6 Videos to Help with Having ‘The Talk’ with Teens
Parenting provides a lot of challenges, but few challenges are as awkward as having “The Talk.”
Nowadays, however, “The Talk” is more than just your standard “The Birds and The Bees.” There are a ton of different topics that fall under “The Talk,” from contraception to consent to pornography.
If you’re looking for ways to approach these sensitive subjects, check out these six videos to help provide a jumping off point when talking to your teens.
“Consent and Tea”
This animated clip perfectly explains consent by comparing it to making someone a cup of tea. It’s easy to understand and covers every possible situation involving consent imaginable.
Jameela Jamil – “Tell Him”
The Good Place actor Jameela Jamil gave this viral speech at the 2019 MAKERS Conference where she touched on a number of different topics that apply especially for those raising young boys including toxic masculinity, how pornography impacts young men and consent. (Includes some NSFW language.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gf7reJYs56E
“Queer Students and American Sex Education”
This TEDx Talk from Lillianna Romaker delves into the history of sex education in the United States and how LGBTQ+ youth are more often than not underserved or simply ignored when it comes to sex education. She explains how this negatively impacts the health of LGBTQ+ youth and what parents of LGBTQ+ youth and school administrators can do to make sex education more inclusive.
“Contraceptives 101”
If your teens are sexually active, they need to know how to protect themselves from STIs and unwanted pregnancy. This video from Demystifying Medicine is a good place to start.
“How porn changes the way teens think about sex”
During this TEDMED talk, Emily F. Rothman, a Pornography Literacy Scientist, talks about studying the connection between teens watching pornography and instances of dating violence and how the lack of comprehensive sex education is involved.
“Why we need to talk to girls about sex”
A good companion video for the previous video, this TEDx talk from Jane Epstein, a nurse practitioner that specializes in adolescent medicine, confronts the issues that girls often face when learning about sex and embracing their own sexuality.
