WILL 2023 BE THE YEAR YOU GO SOLAR & LOCK IN ENERGY SAVINGS?

Often the best sex ed happens in combined-gender classes where everyone talks about it together, according to Small, who describes those conversations as “building empathy so people have a better understanding of what the other person is going through and what they may want or need.”

Something I managed to extrapolate from the DOH’s data: The teens who are most likely to be having sex, and most likely to be using condoms (to prevent STDs, not just pregnancy) are the ones who have the strongest relationships with their peers. They have friends they can talk to and they’re better equipped to have honest conversations with their partners. Parents are having more honest conversations with kids, too, and the icky stigmas around sex are receding, schools are reaching out in relatable ways and now, thanks to Obama, everyone gets a free IUD! Now it’s on the codgers to keep up the momentum.

“Most of us did not grow up getting this information and say, ‘I wish I learned this differently,’” Small says. “Now with young people, we have the opportunity to make that happen...to keep ensuring that youth have access to quality, comprehensive and inclusive sex ed. It’s a sign that more open conversation has an impact.”