Scarleteen Confidential: A Resource Toolbox

Internet Sexuality Resources for Parents

• The Sex Positive Parentexternal link, opens in a new tab: “Being a sex⁠ (sex: Different things people choose to do to actively express or enact sexuality and sexual feelings; often this involves genitals, but not always. ) -positive parent means we assume that our children will grow into autonomous, sexually active⁠ (sexually active: Someone who has had or is currently having some kind of genital sex with a partner or partners.) adults⁠ (adults: People whose age in years exceeds the legal age of majority, people considered to be adults by law, or people who a culture or individual considers to have reached an adult stage of life.) and we support our children’ s individual sexual⁠ (sexual: About or relating in some way to sex or sexuality.) identity⁠ (identity: The defining character or personality of an individual; who we feel like we are as a person.) no matter what.”
• The Guttmacher Instituteexternal link, opens in a new tab: “A leading research and policy organization committed to advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) worldwide.”
• Gender Spectrumexternal link, opens in a new tab: “Helping families, organizations, and institutions increase their understanding of gender⁠ (gender: Characteristics that are seen or presented as distinguishing between male and female in a society. Gender may or may not include assigned or chosen: social roles, feelings, behaviors and/or presentation or appearance.) and consider the implications that evolving views have for each of us.”
• Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS)external link, opens in a new tab: “Through advocacy, policy and coalition building, SIECUS advances sex education as a vehicle for social change—where all people receive sex education, are affirmed in their identities, and have power to make decisions about their own health, pleasure, and wholeness.”
• Our Bodies, Ourselves Blogexternal link, opens in a new tab: “Your accurate and inclusive guide to health, sexuality, and reproductive justice”.”
• Birds + Bees + Kidsexternal link, opens in a new tab: “I’m on a mission to help every kid grow up to be a whole and healthy adult! I do this by helping parents just like you learn how to have open and effective talks about sexuality, love and relationships.”
• Planned Parenthood Mar Monte Online Educational Sessionsexternal link, opens in a new tab: “Planned Parenthood Mar Monte (PPMM) is a trusted provider of evidence-based comprehensive sex education (CSE), youth development programs, community outreach, and capacity building programs for schools and youth serving organizations that want to deliver sex ed directly in their community.”

Internet Sexuality Resources for Young People (and their families!)

• Scarleteen
• Planned Parenthood Federation of Americaexternal link, opens in a new tab
• International Planned Parenthood Federationexternal link, opens in a new tab (International)
• Bishexternal link, opens in a new tab (UK)
• Brookexternal link, opens in a new tab (UK)
• Sex, Etc.external link, opens in a new tab (US)
• Advocates for Youthexternal link, opens in a new tab (US)
• Sexandu.caexternal link, opens in a new tab (CAN)
• Options for Sexual Healthexternal link, opens in a new tab (CAN)

Books For Parents, Young People, or Both About Sexuality and Related Issues

• S.E.X.: The All-You-Need-to-Know Progressive Sexuality Guide to Get You Through High School and Collegeexternal link, opens in a new tab, Heather Corinna
• GLBTQ: The Survival Guide for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning Teensexternal link, opens in a new tab, Kelly Huegel
• Doing it Right: Making Smart, Safe, and Satisfying Choices about Sexexternal link, opens in a new tab, Bronwen Pardes
• Our Bodies, Ourselvesexternal link, opens in a new tab, the Boston Women’s Health Collective
• Not Under My Roof: Parents, Teens, and the Culture of Sex, external link, opens in a new tabAmy T. Schalet
• Breaking the Hush Factor: Tips for Talking to Teens About Sexexternal link, opens in a new tab, Dr. Karen Rayne
• For Goodness Sex: Changing the Way We Talk to Teens about Sexuality, Values, and Healthexternal link, opens in a new tab, Al Vernacchio
• Talk to Me First: Everything You Need to Know to Become Your Kids’ “Go-To” Person About Sexexternal link, opens in a new tab, Deborah Roffman
• Venus in Blue Jeans: Why Mothers and Daughters Need to Talk About Sexexternal link, opens in a new tab, Nathalie Bartle
• Harmful to Minors: The Perils of Protecting Children from Sexexternal link, opens in a new tab, Judith Levine
• The Romance of Risk: Why Teenagers Do the Things They Doexternal link, opens in a new tab, Lynn Ponton
• Kids Gone Wild: From Rainbow Parties to Sexting, Understanding the Hype Over Teen Sexexternal link, opens in a new tab, Joel Best and Kathleen A. Bogle
• Challenging Casanova: Beyond the Stereotype of the Promiscuous Young Maleexternal link, opens in a new tab, Andrew P. Smiler, Ph.D.
• Dude, You’re a Fag: Masculinity and Sexuality in High Schoolexternal link, opens in a new tab, CJ Pascoe
• Raising Cain: Protecting the Emotional Life of Boys,external link, opens in a new tab Dan Kindlon and Michael Thompson
• The Secret Lives of Teen Girls: What Your Mother Wouldn’t Talk About but Your Daughter Needs to Knowexternal link, opens in a new tab, Evelyn Resh, CNM, MPH
• Modern Motheringexternal link, opens in a new tab, Joyce T. McFadden
• Sex Smart: How Your Childhood Shaped Your Sexual Life and What to Do About Itexternal link, opens in a new tab, Aline P. Zoldbrod, Ph.D.
• It’s Complicated: The Social Lives of Networked Teensexternal link, opens in a new tab, danah boyd

Sexuality Books for Pre-Teens or Younger Children

• Doing it Right: Making Smart, Safe, and Satisfying Choices about Sex,external link, opens in a new tab Bronwen Pardes
• It’s Perfectly Normal,external link, opens in a new tab It’s So Amazing external link, opens in a new taband It’s Not the Stork,external link, opens in a new tab Robie Harris
• Sex is a Funny Word: A Book about Bodies, Feelings, and YOUexternal link, opens in a new tab, Cory Silverberg

Books on Learning, Communication and Relationships with Teens

• Teaching to Transgressexternal link, opens in a new tab, bell hooks
• Instead of Education external link, opens in a new taband Learning All the Timeexternal link, opens in a new tab, John Holt
• How to Talk So Teens Will Listen and Listen So Teens Will Talkexternal link, opens in a new tab, Adele Faber
• Crucial Conversations Tools for Talking When Stakes Are Highexternal link, opens in a new tab, Kerry Patterson
• The Usual Error: Why We Don’t Understand Each Other and 34 Ways to Make It Betterexternal link, opens in a new tab, Pace and Kyeli Smith, Ilustrated by Martin Whitmore
• Brainstorm: The Power and Purpose of the Teenage Brainexternal link, opens in a new tab, Daniel J. Siegel, MD
• Parenting Teens With Love And Logic: Preparing Adolescents for Responsible Adulthoodexternal link, opens in a new tab, Foster Cline and Jim Fay

This is part of our series for parents or guardians. It starts with our big five guiding principles for parents or guardians and includes resources for those supporting teens and young adults. To see all posts in the series, click the Scarleteen Confidential tag here at Scarleteen, or follow the series on Tumblr at scarleteenconfidential.tumblr.comexternal link, opens in a new tabexternal link, opens in a new tabexternal link, opens in a new tab.