When it comes to sexual health, youth are the ones who need to inform each other. Only then can we hope to create an environment in which sex is not taboo and can be talked about normally and where youth can seek out any information they need to be fully informed.

Joshua, 19, is a junior in college and an online peer educator with YouthResource.

My name is Joshua Tingley and I grew up in the city of Portland, Maine. I became interested in sexual health and rights during my one-year term on the Portland Public School Committee. The city of Portland made national headlines when the news broke that middle school students were allowed to seek sexual health advice and resources without their parents consent. This raised many questions in the city about who has the right to seek out sexual health advice and resources.

From this moment forward I knew I needed to do everything I could to make sexual health something accessible to everyone that needs it. Once I got to college I joined BC Students For Sexual Health allowing me to continue to work toward sexual health access for all.

When it comes to sexual health, youth are the ones who need to inform each other. Only then can we hope to create an environment in which sex is not taboo and can be talked about normally and where youth can seek out any information they need to be fully informed.