a sexual health toolkit for youth, supportive adults, and families
Asking + Answering Questions About Sex
For Youth: Asking Questions For Adults: Answering Questions
Reducing Harm in Sexual Health
Consent and COVERS
Consent Circles, When Consent is Violated
Disclosing Sexual Assault and IPV
Bridging Over Stigma and Silence: A Sexual Health Toolkit would not exist without the more than 260 high school-aged young people in Northern Michigan who courageously shared their voice and needs surrounding sexual health. The creation of this toolkit hinges on their vulnerability and willingness to share their experiences and insights. Their voices and perspective are at the center of this resource.
A crucial aspect of this project was establishing an advisory council. The Toolkit Advisory Council, composed of adults and teenagers, dedicated their time and energy to read draft after draft, provide thoughtful feedback, and ensure this toolkit was as accessible as possible to members of our community. Endless thanks to Megan, Rebeca, Jean, Savanah, Johnny, Aurora, Nikki, and Daniel. You are an integral part of our Northern Michigan community. Thank you for helping move this work forward!
A special thank you to Planned Parenthood of Michigan staff who provided invaluable support and feedback throughout the creation of this toolkit, including Carrie, Paige, Lauren, C’Erra, Staci, and Bailey. Thank you to the Communications Team of Susan, Kat, Ashlea, and Jo for your editing, assistance with printing, and for making the process seamless. A VERY special thank you to Bailey Krestakos, the designer of the toolkit. Thank you for your intentionality, the time and energy you poured into this project, and your creative eye. What would we do without you?! And of course, this project would simply not be possible without the creativity and dedication of Kanyn Doan. Kanyn’s creative spark to make a sexual health toolkit for youth and adults who support them made this project possible, and it simply would not exist without months of her leadership, drafting, consulting, and passion driving the project forward.
Bridging Over Stigma and Silence: A Sexual Health Toolkit was made possible by grant support of Petoskey-Harbor Springs Area Community Foundation, Charlevoix County Community Foundation, and the Hestia Women’s Giving Circle. Thank you for your belief in this project and for providing the means for us to carry it out!
Finally, this toolkit is dedicated to all of the awkward, uncomfortable, and messy moments shared between young people and adults across generations when having “the talk.” May we continue to break the silence so often surrounding sexual health, reduce stigma, and ensure people have the information and support they need to make the best decisions for their bodies and experiences.
Well, hello! We are so happy you are here. Sex, sexuality, and sexual health are often not easy to talk about between young people and the adults in their lives. Supportive adults may feel discouraged by not knowing the current information and language around sexual health. Young people may fear upsetting adults in their lives or even getting in trouble for asking the questions they have. We wanted to make a toolkit to make it a little easier to have these conversations!
Why a toolkit? A toolkit is a collection of activities, definitions, and resources about a particular topic or idea. This toolkit will offer activities, language, and resources about sexual health. This resource is designed for both young people and adults to support a more modern understanding of sexual health. This toolkit can be used by anyone and has information applicable at every stage of development, but it is recommended for middle and high school students to use it with the adults in their lives.
A note for youth: After surveying over 260 high school-aged youth in Northern Michigan, we know that you need more resources and information about sexual health. This toolkit is a response to the youth voice and needs of youth in our community. We encourage you to share your reflections and findings from this toolkit with a supportive adult in your life.
A note for supportive adults: We know that you also need support and guidance on how to have these conversations! And we know you are eager to learn. Youth today face different challenges than you may have as a young person. This toolkit is meant to help you overcome any discomfort you may feel to have confident conversations about sex with the young people in your life.
Some things to remember as you go through this toolkit are:
Take care of yourself. Who we are and the experiences we have had allow each of us to think and talk about sex, sexuality, and sexual health differently. Things in this toolkit may make you think about past or present experiences and concerns, some of which might be uncomfortable. Do what you need to take care of yourself and your well-being as you use this guide.
Take it in pieces! This toolkit exists as a resource that can be read in one sitting or in sections over time. We hope you use the information and resources when you need support. Our sexual health needs are ongoing, and they change. We can take care of ourselves most when we know what tools and resources to use in times of need.
Take what you need. When it comes to sexual health, we all have different needs. A lot of information is packed into this toolkit. The bolded words are defined. There are activities that ask you to reflect on your own sexual health needs. Take the information, tools, and resources you need right now, and come back to the toolkit for new resources and information as your needs change!
As you travel through the toolkit, you’ll notice activities in different color boxes. Here’s a handy key for you to know what the colors mean:
These are activities for youth to engage in and reflect on.
These activities are for supportive adults to engage in and reflect on.
These are activities for youth and adults to reflect on and talk through together!
YELLOW BOX:
BLUE BOX:
GREEN BOX:
Before we get this show on the road, we want to get to know you better! Take a minute to think about yourself and your identity. What information is important for you to share before we get started? Youth can fill out the yellow card below, and supportive adults can fill out the blue card.
state hobby/interest hobby/interest
hobby/interest
identity that’s important to you identity that’s important to you
identity that’s important to you
My name is . My pronouns are / / . I am years old. I live in . I like to , , and . I am a , , and .
My name is . My pronouns are / / . I am years old. I live in . I like to , , and . I am a , , and
state
identity that’s important to you identity that’s important to you
identity that’s important to you
We are so happy to meet you and even happier you are here! Now that we know one another, let’s get things rolling!
“THE TALK”
Before we get into it, let’s acknowledge the elephant in the room. When people think about young people and adults talking about sexual health, they often call it “the talk.” Talking about sexual health should not just happen once. Conversations about sexual health can start early and should happen often. Sexual health is a part of our development at every stage of life.
Adults may be wondering, “When should I start talking to my kids about sex and relationships?” Often, most parents or guardians don’t start explicitly having conversations about sexual health until young people are in middle or high school, and that’s okay! There is no perfect timeline. What matters is that you are having the conversations.
Adults (and young people!) may be wondering, “How should I start these conversations?” There are countless times when sexual health topics come up that you may not even realize. Some great moments that can be used to ignite the conversation are:
When a young person talks about an experience or identity of a friend or someone they know
When puberty, dating, love, or sex come up on a TV show, in a movie, in a song on the radio, or in a Tiktok or Instagram reel
When gender stereotypes are portrayed in ads, games, TV, books, movies, etc.
When you see unrealistic portrayals of bodies (like photoshopped images of celebrities or models or pictures on social media)
Ads for pads, tampons, birth control, or condoms
News stories or ads that impact sexual health or sexual rights
CHECK OUT THIS RESOURCE:
Talk With Your Kids has a handy timeline for talking with young people about sexual health across childhood from ages 0-18.
Scan the QR code with your phone, or visit talkwithyourkids.org/talkwith-your-kids-timeline to see the chart and learn more!
Education about sex can happen in so many places! You may get information about sex in school, at home, online, from your friends, from supportive adults, or maybe even from the TV shows and movies you watch. Having access to accurate and empowering education about sexual health helps prepare young people to make supportive decisions for themselves.
TIME MACHINE MOMENT!
Supportive Adults: What was your sex education like? What do you wish your sex education had included? How would different sex education have impacted you as a young person?
Young People: What has sex education already included for you? What do you hope to learn more about as you get older?
Together:
1. How are your sex education experiences similar? How are they different? Why might that be?
2. Think about 10-15 years from now. What do you hope sex education in your community looks like? What topics will it include? How long will it be? Who will teach it? What impact will it have on young people of the time?
Values guide us in making decisions. They come into play when taking care of our sexual health and our relationships. Values can be things like religion, community, or friendship. They can also be things like humor, honesty, respect, and creativity.
The decisions someone makes about and with their body are rooted in their autonomy. Bodily autonomy is a person’s right to decide what happens to their body. Autonomy is a person’s right, no matter their age.*
WHAT ARE YOUR VALUES?
Grab a piece of paper and write or draw out five of your values!
*According to the Child Rights International Network, everyone, including children, has the right to make decisions about their own body and be protected from harm or any interference against their body without consent. This value is vital in the realm of sexual health.
Let’s dive into the next section where we talk about how to ask and answer questions about sexual health to get the information you need!
Asking Questions: For Youth!
You might feel curious about sex and already have a lot of questions. As you grow up, you may start hearing the people around you talk about sex. Asking questions is a way to get the information you need. But it is not always easy to ask questions! You may get nervous or feel embarrassed about your questions, especially when it comes to sex. The questions you are probably really curious about are...
What is sex?
Are you supposed to have sex?
When is the right time to have sex?
Asking these questions can feel hard. Asking a supportive adult these questions can feel overwhelming. A supportive adult is someone you trust to give you fair and accurate information and guidance. A supportive adult should listen and not judge or shame you and will never make you fear for your safety. Supportive adults might be parents, a guardian, adult sibling, another family member, a teacher, school social worker, coach, friend’s parent, or any other caring adult in your life. When talking to a supportive adult about things like sex, here are some really important things to remember:
1. Honesty is the best policy for a reason! Be honest about what you are asking and what you need. You may feel embarrassed about the questions you have or fear that you will get in trouble for thinking or talking about sex, but a supportive adult may surprise you! You might have multiple supportive adults in your life, and you can bring your question to the person you feel most comfortable asking. Honesty also gives you the best chance of getting the information you need to make the right choices for you about your body.
2. Ask for help as early as you can. Sometimes, people put off having hard conversations. But the longer they wait, the longer they don’t have the support they need and deserve. Remember, it’s never too late to ask for help.
3. It is helpful to write things down, including the questions you have. Take a piece of paper or open up your phone and list all of the questions you have! This will help you remember what you want to say and help you get the information you need.
4. Practice asking your questions! Speaking or whispering your questions out loud may also help you feel more prepared to ask them when the time comes. Practice saying your questions a few times. You’ve got this!
Some of the questions you have about sex might feel weird or embarrassing to ask. The internet might feel like a safer place to go get information without other people knowing. However, the internet can have a lot of misleading or plainly inaccurate information about sex. We will talk all about media literacy on page 18 and give you tools on how to engage with the information you come across online.
IDENTIFYING YOUR SUPPORTIVE ADULTS
Who are 3 adults in your life who you may be able to talk to about sex?
What questions do you have about sex? Write them out below!
Answering Questions: For Supportive Adults!
When new or unexpected information comes someone’s way, they may react. A reaction is someone’s immediate, emotional response to a situation. Reacting may look like unintentionally displaying anger, shock, silence, or even disgust. When an adult reacts to questions about sex from young people, it can create shame, discomfort, silence, distrust, and even make them feel judged. Reactions like these can have long-term effects. So be careful to take a moment to digest before you react. When a young person comes to you for information and guidance, remember to be CLEAR in your response:
LCBe Consistent. Young people know they can depend on adults when adults are consistent in how they navigate conversations about sex. Consistency looks like checking in and asking what questions youth have about sex, following up, and making sure youth know they can come to you with questions.
Be Listening. When young people ask a question, the most impactful thing an adult can do is listen to them. It may take a young person a lot of courage and vulnerability to ask for help, and listening is a great affirmation of their courage.
AEBe Engaged. Each person shows engagement differently. Engagement may look like turning your body towards the young person who is speaking or reducing any distractions.
Be Asking Questions. Staying curious and asking questions helps adults better understand what a young person is asking. Asking further questions can help you understand what the young person is really in need of and how you can best support them. This also helps young people reflect on their feelings about sexual health topics.
RBe Responsive. Being responsive is the alternative to being reactive. Someone’s reactions are usually influenced by their feelings. Responses are instead influenced by thought and
REACTING vs. RESPONDING: For Supportive Adults
What part of CLEAR feels like the best growth opportunity for you? What does providing a clear response look like in practice? We’ve taken some common reactions and transformed them into curious and supportive responses. We hope this chart can be a helpful tool in creating a space of empowerment, safety, and celebration.
REACTING RESPONDING
“Why are you asking something like that?”
“Thank you for trusting me with your question! What do you already know about that?”
“That is not something we talk about.”
“That is inappropriate.”
“Don’t ask questions like that.”
“I do not know.”
“Where did you hear about that?”
“Let’s talk about the information you need about this topic right now. As you get older, let’s keep talking about this, because there will be more useful information to learn about this topic as you grow.”
“I’m glad you came to me with this question. I admit I feel a little uncomfortable right now, but it’s important to me that you feel safe asking me questions, so let’s talk through this together.”
“That is a really interesting question! You asking that question means you’re ready for information about it. Tell me more about what you want to learn.”
“Let’s find out together.”
“Tell me what you know about that. I am interested to hear what you think.”
A Crucial Last Step: In an internet age with access to so much information, it is important that we share accurate resources with young people. There will be questions that young people ask for which we do not have the answer. Be honest about that. This is an excellent opportunity to find information together and model sound critical thinking and media literacy as you pursue your answers. Check out the resource section on page 23 for great places to start finding reliable information.
Sample Sex Ed Questions and Suggested Responses:
When is the right time to have sex?
The decision to have sex is personal. Some people may never even want to have sex. The decision to have sex depends on a person’s values, as well as the reasons why they do or do not want to have sex. What is most important is choosing what is best for you. Other people must respect your decision. Pressure should never be part of sex. On page 5 of this toolkit, we talked about values. How could your values help you with the decision of whether or not to have sex?
Is it okay to masturbate?
CHECK OUT THIS RESOURCE: Planned Parenthood’s video: “How Do I Know If I’m Ready to Have Sex?”
Masturbation is when someone uses their own body to experience sexual pleasure. Some people like to masturbate, and some people have no interest in it. You get to decide what you do with your body! Masturbation is a great way to experiment with what feels good and what does not feel good to your body. The decision to masturbate or not is yours.
Not everyone is interested in having sex. It may seem like everyone is expected to have sex at some point in their life, but it is different for every person. There should never be pressure or expectation when deciding if sex is something you want to do. If someone is not interested in sex, that is okay and normal! Everyone is different.
TIME MACHINE MOMENT!
Supportive Adults: Did you have a supportive adult in your life who would answer your questions? How did they respond or react to your questions?
Young People: On the scale below, mark how comfortable you feel asking questions about sexual health:
What helps make answering hard questions
Supportive Adults: Let’s Practice!
Practice responding to the questions below. You can reference a few resources from page 23 of this toolkit to help you form your answers. Write out how you would hope to respond so that it is easier when you do it!
Why does my penis get hard in the morning?
My response:
How can I get on birth control?
My response:
Is pornography good or bad for you?
My response:
I was pressured into having sex. What should I do?*
My response:
*Questions about topics that impact a young person’s physical, emotional, and mental safety need to be handled with care. As a supportive adult, you may also be a mandated reporter. Mandated reporters are individuals whose job or role requires them to report child abuse to the appropriate state agency. If you have this responsibility, it is important to disclose to the youth you support so they have this context before disclosing abuse or harm to you. We will be talking more about how to support survivors of sexual and relationship violence in the next section, where you can find local and national resources that can help if you or someone you care about needs it.
We will be talking about consent, sexual assault, child sexual abuse, and intimate partner violence over the next four pages. Please ensure you are taking care of yourself and taking the breaks you need as you go through this content.
Consent and COVERS
When someone sets a boundary, they are putting limitations on consent. Consent is permission for something to happen or agreement to do something. If someone is engaging with someone else’s body, six key elements of consent must be present. Like a shelter or blanket, consent COVERS you with protection. Consent needs to be:
Conscious
When practicing consent, individuals should be aware of any risks and have all the necessary information to make an informed decision. Substances like drugs and alcohol impair someone’s ability to consent to an activity.
Consent needs to be an ongoing process and conversation! Consent can and will change.
Consent needs to be communicated clearly and verbally and/or visibly in some way!
It is important that someone is excited about the activity they are consenting to. Pressure should never be part of consent. Coercion is the practice of persuading a person to do something using pressure, threats, or force. Coercion is not consent.
A “yes” can always turn into a “no.” And if a “yes” turns into a “no,” everything needs to stop.
When someone is engaging with someone else’s body, consent must be specific. Consent has to be practiced in each specific activity.
Consent Circles
A great way to have a conversation about consent and boundaries is to use Consent Circles! As an adult and youth duo, have a conversation about who is in your Consent Circle. If someone is in your Consent Circle, it means you feel safe being around them, hugging them, etc. Have a conversation about each
circle and come back to this activity every once in a while. Who is in what circle may change as you do!
When Consent is Violated
Green: Trusted team and established relationships
Yellow: Random acquaintances
Red: Know and don’t trust, and strangers
This activity comes from Thumbs Down. Speak Up. Check them out at tdsu.org
We know that sexual assault and rape are real experiences that happen to real people. It is important to know that sexual violence is not sex Sexual violence is any sexual activity that happens without consent. Sexual violence is rooted in an abuse of power. Talking about sexual violence can be very difficult. For a young person who has experienced sexual violence, it can be hard to ask for help. For adult survivors, it can be overwhelming to support a young person going through that experience. Experiencing sexual violence can come with a lot of different emotions. Shame, disbelief, sadness, and anger are emotions a survivor can feel. Sexual violence is never the fault of the survivor. Healing from sexual violence is a process, but it is not one you have to do alone.
Child Sexual Abuse
Sometimes an adult in a young person’s life may be a source of harm and abuse. Child sexual abuse is a form of abuse that includes an adult forcing a minor to engage in any kind of sexual activity. Taking advantage of a young person is never okay. Abuse of any kind can be difficult to talk about and face. Ongoing conversations and check-ins between adults and the young people in their lives are essential to ensuring young people are safe. Consent Circles are a great way to keep these conversations going.
Intimate Partner Violence
Intimate partner violence is the physical, verbal, emotional, or sexual abuse of a person by their partner or significant other. Violence of any kind can have an impact on someone’s overall health and well-being. Look at the graphic below as an adult and youth duo. We hope you take a moment to talk about how to navigate unsupportive and abusive situations in relationships.
This chart comes from loveisrespect.org, where you can go to find more information about intimate partner violence and supportive relationships.
Disclosing Sexual and Intimate Partner Violence
If someone experiences sexual violence, it can be really hard to know what to do next. Who should they tell? What should they say?
Let’s think back to the Consent Circles. Who is in your green circle? Do any of these people feel like trustworthy people to tell? What about the person working through this workbook with you? Hopefully, they are a safe person to talk to as well.
If you don’t have someone to talk to or don’t want to disclose to someone you know yet, there are other options: Call a hotline:
Contact the Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan (or your local women’s resource center): 231-374-0082 or 800-275-1995
The Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan (WRCNM) acknowledges that sexual abuse can affect individuals of any gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, disability, or socioeconomic status.
Contact your local health department, another local medical clinic, an urgent care, your doctor, or the emergency room Health Department of NW Michigan: nwhealth.org
You can go to a nurse, social worker, or counselor at your school
Supporting Survivors
Our friends at Me Too. Movement have created a really useful guide on how to provide support to a survivor who discloses to you. We have quoted a few essential action steps, but make sure to check out the full guide at the QR code on of this page too!
Language matters. Consider using phrases like, “I believe you,” “Thank you for telling me. That was brave,” “It’s not your fault,” “I’m here for you.” Check your language. Do not use terms like “should,” “have to,” etc.
Actively listen. Respect when they want to engage and when they don’t.
Ask if there is anything they need from you. Don’t assume. If they make requests, honestly check in with yourself and let them know if you can meet them or not.
Ask for consent before any physical touch happens.
CHECK OUT THIS RESOURCE:
Me.Too’s guide for supporting survivors is linked at this QR code:
These are hard but really important conversations to have. As a young person and adult duo, take a second to talk through how it felt to go through this information.
As a duo, take some time to create a safety plan. Safety plans are brainstorms of ideas for staying safe that may reduce the risk of harm in the future. Safety planning may include:
Becoming familiar with local and online resources
Creating a code word: Code words can be utilized by young people when they are in an unsafe situation. Code words or emojis can be decided on in advance to be used by the young person to ask for help over the phone or text discreetly.
Identifying your support network: Take a look at the Consent Circles that we did on page 15. Identifying supportive people is always important!
Talking about autonomy, boundaries, and consent, and modeling those for the young people in your life
As an adult, one of the greatest behaviors you can model is respecting others’ autonomy. Building a culture of consent requires that boundaries be respected. Harmful behavior must be called out.
Media Literacy
Young people today face unique challenges when it comes to their sexual, mental, and physical health. Accurate and empowering information helps reduce harm for young people. We know that media, including social media platforms, play a big role in youth development. When young people engage with media, they must be able to engage critically. That is why media literacy is so important. Media Literacy Now defines media literacy as the ability to:
Decode media messages
Assess the influence of those messages on thoughts, feelings, and behaviors
Create media thoughtfully and conscientiously
Here are five questions to ask teens about social media use, created by The Mental Health Coalition:
1. How does social media make you feel, and what emotions do you experience when you scroll?
2. Have you ever felt pressured to present a certain image online?
3. How do you think social media impacts your friendships?
4. What are some ways you manage your screen time or boundaries you set for yourself?
5. What types of activities on social media feel like time well spent?
TIME MACHINE MOMENT!
Supportive Adults: How has your life changed because of technology and social media? What was it like to live in a time when there weren’t smart phones or social media?
Young People: Imagine a world where there were no smartphones or social media. How would this impact your life? How would these changes be positive or negative?
Reflect: Relationships are a big part of life, so of course sex and relationships are big themes in media! Most of us are hearing and seeing messages about sex and relationships all the time in music, movies, books, and more. For the next week, try looking for messages about sex and relationships in media. Ask yourself: “What message is this sending about sex and relationships?” “Is this a healthy message for me?” It’s not about judging your favorite artist; it’s just about practicing media literacy!
18
Sexually transmitted infections and diseases (STI/Ds) are infections that spread through sexual activities that include semen, pre-seminal fluid, and vaginal fluid. There is a lot of stigma around STIs that often creates gaps in asking questions or receiving health care.
For Supportive Adults:
When supportive adults create conversations around STIs, young people feel more empowered to get tested and know their status! When initiating conversations about STIs, it’s important to understand these key things:
STIs are very common, especially among young people. More than half of new STI cases are among people ages 15-24.
Saliva and casual contact do not spread STIs. STIs are spread through vaginal fluid, semen, and pre-seminal fluid. HIV, a viral sexually transmitted infection, can also be spread through blood and breast milk. Some STIs can be spread through skin-to-skin contact, such as HPV, herpes, syphilis. These STIs can develop sores (usually on the genitals) that, when touched, can transmit the infection.
Condoms* are a great tool for preventing STIs and pregnancy. When used correctly, condoms and other barrier methods are extremely effective at preventing the contraction and spread of STIs.
STIs do not determine a person’s hygiene. STIs do not discriminate. A person contracts an STI by coming into contact with it during vaginal, anal, or oral sex.
*Having barrier methods on hand for the young people in your life is a great way to promote empowering and supportive decisions for their sexual health!
A judgement-free and open conversation is essential when talking about STIs. Sometimes the genitals get sick and they should get the care they need, just like the rest of the body!
TIME MACHINE MOMENT!
Supportive Adults: What was the messaging around sexually transmitted infections and birth control when you were growing up?
Young People: What have you heard about sexually transmitted infections and birth control?
For Youth:
What are the questions you have about STIs? Revisit page 9, come back, and write down some questions/statements that you may want to share with a supportive adult.
CHECK OUT THIS RESOURCE:
For more information about STIs, check out this blog post written by Michigan-based high school students!
Contraceptives are tools that prevent pregnancy and include condoms and hormonal birth control. Hormonal birth control methods use hormones to prevent pregnancy in bodies with a uterus and ovaries. If a young person is thinking about birth control, that means they are considering the risks that come with having vaginal sex and are taking steps to make the most supportive decision for themselves.
For Supportive Adults:
Below are key pieces of information to have when starting conversations around contraception!
When is the best time to talk about birth control? Talking about birth control can happen before a young person becomes sexually active. The best time to go on birth control looks different for everyone and can be for different reasons. Having ongoing conversations with young people helps them have a say in what feels best for them and their bodies. Some questions for young people to consider when thinking about birth control are:
What are your needs with birth control? What is realistic for your lifestyle? What type of sex are you having/planning to have? What will you use to prevent STIs?
What are the side effects of birth control? Side effects of birth control can include irregular periods, headaches, mood swings, and nausea. As a supportive adult, it is important to check in with a young person and talk through any side effects they may have.
Where can someone access birth control? Hormonal birth control can be accessed at Planned Parenthood, your family doctor, and your local health department. Hormonal birth control requires a prescription. Barrier methods like condoms and dental dams can be purchased at most pharmacies and grocery stores, and can be purchased by anyone without a prescription. For a full list and information about the different types of birth control, check out plannedparenthood.org/learn/birth-control.
Sometimes, doctors and pharmacists or cashiers may refuse to provide young people with birth control or the ability to purchase condoms. Having a supportive adult present helps ensure their access to these essential tools. Youth will not encounter these barriers at Planned Parenthood or their local health department.
FOR YOUTH: REFLECT ON YOUR QUESTIONS & NEEDS
What questions do you have about contraception, like birth control and condoms?
What support do you need from an adult to access contraception?
We know that conversations around sexual health can be awkward, hard, and intimidating. We hope this toolkit has helped create a bridge from the silence and stigma around sexual health to dialogue and empowerment between youth and the supportive adults in their lives. We hope the tools and activities offered will help in beginning and continuing these essential conversations with honesty, openness, and trust.
On the following pages, we have listed an abundance of resources in our Northern Michigan community! We also have a list of online resources to access accurate and empowering sexual health information from anywhere!
Before we let you go, we have one more question...
Together: What are you taking forward with you after reading through this toolkit?
In Northern Lower Michigan
Sexual Health Care:
Planned Parenthood of Michigan, Traverse City | ppmi.org
Health Department of Northwest Michigan, Ironman and Blue Devils Health Centers | nwhealth.org
Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan | wrcnm.org
Thunder Bay Community Health Service | tbchs.org
Alcona Health Center | alconahealthcenters.org
East Jordan Family Health Center | ejfhc.org
Community and Supportive Development:
Rock Your Rainbows
Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians | ltbbodawa-nsn.gov
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Michigan | bigsupnorth.org
Teen Depot, East Jordan | ejdepot.org
Child Abuse Prevention and Education Council | capecouncilcharem.wildapricot.org
Great Start Collaborative | greatstartcollaborative.org
Challenge Mountain | challengemtn.org
Girl Scouts | gsmists.org
Mental Health and Crisis:
Online and Print Resources
Your Sexual Health Toolkit | yoursexualhealthtoolkit.org
Sex Positive Families | sexpositivefamilies.com
Sex Ed Rescue | sexedrescue.com/ageappropriate-sex-education
Our Bodies, Ourselves | ourbodiesourselves.org
Body Happy | bodyhappyorg.com
Scarleteen | scarleteen.com
Love is Respect | loveisrespect.org
Kids Health | kidshealth.org
Amaze | amaze.org
Me Too. Movement | metoomvmt.org
There are SO many resources available that we can’t list them all here! You can find a big list of additional reliable resources to keep the conversation going on Planned Parenthood of Michigan’s website (ppmi.org/sexual-healthtoolkit). Keep coming back to this list! We will continue to add to it as we find new and cool resources.
RAINN: Supporting Survivors | culturesofconsent.org/library
Planet Puberty: Supporting Youth with Developmental Disabilities and Autism | planetpuberty.org.au
Native Youth Sexual Health Network | nativeyouthsexualhealth.com
AMAZE LAC (Spanish language resource) | youtube.com/@amazelac
National Black Justice Coalition | nbjc.org
The Trevor Project | thetrevorproject.org
The Mental Health Coalition | thementalhealthcoalition.org
Let’s Talk about Body Boundaries, Consent, and Respect | book by Jayneen Sanders
C is for Consent | book by Eleanor Morrison
Sex is a Funny Word | book by Corey Silverberg and Fiona Smyth
What Makes a Baby | book by Corey Silverberg and Fiona Smyth
The Body is Not an Apology | book by Sonya Renee Taylor
Some Bodies | book by Sophie Kennen
Let’s Talk About It | book by Erika Moen and Matthew Nolan
How to Talk With Your Kids About Porn | downloadable book at sexinspace.com/book-2
Heartstopper | graphic novels by Alice Oseman
The Autism-Friendly Guide to Periods | book by Robyn Steward
Stand Up to Sexting: An Open Conversation to Parents and Tweens | book by Christy Monson and Heather Boynton
Red Moon Gang: An Inclusive Guide to Periods | book by Tara Costello
Boys Will Be Human | book by Justin Baldoni
