Q. Why do people feel uncomfortable talking about sex and bodies? <em>– 15-year-old</em><strong>Mary Jo’s Response</strong>: Not everyone feels uncomfortable. After teaching sexuality since the early 1980s, I believe discomfort with ...
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Q. If two people are older – like over 18 – and they have an intimate relationship, does that assume they get consent? Like, is consent understood? Or do they have to keep asking if things are OK over and over?<em>– 13-year-old</em><strong>Mary ...
Today, I will focus on questions about TikTok, a video social media app popular with teens and young adults.Q. My friend told me there’s a TikTok that helps you find a boyfriend. Is this true? Is TikTok like a dating app for my ...
Traditions matter to me. Young people’s voices are important. Every year since 2005, I ask teens to share their New Year’s resolutions for this column. Most years there are similar themes – self-improvement, school success, and improved relationships are the most common concerns.This ...
Q. Settle an argument for me. My mom says I need to go to my grandparents on Christmas even though my grandfather is disrespectful to me. I’d best describe him as a dirty old man. Ever since puberty, he makes sexual jokes about my body.I’ve complained to him, to my grandma, and to my mom. ...
Q. Is it wrong for me to want to spend Christmas away from my parents? They divorced when I was 10 and the last five years’ holidays have been horrible. They fight over me. I feel like a pawn in a chess game. They can’t seem to stop hating each other long enough to ask me how I am. I hear ...