70-08 by The Cougar Press

Ventura High School Journalism 2 North Catalina, Ventura CA 93001 thecougarpress.org

@the.cougar.press @thecougarpressvhs @thecougarpress @thecougarpress

The Cougar Press Friday, March 2, 2018

Volume 70 Edition 08

“Answering questions is a major part of sexual education.” -Bertrand Russell

Sexual education: not widely talked about, but should it be? According to “Renew

comprehensive sex ed. We are not

the U.S. commitment to sexual

doing condom demonstrations.

education,” from The Washington

We are not teaching young

According to a report

Post, “Congress increased to

people about consent... We are

released by the U.S. Center for

75 million a year funding for

making them feel bad about their

Disease Control and Prevention,

programs that promote abstinence

bodies…”

fewer than 50 percent of high

until marriage.” The article goes

schools,

and only a fifth of

on to emphasize that this does not

High School, who wished to

middle schools, taught all 16

give students in their adolescence

remain anonymous, shared, “I

nationally recommended lessons

all the information they need to

learned a great majority from

on topics for sexual health

make their own decisions when

the internet, some from my

education. In addition to this, less

it comes to becoming sexually

mom, and a very slim amount

than 40 percent of high schools

active or not.

from school which was mostly

nationwide require sex and health

Lynn Barclay, President

just STD and STI information.”

education for graduation.

and CEO of the American Sexual

When asked how old they were

Health

declared

when they were taught about sex,

22 states in the U.S. mandate

in an interview with Rachel

the student said, “I learned about

sexual education and only 13

Sanoff from bustle.com, “We

sex [when I was] very young.”

states require that the instruction

are doing such a poor job on so

be medically accurate.

many subjects. We are not doing

Sailor Hawes Ryan King

Illustration by: Avenlea Russian

More specifically, only

Association,

A student from Ventura

continued on ... page 5

Gays in my Community? It’s more likely than students think Alijca Fowler Kai Torres

Rainbow Umbrella takes place every Friday at the Community Resource Center off of Portola Road in Ventura, CA. Project Pride meets every Wednesday from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Ventura High School also has their own Gender Sexuality Alliance club on campus that has an abundance of resources for other LGBTQ+ students. The club is run by senior co-presidents, Terra Bransfield and Maritza Duran. When asked about GSA, Duran said, “We’re a place where anyone can come in and feel safe about their gender and sexuality. We’re open to anyone and everyone.” GSA meets every Friday in room 124 during lunch. Any VHS students that are interested can attend. These resources are an important part of both the local and school community, but not many people know about them. Hopefully this gives everyone an opportunity to check them out if they are at all interested and need any help or have any questions.

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The LGBTQ+ community has many places in Ventura County where people can hang out and access resources, including the Diversity Collective (DCVC). DCVC is a collection of therapists and suppor t g roups for LGBTQ+ youth. One of these g roups is Rainbow Umbrella. Rainbow Umbrella takes place ever y Friday at the Community Resource Center off of Por tola Road in Ventura, CA. Another resource for LGBTQ+ youth is Project Pride, which is based in Fillmore. This g roup primarily ser ves communities in the Santa Clara Valley, including Fillmore and Pir u.

Fillmore High School senior, Marlen Barragan, is one of the heads of Project Pride . She said, “I made Project Pride so students had a safe place outside of the [Fillmore High] school [Social Equality] club. Project Pride is not only based off of LGBTQ+ issues, but is also involved with One Billion Rising.”

909 27

73 13 30 909

Dating

The Cougar Press Page Two

Opinion: Is cheating “just one mistake?”

Opinion: Single vs Taken Samantha Franks

Bailey Peck

Being in a relationship can be great sometimes, but the perks of being single are too good to ignore. Imagine the stress that could be taken off one’s shoulders if they didn’t have to worry about birthdays, anniversaries, or presents for a significant other. Being single gives a person the priceless ability to put themself first and do what they want to do. In today’s world, it’s pretty easy to forget that embracing solitude is important. High school is a time where young adolescents are starting to shape who they are as people. It’s difficult to do that when indulged in someone else’s interests, needs, etc. The single life allows for more opportunities to find things someone is interested in.

While I wouldn’t exactly recommend everybody and their mother go out and start dating whoever, but I definitely believe relationships can be very positive things. People who are prosingle may argue that being single gives someone time to find themself, put themself first, or just be with friends and even become a healthier person. However, being in a relationship is fun. It’s like automatically having a best friend, 24/7 company, emotional support and somebody who is always there. Being in a relationship will not stop someone from being themself or keeping in touch with their friends, because it is just a matter of balance. People shouldn’t feel forced to compromise certain things to have a relationship.

continued on... thecougarpress.org

Opinion: Things vs Relationships Clayton Currie

Samantha Franks

What is a “thing?” Typically, things are described as talking to someone, but not officially dating them and avoiding the label of a relationship. By that definition, the opposite of a “thing” could be a long term relationship. This word also seems to carry a lot of weight for high schoolers, as if a long term relationship were some taboo subject. I don’t understand the stigma around anything serious or longer than a week in regards to serious relationships. According to the annual Sex and Dating Survey, over 80 percent of students have had at least one “thing.” I understand that it’s high school and it’s hard to maintain a healthy relationship during school and after graduation, but I just don’t see the point in texting someone for a few days and then never talking to them again.

It seems like a lot of high school students are in relationships, yet some don’t last very long. Sometimes they last for a few weeks or months. However, other relationships can last for years, sometimes even all throughout high school. In my opinion, high school is the time for short term relationships, rather than long term relationships. Short term relationships allow a person to get to know someone without involving themselves in something super serious. Long term relationships can be overwhelming in high school, taking time away from studies, or friends. Long term relationships can even add emotional distractions to a student’s life.

continued on thecougarpress.org

Infographic by: Avenlea Russian

The Cougar Press

Avenlea Russian I understand that cheating has been around for an incredibly long time and is a temptation that many people fall into, but does it have to be that way? I mean people have the ability to end a relationship if they are not happy in it, so why don’t they? Cheating happens more often than not for many different reasons, some being more complicated than others. “Cheating is one of the most odious actions someone could do to someone they are suppose to care for. Although, it does make for realization, which can be for the greater good,” stated sophomore Anisa Zavala.

“The people who cheat and intend to stay with their significant other should just do everyone a favor and remain single.” In my opinion, people cheat because they want to be with their new love interest. If this is true, then they should break up

with their current significant other as soon as possible, so they can be with the person they are meant to be with. Better yet, people should just wait until they are single to start a romantic relationship with their new love interest. Sophomore Natalia Lopez commented, “Honestly, if you cheat, you don’t deserve a second chance. No matter what.” I believe people can change and learn to forgive when forgiveness is due, but the idea that cheating can be “just one mistake” is false and ludicrous. I mean seriously, there are so many steps someone must go through in order to cheat on another person. They must first develop feelings, whether they are lustful or romantic. Then they have to flirt with the person they are interested in to get that person to want them back. And on top of it all, the person they are interested in must be okay with the fact the person is taken, or they must be completely unaware that he or she has a significant other. I mean think about it; every flirty text message could have never been sent and every time plans were made, they could have been cancelled. continued on thecougarpress.org

Trust and respect is in full effect Lola Bobrow Summer Yovanno According to the 2018 annual Sex and Dating Sur vey, 52.87 percent of students said that “high school relationships could last, but they probably won’t.” However, this sentiment is not carried by all Ventura High School students. Miranda Rodriguez and Cruz Conboy, two seniors that have been dating since freshman year, break this stereotype with their steady relationship. How have they done this? Rodriguez and Conboy weigh in on how to maintain trust and respect within a relationship. “He was throwing food at me and I was like, “Hey, he’s cute,’” said Rodriguez,

Photo by: Summer Yovanno

Senior Samantha Zanini, Rodriguez’s friend said, “They are destined to be together, they are my favorite couple at this school!”

talking about Conboy. Both Rodriguez and Conboy say they started talking because of “mutual friends,” which they also state as the reason they are able to spend a lot of time with one another.

Index

Dating.........................................2-3 Safety and Education...............4-5 Sexual Activity.........................6-7 Results.......................................8-9 Sexual Harrassment...........10-11 VHS On.....................................12

Typically though, high school relationships are known to be fickle. Instead of making rash choices, Rodriguez argues that communication is key. “[You] just have to talk things out and don’t make any irrational

decisions because you guys know that you’re going to get back together,” said Rodriguez. “[People will say] ‘I’m breaking up with you’ instead of just saying I need space.” “Just be open with each other and don’t hide things. If you need to hide things you probably shouldn’t be in the relationship,” said Conboy. “Just trust each other. Trust and respect. A lot of relationships lack that,” Conboy added. In addition to sharing the same friends, sentiments about problem solving and parking spaces, they also finish each other’s sentences. “You have to just talk it out and understand each other. You have to be able to concede,” started Conboy, “And understand where the other ones coming from,” Rodriguez finished with a smile.

The Cougar Press is a studentrun public forum of the VHS community. We strive to present all sides of the issue fairly and without bias. From time to time, we make an error. When this happens, we try to correct it as soon as possible. Students and community members are encouraged to write letters to The Cougar Press. We welcome all letters, but may edit them for clarity and brevity. This public forum is only as good as the community support it receives. Any letter submitted also may be published on our website www.thecougarpress.org. Send letters to: Editor, The Cougar Press, 2 N. Catalina Ventura, CA 93001. The Cougar Press supports student free speech.

Editorial Staff

Editors-in-Chief Brooke Newman & Avenlea Russian

Managing Editor Micah Wilcox

Layout Editor Clayton Currie

Staffers Miles Bennet Lola Bobrow Ryan Brocklehurst Nathan Canchola Paris Carmody Christian Caudillo Sarah Clench Hailey Cox Emily Distefano Alicja Fowler Samantha Franks Gage Gregorchuk Acacia Harrell Sailor Hawes Hector Heredia Ryan King Liliana Lara Hannah Lee Billy Maxwell Ian McWeeney Bailey Peck Mason Pena Diego Roberto Kai Torres Summer Yovanno

@the.cougar.press @thecougarpressvhs @thecougarpress @thecougarpress

Dating

The Cougar Press Page Three

Opinion: Things, Strategic vs Tragic Sailor Hawes Bailey Peck

Illustration by: Kai Torres

Opinion: I can do that, but you can’t Hannah Lee A lot of students may be familiar with the term “double standards,” but how many of them know what it means? Double standards is defined as a rule or principle that is unfairly applied in different ways to different people or groups. Double standards apply to every person in some way, shape or form and may appear as a constant battle between the sexes. Over time, many people have made a conscious effort to reduce the controversy over gender equality, but let’s face it, people still expect different things from men and women. According to Business Insider, 54 years after the the United States passed the Equal

Pay Act, women in the U.S. still face a substantial gender wage gap across the spectrum, with men earning 79 cents more to the dollar than the average woman. Along with this, people continue to sexuallize women. As a society, Americans turn on the Super Bowl to see their favorite football players in a full uniform with shoulder pads, yet they look to see women in a skimpy outfit objectifying their body on national television. Again, while the number of relationships one has been in should not matter, double standards are alive and well. In society, men can date whoever they please and are not shamed for doing so. They can even have one night stands and go home and tell their “bros” about it.

Opinion: Hold out vs Hurry up Ryan Brocklehurst

Diego Roberto

Dating in high school can be chaotic, painful and short lasting. With so much changing in students bodies and so many new ideas being exposed to them in high school, having a significant other will end up taking a back seat, which is not good in a healthy dating environment. Changing hormones in the body can lead to extreme emotions and can cause teens to be emotionally unstable and even violent towards those around them. Having strong, healthy relationships is good for developing teens, but dating should wait until most of the hormones have settled.

Dating in high school can be chaotic, painful and short lasting, but waiting too long to get involved in a relationship will just prolong these issues and still apply to dating once out of high school. The whole point of dating is for people to find someone to marry and spend the rest of their life with, but waiting too long to date will never help someone find what they are looking for in a relationship until it is too late. When asked why she was a pro-relationship senior Amanda Malotte said, “Dating in high school allows you to learn more about yourself while getting to know another. . . This is good because you can take what you’ve learned and use it in your future.”

continued on... thecougarpress.org

Now if a woman were to do this, she would be called a slut. She may also be too ashamed to tell anyone about what happened, fearing that word would go around and that she would be gossiped about. Dress code regulations at schools are another point to examine in the controversy of Double Standards. Unarguably, women have a much stricter dress code to abide by. Female students can’t even show their shoulders because it might turn heads and distract other students. Even though both women and men feel pressured to look good in society, studies from the book, “The Fat Studies Reader” shows that women feel more anxious to lose weight. continued on... thecougarpress.org

Summer Yovanno

Photo by: Summer Yovanno

Picture this: Students are in high school and all of their friends are in relationships, but they don’t feel ready to take the next big step and have a serious relationship. Why put so much stress and heartbreak into a relationship when they can begin by having a “thing?” A “thing” is an unlabeled relationship and is perfect if someone’s not ready to commit to a certain person. Junior Serena Ropersmith said, “Yes I think a “thing” is good if you don’t feel ready to be in a relationship.” We agree with Ropersmith’s comment. Many people nowadays, especially in high school, are too busy to be in a real relationship, or they aren’t ready to be in one so they find fun in talking to the people they like. “Things” are good to have because they guide people a step in the right direction and can help them be prepared for their first real relationship.

According to Urban Dictionary, a “thing” between two individuals is defined as “the stage in middle/high school where you aren’t quite dating yet, but you’ve both established that you like each other. It’s exclusive but not completely yet.” A “thing” can be mixed up with the other stages before officially dating. Stages such as “talking” or “being exclusive.” I believe a “thing” is the stage right before officially dating. However, this could cause problems between two individuals because nothing is official, meaning there is no room for hard feelings. A friend of mine has kissed a boy while having a “thing” with another boy. The boy she had a “thing” with found out and was upset. This is an example of how “things” can cause problems and leave two individuals confused. Therefore, I am personally against “things.”

Opinion: Does it go down in the DMs? Paris Carmody Hailey Cox Social media can play a big role in relationships. Many Ventura High School students may use social media to show off their relationships in a positive way, but there can be a bad side to using social media as well. Sophomore Aidan Moran feels that “Social media is bad for the dating society because people can talk online but not talk in person.” Talking online and not in person prevents people from truly getting to know one another. Additionally, people can pretend to be someone they are not over the internet, contributing to the issue of catfishing. Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter are a few popular apps that high school students use to connect with each other on. These apps can help students talk to people they may not see everyday. Senior Daniel Aguilar says, “I think social media can affect

Photo by: Avenlea Russian

Photo by: Paris Carmody

Seniors Aguilar, Brittle, and Valadez all using technology to communicateb with others.

[relationships] in both ways because it helps you stay connected but can also have [negative effects].” Though social media can be a good thing, it can also cause trust issues in relationships. Senior Michael Brittle says, “There’s just so many people you can’t trust nowadays because people are just unloyal.” Students can use social media to contact someone else while they are in a relationship and their significant other could be completely

unaware this is happening, thus leading to relationship problems. Senior Evan Valadez states, “One time this girl hit me up while she was in a relationship, so I think social media can be very very negative [for] relationships.” While some students have strong feelings about social media, others aren’t affected by it at all. Senior Anthony Martinez says, “I dont think social media affects relationships at all because social media is just a materialistic thing and it really only matters what goes on in real life.” VHS students can talk on social media but in order to be in a relationship, they must have a connection in real life as well.

Safety and Education

The Cougar Press Page Four

Opinion: There isn’t enough education in sexual education Sarah Clench Acacia Harrell If students were asked about their experiences in fifth grade, chances are most of them would remember the monumental day when they watched ‘the video’ and learned about sex. In order for students to even watch the video, their parents had to sign a paper permitting them to participate in the lesson. Then, elementary school teachers most likely separated boys and girls into different classrooms where they crammed topics such as puberty, childbirth, menstruation, erections and a number of other sex related topics into one short lesson. I do not know about other students, but that was one of the most uncomfortable days of my entire childhood. The lesson itself consisted of uncomfortable teachers and young children making jokes about serious topics. Despite teachers’ efforts to control a room full of immature fifth graders, the lesson was too rushed and awkward. As I look

Infographic by: Acacia Harrell and Avenlea Russian This represents the different, awkward stages one encounters through the years of sexual education.

back at that moment now, I wonder why teachers wouldn’t take more time to educate students about these topics, as they play a role in every students’ life. Aside from fifth grade, teachers briefly review the topics in seventh grade and barely touch on them again in students’ freshman health class, but is that really enough? According to the results

from the annual Sex and Dating Survey, 26.19 percent of students said they obtained their education in regards to sex and dating from the internet. In my opinion, it seems much healthier and more reliable to receive this information from school rather than the internet, because nowadays a lot of unreliable information can be spread through the internet.

Infographic by: Brooke Newman

How much do students really know about STDs and STIs? Brooke Newman For many high school students, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) may be the least of their concerns. For one, some students might not even know the differences between the two. What are STDs and STIs? STDs are diseases that are transmitted through sexual contact including oral sex. STIs are infections that are transmitted through sexual contact and can either be treated or may develop into an STD. How does this affect students? Young people are most likely to contract STIs and STDs. According to the American Sexual Health Association, or ASHA, one in two sexually active persons will contract an STI by age 25. They also estimate that nearly 20 million new STIs occur every year in the U.S, with half of those affecting young people from the ages 15 to 24. However, even with the amount of STDs and STIs that occur among young people, ASHA estimates that only 12 percent of young people were tested for STIs in the last year, despite the fact they account for half of new STI cases. In order for students to reduce their risk of contracting an STI or STD, ASHA provides various prevention tips. These include practicing safe sex by using a condom, abstaining from having sexual contact, communicating with your partner about the topic or getting tested for an STD or STI if engaging in sexual activity.

* Another way to prevent contracting STDs or STIs is through vaccination. As of now, there are not vaccines to treat human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and herpes simplex virus, however, hepatitis A and B and HPV have available vaccines.

According to the ASHA STDs and STIs do not have recognizable signs or symptoms. Sometimes they can have mild symptoms, which often go unrecognized. The only way to know if students or their partner have an STD is to get tested.

Infographic by: Christian Caudillo

Infographic by: Brooke Newman

Infographic by: Samantha Franks

Safety and Education Are there babies on campus? Christian Caudillo How often is it that students think about the struggles that ensue when caring for a baby? Ventura High School has a course students can take called Marriage and Family/Child Development taught by teacher Julia Scoggin, who has taught the class for over 13 years. Marriage and Family/ Child Development is a one year course broken down into two different semesters. During first semester, students focus primarily on marriage and primarily on family/child development second semester. Throughout the class, students learn about sexual education and parenting. One specific element this class teaches students is how to care for a child, which is a skill that could be useful for students later on in life. For example, students learn that they will need to change their babies’ diaper, feed it with a bottle and burp it.

One specific element this class teaches students is how to care for a child. To learn about child development, students have the option to take care of an imitation baby by themself or with a partner. Scoggin said the students take care of the babies for one week. According to Scoggin, “The program has been around for 20 years.” In addition to this, Scoggin said, “I think most students here at VHS will someday become parents. None of us are born into this world with an instruction manual [and] being a parent without skills is pretty scary. Having skills is going to help the child grow to be the best that they can be, so I feel it is very very important [for students to take this class.]”

Infographic by: Christian Caudillo

Opinion: Are students informed enough? Gage Gregorchuk When it comes to STDs there can be a lot of confusion, leaving many students feeling uninformed. According to DoSomething.org, one in four sexually active high school teens contract a sexually transmitted disease every year. DoSomething.org also states that young people between the ages of 15 to 24 account for 50 percent of all new STDs, although they represent just 25 percent of the sexually active population. According to WebMD. com, bacterial STDs can be cured with antibiotics if treatments begin early enough but viral STDs cannot be cured but can be managed with medication.

While most people believe that just wearing a condom can keep them safe from STDs, that is not true. According to BlackDoctor.org, while using a condom during sexual intercourse, one can contract multiple forms of STDs including; genital herpes, syphilis, pubic lice, molluscum contagiosum and lastly, HPV. Teenagers can get tested by doctors and different places around the county. For example teens can go to Planned Parenthood and be tested for STDs. STDs are something that can hugely impact a person’s life so going to a place like Planned Parenthood before having sexual intercourse is a safe way to make sure you will not contract any diseases during sex.

The Cougar Press Page Five

Sexual education: not widely talked about, but should it be? Photo by: Sailor Hawes

Sailor Hawes Ryan King continued from... front page Another student, who also wished to remain anonymous, shared their story, “The first time I heard about sex was from my friend in first grade. My parents [talked to me about it] in third grade. In fifth I learned about diseases, and in seventh I learned about reproduction.” In The Cougar Press’s school-wide survey at VHS, it was found that out of 901 responses, only 30 percent answered, “Yes, but not from school” in regards to receiving a sufficient amount of sexual education. From that same question, 50 percent said, “Yes,” that they have received a sufficient amount of sexual education. However, that amount of responses does not specify exactly where the information was received from. Out of 882 responses, 26 percent of students said, “The internet” was where they received the most education about sex and dating. Both “friends” and “school” tied, each with 24 percent. Five percent answered, “[They] do not feel educated in regards to the topic.”

Abstinence-only education is not permitted in California public schools according to CA.gov. A possible reason for the spread-out results of VHS students to questions regarding sexual education is because according to California’s Department of Education comprehensive sexual health and HIV/AIDS instruction only requires schools to teach about human development and sexuality, including education on pregnancy, contraception, and sexually transmitted infections. In addition, it requires schools to teach about the nature of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and AIDS, methods

of transmission, strategies to reduce the risk of HIV infection and social and public health issues related to HIV and AIDS. However, Califronia Department of Education does not mandate instruction gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, discrimination, harassment, bullying, intimidation, relationships. It does not discuss human reproductive organs and their functions, therefore, not requiring schools in California to teach them.

How does HPV affect me? Infographic by: Brooke Newman

Brooke Newman What is human papillomavirus infection, or HPV? With more than 100 varieties of HPV existing, this infection commonly causes warts, known as a low risk factor and cervical cancers, known as a high risk factor. These cancers includescancer of the vulva, vagina, penis, or anus for those infected. According to cdc.gov, HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection, or STI. 79 million Americans, most in their late teens and early 20s, are infected with HPV. About 14 million people become infected each year, according to cdc.gov. How can you prevent yourself from contracting HPV? If you are sexually active, you can use latex condoms, or be in a mutually monogamous relationship to reduce your risks of contracting HPV. However, protective measures also include cervical screening and vaccinations.

According to cdc.gov, the HPV vaccination can protect against diseases (including cancers) caused by HPV when given in the recommended age groups. It’s recommended that all boys and girls ages 11 or 12 years old should get vaccinated. There is no test to find out

a person’s “HPV status,” and there are no approved HPV tests to find HPV in the mouth. Students can contact their healthcare providers for more information regarding the HPV vaccination. continued on... thecougarpress.org Infographic by: Ryan Brocklehurst

Infographic by: Gage Gregorchuk

Sexual Activity

The Cougar Press Page Six

Opinion: Have students had “the talk?”

Opinion: Words hurt

Paris Carmody Hailey Cox

Liliana Lara Hannah Lee Slut shaming is the action or fact of stigmatizing (a woman) for engaging in behavior judged to be promiscuous. It is 2018 and it seems slut shaming is still very much present. Girls not only have to worry about being called a slut at school, but now they have a whole new obstacle to face, the internet. Imagine walking down the hallways and hearing the word “slut.” It seems like our society has adopted a tone of tearing down women instead of building them up. The news and media, particularly over the internet, are overwhelmingly guilty of tearing women down by slut shaming them. For instance, the articles that came out after the Grammys and the Golden Globes seemed to be more about what the women were wearing and how high their dress slits were, rather than who actually won the awards.

It is not okay to get called a slut, but society is normalizing it as a way of life with comments like “boys will be boys.” Slut shaming has become part of everyday life and is wrong. The fact that slut shaming is such a hot topic is sad. Girls should not have to feel like their skirt is too short or their shoulders are too provocative. When an individual is called a slut, it tears a hole in their self-esteem. According to a recent Twitter poll conducted by The Cougar Press, 68 percent

of individuals have been called a slut and 70 percent of individuals have called someone a slut. It seems obvious that if someone were called a slut, they would know that it takes a punch at one’s self-esteem and this would convince them to not call someone a slut in return. However, this does not seem to be the case. Slut is a hurtful word and should not be used. Everyone should make an effort to never speak this word so no one has to hear it again.

Students of Ventura High School have mixed opinions on whether or not it’s important to talk to their parents about their sex lives. Talking to parents about sex can be very beneficial, but it can also cause problems between parents and teens if they dont agree on the subject. According to girlshealth. gov, “It can be really helpful to talk to your parents or guardians about sex and healthy relationships. It can be tough being a teen, and your parents and caregivers can be a

great source of love and support.” When sophomore Anisa Zavala was asked if she talks to her parents about sex, and if she thinks it is necessary to, she responded, “Yes, and I think it is necessary to have a normal and semi-serious talk to make sure there’s an understanding, and it can help you become closer, and it’s good to have someone like your parents to talk about it.” Students may want to talk to their parents but don’t have a close enough relationship with them. They might want to get advice or information but don’t know who to talk to. continued on... thecougarpress.org

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73 91

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176

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Do VHS students know about BDSM?

Infographic by: Brooke Newman

Infographic by: Lola Bobrow

Lola Bobrow Avenlea Russian

pleasure from experiencing pain.”

fit in each of the 24 categories of

BDSM.

Junior Archer Herring

said, “I think that kinks and

BDSM is a wide range of

fetishes are not a bad thing. Yes,

is over 50 questions that students

activities, mostly sexual, although

they might be weird sometimes,

rate on a scale of red to green,

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but if it doesn’t affect you, who

the darkest red being absolutely

performed with handcuffs or rope,

cares? I don’t have any kinks or

disagree and the brightest green

while discipline with a whip or a

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being absolutely agree. There is

belt. Dominance and submission

about or hear other people’s.”

the option to take the submissive

can be defined as receiving

half or dominant half of the test,

pleasure or satisfaction from

been taking an extensive online

if students prefer to take it all.

being dominant or dominated,

quiz

respectively.

will “test the kink out of you.”

said,

Dictionary.com defines

Urban Dictionary defines BDSM

BDSM, I think about bondage,

sadomasochism as “interaction,

as an overlapping abbreviation

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think

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Sexual Activity

The Cougar Press Page Seven Illustration by: Avenlea Russian

Opinion: Is sex a big deal? Emily Distefano

Diego Roberto

I strongly believe that sex is something that’s taken too lightly. Yes, sex can be casual and it doesn’t have to be some huge romantic gesture every time, but it also should be valued and not be treated like it is nothing. What if someone in an abusive relationship, and lose their virginity with that person and the next time you experience sex is in a completely different way? It’s special and new and they feel attached and connected with that person. I’ve heard numerous stories about girls getting attached to boys after they have sex and then the boys never talk to them again because that’s all they wanted.

Why is sex such a taboo thing to talk about. People can expect to experience it at some point in their life. Yes, some more than others, but it’s how we were made for crying out loud. Sex is the foundation of the human population, literally since the beginning. According to The Penguin Atlas of Human Sexual Behavior, sex occurs about 120 million times per day. It isn’t a big deal. Yes, some people in high school may not be emotionally ready for it, but others are and when they choose to become sexually active isn’t something that should become the talk of the town. Harassment in this case probably stems from immaturity or lack of sexual experience.

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Opinion: Pressured into pleasure? Ian McWeeney As a 17 year old male in a high school environment, I feel the common belief that every teen is pressured into having a form of sexual intercourse is incorrect. Having been told all my life that peer pressure is a huge problem in life, especially high school, I expected to feel pressured into having sex, but I haven’t ever once felt the urge to engage in sexual intercourse because of my friends’ influence on me. I know a lot of people that have taken part in sexual intercourse and then talked about it incessantly, but I do not see why my friends having sex would make me feel the need to have sex. People can have and talk about sex all the time and no other person should ever feel obligated to rush to have sex because of this. But I do understand that one can feel they are “left out” or “missing out” if they have not had

sex. They could feel like they must do it to “fit in.” But if someone is just having sex to “fit in,” what’s the point? Why would one want to impress their friends with the fact they “hooked up”? To get a different perspective about this, I asked sophomore Megan Findlay whether she felt pressured into having sex. She said, “When you are surrounded by upperclassmen who are always talking about having sex, I feel like you want to have it to experience it so you can join in on their conversation.” When asked whether she thinks this pressure is bad, Findlay responded, “I don’t feel like it’s a bad influence, I just feel like when you go to high school, it’s like trying new experiences, but it could end up being bad in the long run.” People will always want to “fit in” like all of their friends, so someone could be indirectly influencing someone else into sex. continued on... thecougarpress.org

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Opinion: Connection or Rejection, Does It Really Matter? Emily Distefano Sex is different for everyone and can mean various things. For some people it doesn’t mean anything at all; they don’t need to have feelings for the person they’re having sex with, they just enjoy the act of sex and lust. However, there are some people who cherish sex and go for the feelings aspect of it. Sex in my opinion connects two people to one another in a way that can’t really be described, just felt. A lot of the time I hear people say “I regret the way I lost my virginity” or “I wish I lost my virginity to the guy/girl I’m with now.” Yes, I understand where they’re coming from, but does it really matter? I think what matters most is that someone has a deep connection with someone and experiences something so amazing and different than the other times. When someone is with the right person, they will feel comfortable with one another and feel like they can be themselves. I believe that the first time someone has sex doesn’t have to

be a huge deal, it truly depends on the person and the situation. For example, if someone loses their virginity while drunk at a party, then that’s probably not the most ideal situation. Maybe some people are okay with that, which I understand. If it’s a one night stand, yes, technically they’re not a virgin anymore. But what happens if next time someone ends up having sex with someone who is super important to them and they both care for each other deeply? I think they would experience sex and love in a completely new and different way than they’ve ever felt

before. For someone’s first time, they don’t really know what they’re doing, no one does, so it’s normal for it to be awkward and uncomfortable. A person is lying there with someone else, completely exposed. Their first time isn’t going to be perfect like how the movies make it seem like it will be and the first time they have sex isn’t going to be like the next times they have sex. So my advice to students would be don’t be too concerned if it’s nothing like they thought it would be, it gets better.

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Sexual Harassment & Abuse

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How does “Me Too” affect high school students?

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Avenlea Russian

The phrase “Me Too” went viral October 2017 as a hashtag used on social media in regards to sexual assault and harassment. The hashtag started trending worldwide after a call to action from actress Alyssa Milano; on Twitter, Milano tweeted a suggestion from a friend that women who have been sexually harassed or assaulted should post “#MeToo” to convey the magnitude of the problem. According the World Health Organization, one out of three women worldwide are affected by sexual abuse. Soon after, the public revelations of sexual misconduct allegations against Harvey Weinstein, a well known

Hollywood film producer, brought more attention to the “#MeToo.” Junior Omar Al-Bawab stated, “It’s heartbreaking to see the trauma so many [had] to go through, but on the same coin, it is good that awareness is being brought to the issue. It gives victims a platform to speak up.” A 2017 poll by ABC News and The Washington Post found that 54 percent of American women report receiving “unwanted and inappropriate” sexual advances and 95 percent say that such behavior usually goes unpunished. #MeTooK12 is a rendition of #MeToo created in January 2018 by the group, Stop Sexual Assault in Schools, founded by Joel Levin and Esther Warkov. Their goal is to Infogaraphic by: Avenlea Russian

stop sexual abuse in education from kindergarten to high school.

The Washington Post found that 95 percent of unwanted sexual advances usually go unpunished. #MeTooK12 was inspired in part by the recent removal of certain federal Title IX sexual misconduct guidelines. In 2016, a national U.S. survey of girls ages 14 to 18 found that one in five had been touched or kissed without consent and nearly one in 16 had been forced to have sex against their will. #MeTooK12 is intended to convey the scope of sexual misconduct towards students and, according to the founders, the need for increased training on Title IX policies, as only 18 states require people in education to receive training about what to do when a student or teacher is sexually abused.

Opinion: Does the crime match the consequence? Gage Gregorchuk Ian McWeeney

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When it comes to rape, the consequences should match the crime. Rape is terrible; there is no way of getting around that fact and severely punishing the convicted rapist is the best way to go. Rape ruins lives. The person that is raped can be mentally and physically affected for the rest of their life. They have to live with the emotional pain of the trauma they were forced to endure. Rapists should get life in prison and have their sentences are shown all over the news. When they are publicly shamed like that, their name is cemented next to the word “rapist” for eternity. Their last name is forever put to shame and anyone that is related to, or shares the last name of the rapist will feel ashamed because they will

Christian Caudillo

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Ditlof stated, “No, I think the punishment to go along with rape should be much more extensive than it is currently and I hope that they change it.” While everyone is entitled to their own opinion I still believe that life in prison is an adequate punishment as a rapists’ life is pretty much over.

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Getting help

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always be associated with the rapist themselves. Life in prison ruins the rapist’s life. They will stay in a cell forever which is a totally deserved punishment because rape is completely unforgivable. When asked if she thinks the consequences to go with rape are appropriate, sophomore Megan

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Sexual harassment remains a common occurrence in society. Many people are harassed but never speak up to get help because they are too scared to say anything. According to loveisrespect.org, “Nearly 1.5 million high school students nationwide experience physical abuse from a dating partner in a single year. One in 10 high school students has been purposefully hit, slapped or physically hurt by a boyfriend or girlfriend.” Sexual harassment and abuse usually means that one’s partner is forcing them to have sex, physically and

verbally assaulting them. Senior Blanca Garcia, when asked if she has been sexually harassed or abused, responded, “I haven’t been sexually assaulted. But if I ever did, I’d know where to go and where to get help.” When asked where she would get help, Garcia said, “There are many resources and people available, teachers, counselors, and family you can talk too and who can give you the best option, where to go or what to do in a situation like this. There are articles and information on the internet that can guide you as well.” If you have been abused or assaulted, speak up and get help from an adult or family. The National Domestic

Infographic by: Christian Caudillo

Violence Hotline is also available 24 hours a day all year. To get help from the National Domestic Violence Hotline call 1800-7997233 or you can visit there website at thehotline.org.

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Opinion: Does using lead to abusing? Ryan Brocklehurst Nathan Canchola Alcohol and other intoxicants can lead to many different short and long term problems for those who use them, especially teens as the effects can last a lifetime. Before their senior year of high school 70 percent of people will have drunk alcohol, 50 percent will have taken an illegal drug and 20 percent will have used a prescription drug for a non medical purpose according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Drugs in relationships can lead to abuse of the substance, an unstable relationship and to the abuse of one of the people

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In a poll done by the National Center for Addiction and Drug Abuse, 90 percent of abusers began abusing before the age of 18.

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in the relationship. Substance abusers in relationships can often do lots of physical and psychological damage to their significant others. According to the National Institute of alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism “Some findings have indicated that

parental alcohol abuse may be associated with the physical or sexual abuse of children. Research findings in this area remain inconsistent, however. Second, the experience of being abused as a child may increase a person’s risk for alcohol-related problems as an adult.”

Opinion: Sexual harrassment... not sexy Acacia Harrell Ryan King What is sexual harassment? How do students know when they are a victim of it? Or if they are advancing harassment upon someone else? According to Google Dictionary, the exact definition of sexual harassment is harassment in a workplace, or other professional or social situation, involving the making of unwanted sexual advances or obscene remarks. Can sexual harassment be difficult to understand? Yes and no, because the standards of sexual harassment are generally subjective, meaning many different situations may fall under the category of sexual harassment. However, the definition that seems to be most socially accepted is

if one person involved in the situation makes it be known that they are uncomfortable and want whatever is happening to stop, then any more pursuit by the opposing person is sexual harassment. Even if no signs are given, it’s important for both individuals to feel consensual about the situation and maintain proper communication in order to ensure a healthy situation. During a monologue delivered by John Oliver, host of Last Week Tonight, this analogy was made about sexual harassment and consent: “Because sex is like boxing, if one of the parties didn’t agree to participate, the other is committing a crime.” According to California’s Department of Education, the comprehensive sexual health and HIV/ AIDS instruction does not consider topics that discuss

discrimination, harassment, bullying, intimidation, relationships, or family, therefore not requiring schools in California to teach these topics. VHS junior Omar AlBawab shared his understanding of what the definition of sexual harassment is: “Sexual harassment is when advances of a sexual nature towards someone continue, even after it has been declined, verbal or physical.” Al-Bawab later said what he thought was the best way to decline the sexual advances from the other.“If saying no doesn’t do anything, then either a physical altercation with the person or telling someone of a higher authority [must be done]. But sometimes it can be a boss harassing an employee, which at that point, they would need to report it to a third party organization, such as the police.”

The differences between healthy vs unhealthy relationships Sarah Clench Typically, there are two broad types of relationships; healthy and unhealthy, but what do those terms really mean? Junior Max Cohen stated, “I think that a healthy relationship has trust, communication and a little bit of luck.” According to The Hotline, in a healthy relationship each person feels supported and connected, yet can still be independent. The two major components of a healthy relationship were described as boundaries and communication. NMBreakThroughs explains that with a healthy relationship, people can improve in the following areas; healing, behavior, sense of purpose and a longer life with less stress. Though a healthy relationship can ease stress, an unhealthy relationship can do the

opposite. In the annual Sex and Dating Survey, five percent of Ventura High School students said they have been verbally abused in a relationship. With this statistic, one may wonder, “how does verbal abuse affect the average teen?” Unhealthy relationships can create long and short term negative effects, especially for developing teens. Collage by: Sarah Clench

As stated by the Utah Education Network, students tend to do poorly in school and report an increase in binge drinking, suicide attempts and physical fighting while in an unhealthy relationship. An unhealthy relationship can also affect ones future relationships, as the victims of an unhealthy relationship may adopt their partners violent patterns and habits.

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A letter from the editors Brooke Newman Avenlea Russian On behalf of The Cougar Press, we would like to thank every student that participated in the annual Sex and Dating Survey, as well as the teachers that made administering this survey possible. We would like to thank everyone for giving The Cougar Press some of their class time to make this survey possible. This year, The Cougar Press received over 1,000 student responses, which is twice the amount of responses compared to last years Sex and Dating Survey. This survey is something The Cougar Press does every year in order to survey and educate Ventura High School students. By asking questions about sex and dating and receiving feedback from VHS students, The Cougar Press is able to discuss these topics in a way that provides students with help and information. With this edition, we hope to draw conclusions and provide students with information that can help them learn about these topics and make healthy and educated life decisions. Every year this survey tends to take on a negative reputation as just “the sex survey.” We really appreciate VHS teachers allowing their students

to participate in this survey, as we’ve worked hard to preserve its reputation as an informative, health-focused study. As a staff, we made changes to the survey to make it the best it could be and we tried to administer it in the most efficient way possible. The purpose of this survey is not to offend any student or teacher, or to make anyone uncomfortable. This is why we do a completely anonymous survey to ensure that no one, including members of The Cougar Press, are able to access student’s answers. In all, we really appreciate the participation and support we’ve received from VHS students, teachers and administrators. We hope that the VHS population and community can learn from the results of the annual Sex and Dating Survey and find the information we’ve provided beneficial. All the graphs in this publication are data from the Sex and Dating survey our staff distributed. We have taken into account some answered might be false and we hope you take this into consideration as well. Thank you Editors-In-Chief Brooke Newman & Avenlea Russian

VHS On...Losing Your Virginity Sophomore Kambria Haughton said, “Personally I think it is just based off of what you want and what you need. For me I would not want it to be something just to happen but for someone else it may not matter as much.”

Senior Zoe Weber said, “I don’t think it is really a big deal anymore, it is just casual.”

Photos by: Paris Carmody and Summer Yovanno

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Senior Keller Hansen (right) says, “It is a normal thing that happens in high school, I don’t think it is that big of a deal.” Senior Noa Hall (left) said, “For me, my feelings go both ways because yes it is a special thing, but if you are with the right person then it’s okay.”

Sophomore Palmer Rovelli said, “Safety is a big part of my life, so I have decided to stay a virgin my whole life so I don’t unintentionally contract or impregnate, it is my only option.”

Sophomore Olivia Jacobson explained, “I definitely think it is different for different people, but I think it is whatever you feel comfortable with.”

Freshman Noah Johnson stated, “Be safe. Be respectful. Have fun.”

Freshman Rory Bruton said, ¨Losing your virginity should not been done at an extremely early age, but I feel like 18 is a stretch for most people... Getting pregnant at a young age, before 18 or 20 [is something I] definitely would not recommend.¨ Sophomore Natalia Lopez (right) said, “It should be special but it is not that big of a deal to be honest.” Sophomore Jessica Johnson (left) added, “I think it depends on the person. It is their own decision.”

Freshman Jake Nichols said, ¨[If you lost your virginity] past junior year then it is alright.¨

Freshman Charlie Richard said, ¨I think that if you are sober while you are doing it then it is okay because you know what you are doing...That would suck if you were drunk and lost your virginity.¨