sexetc.

org By Teens For Teens Winter 2019

 Contents
ISSUE 39 Winter 2019

4 Staff Talks PERSPECTIVES FEATURES

What’s the Sex, Etc. teen editorial staff
talking about this winter?
5 Web, Etc.
Get the latest on Sexetc.org.
IN THE KNOW
6 News, Etc.
News on a California resolution denouncing
unnecessary sex assignment surgery on
intersex babies, a study finding that promotion
of the HPV vaccine does not encourage
young people to have sex and a new condom
availability program at four public high school
health centers in Montgomery County, Maryland.
7 Sex 411
What do you need to do if you want to get
tested for sexually transmitted diseases
(STDs)? Can you be asexual and want to
have a child? We’ve got answers to these
and other questions.
8 Our Health
You might have learned about periods in
health class, but what about all those other
things that happen to female bodies, like
vaginal discharge and sore breasts? Kayleigh
addresses many of these experiences that
don’t get talked about often enough.
9 Family Matters 12 Taking Your Time:
What if you can’t talk to your parents Puberty, Kissing and
about being LGBTQ? Mack addresses the
More
challenges of not being able to be open about
Worried you might be a late bloomer or
her sexual orientation with her family and the
feeling awkward about how quickly your
sort of support she wishes she had at home.
body is changing? Sara talks to a few
teens about wishing they could speed
10 Faces of Change up or put the brakes on puberty and
Tiffany speaks with 18-year-old Ose
relationships.
Arheghan about their work fighting for
LGBTQ rights and advocating for safe
schools in Ohio.
14 Intimacy Takes Time
What is intimacy and why is it important?
Maura speaks with teens about how
11 The Spectrum feeling emotionally safe and comfortable
Would you have a sexual relationship while
enough to communicate openly and
still in high school? Misha’el knows how
honestly with a partner can make your
she feels about this and was curious to hear
from other teens about what they think.
relationships safer and healthier.
16 Don’t Wait:
BACK IT UP Vaccines, STD Testing
18 #UnderPressure and Emergency
Have you ever felt like you had to do
something by a certain time? Do you have
Contraception
While puberty and relationships happen
to have your first kiss before you get to high
at their own pace, are there times when
school, for example? Eka talks to teens about
you really shouldn’t wait for nature to take
feeling pressure to hit certain physical and
its course? Parth addresses those times
relationship “milestones” by a certain time.
when it’s important that you act.

Funding to support Sex, Etc.

2018-2019 EDITORIAL STAFF comes in part from the following:
Phone: 848.445.7929
Email: sexetc@rutgers.edu
Naomi Akiyama, 18
Lucinda Holt, M.A. Website: http://answer.rutgers.edu
Ellie Alpizar, 17 Mary Owen Borden Foundation,
Director of Communications
Carley Campbell, 17 E. J. Grassman Trust, Grove Donations to support Sex,
Erica Pass, Psy.D.
Kira Edgar, 18 Foundation, The George Etc. can be sent via check to
Editor
Ryan Fowler, 16 Gund Foundation, Harbourton the address above and made
Aimee Pelletier
Maura Freeland, 18 Foundation, WestWind payable to “Answer/Rutgers
Copy Editor
Isabella Gonzalez, 18 Foundation and generous University Foundation.” Or go to
The Public
Nathan Lam, 16 individual donors. http://answer.rutgers.edu and
Graphic Design
Tiffany Liang, 17 Views expressed in the click on “Donate.”
Nicole Cushman, M.P.H.
Misha’el Richardson, 15 magazine do not necessarily
Executive Director Sex, Etc. relies on a review board of
Jack Scala, 16 reflect those of the funders.
Susan N. Wilson, MS.Ed. sexual health experts to ensure that
Eka Tawe, 16
Senior Advisor we provide medically accurate sexual
Parth Thakkar, 16 Sex, Etc. is published by Answer.
health information.
Mack Toth, 17
Answer
Kayleigh Wharton, 17 Copyright © 2018
Center for Applied Psychology
Isabella Yurman, 17
Rutgers University
41 Gordon Road, Suite C
Piscataway, NJ 08854

2 sexetc.org
 Editorial Staff & Contributors
Is it time?
Eka Tawe, 16
Is it time for the One Direction
hiatus to be over? Yes.

Carley Campbell, 17
Is it time to over-explain
everything?
Kira Edgar, 18
Is it time to get a
gingerbread latte yet?
Misha’el Richardson, 15
Is it time to break out
Ellie Alpizar, 17
in song and dance?
Is it time for your
biannual dentist visit?

Jack Scala, 16 Tiffany Liang, 17

Is it time to spread
information and not STDs?
Is it time to sleep? Nathan Lam, 16
Is it time to d-d-d-duel?
Isabella Gonzalez, 18
Is it time for the
first gay president?

Mack Toth, 17
Is it time to go on an
Isabella Yurman, 17
adventure?
Is it time to meme?
Naomi Akiyama, 18
Is it time to listen to
Ryan Fowler, 16 my favorite songs?
Is it time for the Browns to
win a Super Bowl?

Kayleigh Wharton, 17 Maura Freeland, 18 Sara Kleine, 18

Parth Thakkar, 16 Is it time for dessert? Is it time to grow Is it time to break out the
Is it time for Machado to a pair (of ovaries)? roller skates?
come to the Yankees?

Why Wonder? 3
 Staff Talks
Is It Time?
By Carley Campbell, 17, Staff Writer
What time is it?
We’re often thinking about time. What time it is, where we should
be at this point in time, what we should do with our time. And then
there’s the question: is it time to make a big decision?
The feature stories in this issue all address timing. When should we
talk about certain issues that are often avoided? When should we
get tested for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)? When should
we think about getting into a relationship or having sex?
For instance, Sara’s story, “Taking Your Time: Puberty, Kissing and
More,” explores the conversation around certain milestones. Puberty,
first kisses, first relationships and first sexual encounters are often on
teens’ minds but not typically touched upon in health classes. Sara’s
story encourages teens to make their own decisions when it comes
to sex and relationships and to try not to compare themselves to
others.
And speaking of taking your time, Maura’s “Intimacy Takes Time”
feature looks at intimacy and why it doesn’t just happen overnight.
Maura encourages communication in relationships, something which
goes hand in hand with emotional intimacy.
Finally, Parth’s article, “Don’t Wait: Vaccines, STD Testing and
Emergency Contraception,” reminds us that certain things shouldn’t
wait—like getting vaccinated for HPV, getting tested for STDs or
getting emergency contraception should you need it. These things
aren’t talked about enough but are still extremely important.
All these articles deal with time in different ways—when to wait and
when to take action. It’s important that we know when and where we
need to make changes, both for ourselves and in our relationships.
So it’s always a good idea to ask ourselves, “Is it time?”

4 sexetc.org
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Why Wonder? 5
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