[nabs-l] social norms: how we can fit in with sightedsocietyatsocial gatherings

wmodnl wmodnl wmodnl at hotmail.com
Thu Sep 20 20:56:56 UTC 2012


Maybe, they are typing using an electronic Braille Notetaker, so "BA" is meant to represent 21.  Someone else wrote something like BJ or CJ earlier.  I would surmise that they meant 30, 40, ETC.


Sent from my iPad

On Sep 20, 2012, at 2:18 PM, "Carly Mihalakis" <carlymih at comcast.net> wrote:

> What the hell does BA years old, mean?PM 9/19/2012, Humberto Avila wrote:
>> Hey, I am BA years old, though I have never cquiired a college degree, yet.
>> (smile!) I'm going to, someday, but by that time I will not be BA years old
>> anymore.. Smile!***
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
>> Of Brandon Keith Biggs
>> Sent: Wednesday, September 19, 2012 8:13 PM
>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] social norms: how we can fit in with
>> sightedsocietyatsocial gatherings
>> 
>> Hello Sarah,
>> "I am bj years old" That just made my day! I love knowing Braille :). I'm
>> totally going to say that next time someone asks me how old I am. Or I could
>> 
>> say second octave b :)...
>> So nice to have you on the list!
>> Thanks,
>> 
>> Brandon Keith Biggs
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Sarah
>> Sent: Wednesday, September 19, 2012 7:45 PM
>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] social norms: how we can fit in with
>> sightedsocietyatsocial gatherings
>> 
>> Hello everyone, my name is Sarah.  I am bj years old.  I just
>> graduated a program called D.P.I.  Davidson Program For
>> Independence.  I had to go there because Guide Dogs Of the Desert
>> said I had to go.  So I graduated from there, tomorrow I go get
>> my first guide dog! My interests are rides, reading, listening to
>> tv, dogs and horses
>> 
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Brandon Keith Biggs" <brandonkeithbiggs at gmail.com
>> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>> Date sent: Wed, 19 Sep 2012 13:48:32 -0700
>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] social norms: how we can fit in with
>> sighted societyatsocial gatherings
>> 
>> Hello,
>> There are quite a few ideas that are universal through out
>> cultures.
>> For example, it is never socially acceptable to sway in
>> conversation.  It is
>> only acceptable to rock back and forth mildly when playing guitar
>> or more
>> heavily when one is studying the old testament as a Jew.
>> Otherwise chin up, strait and relaxed stillness for the torso
>> almost always.
>> 
>> Also, facial expressions are almost constant through out all
>> cultures.  A
>> smile is always happy, big eyes are innocents or raised eyebrows,
>> big eyes
>> with mouth a little open is startled or scared.
>> Beckoning is also a very universal gesture with the fist out in
>> front facing
>> up with the index finger moving up and down like the person is a
>> balloon and
>> the string is on your finger...
>> 
>> Fit me in or something along that lines is more inclusive because
>> it means
>> one can ask about fitting in to their theater group, dance teem,
>> glee club,
>> getting in a relationship, dating...
>> 
>> I am not sure how people are expecting to fit into a sighted
>> world without
>> some sighted help.
>> Although I am guessing that the way the list will pan out is more
>> blind
>> people asking questions and both blind people and a few TVIs or
>> parents will
>> help.  I am on a couple lists with quite a few sighted people and
>> with
>> questions like this they are invaluable...
>> Who knew that hugging yourself with your hands in a fist over
>> your heart, as
>> if you were trying to keep warm, actually looks like you are
>> terrified of
>> something?
>> Thanks,
>> 
>> Brandon Keith Biggs
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Arielle Silverman
>> Sent: Wednesday, September 19, 2012 12:24 PM
>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] social norms: how we can fit in with
>> sighted societyat
>> social gatherings
>> 
>> Hi all,
>> Sorry to be difficult but I am not willing to join a listserv
>> called
>> "Being  Socially Acceptable Blind" or "Looking Sighted".  Both
>> names
>> imply that all sighted people look and act the same  or that
>> there is
>> only one way to be socially  acceptable; these are notions that,
>> frankly, I believe are offensive to blind and sighted people
>> both.
>> I believe such a listserv should be intended to be a
>> nonjudgmental
>> forum where blind folks can ask questions or share frustrations
>> and
>> get supportive answers from blind peers and blind mentors, not a
>> place
>> where subscribers are told they must look and act a certain way.
>> Also,
>> while we might let TVI's join if they want, I think the vast
>> majority
>> of the subscribers should be blind people and we should keep
>> teachers
>> and authority figures to a minimum.
>> I'd support a  name like "blind-fitting in", "blind-social" or
>> "blind-dating" perhaps.
>> If the group is created with a tolerant, non-judgmental name I'd
>> be
>> happy to help out with it.
>> 
>> 
>> On 9/19/12, Brandon Keith Biggs <brandonkeithbiggs at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>> Names:
>> See me blind (SEM at blah.whatever)
>> Being Socially acceptable blind (SEB)
>> Looking Sighted (LS or LSighted)
>> talk sightless (TSightless)
>> 
>> Just some names...
>> Thanks,
>> 
>> Brandon Keith Biggs
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Desiree Oudinot
>> Sent: Wednesday, September 19, 2012 10:48 AM
>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] social norms: how we can fit in with
>> sighted
>> societyat
>> 
>> social gatherings
>> 
>> That's actually a pretty good idea for a name.  That was the
>> only thing
>> holding me back from creating a group, the fact I couldn't
>> really
>> think of a name for it.  As for making a website, that would be
>> a cool
>> idea too, but I don't know html or anything, so I decided not to
>> go
>> that route.
>> Where I was going when I was talking about the different student
>> divisions was that I don't want it to become a point of
>> contension on
>> the list.  I don't want people going to war over which
>> organization's
>> philosophy prepares people to deal with social and dating
>> situations
>> better.  It's fine for people to be part of whatever they so
>> choose,
>> but I absolutely will not tolerate stereotypes about either one.
>> I
>> want it to be a safe place where people can feel open enough to
>> discuss such uncomfortable and embarrassing topics as their
>> social
>> awkwardness.  If someone starts saying that joining the NFB
>> would help
>> them be more independent, or that the ACB is crap, well, what
>> will
>> that solve? I'm not a member of either, nor do I ever intend on
>> doing
>> so, so I feel that I could nip this stuff in the bud if it would
>> happen, and I'm not even saying it necessarily would become a
>> problem,
>> it's just something to consider.
>> 
>> On 9/19/12, Brandon Keith Biggs <brandonkeithbiggs at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>> Hello,
>> Frankly I don't know what the difference between the ACB's
>> student and
>> NFB's
>> 
>> student division is.  We are all dealing with exactly the same
>> things.  So
>> I
>> really believe we should get our sighted parents, friends and
>> whatnot to
>> be
>> 
>> on the list to answer questions we may have.  Many TVIs would
>> jump at the
>> chance to be on a list serve devoted to socializing.
>> Just make a group, possibly:
>> bseb at googlegroups.com or something :).  Being socially
>> acceptable blind or
>> 
>> a
>> 
>> cooler name LOL...  Any ideas?
>> I even think this should have a website with different articles
>> that
>> someone
>> 
>> can brows to answer any personal questions they may have.
>> Because this is
>> such a big issue.
>> Thanks,
>> 
>> Brandon Keith Biggs
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Desiree Oudinot
>> Sent: Friday, September 14, 2012 9:29 PM
>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] social norms: how we can fit in with
>> sighted
>> societyat
>> 
>> social gatherings
>> 
>> And this is precisely why I wanted to create a separate list to
>> discuss these kinds of issues and more.  And, at the risk of
>> offending
>> people, I wanted it to be a separate list, separate from the NFB
>> or
>> ACB, I wanted it to be the place for every blind person, no
>> matter
>> their political or social status or whatever, to discuss how
>> they fit
>> in with society.  Why does it offend you that blind people,
>> whether
>> they be men or women, should try to do their best to interact as
>> sighted people do? Are there really specific guidelines we have
>> to
>> follow? I really want to understand this.  I know as well as
>> anyone
>> what struggles we have to go through growing up just to be
>> treated
>> like human beings.  First, we're blind people, then we're young,
>> and
>> the stereotypes surrounding young people of our generation are
>> just as
>> crippling as those surrounding being blind.  So being dealt both
>> as our
>> hand in life is kind of a double whammy.  I still struggle when
>> someone
>> actually treats me as an equal.  I want to run away.
>> 
>> On 9/14/12, Beth <thebluesisloose at gmail.com> wrote:
>> I've tried to avoid getting into this thread, but here goes:
>> 1.  Blind people acting like sighted people scares the crap out
>> of
>> me because it just does for some reason.
>> 2.  Girls' conformity rules are terrible: for instance, girls
>> shouldn't be scientists.  What does that statement say about us
>> girls?  Girls should be married to men with decent jobs.  No, I
>> will not marry a man with any job so I can be taken care of, and
>> this isn't the friggin' 1800's.  Girls and women can take care
>> of
>> themselves, and they can work and support families.  Jason, my
>> current bf, does not work and can't do what society says, be a
>> man and work and get paid for the woman.  Some societies demand
>> that all men work and women stay home.  We, Americans though we
>> are, still have these demands on blind women.  I as a blind
>> woman
>> cannot accept conformity or defeat due to womanhood.  Since
>> Jason
>> can't work and follow society's rules of manhood, it's up to me
>> to do it.  Girls should not always do typing, nursing, or
>> different "womanly" professions where they get paid less than
>> ordinary men.  Jason, due to his disability, does not work.  I,
>> due to mental illness, may never work.  I want to work so bad,
>> but where?  Goodwill is out of the question.  I'm not working
>> for
>> nothing or low wages because I'm a woman.  And no way will I
>> accept sexual harassment because I have breasts and different
>> organs inside me.  I as a blind woman will not accept rules
>> saying "You will be taken care of.  You will be a stay-at-home
>> wife.  You will be poor."  No way.
>> Beth
>> 
>>  ----- Original Message -----
>> From: Marc Workman <mworkman.lists at gmail.com
>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>> Date sent: Fri, 14 Sep 2012 20:37:00 -0600
>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] social norms: how we can fit in with
>> sighted societyat social gatherings
>> 
>> Chris wrote,
>> Therefore, it is important that we know the unwritten rules
>> which
>> our sighted society has made.  If we don't know them and follow
>> them, what does that say about us as blind people? It says we
>> are
>> weird, different, abnormal, incompetent, dependent, etc.
>> 
>> Alternatively, perhaps it says that those rules are not natural,
>> that they are the product of sighted people simply aping one
>> another, and that they are arbitrary.  I believe that such
>> unwritten rules often needlessly cause huge amounts of anxiety,
>> self-loathing, and anguish.
>> 
>> We had a similar discussion on this list some time ago,
>> particularly around the subject of so called "blindisms, and I
>> put that term in quotes as a way of acknowledging that it is
>> pejorative.  I'm sure it could be found on line by anyone who is
>> interested.
>> 
>> Personally, I would rather live in a world where blind people
>> are
>> accepted and respected not simply to the extent that they can
>> look and act like sighted people, but on the grounds that they
>> are human beings possessing dignity and as equally worthy of
>> respect as sighted people.  The message shouldn't be, "hey, we
>> can
>> follow your rules, so you should accept us".  Instead, the
>> message
>> should be, "we, like you, have many talents and weaknesses, feel
>> pleasure and pain, reach our full potential through the
>> formation
>> of deep and meaningful relationships with other human beings,
>> and
>> your failure to treat us with respect and as equals is unfair,
>> discriminatory, and immoral", to borrow from Mr.  Lewis.
>> 
>> By the way, I think this goes well beyond blind people fitting
>> into sighted society.  We are constantly policing one another's
>> behaviour.  Probably one of the more obvious examples of this
>> has
>> to do with gender.  There are hundreds if not thousands of
>> mostly
>> unspoken rules about what makes a man a man and how real men
>> ought to behave, and there are twice as many concerning women.
>> These rules are enforced in subtle but effective ways, and the
>> result is often a great deal of suffering for anyone who cannot,
>> or chooses not to, conform.  These gender rules are just as
>> arbitrary as those around sighted/blind behaviour, and the
>> effort
>> similarly should be to relax and remove such rules, not to more
>> explicitly and fervently teach boys and girls the so called
>> right
>> way to act.
>> 
>> This is of course easier said than done, and failing to conform
>> does unfortunately often result in suffering, such as missed
>> social, volunteer, and employment opportunities.  So I don't
>> judge
>> or condemn anyone who makes a serious effort to learn the
>> unwritten rules of sighted society, just as I don't judge
>> someone
>> who wants to spend all of his or her time reading medical
>> journals and desperately praying for a cure.  It's hard being
>> blind in the particular society in which we live, and conforming
>> can make things a little bit easier.  But I still think we
>> should
>> work more on changing attitudes and less on teaching blind
>> people
>> how to look and act like sighted people.
>> 
>> Regards,
>> 
>> Marc
>> On 2012-09-14, at 3:04 PM, Chris Nusbaum
>> <dotkid.nusbaum at gmail.com> wrote:
>> 
>>  Hi Brandon and all,
>> 
>>  I'm taking the liberty here to change the subject of this
>> thread, as if we're going to discuss the topic which Brandon has
>> brought up in his post, I think it would prevent confusion if we
>> changed the subject to reflect the actual topic of Brandon's
>> message.
>> 
>>  Brandon, your idea about the NFB conducting some kind of
>> instructional seminar or workshop on social norms and how we can
>> "fit in" with the sighted public is a great one! I think you
>> should talk with the NFB leadership about this! I believe NOPBC
>> (the parents division) has touched on this topic in their
>> seminars at conventions.  One of the topics at the parents
>> seminar at the Maryland state convention is almost always social
>> skills, especially what sighted society has deemed socially
>> acceptable and how we as blind people can fit in at social
>> gatherings, conforming as best we can to the "norms" of society.
>> I believe this is arguably more important for blind students, as
>> we are often in social gatherings (or want to be in them) at our
>> schools, with our friends, or in our communities.  Therefore, it
>> is important  that we know the unwritten rules which our sighted
>> society has made.  If we don't know them and follow them, what
>> does that say about us as blind people? It says we are weird,
>> different, abnormal, incompetent, dependent, etc.  These are the
>> very adjectives we in the Federation have been working to cut
>> out
>> from the vocabulary of the public when in the context of
>> blindness and blind people.  In other words, these are the very
>> things we don't want sighted people thinking about us.  If this
>> is how sighted people perceive us, then it puts our ability to
>> get a job, volunteer in our community, and become first-class
>> citizens at risk.  So, I think this would be a great thing for
>> the NFB to do, and one which I'm kind of surprised we're not
>> doing already.  Also, since this is an important topic for blind
>> students, perhaps "social skills and norms" could be the topic
>> of
>> a future NABS membership call.
>> 
>>  Just my thoughts,
>> 
>>  Chris
>> 
>>  ----- Original Message -----
>>  From: "Brandon Keith Biggs" <brandonkeithbiggs at gmail.com
>>  To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>  Date sent: Mon, 10 Sep 2012 21:15:16 -0700
>>  Subject: Re: [nabs-l] condoms and Sexual Health
>> 
>>  Hello,
>>  We aren't promoting sex among students, we are promoting safe
>> sex.  There is
>>  a huge difference.  If the student division is the only one
>> with
>> some
>>  practical sense about sexual activities, I'm a little scared...
>> :)
>>  I do agree though, sex, dating and excepted socializing among a
>> sighted
>>  community is a very big topic that is often times ignored by
>> the
>> blind
>>  community.
>>  I have been told by sighted TVIs that many blind folks (youth
>> or
>> not) have
>>  some very strange mannerisms and beliefs that are totally
>> against the grain
>>  of sighted society.  My mom in particular, who is a TVI, has
>> suggested that
>>  the NFB should really give some instruction on how the sighted
>> world thinks.
>>  Otherwise what will happen (and what has happened) is the world
>> looks at a
>>  gathering of blind people and cringes because they are so
>> weird.
>> or a
>>  sighted girl sees a blind guy and thinks she wants to talk to
>> him and when
>>  she is about to sit down and say hi, the guy does something
>> really weird and
>>  she turns around and walks a mile away.
>>  This is a little different than the deal with the condoms, but
>> both sexual
>>  health and social issues are topics that are very much in need
>> of attention
>>  among blind individuals, and students in particular.
>>  I feel strongly that having some active workshops on this that
>> aren't meant
>>  to be uncomfortable, but still deal with the taboo problems
>> would greatly
>>  improve convention.
>>  Thank you,
>> 
>>  Brandon Keith Biggs
>>  -----Original Message-----
>>  From: Arielle Silverman
>>  Sent: Monday, September 10, 2012 8:18 PM
>>  To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>>  Subject: Re: [nabs-l] condoms and Sexual Health
>> 
>>  Hi all,
>>  I have joked in the past about how NABS should sell Brailled
>> Whozit
>>  condoms at convention! Kidding aside, though, there are
>> probably
>> some
>>  NFB leaders with more conservative leanings, who might feel
>> that
>> NABS
>>  selling condoms at convention would be promoting sexual
>> activity
>> among
>>  young or unmarried blind students.  I don't agree with that
>> position,
>>  but some people do and since anything NABS does is, by
>> extension, an
>>  NFB-sanctioned event, we would need to balance the benefits of
>>  providing condoms against possibly upsetting the NFB leadership
>> or
>>  bringing on an unwanted political debate.
>>  I would be more likely to support a NABS breakout session, at
>>  Washington Seminar or elsewhere, about sexuality in general,
>> and
>>  perhaps include an opportunity to try putting a condom on the
>>  proverbial banana or some such.  When I was 15, I went to a
>> diversity
>>  camp (for sighted teens) and there was a sexuality workshop
>> available
>>  as one of several choices.  They passed around condoms and in
>> fact,
>>  this was the first time I actually felt one.  A general
>> workshop
>> about
>>  sex, dating and etiquette, etc.  might be worth having.
>>  Arielle
>> 
>>  On 9/10/12, Brandon Keith Biggs <brandonkeithbiggs at gmail.com
>> wrote:
>>  Hello,
>>  This would be an awesome idea! Not only because many people
>> have
>> never
>>  seen
>> 
>>  a condom, so they could finger the packages with labels without
>> having to
>>  be
>> 
>>  embarrassed, but when I was at the hotel I didn't run into any
>> condoms in
>>  the store.  Granted I wasn't looking for them, but I was
>> browsing...
>>  Condoms,
>> 
>>  lube and Dental Dams, all labeled in Braille! We would also
>> probably need
>>  to
>> 
>>  provide guides for people on how to find the right way to put
>> on
>> a condom
>>  or
>> 
>>  use a dental dam.
>>  Another thing I didn't see at the NABS table is hot serial.
>> The
>> packing
>>  guide in the nabs newsletter  said to pack a ton of things and
>> I
>> for one
>>  don't keep hot serial in the house and I don't shop at places
>> that sell
>>  hot
>> 
>>  serial, so wasn't able to grab a box.  But I would have loved
>> to
>> buy a box
>>  for even $10 or more, the breakfasts there were $10 alone...
>> (Then of
>>  course
>> 
>>  we could sell bole and spoon packs for the poor folks who
>> didn't
>> bring
>>  their
>> 
>>  own utensil's).
>>  Thanks,
>> 
>>  Brandon Keith Biggs
>>  -----Original Message-----
>>  From: Anmol Bhatia
>>  Sent: Monday, September 10, 2012 8:28 AM
>>  To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>>  Subject: Re: [nabs-l] condoms and Sexual Health
>> 
>> 
>>  You would be a good place to sell and buy condoms? At the NFB
>>  convention...
>> 
>>  Perhaps Nabs should sell condoms at the NABS table.  We can
>> even
>> braille
>>  them
>> 
>>  so the perso can know what kind of condoms they have.  lol
>> 
>>  Anmol
>> 
>>  I seldom think about my limitations, and they never make me
>> sad.
>> Perhaps
>>  there is just a touch of yearning at times; but it is vague,
>> like a breeze
>>  among flowers.
>>  Hellen Keller
>> 
>> 
>>  --- On Sun, 9/9/12, Carly Mihalakis <carlymih at comcast.net
>> wrote:
>> 
>>  From: Carly Mihalakis <carlymih at comcast.net
>>  Subject: Re: [nabs-l] condoms and Sexual Health
>>  To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
>>  <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>, "National Association of Blind Students
>> mailing
>>  list"
>> 
>>  <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>  Date: Sunday, September 9, 2012, 10:54 PM
>>  Hi, Brandon,
>> 
>>  I went into a place in Denver to  buy a dildo yes, on
>>  the bigger, ribbed side to use in the old fashioned bath tub
>>  I had at the time, to get myself off with the faucet.
>>  Traditionally, I need something in my ass, to cum.  If I
>>  remember, the folks in their wer very cool, look at the
>>  blind girl going to by herself a dildo! Don't worry! If
>>  you're relaxed, and cool about what you're doing so will be
>>  the bookstore, personnel.  Let us know how goes it,
>>  okay?  At 04:52 PM 9/8/2012, SA Mobile wrote:
>>  Those are the best places to get stuff as the staff are
>>  professional and are trained to make customers feel at ease.
>>  Just make sure the shop is of good repute.
>> 
>>  Respectfully,
>>  Jedi
>> 
>>  Sent from my iPhone
>> 
>>  On 08/09/2012, at 12:36 PM, "Brandon Keith Biggs"
>>  <brandonkeithbiggs at gmail.com
>>  wrote:
>> 
>>  Hello,
>>  Thank goodness my father was a nurse and when I
>>  turned 18, he said addio to being in with me at the doctor.
>>  I do find it amusing though that some doctors are actually
>>  really uncomfortable touching me because I'm blind...  That
>>  only happened after my dad started leaving the room.
>>  Thank you Arielle for those websites.  I don't feel
>>  that condoms are something I want to buy from a website I've
>>  never heard of before unless someone I know has gotten or
>>  knows that site is trust worthy.
>>  I was told that flavored condoms were only to be
>>  used in oral intercourse.  The same is not for lube I
>>  presume?
>>  Also, has anyone ever gone into a sex store? How
>>  was it as a blind shopper? Even from sighted people I hear
>>  the experience is often not pleasant.
>>  Thanks,
>> 
>>  Brandon Keith Biggs
>>  -----Original Message----- From: Arielle
>>  Silverman
>>  Sent: Saturday, September 08, 2012 10:00 AM
>>  To: nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>  Subject: [nabs-l] condoms and Sexual Health
>> 
>>  Hi all,
>>  I know the recent discussions about sex and dating
>>  are kind of in a
>>  gray area as to whether or not they're on-topic
>>  for this list, since
>>  most of the issues Koby brought up are not really
>>  unique to blindness.
>>  So if the moderators or Dave feel this is getting
>>  too far afield, I
>>  will happily respect your judgment.  However, I
>>  also think that
>>  Brandon's question about where to get condoms is a
>>  legitimate one and
>>  that there might be other blind people out here,
>>  including teenagers,
>>  who have similar concerns about how to get
>>  condoms, birth control or
>>  sexual health information without a lot of
>>  awkwardness or
>>  embarrassment.  It can be particularly difficult if
>>  you have to depend
>>  on someone else (especially parents) for
>>  transportation which can make
>>  going to a clinic or drugstore difficult.
>>  There are a few places to buy condoms online,
>>  including
>>  www.condomania.com
>>  www.undercovercondoms.com
>>  and
>>  www.condomdepot.com
>>  Believe it or not, they also have some condom
>>  choices at
>>  www.amazon.com
>>  If you go to your health center on campus for any
>>  reason, it shouldn't
>>  be a problem  to ask a doctor or nurse there
>>  about condoms.
>>  I cannot answer the questions about when to begin
>>  having sex with a
>>  partner because that is a highly individual
>>  decision.  However, I feel
>>  it important that anyone who is considering having
>>  sex for the first
>>  time ensure you understand what all of your
>>  options are for preventing
>>  pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, the
>>  advantages and
>>  disadvantages of each option, and the proper way
>>  to use condoms  and
>>  birth control.  There are  a couple different
>>  websites with this kind
>>  of information:
>>  www.plannedparenthood.org
>>  (includes live chat with a sexual health educator)
>>  or
>>  www.scarleteen.com
>>  This issue is particularly close to my heart at
>>  the moment because my
>>  boyfriend's sister just had an unintended
>>  pregnancy at a very
>>  inopportune time (while still in college, with a
>>  guy she had only
>>  known for a few months) and was apparently taking
>>  birth control pills,
>>  but had not been taking them consistently.  While I
>>  don't believe that
>>  sex  should be feared, it is something that
>>  takes some responsibility,
>>  planning and foresight to ensure it is enjoyable
>>  while minimizing the
>>  risks.  Also, while I won't go into details here,
>>  there are other ways
>>  to be physically intimate with someone that are
>>  less risky, which
>>  these online forums will talk about.
>>  I also want to bring up  an issue that is
>>  somewhat relevant to sexual
>>  health, which I experienced and I think that some
>>  of you might also be
>>  struggling with.  This is the issue of having your
>>  parents drive you to
>>  doctors' appointments and then having them want to
>>  sit in or even
>>  participate in your appointments.  Since I attended
>>  college in my home
>>  city, my mother always wanted to drive me to my
>>  doctors' appointments
>>  and would then want to come in and chat with the
>>  doctor while he/she
>>  was examining me.  This was partly because my
>>  parents and I saw many of
>>  the same doctors and she often thought it was a
>>  good opportunity to
>>  ask the doctor a quick question about her own
>>  health while she was
>>  there, or because she was curious to see what the
>>  doctor recommended
>>  to me about a particular issue.  I eventually
>>  realized that while it
>>  wasn't ill-intentioned, it was a violation of my
>>  privacy as an adult
>>  patient and I asked her to wait in the waiting
>>  room while I was seeing
>>  the doctor.  I didn't actually take this stand
>>  until I was 21 and in
>>  hindsight I wish I had done  it much earlier.
>>  By the time you are 18,
>>  unless you have a serious cognitive disability,
>>  you have a right to
>>  privacy of your medical information and it is
>>  important to establish a
>>  good doctor-patient relationship without a third
>>  person interfering.
>>  This is especially true when it comes to sexual
>>  health and by the time
>>  you are 18 or even 16, you will want to start
>>  discussing your sexual
>>  activities or questions with your doctors without
>>  your parents being
>>  around.  You might also want to consider getting a
>>  driver or even
>>  taking the bus to medical appointments to avoid
>>  this problem.
>>  On a related note, by the time you are in high
>>  school, you should know
>>  the names of all medications you take on  a
>>  regular basis and any
>>  chronic medical conditions you may have.  If you
>>  ever have to go to the
>>  emergency room, this kind  of information may
>>  be requested of you.
>>  Best,
>>  Arielle
>> 
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>> 
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