Tuesday, May 10, 2005
We interrupt this programming...
...to bring you an exclusive interview with the author.
[I had pre-written this post. Your responses to my last post make me feel like a tease for posting it. But alas! We will get back to the story shortly.]
Interviewer: Hello, Sk8RN.
Sk8RN: Hello.
Interviewer: We are in the midst of "Opening Pandora's Box" and wanted to take some time out of the program to ask you a few questions.
Sk8RN: Sure. Go for it.
Interviewer: At this point in the plot, you (or our narrator, anyway) are an adolescent considering having sex for the first time. Are you condoning sex among adolescents with this piece?
Sk8RN: No. I'm not recommending it per se. Though I am also not passing judgement against it. I will first say that this is a true story. For better or worse, this was my life. I also, however, think it is very normal for young people to have sexual thoughts and feelings, perhaps even earlier than I did. This story takes place when I was thirteen. But I've known people to have sex earlier than that. I'm not saying it's right or wrong; instead I want to point out the problems that I faced, in the hopes that at least some of those problems can be prevented for future youth. You'll notice, there is no mention of sex education in this story. Part of why I left that out was because it didn't exist for me.
Interviewer: You mention song lyrics that are sexually explicit as part of your sexual discovery. Do you think that sexually explicit song lyrics cause our youth to become sexually active at an early age?
Sk8RN: No. And I can guess where you're heading. I would never endorse nor support censorship. I would, however, endorse open communication between parents and children and among teachers and students. The songs and media are all there, we (or our youth as I'm out of that category now) see sex in movies and hear about it in music regardless. But talking about the messages we hear about sex together would have helped me develop perhaps a healthier outlook on my own sexuality.
Interviewer: So are you saying having sex so young was unhealthy for you?
Sk8RN: Yes and no. I don't go into it in this story, but I had unsafe sex for years. I was somewhat unaware of STD's and at best thought I was somehow immune to them and I convinced myself that I wouldn't get pregnant. Not everyone is as lucky as I was, especially nowadays. I don't think we can control when anyone develops an interest in sex, but I think we can help support them to make responsible decisions. That type of support was completely absent from my life. Part of what I'm illustrating is that we certainly cannot count on peers to take that role of educator.
Interviewer: Well, I'd love to ask you some more questions, but it's time to get back to our program. I'll hope you'll stick around in case we have time for some more questions later in the program. Thank you.
Sk8RN: You're welcome. I'm happy to be here. I hope you enjoy the program.
(return to our featured program)
[I had pre-written this post. Your responses to my last post make me feel like a tease for posting it. But alas! We will get back to the story shortly.]
Interviewer: Hello, Sk8RN.
Sk8RN: Hello.
Interviewer: We are in the midst of "Opening Pandora's Box" and wanted to take some time out of the program to ask you a few questions.
Sk8RN: Sure. Go for it.
Interviewer: At this point in the plot, you (or our narrator, anyway) are an adolescent considering having sex for the first time. Are you condoning sex among adolescents with this piece?
Sk8RN: No. I'm not recommending it per se. Though I am also not passing judgement against it. I will first say that this is a true story. For better or worse, this was my life. I also, however, think it is very normal for young people to have sexual thoughts and feelings, perhaps even earlier than I did. This story takes place when I was thirteen. But I've known people to have sex earlier than that. I'm not saying it's right or wrong; instead I want to point out the problems that I faced, in the hopes that at least some of those problems can be prevented for future youth. You'll notice, there is no mention of sex education in this story. Part of why I left that out was because it didn't exist for me.
Interviewer: You mention song lyrics that are sexually explicit as part of your sexual discovery. Do you think that sexually explicit song lyrics cause our youth to become sexually active at an early age?
Sk8RN: No. And I can guess where you're heading. I would never endorse nor support censorship. I would, however, endorse open communication between parents and children and among teachers and students. The songs and media are all there, we (or our youth as I'm out of that category now) see sex in movies and hear about it in music regardless. But talking about the messages we hear about sex together would have helped me develop perhaps a healthier outlook on my own sexuality.
Interviewer: So are you saying having sex so young was unhealthy for you?
Sk8RN: Yes and no. I don't go into it in this story, but I had unsafe sex for years. I was somewhat unaware of STD's and at best thought I was somehow immune to them and I convinced myself that I wouldn't get pregnant. Not everyone is as lucky as I was, especially nowadays. I don't think we can control when anyone develops an interest in sex, but I think we can help support them to make responsible decisions. That type of support was completely absent from my life. Part of what I'm illustrating is that we certainly cannot count on peers to take that role of educator.
Interviewer: Well, I'd love to ask you some more questions, but it's time to get back to our program. I'll hope you'll stick around in case we have time for some more questions later in the program. Thank you.
Sk8RN: You're welcome. I'm happy to be here. I hope you enjoy the program.
(return to our featured program)
Comments:
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While it's always our pleasure and indeed goal to bring you the finest blogging around and keep it free to you, the reader, it's true that we're only able to do so with your support. That's why today we're devoting part of our screen-time to talking to you, our reader, about the importance of donating. Your donation, even if it's just $25,000, will help us keep bringing you the quality blogging you've come to know and love. And it'll keep us from killing this puppy. Seriously. Send us the money, or so help me I'll kill this puppy right now.
Thank you.
While it's always our pleasure and indeed goal to bring you the finest blogging around and keep it free to you, the reader, it's true that we're only able to do so with your support. That's why today we're devoting part of our screen-time to talking to you, our reader, about the importance of donating. Your donation, even if it's just $25,000, will help us keep bringing you the quality blogging you've come to know and love. And it'll keep us from killing this puppy. Seriously. Send us the money, or so help me I'll kill this puppy right now.
Thank you.
Hey, thanks for the comment on my blog. This is the first post I've read of yours, so forgive my ignorance, but is all that true? Wow, and I thought I was weird starting out at 14. Not that you're weird, but I guess what I mean to say is that I didn't think it was that common. Anyways, thanks for visiting my blog. :)
Benjamin aka "Truth" - I am a little slow with the uptake. At first I thought someone had hijacked your login info and posted spam on my site. But then... the lightbulb when on... and I cracked up. Thanks for the laughs.
F- Thanks for the self-disclosure. I've been feeling like a bit of a freak writing about this, so I'm glad to hear I'm not alone. And yes, it's all true. Well, except the interviewer is fictitious. ;-)
Spit- So glad you came by for a visit!
F- Thanks for the self-disclosure. I've been feeling like a bit of a freak writing about this, so I'm glad to hear I'm not alone. And yes, it's all true. Well, except the interviewer is fictitious. ;-)
Spit- So glad you came by for a visit!
I was fourteen too, F. There must be several of us out there. Perhaps we've just never felt empowered enough to discuss it before, eh?
(Non-sequitur: thanks for the support and no, she didn't make a dent. Will come back later on and read more.)
hee. was active at 20. i'm a late bloomer, yeah! and i'm making up for lost time. linked you, btw, i like a tease. =)
Yeah - I was 14 as well - but I was scared shitless of AIDS, so, the first time I did it with my girfriend, we went downhill upside-down. And the cops caught us, because we were in a park. We all laughed. Then She and I went home and cried together and took acid.
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