Author:  Sam Wall Maybe you’ve noticed: there’s been a shift in how people and movements that are anti-trans present themselves, and it feels designed to make them more palatable to people who would otherwise recoil at arguments that position trans people as threats. I’m going to go over some of the clues that a resource or person’s only concern is directing people away from trans-affirming care and towards harmful, anti-trans spaces or approaches. I've written three different pieces on how trans youth and their families can access support and navigate a climate of increasing hostility ..read more

Author:  Clove Kelly Hernandez I have a long history of difficulty with interpersonal interactions, and I’ve always struggled to find a place for myself amongst everyone else. A lot of neurodivergent people will doubtlessly relate to these experiences, and a lot of queer people can as well. If you happen to belong to both of those demographics, join the club! You’re in good company. I am an autistic, genderfluid lesbian, and I experience these identifiers as tightly intertwined. I have a long history of difficulty with interpersonal interactions, and I’ve always struggled to find a pla ..read more

Author:  Sarah Kiser, MSN, RN, CPNP-PC Many people feel uneasy exploring sexuality. Not just the having s-e-x part, but also even just thinking about things like what they might like or the kinds of people they are or may be attracted to (if any!). So, how does a person explore sexuality, sexual identity and sexual interactions without feeling awkward? Spoiler alert: there’s no secret, no one-size fits all, no 10-step program and no magic spell I could cast that would take the awkward out of discovering who you are as a sexual being. But there are loads of things you can do to feel more ..read more

Five years ago, for our 20th anniversary, Sam created a timeline to highlight some of Scarleteen’s more notable work, accomplishments and important milestones, setbacks, and how we’ve existed within the larger world over the years. She mentioned that Scarleteen had been around long enough to both see the landscape of sexual health, queer rights and, even the internet, change dramatically.  In fact, in some cases, we’ve been around long enough to see things start bad, get better, and then turn tail and get worse all over again. It’s our 25th birthday today. We’ve been doing all we do for ..read more

Author:  Caitlyn Tivy, PT, DPT, OCS The last installment in a series on the physical effects of sexual trauma. To conclude the series, we’re talking about talking: namely, how to talk with sexual partners about any physical effects that you have experienced as a survivor of sexual trauma. Welcome back, readers: this is the last installment in a series on the physical effects of sexual trauma. (In case you missed them, here are parts one, two, and three.) To conclude the series, we’re talking about talking: namely, how to talk with sexual partners about any physical effects that you hav ..read more

Author:  Adam England For as long as I could remember, I had a tight foreskin. When I was younger, I didn’t realize there was an issue, and that not everyone’s penis looked like mine. As I got into my teenage years, I began to realize that it was *too* tight. For as long as I could remember, I had a tight foreskin. When I was younger, I didn’t realize there was an issue, and that not everyone’s penis looked like mine. As I got into my teenage years, I began to realize that it was too tight. Since then, it was always an issue. I was able to masturbate, though my experience of masturbati ..read more

Author:  Gabriel Leão Brazil is known as one of the most socially unequal countries in the world, plagued with a fragile educational system, problems with misinformation and false information in the media, and violence caused by cultural machismo and homophobia. All of this and more makes it difficult to talk about menstruation at the classroom or at home. Professor Ana Gabriella Sardinha and her team have been developing The Menstrual ConSCIENCE Trail tabletop game to teach Brazilian young people about menstrual cycles in a unique way. Developed in 2022 by a group of Brazilian gr ..read more

Author:  Lisa Laman I did not feel ready to navigate possible transphobia alone, I needed backup. I was expecting to have that for this date via the person I was on the date with. Without her, I felt trapped in a restaurant where I felt other patrons looking at me or whispering about me. This was a steakhouse in the heart of Plano, Texas. This isn't my first piece for Scarleteen. But it is my first piece for this site since I came out as a trans woman. Allow me to reintroduce myself to you all! My name is Lisa Laman, my pronouns are she/her, I’m a film geek, a lover of karaoke, and som ..read more

Author:  Caitlyn Tivy, PT, DPT, OCS This article -- part two of a three part series on the physical effects of sexual trauma -- focuses on treatment options for pelvic effects that survivors may experience. For survivors struggling with pelvic symptoms, pelvic physical therapy can be an invaluable component of a recovery journey. Welcome back, readers: this is part two of a three-part series on the physical effects of sexual trauma. If you haven’t yet seen part one, check it out here. As always, please be gentle with yourself while working through all of this content, and give yourself ..read more

We are just two months away from our twenty-fifth birthday. That’s right: twenty-five freaking YEARS of creating and providing queer, radical, inclusive, accurate, and accessible sex ed, which we intend to continue doing for many years into the future! But that future is not guaranteed by our dedication and determination alone. In fact, without your help this month , we’re sorry to tell you that we’re going to have a very hard time sustaining the organization, website and its services as they are now. None of us want that, so let’s do something about it! If you’re thinking “ Say no more, I’m ..read more