TresSugar

Down For a Chem Quickie?

GiggleSugar — Mon, 19 May 2008 16:00:00 -0700

I hated chemistry back in the day. Protons? Neutrons? Electrons? Atoms? The only ~~atom~~ Adam I ever concerned myself with was tall, dark, and precociously scruffy. Someone picked up on these hormonal high-school obsessions and put the chemistry back in chemistry. Who knew an atom was one big orgy fun zone? And when hydrogen is around, carbon is a bona-fide sex god? Or that water hates potassium - for really immature, undisclosed reasons. (An unrequited crush maybe?)

Chicago High School Has 115 Teen Moms

TresSugar — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 10:15:33 -0700

There's a serious teen pregnancy crisis at Robeson High School in Chicago. Out of 800 female students, 115 are either pregnant or already moms. That's about one out of seven girls. School officials say a number of factors are to blame. When discussing the problem, the principal pointed to issues at home, such as absent fathers or financial trouble. He said: "It can be a lot of things that are happening in the home or not happening in the home."

The school hopes that setting up a day care center will help mothers graduate. Since this is such a widespread problem at Robeson, perhaps it's time the school steps up its prevention efforts by figuring out how it can better address sex education and help these girls think more critically about their futures. Maybe they should try that program in North Carolina that contributes $1 to a girl's college scholarship fund for every day she remains not-pregnant.

Hump Day: TrèsSugar's New Sex Advice Column!

TresSugar — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 14:00:00 -0700

Are you confused about sex? Do have trouble having an orgasm? Is there something you'd like to try but you're worried it's too weird?

Never fear, TrèsSugar is rolling out a new sex advice column by our good friend Dr. Charlie Glickman at Good Vibrations, your friendly neighborhood sex toy/video/bookstore. It will be published, appropriately enough, every week on Hump Day! No matter what your sexual orientation is, if you have a sex question, send it to TrèsSugar and we will pass it along to the good doctor.

Dr. Glickman is a sexpert par excellence. He is the education program manager at Good Vibrations, trains the sex educator-sales associates, blogs for Good Vibes, and teaches classes on sexuality for psychotherapists and sex educators. He received his doctorate in adult sexuality education, and he’s certified by the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists.

We're excited about this new feature, and we can't wait to hear your sex questions and Dr. Glickman's advice! Again, send 'em in to TrèsSugar.

Harvey Milk: OK For a Movie, but Not For the Classroom

TresSugar — Wed, 27 May 2009 08:30:00 -0700

When California sixth-grader Natalie Jones put together a research project about Harvey Milk, it received a near perfect grade. But, when it came time to share the Powerpoint presentation, Natalie's principal said parents would have to sign a permission slip before her classmates could see it during a special lunchtime period.

The principal explained that since Harvey Milk was gay, parents might object to their children learning about his life. But, Harvey's sexual orientation had nothing to do with Natalie's decision to research him. She said she chose Harvey as her subject not because of his gay activism, but because he stood up for all minorities. And while the school cited sex education policies for its decision, the ACLU says officials misapplied those guidelines and violated Natalie's freedom of speech.

Discussing the openly gay politician in California public schools might soon become less unusual (but probably equally controversial). State lawmakers are considering a bill that would declare May 22 "Harvey Milk Day." May 22 wouldn't be a holiday, but it would be an occasion for teachers to talk about Milk's fight for equal rights. Conservative groups are already mobilizing to urge Gov. Schwarzenegger to veto the bill that they say would teach students about "homosexual experimentation."

Do you think Natalie should have been able to present her project? Should public schools go even further and encourage teachers to introduce students to Harvey's life story?

To see video of Natalie discussing the controversy, read more.

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Virginity Pledges Don't Mean Much

DearSugar — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 10:00:00 -0800

For years, there has been an ongoing battle between two opposing ways of schooling: sex education and abstinence only education. A new study may help sex education win this war once and for all since research shows that encouraging teens to be abstinent until marriage is ineffective. For teens who are taught to wait, some are also encouraged to publicly declare their decision to remain a virgin. But as it turns out, those who made this virginity pledge were just as likely to get it on as those who didn't promise abstinence. What's worse is that teens who took the pledge were less likely to use condoms once they did have sex. That's because those young adults only learned to "save themselves for marriage," and never learned how to protect themselves from pregnancy and STIs.

To hear more about virginity pledges, check out this video from The Today Show.

There is no right answer here, but which kind of education do you think is most effective?

Do You Agree With Bristol Palin That Abstinence Is Unrealistic?

DearSugar — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 07:30:00 -0800

When Sarah Palin was running for vice president, it was all over the news that her daughter, Bristol Palin, only 17 years old, was pregnant and engaged to marry her high school boyfriend. Now 18 and a new mom, she's speaking out in hopes of preventing other young teens from becoming parents. In an interview with Greta Van Susteren on a recent FOX News segment, Bristol said she wants to be an advocate against teen pregnancy, and encourages all teens to wait 10 years until they're married, living in their own home, and stable in their career before starting a family.

Even though her mother is a staunch "right to life" advocate, Bristol believes that in this day and age, her mother's view on abstinence is "not realistic at all." So what do you think? Do you agree that sex is acceptable at a younger age now and pregnancy prevention is what should be the main focus in schools? Or should educators still try to push teens to be abstinent?

If you're curious to see a video of Bristol's interview, read more.

Source

Sarah Silverman, Jewish Grandkids Schlep for Obama

LibertySugar — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 00:01:01 -0700

On Columbus Day weekend, October 11-13, Jewish grandchildren will schlep to Florida to educate their grandparents about Obama, hoping to swing the state into the blue column. In the video below, Sarah Silverman does her part to help wrap up the Jewish grandparent demographic for Obama. The effort is called "The Great Schlep" and supporters without grandparents in Florida, or those who are not Jewish, are being asked to talk to their relatives about Obama, too.

Talking points to be discussed with said grandparents include:

Barack's Biography Obama's life story of achievement through education and hard work is one Jews can relate to.
Foreign Affairs Obama has expressed a willingness to talk to any nation without preconditions but with appropriate preparations. This is the kind of smart, but strong, diplomacy that led Israel to a peace treaty with its strongest enemy, Egypt.
Barack Hearts Israel and so do you! We don't need a volatile and unpredictable president like McCain in charge of America's relationship with Israel. We need a steady hand like Obama who will continue decades of US commitment to a strong and secure Israel.
Patriotism His love for the United States is similar to that of generations of Jewish immigrants, who love America for giving them an opportunity to succeed when they worked hard enough.
He's Black, Let's talk about it! Obama represents a different kind of black leadership, less interested in the confrontational tactics favored by many who came of age in the 1960s and 1970s.

What do you think about Sarah's plea? Would you schlep for Obama?

Rated G(angsta): UK Prisons Ban Adult-Rated Video Games

LibertySugar — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 11:00:00 -0700

Well-behaved prisoners in England and Wales will no longer be allowed to play adult-rated video games - that means auto thieves cannot relive their crimes playing Grand Theft Auto. Bummer! Under the new system, those with kid-safe game privileges will also have to pay for the consuls and games themselves. (The games cost taxpayers £10,000, or $20,000, last year.) Officials will still permit the use of video games in cells, as a way to keep order in overcrowded prisons.

Since a booming prison population reduces resources for meaningful activities like educational classes, guards turn to PlayStation and Xbox when they want to reward inmates. Inmates at risk of suicide can play, too. Hoping to show offenders that appropriate behavior brings positive results, the reward scheme also allows for in-cell TV, more outside visitors, and the right to ditch prison garb for one's own clothes.

It would be hypocritical to allow prisoners to play video games riddled with violence and sometimes crime, characteristics of many over-18 games. But, does making well-behaving prisoners stick to kid games diminish the reward?

Source

Exclusive! Will.i.am on the Possibility of First Black President

LibertySugar — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 12:15:00 -0700

It's no secret that Black Eyed Peas member Will.i.am and Barack Obama are fans of each other. Will.i.am, and his famous friends, covered an Obama speech in his powerful video "Yes We Can," and Barack added the song to his top 10 favorites of all time. Last night I ran into Will.i.am and got to hear what he thinks about the possibility of the first black president.

Will.i.am said that he doesn't feel the the urgency for Obama to be elected because of his race, but rather because Americans of any color need an advocate in the White House to help them realize better job opportunities, healthcare, and education. He explained:

It's important that we build communities, as American communities, to the standards that every single person has equal opportunities. It has nothing to do with race. And if we harp on that, shame on us.

I think Will.i.am's words could be applied to many divisions manifested in American society - let's build better American communities regardless of political ideology, religion, gender, class, or sexual orientation. Watch the video, and tell me what you think!

Video Game Hopes to Give Ugandan Victims Traces of Hope

LibertySugar — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 10:00:26 -0700

The British Red Cross has created a video game to raise awareness for child victims of the conflict in Uganda. Last week, the UN called for the release of 90 children abducted from school by LRA army. Crimes against children have been a constant during the 20 year battle; but the Red Cross believes that its Internet game "Traces of Hope" will help shine the spotlight on the vulnerable.

Players aim to help Joseph, a boy whose home and family has been torn apart by rebels, find his missing mother. The game site says: "He has a satellite phone, you have the web – together you’ll make a great team. Time is running out; guide Joseph through sickness, fire and violence as together you follow his traces of hope."

By placing clues for the game around the Internet, the game creators hope to blur the boundary between the game and the real world conflict. Since atrocities in the region often go unnoticed, perhaps this educational entertainment will help some wake up.

Source