I was talking with some of my friends about MTV’s Teen Mom a few weeks ago, and one of them said, “They’re all whores.” My friend wasn’t calling the guys who the girls had sex with whores, just the girls—not that anyone deserves to be called a whore. I was really surprised and upset that my friend said this.

Why is it that if you’re a teen mother you’re a whore? I don’t hear people calling 20-something-year-old mothers whores, even though they have unplanned pregnancies too. People—teens and adults—make mistakes and birth control fails. But that doesn’t mean you’re a whore, and it doesn’t mean you’re a bad person. I don’t look at any of the girls on Teen Mom as whores or sluts. So, they have kids? So, they’re young? So, what?

Being a parent is the most difficult job in the world, especially when you’re young and not ready to take care of a baby. Why say hurtful things about young mothers who are in a really difficult situation?

People may use words like “whore” because they are insecure and want to feel better about themselves by putting someone else—a girl or woman—down. It would make a big difference if people spent half the time they spend talking bad about other people doing something good, like making sure teens get the information they need to help prevent unplanned pregnancies.

—Kait Hamilton, 17, Staff Writer

Condoms, when used correctly, help prevent unplanned pregnancies, HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Condoms can be an important part of practicing safer sex, and here at Sex, Etc. we encourage you to make condoms fun. Sex, Etc. is not the only place promoting condom use; in fact, a whole city is promoting it! New York City’s Health Department gives away more than 40 million free condoms a year. Those free condoms have a package specifically designed for New York City, a black wrapper based on the city’s subway motif.

I spoke to Montel Williams on his Air America show Montel Across America, last Thursday. We talked about the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance, 2008, which was released last week. The CDC’s report found that STDs, such as chlamydia, syphilis and gonorrhea, are on the rise. And why is this relevant to us? Because the report found that there are over 19 million new STD infections each year and almost half of them occur in young people who are 15 to 24 years old. Montel, much like other adults who’ve been talking about the report, was alarmed by these numbers and referred to the high rates of STDs among young people as “frightening” news.

It is surprising to hear this news. But what’s really frightening is the fact that many teens are in abstinence-only programs or not getting sex ed at all. This means there are teens who aren’t getting the information they need about safer sex. It also means that many teens haven’t gotten the skills they need to talk about and make decisions about safer sex with their partners if they do decide to become sexual. Comprehensive sexuality education may be able to help reduce STD rates. It teaches teens the skills they need to take care of their sexual health, make healthy decisions, get clear about their own values and set boundaries when it comes to sexuality.

For more information, check out our stories, FAQs, Forum and quizzes on STDs and having important conversations about sexuality with your parents, partner and health care provider.

-Colleen Tierney, 16, Staff Writer

Spoiler alert! What is the head cheerleader and president of the Celibacy Club to do when she finds herself pregnant by her boyfriend’s best friend? Well, if you’re Quinn on FOX’s new show Glee, you tell your boyfriend Finn that the baby is his. When he looks at you confused and points out that you’ve never had intercourse, you tell him that it happened the night that you two made out in a hot tub, fully clothed in swimsuits, and he ejaculated. “A hot tub is the perfect temperature for sperm. It helps them swim faster.”

Oh. Em. Glee. You cannot get pregnant simply by swimming in a pool or sitting in a hot tub. Glee offers up what seems to be a generally over-the-top story line spiked with misinformation about pregnancy. It’s easy enough to get caught up in the song-and-dance numbers and to chuckle when soon-to-be-out Kurt tells his father that unitards are “jock chic.” But is there some truth somewhere underneath the ridiculousness?

While being dishonest about a pregnancy is never a fair thing to do, many viewers can probably acknowledge that it can be a challenge to make decisions when you’re scared, overwhelmed and even alone. Will Quinn tell Finn the whole truth about her pregnancy? How might their relationship and individual lives change? In between songs, dance numbers and jazz hands, you can be sure that Glee will keep asking questions about what it means to explore your sexuality as a teen and make choices along the way. In the mean time, you may not want to make Glee your go-to source for sexuality education. Try checking out the articles, FAQs, Forums, and blog posts on Sex, Etc., instead!

What does it take to get the girl? In his hit single, “Blame It,” Jamie Foxx (featuring T-Pain) pays tribute to one method of hooking up, involving nothing but a-a-a-a-a-alcohol.

“Blame It” is all about throwing away your cares and lowering your inhibitions—all for the sake of sex. Assuming that the woman wants a hookup, Foxx counters her hesitation with a list of drinks she could always blame her actions on the next morning. The alcohol and its effects (“feeling loose,” “feeling dizzy”) become the excuses to engage in risky behavior. If anything goes wrong, just blame it on the alcohol.

But what if you want more than drunken sex? Maybe you want the power to make your own responsible decisions without being influenced by alcohol or by those offering you another cup while “feeling on your butt.” While responsibility may not have a place in the glamorous picture these lyrics paint, responsibility has everything to do with the pleasure of making safe, sober sexual decisions—ones that won’t leave you with regret and a hangover.

-Anita Modi, 17, Staff Writer