I think the "next friend" idea is a very good one, especially since your community seems willing to speak up on your behalf or, at the very least, raise concerns about you going back into an unsafe home. So, if that's an option, I would at least look into the steps toward pursuing, and if ...

Hi Dina, Let me start by reassuring you that you aren't broken or stupid or anything like that, and that you're not "too old" to be experiencing this. We each come into our sexuality in our own ways and at our own pace, and you're far from the first person in their twenties I've talk to wh...

You're so welcome, and I'm so glad Latha's response was helpful for you <3

Hi Rose, We can certainly talk more about birth control options based on the fears you've laid out, as well as the issue of location, but there are some other elements of this I want to address first because, among other things, until you're in different headspace in terms of your trust of a partner...

The newest installment in Adam Englands' "Hi, Bi Guy" series! Hi, Bi Guy: Coming Out to Your Family

Hi Donnwannago, I'm glad to hear you're keeping a document, if only because having that makes it easier to establish a pattern of behavior, which often gets taken more seriously by things like CPS. And honestly, I'm glad you have teachers who you not only trust enough to talk about this situation wi...

Hi Jellyfish!

Give me just a moment and I can open it a bit early.

I have some more thoughts and advice, but I need to say from the start: my jaw hit the floor reading what your mother said to you about her fathers abuse. I agree with you that given this, she likely knew he abused you and she made ZERO effort to keep you safe from it. Which is, quite frankly, uncon...

Hi VivaciousPoet, It sounds like you've done a lot of research around this already, and like you've been trying different recommendations to see if they change things. That's actually a really great step in terms of getting to know your body, even if it can then feel extra frustrating when it's stil...

I do think that the more people who raise a fuss, the better the chances of the objections to the reunification being taken seriously. And I'm glad the CASDA referral was helpful, hopefully they're able to offer you some form of support once you contact them. When it comes to asking for a transfer a...

You know, as odd as this may sound, I'm glad you're angry because 1) you have every right to be and 2) often anger in these situations is a thing that helps motivate us to advocate for ourselves. That plan to reintroduce you to them is really not how this is supposed to go; often there's supposed to...

Okay! I'd start by finding out what kind of health insurance, if any, your family has access to. That could be through someone's employer, or through a government program. You may have to ask your parents if you aren't sure, but knowing your insurance situation will make it easier to narrow down wha...

Got it, thank you for sending that, that makes it easier on our end to figure out who we could connect you to! Do you know what the structure of the reunification plan is going to be? Are there going to be supervised visits of shorter durations, or have you been told that the plan is just to move yo...

If you want to send it, I can note it down and then delete the post.

So you know, I did edit a few bits, just to keep in line with our guidelines around descriptions of violence, but we're certainly not going to ban you from talking about what happened here (and I made sure to leave it so that it was clear what you were expressing concerns about). For the record, you...

Hi Cy,

I'm so glad the response was helpful, and that you've been finding lots of answers here!

Hi Brian, I'm going to second Latha's recommendation that, for the time being, the two of you only engage in sexual activities that don't lead you to feel that way. And if they ALL do, regardless of the risk level, then it's time to take sex off the table entirely. Part of being ready for sex is not...

Hi Brian, We can't say for certain what these symptoms mean, because they can have a variety of causes. Since she's around when she expects her period, then she may be experiencing these as symptoms of that. Too, one of the side effects of Plan B is that it can lead to cycle irregularity, so she may...

Hi Donnwannago, I'm so, so sorry that you're facing down being returned to an incredibly unsafe and abusive space, doubly so since it sounds like your current foster situation is a positive one. We can absolutely brainstorm with you how to document any abuse that happens, but there may also be ways ...

That does sound like an incredibly anxiety-provoking and all around stressful experience to have had with your mom, and I'm so sorry that she reacted to you making the choice that felt right for you--and that was yours to make--around a sport. Are you two still living in the same space? Or are you a...

Hi lexiee, So, what I want to focus on is the fact that you know this isn't how pregnancy occurs, but that knowing so hasn't gotten rid of the anxiety. When that happens, it's generally because there's something else going on that's leading us to worry we're pregnant when there simply isn't a chance...

Hi Bumpkin, Some people who are not pregnant and who have not recently been pregnant may indeed lactate. It's not particularly common, but not exactly rare, either. If you suspect that is the case what you'll want to do is see your doctor and have your prolactin levels checked (prolactin is the horm...

Nope, you have the right idea! Are you able to come in during the hours this morning (it starts at 8:30 am PST)?

Hi Enphery, It may also be helpful to read up on the ways porn does--or, more often, does not--reflect people's day to day sex lives. These two pieces are great starting places for that: Making Sense of Sexual Media , Sex on Screen: Reality-Checking Mainstream Porn . Too, if you want to talk about w...

Hi Elusian, So, unless your mom is handwashing your underwear, it's unlikely this is going to be noticed in the first place. But even if it is, it would be very hard for someone looking at underwear to tell dried ejaculate from dried vaginal discharge, so in the event she did comment on it, you coul...