Teen Health and Sexuality

Are you a teen who’s curious about sex but afraid or embarrassed to ask your parents?  Are you a parent who isn’t sure how to approach your teen about sex? Here are some resources you can use to get the true facts about teen sex and health.

Databases

• Alt HealthWatch

  Focuses on complementary, holistic, and integrated approaches to health care and wellness.

  
• Consumer Health Complete

  Provides easy access to health information through basic browsing and searching of medical terms, diseases, procedures, etc.  Also includes information on sexual health and pregnancy.

  

Catalog Links

• Boyology: A Teen Girl's Crash Course in All Things Boy
  

  A crash course in understanding boys, Boyology delves into the many mysteries of teen guys, dissecting flirting tactics, offering dating suggestions, and providing tips on forming solid friendships. It's an up-close-and-personal look at boys in their natural habitats, with analyses< read more >>
  
  

  A crash course in understanding boys, Boyology delves into the many mysteries of teen guys, dissecting flirting tactics, offering dating suggestions, and providing tips on forming solid friendships. It's an up-close-and-personal look at boys in their natural habitats, with analyses by teen girlsand insight from the boys.

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• Everything You Never Wanted Your Kids to Know about Sex, (But Were Afraid They'd Ask): The Secrets to Surviving Your Child's Sexual Development from Birth to the Teens.
  

  This guide by two Harvard doctors helps parents stay sane through every stage of their child's sexual development-from infancy to the teen years and beyond. This comprehensive guide offers practical and often surprising answers to the questions that bedevil parents at every stage in their children's coming-of-age. 

  
  
  
• For Girls Only: The Ultimate Guide to Being a Girl
  

  Do you sometimes wish there were a user's guide to being a girl? For Girls Only is here for you! Whether it's dealing with your family or the gossip at school, or worrying about your first kiss or what you should wear to your next big party, this guidebook helps you understand yourself, your fears, and your relationships. All girls need the reassurance that they're not alone-ever read more >>
  
  

  Do you sometimes wish there were a user's guide to being a girl? For Girls Only is here for you! Whether it's dealing with your family or the gossip at school, or worrying about your first kiss or what you should wear to your next big party, this guidebook helps you understand yourself, your fears, and your relationships. All girls need the reassurance that they're not alone-everyone has issues communicating with their friends or overcoming certain insecurities. But confidence comes from the inside-you can't buy it at a trendy boutique or put it on at the makeup counter-and anyone can have it! For Girls Only helps you tap into yourself so you can be the most fabulous you can be!

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• GLBTQ: The Survival Guide for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning Teens
  

  This edition retains all of the straightforward information and practical advice of the original edition while providing a contemporary look at society and its growing acceptance of people who are GLBTQ.  Issues-based information and advice address coming out, prejudice, getting support, staying safe, making healthy choices, and thri read more >>
  
  

  This edition retains all of the straightforward information and practical advice of the original edition while providing a contemporary look at society and its growing acceptance of people who are GLBTQ.  Issues-based information and advice address coming out, prejudice, getting support, staying safe, making healthy choices, and thriving in school. This frank, sensitive book is written for young people who are beginning to question their sexual or gender identity, those who are ready to work for GLBTQ rights, and those who may need advice, guidance, or reassurance that they are not alone. 

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• Hang-ups, Hook-ups, and Holding Out: Stuff You Need to Know About Your Body, Sex, and Dating
  

  In Hang-Ups, Hook-Ups, and Holding Out, girls will follow the true stories of four girls and their choices-- good and bad . And they'll get answers to the questions teen girls are asking every day on the popular website www.girlology.com and in private sessions with Drs. Holmes and Hutchison, the co-creators of read more >>
  
  

  In Hang-Ups, Hook-Ups, and Holding Out, girls will follow the true stories of four girls and their choices-- good and bad . And they'll get answers to the questions teen girls are asking every day on the popular website www.girlology.com and in private sessions with Drs. Holmes and Hutchison, the co-creators of Girlology--questions like: - What's up with this acne? Will it ever end? - Is it ok to shave my hair down there? - If I keep looking at other girls in the locker room, does that mean I'm gay? - Am I the only girl who isn't having sex? - Is oral sex really 'sex'? - If I've only had oral sex, then I'm still a virgin, right? - There's a guy at school who says he wants to hook up with me. What does he mean by 'hook up'? Life can get complicated for girls today. With Hang-Ups, Hook-Ups, and Holding Out, it just got a lot easier.

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• It's Perfectly Normal: A Book About Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex and Sexual Health
  

  An updated, fifteenth anniversary edition of the definitive book on kids' sexual health brings this trusted resource into the twenty-first century. Now offering a brand-new chapter focusing on safe Internet use -- one of parents' key concerns -- this universally acclaimed classic by Robie H. Harris and Michael read more >>
  
  

  An updated, fifteenth anniversary edition of the definitive book on kids' sexual health brings this trusted resource into the twenty-first century. Now offering a brand-new chapter focusing on safe Internet use -- one of parents' key concerns -- this universally acclaimed classic by Robie H. Harris and Michael Emberley is a cutting-edge resource for kids, parents, teachers, librarians, and anyone else who cares about the well-being of tweens and teens. Providing accurate and up-to-date answers to nearly every imaginable question, from conception and puberty to birth control and AIDS, IT'S PERFECTLY NORMAL offers young people the information they need -- now more than ever -- to make responsible decisions and stay healthy.

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• Personal Hygiene and Sexual Health
  

  Personal Hygiene and Sexual Health, discusses the changes that come with puberty in the teenage years for both boys and girls, including personal hygiene issues, body changes, relationships, sexuality, and more. Additional features include: a table of contents, glossary, index, fact boxes, real life quotations, and recommended books and web sites for further exploration.

  
  
  
• Reflections of Me: Girls and Body Image
  

  You can't escape it. Images on TV and in magazines send messages about how your body should look. You might even feel as if your friends are judging your body. What's a girl to do? This book in the What's the Issue? series looks at how these messages can lead to body-image problems and disorders for girls of all ages. It also will give you the tools to make choices so you can develop a healthy  read more >>
  
  

  You can't escape it. Images on TV and in magazines send messages about how your body should look. You might even feel as if your friends are judging your body. What's a girl to do? This book in the What's the Issue? series looks at how these messages can lead to body-image problems and disorders for girls of all ages. It also will give you the tools to make choices so you can develop a healthy body image. Book jacket.

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• S.E.X.: The All-You-Need-to-Know Progressive Sexuality Guide to Get You through High School and College
  

  Activist and web site originator of scarleteen.com, Corinna has put together a blockbuster of a book for young people dealing with sex and relationships. Corinna answers every possible question teens and young adults could have about virginity, puberty, pregnancy, body image, mast read more >>
  
  

  Activist and web site originator of scarleteen.com, Corinna has put together a blockbuster of a book for young people dealing with sex and relationships. Corinna answers every possible question teens and young adults could have about virginity, puberty, pregnancy, body image, masturbation, sexual identity, the variety of relationships, and the mechanics of partnered sex. She also addresses topics that are often overlooked, e.g., transgender and intergender identities, realistic teen relationship management skills, and pornography.

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• Sexpectations
  

  Sexpectations will help you make healthy, positive choices based on the right information. Sexpectations talks to girls and guys about when to have sex, how sex happens, why you might (or might not) have sex, what does sex feel like and other important things to know if read more >>
  
  

  Sexpectations will help you make healthy, positive choices based on the right information. Sexpectations talks to girls and guys about when to have sex, how sex happens, why you might (or might not) have sex, what does sex feel like and other important things to know if and when a girl or guy has, or is about to have, sex. But sex isn't just about one person. Sexpectations goes way past how to put on a condom -- it explores the tricky areas of pleasure and desire with real life information shared in a straightforward way. It discusses what's happening with relationships and friends, family, sexual identity and cultural influences. Knowing about and making decisions about sex can be confusing at the best of times. This book will take you through knowing yourself and your body, keeping safe, protecting yourself, thinking through pregnancy, knowing about relationships and tapping into your personal power to make positive choices. With comments from other guys and girls facing the same experiences, Sexpectations talks honestly and respectfully about the hard questions and gives you some answers you might need.

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• Sexually Transmitted Diseases
  

  The ailments and conditions that afflict people today can be confusing, disturbing, and painful-both emotionally and physically. This title provides clear, careful explanations that offer readers and researchers insight into what these conditions are, what causes them, how people live with them, and the latest information about treatment and prevention.

  
  
  
• So Sexy So Soon: The New Sexualized Childhood and What Parents Can Do to Protect Their Kids
  

  Internationally recognized experts in childhood development and the impact of media on kids, Levin and Kilbourne have teamed up to offer parents the information, skills, and confidence they need to raise kids with a healthy understanding of sex and sexuality.

  
  
  
• Talk to Me First : Everything You Need to Know to Become Your Kids' Go-to Person About Sex
  

  We live in a time when kids of all ages are bombarded with age-sensitive material wherever they turn; 'sexting' and bullying are on the rise at an increasingly younger age, and teen moms are 'celebrified.' What is a concerned - and embarrassed - parent to do? Wi read more >>
  
  

  We live in a time when kids of all ages are bombarded with age-sensitive material wherever they turn; 'sexting' and bullying are on the rise at an increasingly younger age, and teen moms are 'celebrified.' What is a concerned - and embarrassed - parent to do? With wit, wisdom, and savvy, Deborah Roffman translates her experiences gleaned from decades of teaching kids and parents, and as a mom, into strategies to help parents navigate this tricky terrain. 'Talk to Me First' is for any parent who wants to become and remain the most credible and influential resource about sexuality in their children's lives.

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• The What's Happening to My Body? Book for Boys
  

  To help boys realize that they are not alone in their concerns as they go through their transformation to manhood, they need information, and this is the best book to give and share with them.  The introduction is for the parent, the book for the young man. Readers will be comforted with honest, sensitive, non-judgmental straight talk on the body's changing size and shape, the growt read more >>
  
  

  To help boys realize that they are not alone in their concerns as they go through their transformation to manhood, they need information, and this is the best book to give and share with them.  The introduction is for the parent, the book for the young man. Readers will be comforted with honest, sensitive, non-judgmental straight talk on the body's changing size and shape, the growth spurt, reproductive organs, voice changes, body hair, puberty in girls, and much more. Material includes more detailed discussion of penis size; expanded sections on eating right, exercise, steroid abuse, and weight training; updated advice on acne treatment; and crucial information on AIDS, STDs, and birth control appropriate for this age. Filled with illustrations and stories of real-life experiences, The What's Happening to My Body Book for Boys is a comprehensive puberty education and health book for all young boys from ages 8 to 15.

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• The What's Happening to My Body? Book for Girls
  

  The "What's Happening to My Body?" Book for Girls Written by experienced educator and her daughter in a reassuring and down-to-earth style,The "What's Happening to My Body?" Book for Girls gives sensitive straight talk on: the body's changing size and shape; the growth spurt; breast development; the reproductive organs; the menstrual cycle; body hair; diet and read more >>
  
  

  The "What's Happening to My Body?" Book for Girls Written by experienced educator and her daughter in a reassuring and down-to-earth style,The "What's Happening to My Body?" Book for Girls gives sensitive straight talk on: the body's changing size and shape; the growth spurt; breast development; the reproductive organs; the menstrual cycle; body hair; diet and exercise; romantic and sexual feelings; and puberty in the opposite sex. It also includes information on anorexia and bulimia, sexually transmitted diseases, AIDS, and birth control. Features detailed illustrations and real-life stories throughout, plus an introduction for parents and a helpful resource section.

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Web Links

• Girls Health

  This website is hosted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office on Women’s Health to help teen girls learn about health, growing up, and issues they may face. It promotes healthy and positive behaviors in girls, giving them reliable and useful health information in a fun, easy-to-understand way.

• Go Ask Alice!

  A health Q & A web site formatted into easy-to-browse categories.  Sponsored by Health Services at Columbia University.

• It's Your (Sex) Life

  Information to help support young people in making responsible decisions about their sexual health.  This website focuses on helping teens make responsible decisions about their sexual health, especially  is on preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and reducing unintended pregnancy.

• My Sistahs

  A web site created by and for young women of color to provide information and offer support on sexual and reproductive health issues through education and advocacy.

• Planned Parenthood Federation of America

  An organization dedicated to providing accurate health care and education to women, men, teens and families.  This site offers a multitude of information regarding contraception, sexual health, adoption, abortion, pregnancy, STDs, and more.

• Scarleteen

  Scarleteen is an independent, grassroots sexuality education and support organization and website. 

• Sex, Etc.

  Sex, Etc. offers honest and accurate sexual health information. It answers teens' questions about sex, relationships, pregnancy, STDs, birth control, sexual orientation and more!

• Stay Teen

  The goal of Stay Teen is to encourage you to enjoy your teen years and avoid the responsibilities that come with too-early pregnancy and parenting.  The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy covers topics such as sex, relationships, waiting and contraception to help teens make informed choices.

• Teens' Page on MedlinePlus

  Produced by the National Library of Medicine, it brings teens reliable and current information about diseases, conditions, and wellness issues in language they can understand.