From puberty and safe practices to gender identity and sexual disease. Navigating the complexities of sexual health can be extremely challenging for teenagers and young adults alike. However, resorting to books tailored to this topic can provide you with essential helpful knowledge while addressing concerns and questions with sensitivity and clarity! These books can guide you and offer you the tools you need to have a healthy understanding of your body. Whether you’re seeking guidance for yourself or looking to support a young person in your life, these books provide important insights for you! Read further to learn more!
The Teen’s Guide To: Consent, Sexual Health, Sexuality, and Relationships by David Skiddy
This is a clear and easy-to-understand guide that perfectly answers any question about sex education. This guide gives detailed descriptions of all the different STIs: what they are, the different signs and symptoms, and any possible treatments. The importance of safe sex, how to practice safe sex, and the formidable consequences if one chooses not to. Even addressing the difficulties and struggles of puberty that teens are so anxious about. There are so many topics thoroughly explained throughout the guide that I doubt there’s any concerning topic you won’t be able to find. If you wish to aid someone else or are seeking answers to questions you may have, this guide is undoubtedly one you should investigate further!
It’s Your Body: The Young Woman’s Guide to Empowered Sexual Health by Dena Moes
While the first one was much more thorough and filled to the brim with facts and percentages, this book instead takes a more empathetic and positive approach to this rather sensitive topic. This guide centers around the emotionally grueling process that comes with coming into your new body and the information you need to know as a woman experiencing puberty, such as safe abortion access, emergency contraception, and various birth control methods. She includes various illustrations with graphs and diagrams that help make it easy to digest and understand. This feminist tone and soothing self-help guide are a perfect choice for those seeking comfort during this time.
It’s Perfectly Normal: Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex, Gender, and Sexual Health by Robbie H. Harris
“A perfectly wonderful treatment of the always touchy subject of sex education for young people. The book treats the subject seriously and its intended readers respectfully.”
— Hugh B. Price, president, National Urban League, Inc.
This popular book has been around for years and is a first choice for many when it comes to sexual health awareness in young women, including experts and parents alike. This guide is very inclusive for all readers, with broad sections catered to LGBTQIA topics — for instance, gender identity, sexuality, and sex. While also including many of the same topics, this book differs from the other options due to its inclusion of the adverse effects that social media has and how exactly to stay safe online during this modern age. The clear illustrations and cohesive vocabulary make this book easy to comprehend and keep your attention throughout the book.
Let’s Talk about Love by Claire Kann
“A sweet and beautiful journey about self-discovery and identity! … A lovely book with very likable and diverse characters. Cutie Code: Cutest”
–Macy Filia, reader on SwoonReads.com
While not necessarily a guide or self-help book, many teens find stories or novels much more helpful in comparison. Admittedly, sex education is an embarrassing topic; therefore, some teens prefer a more subtle approach. They prefer to learn more by reading from someone’s experience rather than specific instructions; after all, novels are always so entertaining! This novel follows a confused and frustrated Alice as she discovers her asexuality and makes difficult decisions between love and friendship. While our protagonist navigates her identity and romantic interests, there is a heavy amount of discussion about sexual health and relationships. Teens can find a relatability in Alice and help understand the importance of staying safe during sex by being in her shoes.
Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
“Rife with realistic, high school relationships and drama, with a laugh or two at every turn, this is a coming-of-age, coming-out, and defying-the-odds story with which many teens will identify.”
– SLJ
This is another more relatable and engaging example to help make you aware of the importance of sexual health. While primarily a coming-out story, Albertalli still included discussions and sexual health, especially about safe practices. Our young adult novel follows teenage Simon Spier, who is secretly in the closet, but after a series of unfortunate events, this secret of his is at risk of being exposed. This coming-of-age novel explores self-discovery and themes of identity and acceptance. Simon’s navigation of his high school journey effectively addresses teens’ worries and fears about their bodies and sexual health in a way that eases the reader.
Sexual health is a sensitive, but important topic that one needs to know about to stay safe. While it can be tough to read about, there is still a lot of necessary information to learn. So, hopefully, some of these books will aid you in your learning and will be worth your time when navigating this bumpy journey!
Curious about more mental health books? Read here to learn more!
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