Teenagers often find it hard to find a place to go whenever they have questions on sexuality. This is even more true in countries like Indonesia, where most people consider sexual matters a taboo issue to discuss. But sexual education is crucial to give empowering perspective to teenagers and to change society’s perception on body autonomy.
An edgy yet comprehensive website called Scarleteen provides thoughtful guides and thorough information on sexual health, bodies, gender and relationship for teens seeking support. Founded in 1998, Scarleteen covers many subjects including those that are often overlooked but are essential, such as getting to know the female’s and male’s specific genital parts and functions and understanding that the most determining factor as well as the most active sexual organs are not the penis or the vagina, but rather the brain and its structure. It also shows how important it is to reconstruct the way we perceive our own sexuality after having been taught to be ashamed of it.
The website shares some refreshing food for thought on what to consider if you’re planning to get pregnant, what to keep in mind if you’re unsure whether to have or not have sex or if you have decided that sexual relationship is simply not for you. You’ll find more if you’re interested in digging deeper on issues such as sexual abuse, sexual identities and sexual politics.
Visit Scarleteen and get to know yourself better.
Read Ayunda’s piece on women behind the masculine stage.
A website provides answers to questions teenagers often have about sexuality.
Ayunda is interested in the intersection of pop culture, media, and gender issues. She earned her master's degree at Cultural Studies department, University of Indonesia. She is into Lana Del Rey, speculative fiction, and BoJack Horseman. Her own social media sites, however, are quite uneventful, but feel free to say hi: facebook, twitter.
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