This blew our minds when we saw it, so to celebrate the release of The Amazing Spiderman, we just had to share: way back in the 1970s, Marvel Comics teamed up with Planned Parenthood on a comic book that pitted Spiderman against a villain who was out to give teens the wrong information about sex. And we all know there’s nothing that Spiderman hates more than the spread of medically inaccurate information! Check it out.
Ask us anything. No judgments.
Someone asked us:
Dear Planned Parenthood- You guys rock. But why can’t my school teach responsibility instead of teaching abstinence? I just think it’s unrealistic. I mean we learn about STD’s and stuff… but I’d rather they teach us how to be street smart and safe instead of just telling us not to have sex. That doesn’t help me. Thank goodness I got you guys. And thank you so much for all the great advice you give.
No, Anonymous, you rock! Thanks for the Tumblr love. We’ll always be here for you!
We totally agree. By providing misinformation and withholding accurate information that young people need in order to make informed choices, abstinence-only programs deny young people life-saving information. Plus they don’t actually reduce unintended pregnancy and STD rates.
We think all young people deserve medically-accurate, age-appropriate, honest information about sex, sexuality, and safe and healthy relationships that can help them make responsible decisions. We think abstinence is a great option, but we also think young people deserve to know about other ways to protect themselves if and when they choose to have sex.
Because so many students don’t have access to comprehensive sexuality education, and because there’s so much misinformation about sex out there, we encourage teens to talk about this stuff with their parents. October is Let’s Talk Month, and we have a bunch of tools and tips for helping families talk. While talking about sex might seem like a really challenging conversation, it’s actually easier than you think.
-Nathan at Planned Parenthood
October is Let’s Talk Month! Keeping your teens healthy and safe means talking with them about relationships and sex. Here are some handy videos to help you get comfortable with having those conversations.
Please like and reblog if you think we need comprehensive sex ed now.
(source: publichealthdegree.com)
Project T.R.U.S.T Makes Me a Better Person.
Planned Parenthood affiliates all around the country support peer education programs that give young people the skills and information they need to be a positive sexuality resource for their friends and peers. Check out this story of one person’s experience as a Planned Parenthood peer educator.
This is a reflection I had to write about my experience as a Sex Ed peer educator for Planned Parenthood. It was just nice for me to write down all the things that I love about being a peer educator, and why I joined this program. If you don’t care to read, that’s fine. But this is one aspect of…
The Facts of Life: Tips for Parents
Someone asked us:
Q. Any suggestions for explaining the facts of life to 9 year olds? My daughters are curious but disgusted at what I’ve told them so far, and I’m afraid I tend to be too technical when I start explaining things (I’m an OB nurse). Any book recommendations or other suggestions for broaching this topic would be appreciated.
Your daughters are so lucky to have an OB nurse as a mom! And the good news is, talking with your kids about sex and their bodies isn’t about One Big Talk that you’ll either pass or fail — it’s a lifelong conversation. So don’t worry if the conversation you’ve already had didn’t go as well as you would have liked.
Don’t take it too much to heart if your daughters say they’re disgusted or embarrassed by what you’re saying. Like you said, they’re curious – so they’re still listening to what you say. Talking about sexuality can be awkward at first, for them and for you, but it gets easier. Thinking about what you want to say and what values you want to give your daughters ahead of time might help. It can also help to look for things in everyday life to put your discussions in a context that your daughters can relate to, like a TV show or a song on the radio or in your case, simply talking about your day at work!
The parents section of our website has all kinds of information about how to talk to your kids about sex and sexuality, and what’s appropriate at different ages. There’s also a list of resources to help you talk with your kids on their level.
Your willingness and availability to talk about this, no matter what words you use, is what will make a difference for your girls.
And remember, this is something that a lot of parents wrestle with. Check out this video of FAQs:
-Amy at PPFA
