The following article presents a paradigm shift in order to engage in more expansive pedagogy in the teaching of puberty; specifically, to create a more inclusive and affirming space for LGBTIQA+ youth. Attention to LGBTQIA+ populations has slowly been integrated into many areas of research, theory, and teaching in psychology and related…

Memorable messages, or messages people recall for a long period of time and identify as influential in identity development or behavioral assessment, provide a framework to address both adolescent advice and development and to identify areas that were absent from pivotal conversations like "the talk." In this qualitative survey study, we…

This study examined individual and familial influences on Black female adolescents' (N = 1426) sexual pleasure expectancies, sexual guilt, and age of sexual debut using data from the National Longitudinal Study on Adolescent to Adult Health. Results indicated significant differences between Black female adolescents that were sexually active and…

Internet-based platforms present vital new venues for sex education. However, research is limited on the ways adolescents utilize these resources, particularly within user-generated content contexts. This study assesses the sexual health content adolescents seek online through a qualitative, directed content analysis of 365 user-generated posts in…

To describe development and pilot testing of the Test of Adolescent Sexual Knowledge (TASK) developed by the researcher using content recommendations of the National Sexuality Education Standards. TASK development was guided by a systematic process described by Kirby and Mathtec. Pilot testing involved the use of talk-aloud interviews with 10…

Many sexuality educators and professionals, even those involved in program development and planning, are not aware of the biological and social factors involved in gender identity development in youth. As such, this topic is often not as well addressed in whole life educational curricula as better understood topics, such as reproductive anatomy,…

Pleasure is an important aspect of healthy sexual development. Moreover, public health researchers and feminist scholars suggest that pleasure-inclusive sex education is effective for reducing pregnancy and rates of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections and may create a more inclusive classroom environment for underserved individuals.…

Numerous books exist on parent-teen communication related to sex, sexuality, and sexual health. However, Chris Fariello and Pierre-Paul Tellier take a new, question-and-answer approach to reaching today's busy parents in their book "99 Things Parents Wish They Knew Before[R]...Having "THE" Talk". The concept behind the book is innovative, but the…

While many states mandate some type of sexuality education in schools, state legislation varies widely across the United States. Nevertheless, though much has been written about the behavioral outcomes of sexuality education programs shown to be effective at reducing one or more risky sexual behaviors in teenagers, less is known about the exact…

In this article, the author expands our definition of "comprehensive sexuality education," broadening the discourse to something more ideal than what current rhetoric seems to suggest, and in the process presents the rationale for real comprehensive sexuality education. Current definitions of comprehensive sexuality education focus on prevention…

Although critical to understanding human sexuality and reproductive physiology, the male and female reproductive anatomy is often minimally covered by teachers. For teachers and students alike, it is often an embarrassing topic to discuss. This activity allows students and teachers to identify the parts of both reproductive systems with little…