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Sex & Facts of Life

How will I know when I am ready? Am I Gay? Birth Control
     
 
It can be a really tricky thing to talk about, but if you have questions about it you have a right to talk!
  
     
You’ve probably heard a lot about sex from your friends, from television, from the internet, and maybe even in the classroom. But you’re not sure how much of that is true or what is not. You might have seen ads on telly telling parents how to talk to their kids about sex.  It can be a really tricky thing to talk about, but if you have questions about it you have a right to talk!

People can mean different things when they talk about sex, so it's important you are aware and informed.  It can help to remember no one has the right to force you to do anything you are uncomfortable with. So if something is happening and you're not sure about it or in any way uncomfortable you have the right to say no and talk about it with someone you trust who can listen and support you.

     
 
If you are under the age of 17, it's illegal for you to have sex.
  
     
If you are under the age of 17, it's illegal for you to have sex. But, there are a lot of ways to express how you feel about someone without having sex.
 

When you have questions you have the right to find out answers. It might help to think about how you usually find out answers to things you have questions about. Is there a place you usually go to find out things or a person you usually talk with?

If you want to talk about this, you're welcome to get in touch with Childline on our One-to-One service or on our free live ‘Teentxt’ service by texting the word ‘talk’ to 50101. These services are available from 10am -4am every day.

Here are some books that might help:
  1. The Period Book – Everything You Don’t Ask but Need to Know By Karen Granvelle
  2. The Puberty Book By Wendy Darbill and Kelsey Powell
  3. Let’s Talk About Where Babies Come From By Robie H Harris
  4. Understanding The Facts of Life By Osbourne