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Sex
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Hey, you gotta know what you're up against, right? Having sex for the first time is a big decision, and
sooner or later, it comes up. That doesn't mean you have to go all the way before you graduate, but it's not realistic to
expect everyone to stay completely innocent forever. Eventually we have to start facing reality even if our parents or
other people around us aren't ready to see we've grown up.
If you are having sex, there is the potential to get pregnant. If a girl is on her period, she
can still get pregnant. If she is on the pill, she can still get pregnant. If you use a condom, you can still get pregnant.
The only 100% way of not getting pregnant is abstinence- and then you still have to watch out for immaculate conception. Alien
implantation is always a possibility for those boys, so no one's getting off here. The nice thing about immaculate conception
is no STD's... who knows about the aliens.
Rate It Yourself! See What People Said
(Be extra careful typing this one in, or you'll end up on a page you don't want to be on.) Here is a great site
where you can read articles written by other teens, write in your comments, correspond, and even get a check for $100 if you
publish an article. Comics, movies, articles, games... help with everything from running away to sex, it's all here. Check out their MySpace! (MySexEtc)
This is an awesome site. There are ridiculous cartoons and lots of good information. TeenWire talks about sex, drugs,
all those other things we deal with... but mostly sex and sexuality. This site is run by Planned Parenthood and has great, and amusing, information.
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STD's
Prevention:
If
you suspect you or your partner may have an STD or been exposed to one, get tested and don't have sex until you know for sure.
Make your partner get tested before you have sex as well. If you or your partner has had sex with anyone but each other, it's
time to get tested.
Four A's 586-6089
Anti-Aids/condoms/information:
Four A's has a teen page as well as their regular web page. They are one of the groups who put out condoms. Unfortunately, most of their condom outreach is done in bars, but you can
also check out
-Paradise Tattoo (up the hill from the downtown McDonalds)
-Zach Gordon Youth Center (by Centennial Hall and Bullwinkles Pizza)
-Juneau Public Health (by
Twin Lakes and the hospitals)
-SEARHC (by the hospitals and Twin Lakes)
-UAS (out the road past Safeway and the Mendenhall Mall and the Job Center, and the DMV, and just about everything else.)
-Possibly Pel' Meni, though they seem to run out fast
-One of the downtown electronics shops
-Doc Water's
-You can also buy them from many stores.
Four A's also offers classes (yes,
this means putting condoms on bananas, among other things). You can invite them to a party or any other event and they'll
show up for an hour with condoms, HIV 101, etc. They'll make it fun too, and possibly show up with Zandi's Treasure
Chest/Mail Call.
Gardasil HPV vaccine- talk to your doctor or the ladies in the Teen Health Center in Marie Drake
about getting vaccinated for free, if you're interested.
NOTE: Doubling up condoms makes them prone to breakage.
Not using condoms increases your risk of getting HPV and genital warts along with all sorts of other nasty STD's. USE A
CONDOM EVERY TIME YOU HAVE SEX!
What happens if it happens:
- Juneau Public Health offers free STD/STI
testing.
- At the Four A office, you can have a free HIV test done with results in 20 minutes
- The Surgeon General
recommends HIV testing once a year for all teens/young adults who are sexually active.
Pregnancy
Prevention:
Talk about what would happen if you or your partner got pregnant before having sex. Make a pregnancy plan. Think
about how having a child would impact your life and change your plans and decide what you would do about it.
Birth control - If you skip 2 days or more of The Pill (or are just starting),
you have to wait a week of taking one a day before it's effective. So you could be taking The Pill, miss 2 days, keep taking
it, and get knocked up later that week. Boys, be aware of this too. You don't want to go around getting girls pregnant and
having to pay child support for the next 18 years of your life. Point is, if you miss (or if your girlfriend misses)
a day or two of birth control, hold off on sex for a week.
There are lots of birth control options to choose from. IUD's, pills, shots,
and many more. Find a great description of which is right for you on the Planned Parenthood website, or TeenWire
What happens if it happens:
Plan
B and Emergency Contraceptives are available from Juneau Public Health, or Planned Parenthood (TeenWire.com). Also, anyone who is 18 or over can buy them over the counter from most drug stores. SEARHC may have ECP (Emergency
Contraceptive Pills) on the weekend. You need to take the ECP within 72 hours of having sex.
As
a last resort...
Juneau Pro-Choice Coalition
CareNet Pregnancy Center 789-9599 free pregnancy testing and support
Bartlett Beginnings Family Birth Center 796-8900
full range of pregnancy, delivery,
and baby care support.
Juneau Family Birth Center 586-1203
healthy pregnancy support
There is a place in Anchorage called Passage House which is a "transitional living program for young women who are pregnant or parenting." You can stay there up to 18 months
as they help you figure out your new life.
If you have a baby, know that child care can cost over $6,000 a year. And kids don't
start school until they're 5, so that's over $30,000 in child care. That's about the same as one year of college at a private
school could cost. Think about it.
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Violence
Rape
It's not your fault and you're not alone.
Call a friend, and call the hospital immediately. Bartlett Hospital: 796-8900 or 911
At Bartlett, they will call someone from AWARE, if you would like. Someone can come just to sit and hold your hand, or
talk to you, or whatever you need for support. Also, you should get straight to the hospital before taking a shower, and bring
the clothes you were wearing as evidence, so the person who did this to you can be charged and persecuted.
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____All_About_Abstinence____
"Mmm... I got some great ABSTINENCE last night."
Over and over again, we hear, “It won’t happen to me.” Or more
often, “I didn’t think it would happen to me.” How do you think people get pregnant? What do you think the
function of sex is? If you don’t think you’re going to have a pregnancy scare, or if you don’t think
you’re going to be at risk for STD’s, it may be time to take another look at the facts.
If you’re choosing abstinence, or thinking about waiting, good for you. Unfortunately, it’s
not always easy to stand by your decision. It’s easy to get caught up in the moment with your significant other. You
might feel pressure from your peers or dates, and people may not even believe you when you say you’re abstinent.
Make an informed decision
Get the facts about sex before
deciding to go forward with it. When you decide to have sex, make sure you're making this decision for the right reasons --
rebelling against your parents or making your ex jealous is not a good reason. Know you are putting yourself at risk for STI's/STD's
and pregnancy, and thoroughly think through what you would do in those situations before making the decision.
Be prepared
Although you may not be planning on having
sex today or tomorrow, things happen, and it's never a bad idea to have an emergency contraceptive pill and a condom on hand
or under the bed. If you do end up having sex, make it safer, not an unfortunate accident.
Talk about it
In bed naked with your partner is not
the ideal time to talk about abstinence or sex. Fully clothed and cool headed is a much better chance for a decent conversation.
"If you can't talk about it, don't do it" is always a great guideline, so talk about boundaries and what you each feel comfortable
with before you start crossing lines. Be respectful of the other person's comfort level, and be honest about yours. No pushy
partners. This decision is something totally personal and something you have to share with your partner, but it's not their
decision if you should have sex. It's yours. It's not your parents' decision, or your friends' decision, either.
Find alternatives
What's fun, personal, and not sex?
Play a game (like cards or Monopoly), go for a walk, play 20 questions or "I have never," volunteer together, make something
or do something together, learn to dance or cook together... be creative and have fun getting to know each other. It's
not all about making out.
How to say no
It’s always okay to stop. The opposing
argument seems to be that it can be physically difficult or painful for guys to stop, and girls also have a hard time stopping
in the middle of things, but it's always okay and totally possible to stop at any time. When a couple gets walked in on, how
long do you think it takes for them to spring apart and throw their clothes back on?
Never be afraid to speak up and say;
"let's wait," "not right now," "I'm not comfortable with this," "I don't want to," "no." You are worth being respected, and
if your partner can't do that, they are not worth your time.
Click Here For THE ABSTINENCE ROCK CONCERT Cartoon!!!
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By Teens, For Teens.
~One Site, Lots of Answers~
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