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Scarleteen
@scarleteen.com
4.5K followers 1.1K following 710 posts
OG progressive, inclusive and independent sex & relationship education, information, advocacy and support for young people everywhere. Fighting the good fights & keeping it real since 1998 🖤

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Scarleteen @scarleteen.com · Oct 8
Scarleteen has long been the one of the only sex education sites and organizations that offers FREE direct support services, provided and moderated by real people, not bots. We can offer support whether you're looking for community or when you're wanting to talk 1-on-1 with our trained team.
Text: "Got a sexuality, gender, sexual health, or relationships question you want a personalized answer for? Want safe, sensitive and informed people - not bots! - you can trust to talk with about some of the most personal parts of your life? We got you," next to a red landline telephone and cord. Text: "Our free direct services are: our safe, moderated message boards, our private text line at (206) 866-2279, our advice columns, our one-on-one live chat, currently offered on Tuesdays from 9am - 12pm CST, Fridays from 1pm - 4pm CST, and on Sundays from 12pm - 3pm CST," next to a red landline telephone and cord.
Reposted by Scarleteen
josie.zone
Renee Macklin Good's wife, Becca Good, released a statement and it moved me to sobbing tears:

archive.is/ur35j
First, I want to extend my gratitude to all the people who have reached out from across the country and around the world to support our family. This kindness of strangers is the most fitting tribute because if you ever encountered my wife, Renee Nicole Macklin Good, you know that above all else, she was kind, In fact, kindness radiated out of her. Renee sparkled. She literally sparkled. I mean, she didn't wear glitter but I swear she had sparkles coming out of her pores. All the time. You might think it was just my love talking but her family said the same thing. Renee was made of sunshine, Renee lived by an overarching belief: there is kindness in the world and we need to do everything we can to find it Where it resides and nurture it where it needs to grow Renee was a Christian who knew that all religions teach the same essential truth: we are here to love each other, care for each other, and keep each other safe and whole. Like people have done across place and time, we moved to make a better life for ourselves. We chose Minnesota to make our home. Our whole extended road trip here, we held hands in the car while our son drew all over the windows to pass the time and the miles, What we found when we got here was a vibrant and welcoming community, we made friends and spread joy: And while any place we were together was home, there was a strong shared sense here in Minneapolis that we were looking out for each other. Here, I had finally found peace and safe harbor. That has been taken from me forever. We were raising our son to believe that no matter where you come from or what you look like, all of us deserve compassion and kindness. Renee lived this belief every day. She is pure love. She is pure joy. She is pure sunshine On Wednesday, January 7th, we stopped to support our neighbors. We had whistles. They had guns. Renee leaves behind three extraordinary children; the youngest is just six years old and already lost his father. I am now left to raise our son and to continue teaching him, as Renee believed, that there are people building a better world for him. That the people who did this had fear and anger in their hearts, and we need to show them a better way. We thank you for the privacy you are granting our family as we grieve. We thank you for ensuring that Renee's legacy is one of kindness and love. We honor her memory by living her values: rejecting hate and choosing compassion, turning away from fear and pursuing peace, refusing division and knowing we must come together to build a world where we all come home safe to the people we love. E
January 9, 2026 at 4:40 PM
scarleteen.com
Your rage for the injustices in the world can co-exist alongside your hope for the world you know is possible.

They need each other and so do we.

www.scarleteen.com/read/culture...
Text: "Your rage for the injustices in the world can co-exist alongside your hope for the world you know is possible. They need each other and so do we. Join Mikaela Duffy as she interviews Kalaya'an Mendoza on the discipline of hope," alongside a butterfly perched on a red flower.
January 9, 2026 at 5:47 PM
scarleteen.com
In the wake of militarized policing, terrorizing of our communities, and occupation of ancestral lands, there is so much to feel and grieve in the everyday. Today, we're revisiting Mikaela Duffy's piece on the discipline of hope to remind us of ways to embrace hope amidst all the pain and grief.
Wonder in a World of Worry: The Discipline of Hope
Kalaya’an (Kala) Mendoza talks with Mikaela Duffy about building chosen family and community.
www.scarleteen.com
January 9, 2026 at 4:48 PM
scarleteen.com
Today, we mourn the loss of countless lives taken from our communities by ICE.

Renee Nicole Good. We remember you.
Keith Porter. We remember you.
Jaime Alanís Garcia. We remember you.
January 8, 2026 at 10:15 PM
Reposted by Scarleteen
wired.com
Just days into 2026, the killing of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good by a federal immigration officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota, has sparked protests around the US.

If you’re planning to protest, here’s how to safeguard your digital security.
How to Protest Safely in the Age of Surveillance
Law enforcement has more tools than ever to track your movements and access your communications. Here’s how to protect your privacy if you plan to protest.
www.wired.com
January 8, 2026 at 6:25 PM
scarleteen.com
If you woke up today, like many of us, still shaken, scared, sad, and angry about this latest killing by ICE or other terrible events happening in this world that is so hard to live in lately, remember that we’re always here for you to listen, talk, be in community with you.
Ask for help
Ask us or our moderated peer community your own questions through advice columns, message board discussions, SMS messages, Reddit replies or live chat.
www.scarleteen.com
January 8, 2026 at 8:06 PM
Reposted by Scarleteen
translifeline.org
We dare you to practice peer support today (use the peer support bingo board if you'd like a few ideas!). ✨

We double-dog dare you to connect with a peer supporter in the next year! ✨

We triple-dog dare you to post the bingo card and tag us when you complete one of the squares. ✨
Green background with a bingo board and text that reads: Receiving Peer Support Bingo -Reached out to a trust person to ask for support - Spent time doing a hobby or activity that fills my cup - Practiced getting consent before sharing a potentially triggering or heavy story - Set a boundary with someone in my life - Considered and partnered with my body during hard conversations - Expressed myself with someone provided care that didn't resonate with me - Felt understood by someone providing support to me - Allowed myself to pause, breathe, and rest before, during or after sharing a part of myself / my story. Green background with a bingo board and text that reads: Receiving Peer Support Bingo - Chose presence, radical patience and listening over fixing - Offered options, not ultimatums - Asked "what do you need right now?" or "What's on your ideal care menu?" - Co-created solutions rather than impose them - Shared a story from personal experience in a consent-centered way - Provided resources or information that could help someone make choices - Shared/gifted a zine that help validate a person's experience - Apologized when I caused hurt or harm and tried again
January 6, 2026 at 5:00 PM
scarleteen.com
If you don’t know what sexual attraction is, how are you supposed to know if you’ve felt it or not? We get this question a lot actually so Scarleteen’s founder Heather Corinna wrote an advice column all about this topic! Read it here: www.scarleteen.com/read/what-...
Text: "Dear Scarleteen, I identify as asexual⁠ and I always wonder what sexual⁠ attraction feels like since I probably don’t feel it. If I don’t know what sexual attraction is, how am I supposed to know if I have it or not? Even though I know for certain I am ace⁠, no one has properly answered what sexual attraction feels like. I assume it is different for everyone. It seems like it is not only based on their body, but also who they are as a person and being horny at the same time. This makes it hard to describe, since it sounds like either having a romantic⁠ attraction or the desire⁠ for sex⁠, which is obviously not the same. What is sexual attraction? Would it mean that you want to share the same mutual desire with the other person when doing sexual activities as well? If so, how does that differ from being horny? Please let me know. - a confused ace" followed by "Read Heather Corinna's Answer at Scarleteen," below main text.
January 6, 2026 at 8:01 PM
scarleteen.com
Young people from all over the world come to Scarleteen for help with big (& small) questions about their gender and sexual identity. Today, we’re highlighting some of our favorite examples of personal and caring info and advice about identity from our archives.
www.scarleteen.com/read/identity
Text: "Conversations about identity are an important part of the work we do at Scarleteen. Young people from all over the world come to us with questions about sexual and gender identity. Whether it’s a disabled trans teen seeking some support with living safely in a conservative area, a parent who wants to support a lesbian child, or a young person who’s feeling conflicted about their sexuality... We’re here! (and, incidentally, majority trans and queer)," alongside a bunny looking into a mirror.
January 3, 2026 at 6:01 PM
scarleteen.com
Head to the link below to learn more about us and to donate to or otherwise help support progressive, independent, sex ed for all today! www.scarleteen.com/contribute
scarleteen.com Scarleteen @scarleteen.com · 10d
We are incredibly thankful for you and your unwavering support of our work, especially in our current political context. Thank you for all your contributions in keeping the heart of Scarleteen alive and beating. 💓
Text: "By people, for people (not bots) since 1998," alongside a reel of pictures of Scarleteen volunteers and Scarleteen logos.
December 31, 2025 at 5:15 PM
scarleteen.com
As the year comes to a close, we’re reflecting on what the work we do means to us:
Text: "Original, smart, caring, inclusive, shame-free, body-loving, learner-led, holistic, feminist, progressive, independent, pleasure-foward, brave, real & comprehensive. By people, for people (not bots) since 1998," alongside Scarleteen logos.
December 31, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Reposted by Scarleteen
robinmarty.com
Which is why places like @scarleteen.com matter SO much. This year WAWC provided a $25k grant so they can continue helping those in states like Alabama where there is no other option. You can help, too… www.classy.org/give/566676/...
December 29, 2025 at 2:06 PM
scarleteen.com
Growing into ourselves means learning what we actually like—and unlearning the idea that there’s one “right” way to touch or feel pleasure. Volunteer Anya speaks on ways to center pleasure in T4T sex, and how to prepare for dysphoria if it enters the room.  
www.scarleteen.com/read/sex-s...
Text: "I am transmasc and my partner⁠ is transfem. I was just wondering: how would we both go about sex⁠ together whilst both feeling euphoric? I just wanted to know how we could go about this while feeling connected to our gender identity⁠ without the risk of dysphoria and especially without the risk of pregnancy⁠. I am still new to this stuff as a young adult, so I would appreciate the advice. Anya Answers: The relationships⁠ we have with ourselves and our bodies are, really for all of us, the longest relationship⁠ we’ll ever have. For some transgender⁠⁠ folks, this can usher in an added element of complexity to the already confusing process that is growing into our sexuality. Through this process of growing up and into ourselves, we begin to learn about our preferences and desires...," written on lined paper on a leopard print background followed by "Read Volunteer Anya's Answer at Scarleteen!" and tagline: “Queer Sex Ed For All Since 1998."
December 26, 2025 at 6:30 PM
scarleteen.com
The holiday season can bring up a lot for many of us, especially those of us who have complex relationships with family. During this time, we want to make sure you know about safe direct services & resources so we’re re-sharing this list you can lean on for support during the holiday season. 💗
scarleteen.com Scarleteen @scarleteen.com · Nov 18
We want to make sure that you know about -- and share -- some more safe direct help resources available on Scarleteen and elsewhere, as well as some content on our site that might now or soon be particularly relevant to you if you live in the United States. (1/9)
List of resources all of which are available in plain text in this post thread. List of resources all of which are available in plain text in this post thread. List of resources all of which are available in plain text in this post thread.
December 23, 2025 at 6:11 PM
scarleteen.com
Young people have a lot of questions about pregnancy. Today, we’re highlighting some of our favorite and essential reads for pregnancy, fertility, and more for people at all stages of thinking about these topics. We offer candor, clarity, and facts to our visitors in a world of misinformation.
Text: "The rights of pregnant people are under attack all over the world, and pregnant young people in particular have even fewer rights. Getting the right information saves lives and allows people to shape the future they want to see. We've got a coop chock full of awesome, forward-thinking pregnancy content here at Scarleteen," besides a chicken and chick.
December 22, 2025 at 6:00 PM
scarleteen.com
Anyone else tired of romance being framed as the “main storyline” while friendships are seen as side quests? Scarleteen volunteer T. Aquila is tired with you. In their debut piece, they break down amatonormativity—what it is, how it shows up, & ways to push back.
www.scarleteen.com/read/relat...
Text: "The common belief that romantic relationships (particularly when they are heterosexual, heteroromantic, and monogamous) are a universally shared ideal can be particularly rough on aromantic folks. Unveiling amatonormativity, from Scarleteen Volunteer T. Aquila, might be the balm you need," beside a bouquet of red roses and Scarleteen logo.
December 19, 2025 at 6:00 PM
scarleteen.com
We could definitely use Andy's words today: "There’s a future you who is surrounded by meaning and connection and beauty, and who has people around them that will catch them when they stumble and hug them when they get up." www.scarleteen.com/read/culture...
Header text in all-caps: "A Letter To The Trans Teen Thinking About Giving Up". Text in smaller font below: “There's a future you who is surrounded by meaning and connection and beauty and who has people around them that will catch them when they stumble and hug them when they get up. There's a future you who doesn't depend on the state for anything because they are seen and held and loved by community, who can reach out their own hand to the next generations of queer and trans people and pass along some of this stuff to them, just like I'm passing it to you now.” Behind these, aqua, pink, and white background and on the bottom right corner is Scarleteen's logo and tagline "Queer Sex Ed for All since 1998."
December 18, 2025 at 9:17 PM
scarleteen.com
Find Summer Tao’s incredible work at Scarleteen here!
December 18, 2025 at 7:28 PM
Reposted by Scarleteen
juliametraux.bsky.social
They way he said it also insinuates that disabled people can't have sex, also very outdated views.

As writer Summer Tao notes on the sexual education platform @scarleteen.com, “the biggest harm of desexualisation is that it deprives us of our bodily, sexual, and reproductive agency.
December 17, 2025 at 10:58 PM
scarleteen.com
More young people are turning to AI chatbots for flirting, late-night talks, and “perfect” partners who never leave them on read. Cute trend or red flag? @armarshwriter.bsky.social weighs in on the risks, realities, and safer alternatives to AI chatbots here:
www.scarleteen.com/read/relat...
Text: "Chatbots can seem like a safe, harmless way to solve loneliness, explore sexuality or play with fantasy. But they're not. Find out more (and about some safer alternatives) at Scarleteen," alongside a glass bottle with various poison labels and symbols and Scarleteen logo.
December 17, 2025 at 5:01 PM
scarleteen.com
Wish us a happy birthday: Donate $27 to celebrate our 27th year! www.classy.org/give/476271/...
scarleteen.com Scarleteen @scarleteen.com · 26d
Today is our 27th birthday! We hope you’ll join us in wishing Scarleteen and all the wonderful folks who have helped keep it going — our founder and other folks here at the start, our staff and volunteers, our writers and illustrators, our partners, our donors, and our users — a happy birthday! 🎂
Text: “What were you doing in the 1990s? (Were you even born?) We were hustling to create, launch, build and run the first comprehensive dedicated sex education website for young people, without any funding and little outside help, a resource we’ve grown into a massive and free online clearinghouse and direct services center that we’ve now sustained for 27 years since. (A quite amazing achievement if we do say ourselves!)” Text: “None of that has ever been easy: it’s an ongoing struggle Just to sustain the space to DO the work! So, we celebrate every win. that includes every year we make it one more year doing this work in exactly the ways we feel it should be done, free for all, without concessions, without copouts, and without apology. We hope you’ll join us today in wishing Scarleteen and all the wonderful folks who help and have helped keep it going a happy 27th birthday!”
December 15, 2025 at 5:40 PM
scarleteen.com
Today is our 27th birthday! We hope you’ll join us in wishing Scarleteen and all the wonderful folks who have helped keep it going — our founder and other folks here at the start, our staff and volunteers, our writers and illustrators, our partners, our donors, and our users — a happy birthday! 🎂
Text: “What were you doing in the 1990s? (Were you even born?) We were hustling to create, launch, build and run the first comprehensive dedicated sex education website for young people, without any funding and little outside help, a resource we’ve grown into a massive and free online clearinghouse and direct services center that we’ve now sustained for 27 years since. (A quite amazing achievement if we do say ourselves!)” Text: “None of that has ever been easy: it’s an ongoing struggle Just to sustain the space to DO the work! So, we celebrate every win. that includes every year we make it one more year doing this work in exactly the ways we feel it should be done, free for all, without concessions, without copouts, and without apology. We hope you’ll join us today in wishing Scarleteen and all the wonderful folks who help and have helped keep it going a happy 27th birthday!”
December 15, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Reposted by Scarleteen
motherjones.com
“We flew the Trans pride flag in Yosemite to make a statement: Trans people are natural and Trans people are loved. We are done being polite about Trans people’s existence.

Call it a protest, call it a celebration—either way, it’s giving elevation to liberation.”
This queen raised a million bucks for charity by hiking 100 miles in drag
Pattie Gonia's effort supports nonprofits working to make the outdoors more equitable.
www.motherjones.com
December 11, 2025 at 3:00 AM
scarleteen.com
@sesmith.lol is at it again with another extraordinarily helpful and timely article at Scarleteen. They have the lowdown on the many factors that can influence physical arousal and provide tools you can use to deal with unwanted or confusing sexual responses. www.scarleteen.com/read/sex-s...
Text: "People can experience physical sexual arousal even in situations where it's the last place you'd expect or even want it. It can be confusing or upsetting when that happens, but s.e. smith is here to fill you in so you can rest easy about it. New this week at Scarleteen," beside a honeybee, honeycomb, and Scarleteen logo.
December 11, 2025 at 6:01 PM
Reposted by Scarleteen
sesmith.lol
I wrote about T and fertility (for anyone using T, not justs transmasculine people) for @scarleteen.com, which touches upon menopause but definitely isn't a guide to same!
(Almost) Everything You Need to Know About T and Fertility
If you were born with a uterus and ovaries, here’s what you need to know about testosterone’s impact on your fertility—no matter why you’re taking it!
www.scarleteen.com
December 9, 2025 at 11:57 PM