sexting...rephrased.

The Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Campaign of North Carolina is sexting....a lot.

The group developed an initiative in which anyone in the state can text an anonymous question (generally reproductive health related) to the BirdsNBees text line. The number belongs to one cell phone that is manned (or womanned) 24/7 by a member of the campaign, and whoever texts it will get an answer within 24 hours. Brilliant!

I think that this is such an amazing idea. While I'd like to picture a utopian society in which young women are not ashamed or scared to ask the burning questions of sex, relationships, and all that goes into to getting to know one's 'private parts,' the reality is that we're not quite there yet. And if I've learned anything in nursing school thus far, it's to meet people where they're at, or else it will be damned near impossible to get on the same page. That's exactly what this service is doing! It not only says publically "it's okay to ask these questions," but it also makes it accessible for those who aren't ready to ask anyone face-to-face just yet.

I've been thinking that a project like this (perhaps expanded on a much larger scale) could be an awesome and successful undertaking. I would love to do a project in which I develop a similar text line, and maybe include other accessible technologies. The fact of the matter is...it's crucial to meet young people where they are at! We text all the time. We go online all the time. But there's no definitive place to get reliable information. Maybe this could be a solution. We already have text lines that you can text ANY question and get a live response within minutes. There's ChaCha (free) and kgb (not free), both of which are becoming well known and making ANY sort of knowledge at our fingertips. I don't know about anyone else, but I want my repro-health specific info coming from someone reliable, or else I'd just go to google. A specialized, free, no-hassle, text service that replies within minutes. Amazing.

For now, I welcome any and all [anonymous] questions. I can't text ya back just yet, but stay tuned!

let's get it started

to kick off, allow me to share a video that pretty much sums up my sentiments. watch this video with an open mind. whether you agree with her views or not, doesn't it give you goosebumps to see/hear/feel this woman's passion? i love it. tell me what you think.

so i begin.

Okay. Welcome to My Body Empowered. This site is a resource for YOU to learn more about your body, sex, being healthy, and being the best you. [note: this is a work in progress. feel free to give me your opinions on how to improve this soon-to-be-fabulous resource!]

you: young person, teen or adolescent; either in the dark or knowledgeable about your body; curious.

I will address a new topic in each post, relating to sex, relationships, growing up, and life in general. Please, be inquisitive. If you leave a comment with a question (anything, really!), it will be addressed in the next post.

A little about me, your tour guide--

I am currently finishing my first year of a three-year Master's program in nursing. I am studying to become a Women's Health Nurse Practitioner, and reproductive health gets me hot and bothered. I am a young and ripe [almost] 23 year old, so trust me, I was in your shoes not too long ago. I hope to develop this blog into a REAL resource for REAL teens, so I'm looking forward to helping you be awesome, all while being awesome myself.
My perspective will be one primarily of health [care], with a heap of social experience and a dash of medical goodness. We'll get into the deets of my hopes and dreams [for myself and you, too!] in future meetings.

go forth and be safe,
AJ.