S.E.X.: The All-You-Need-To-Know Progressive Sexuality Guide to Get You Through High School and College Paperback – May 4, 2007

Thought this was very well written and very respectful of teens -- it's not dumbed-down at all. Some other reviewers said they thought it wasn't teen-friendly because it doesn't have little sound bytes, sidebars and nuggets - which might appeal to some teens, but perhaps doesn't give others enough credit.I got this for my almost -15 year old daughter and it's one of a small handful of books that she's initiated reading. I notice that it's out after she has slumber parties with girlfriends, so I guess her friends are finding it useful too. She hasn't wanted to talk about the book per se, but I know she's found it useful because it keeps moving around her room. We've had plenty of conversations about sexuality, but I liked that this book is kind of one-stop-shopping. It doesn't sugar-coat anything, and the message is about empowerment rather than what to do or what not to do (especially for moral/religious reasons). My wife and I have been very clear with her about our beliefs, but we also believe that she's here to live her life, not an extension of ours.The book is by the editor of the website scarleteen dot com, so if you want a sense about the flavor of the book, check out the site. I also really like that the book is very inclusive of gay, lesbian and bisexual orientations.Overall, I would say that the book is progressive and affirms a whole range of sexual thoughts, relationships, activities, etc. as potentially healthy, and also talks about what makes a relationship healthy, etc. The author really stresses listening to one's own feelings, being true to oneself, being honest with partners, being safe emotionally and physically, and having a sexual relationship with oneself (not just masturbation, but knowing and nurturing yourself as a sexual being).

Fabulous book. I just gave copies to my sons, 14 and 18, and I'm convinced it's the only sex education book they will need from now well into their 20s.I gave each of them a copy along with this note:"Mom and I are giving you this book, and the notes here, so that you have a great source of factual information about sex and relationships all in one place."We know you have had quite a bit of "sex ed" already at school, but there is always more to learn, and after looking around, we think this is one of the best resources. It goes well beyond what school teaching offers, and does a better job than I could even in hours of conversation. It's not easy for parents to talk to kids about sex, so this book at least gets the right information out to you and then opens the door for questions and discussion, whenever you want. I have been married once before and was in various other relationships, so I know a lot about this stuff and I want you to know I am totally open to questions and discussion, any time."Mom and I like this book because it's really straightforward and very complete, and also free of any judgmental or moralistic viewpoints. Mom and I both think that's the best approach. You have both been raised to be good and moral persons, so you will use your own "gut" (and advice from us, whenever you want it), to choose what you think is right for yourself and the people close to you."Giving you this book is not a substitute for talking about these issues whenever we want or need to. In the meantime, here are some tips on sections that we think you should definitely read ..."From there I went on to highlight the "must read" sections (safe sex, contraception, consent, etc) and told them we would talk about these.It's a great book and offers comprehensive information in a matter-of-fact, adult manner and in a format that's easy to flip through to find what you're looking for.

This book is a great tool for parents to give to their teenagers! As a teen my mom gave me a couple books but they mainly covered the medical aspects of sex and since it was the late 70's/80's they were very focused on women and heterosexual sex. The sex readiness checklist is an excellent way to let young adults know what things they should think about before they become sexually active. S.E.X. covers the biological factors involved but the social, emotional and economic factors too like do you have enough money saved to cover medical expenses (e.g. annual exams, birth control, etc.). It was nice to see a discuss of same sex relationships and the insightful discussion of virginity in this context which can help heterosexual teens/parents have better discussion about the different types of sexual encounters beyond full intercourse.My daughter and I actually had three books out during a discussion about sex and birth control and we ended up always looking at this book because it was much better than the others.The one thing this book had a BIG miss on was on the topic of Sexting. It had one paragraph describing it but no mention of the legal and social dangers and risks of sending videos and photos via SMS/email. This is a big deal in the area we live in with 12 teenage boys recently being arrested for distributing photos. Would have liked to see more information about this to warn kids about potential concerns.

I had been searching for information on how to have the "Talk" with our daughter. I wanted to be sure it wasn't going to be just me saying a few words. I wanted those words to get through and matter. We approached it as a school/learning type setting. She would read 1-2 chapters (which I had already read) then I would give her a worksheet I did on those chapters. This way if she was embarrassed, and as close as we are she was at first, she could write it down for me. After the first few chapters we were openly discussing. This is what worked for us. Parents there is no right or wrong way. Just be sure they receive that information from YOU and not some locker room non truth or worse.