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