Resources about Sex and Gender

It is important that you choose a go-to resource that you know delivers information in a factual way based on research and experience. However, the below resources all have a point of view. Therefore, you also should find resources that feel most consistent with your values and style of communication because they will most help you to engage your teen. For this reason, we offer many resources for you to explore.

Websites

https://powertodecide.org/teen-talk

The goal of Power to Decide is to encourage young people to enjoy their teen years and avoid the responsibilities that come with too-early pregnancy and parenting. The more you know about issues like sex, relationships, abstinence, and birth control, the better prepared you’ll be to make informed choices for your future. We’re not telling you how to live your life…we just want to give you some food for thought and the latest facts. It’s up to you to make your own smart decisions.

https://sexetc.org/

Sex, Etc. is on a mission to improve teen sexual health across the country! Each year, five million young people visit Sexetc.org, and over 45,000 read our magazine to get honest and accurate sexual health information. We’ve helped teens with answers to their question about sex, relationships, pregnancy, STDs, birth control, sexual orientation and more!

https://amaze.org/

AMAZE is harnessing the power of digital media to provide children, adolescents, their parents and educators with medically accurate, affirming, and honest sexual health information along with free, engaging resources that can be accessed anytime, anywhere — regardless of where they live or what school they attend.

http://www.iwannaknow.org/

iwannaknow.org offers information on sexual health for teens and young adults. This is where you will find the facts, the support, and the resources to answer your questions, find referrals, and get access to in-depth information about sexual health, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), healthy relationships, and more.

http://www.ashasexualhealth.org/parents/

The American Sexual Health Association promotes the sexual health of individuals, families and communities by advocating sound policies and practices and educating the public, professionals and policy makers, in order to foster healthy sexual behaviors and relationships and prevent adverse health outcomes.

https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/sexual-health/?WT.ac=t-nav-sexual-health

Nemours is a nonprofit children’s health system. Their goal is to help parents, kids, and teens take charge of their health. They offer facts about sexual health with articles about puberty, abstinence, infections, and frequently asked questions by teens.

http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/

Advocates for Youth partners with youth leaders, adult allies, and youth-serving organizations to advocate for policies and champion programs that recognize young people’s rights to honest sexual health information; accessible, confidential, and affordable sexual health services; and the resources and opportunities necessary to create sexual health equity for all youth.

http://www.siecus.org/

The Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS), founded in 1964, envisions a world where people of all ages are treated with dignity and respect in regards to their sexuality and sexual and reproductive health.

https://www.cmhc.utexas.edu/vav/vav_healthyrelationships.html

Voices Against Violence (VAV) offers comprehensive violence prevention and response programs. We address issues of interpersonal violence, such as sexual violence, dating violence, and stalking. VAV aims to provide the campus with tools to identify and interrupt interpersonal violence, support survivors, and build a campus that values and promotes healthy relationships and consent.

https://youngwomenshealth.org/

The Center for Young Women’s Health (CYWH) is a partnership between the Division of Adolescent/Young Adult Medicine and the Division of Gynecology, at Boston Children’s Hospital. The Center is an educational entity that is committed to providing teen girls and young women with carefully researched health information, educational programs, and conferences. The mission of our website is to help teen girls, their parents, educators, and health care providers improve their understanding of normal health and development, as well as of specific diseases and conditions. We want to empower teen girls and young women around the world to take an active role in their own health care.

http://www.goaskalice.columbia.edu/

Alice! is not one person, but a team. The Go Ask Alice! site is supported by a team of Columbia University health promotion specialists, health care providers, and other health professionals, along with a staff of information and research specialists and writers. Our team members have advanced degrees in public health, health education, medicine, counseling, and a number of other relevant fields.

http://www.thebody.com/

TheBody.com’s mission is to:

Use the Web to lower barriers between patients and clinicians.
Demystify HIV/AIDS and its treatment.
Improve the quality of life for all people living with HIV/AIDS.
Foster community through human connection.

http://www.scarleteen.com/

Scarleteen is an independent, grassroots sexuality and relationships education and support organization and website. Founded in 1998, Scarleteen.com is visited by around five million diverse people each year — around 5,000 of whom we typically speak with directly through our direct services and in-person outreach — most between the ages of 15 and 25. It is typically the most popular and most widely used site specifically providing sex and relationships information and support for young people worldwide and has been so through most of its tenure.

https://www.sexandu.ca/

SexandU.ca takes a real-life approach to the questions and issues around sex and sexuality that matter most to Canadians. From talking about sex, to lifestyle choices, to contraception awareness and sexually transmitted infections, SexandU.ca provides accurate, credible, and up-to-date information and education on topics related to sexual and reproductive health.

http://www.adolescenthealth.org/Resources/Clinical-Care-Resources/Sexual-Reproductive-Health.aspx

The Sexual and Reproductive Health Resources are intended to provide adolescent and young adult health care providers and youth serving professionals with easy access to existing sexual and reproductive health clinical care guidelines and resources that are free of cost; specific to adolescents or regarding a population which includes adolescents; and open access or accessible after the creation of a free login; and nationally applicable.

https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/teen/dating-sex/Pages/default.aspx

Parents are a teenager’s primary source of information and guidance in matters of sex, sexuality, dating and love. “The Talk” should be an ongoing series of discussions that take place whenever your teenager has a question concerning sex or whenever a “teachable moment” presents itself.

http://www.youngmensclinic.org/

The Young Men’s Clinic (YMC) is operated by New York Presbyterian Hospital (NYPH) and the Center for Community Health and Education (CCHE) at the Heilbrunn Department of Population and Family Health (HDPFH), Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University. The clinic addresses the health needs of males 14-35 years of age, with a focus on sexual and reproductive health. While most men who visit the YMC are from Washington Heights, Harlem, and the Bronx, the clinic is open to all young men. The YMC believes that providing high quality services to the men of our community, training the next generation of health professionals, and conducting service-based research are interdependent activities. The YMC believes that men have a right to healthcare, and that improving men’s health improves the health of families and the entire community.

http://teensource.org/

Launched in 2001 as an online hub for teen-friendly sexual and reproductive health information and resources, TeenSource.org features accurate and reliable information about STDs, birth control, healthy relationships, and teen rights to accessing sensitive services in California. The site also features youth-generated blogs and videos

https://itgetsbetter.org/

The It Gets Better Project is a nonprofit organization with a mission to uplift, empower, and connect lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer youth around the globe. Growing up isn’t easy, especially when you are trying to affirm and assert your sexual orientation and/or gender identity. It can be a challenging and isolating process – but, the good news is, no one has to do it alone.

https://www.thetrevorproject.org/

Founded in 1998 by the creators of the Academy Award®-winning short film TREVOR, The Trevor Project is the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) young people ages 13-24.

PFLAG

PFLAG has over 400 chapters across the country that offer support for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) people, their parents and families, and allies. They state: “PFLAG believes that lives are transformed by unconditional love. To help people achieve this, we recognize we must exercise compassion for ourselves and others willing to take the journey toward love and acceptance.”

Family Acceptance Project

The Family Acceptance Project is a research, intervention, education and policy initiative that works to prevent health and mental health risks for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBTQ) children and youth.

Gender Spectrum

Offers resources, training, and support for families, professionals, and youth advocates to create gender-sensitive and inclusive environments for all children and teens.

The Trevor Project — Saving Young LGBTQ Lives

The Trevor Project provides crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning (LGBTQ) young people under 25.

LGBTQ Youth – HRC

Resources from the Human Rights Campaign to support LGBTQ youth.