, conversational tone from the author to instruct teens on a broad array of subjects which includes the basics of female and male anatomy, reproduction and pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, safer sex, and family planning options....it was refreshing to read a book written specifically for teens that was sex-positive and not afraid to tackle complex issues regarding sexuality...

American Journal Of Sexuality Education