TresSugar

See How Kids These Days Are Asking Dates to Prom

Tara Block — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 13:30:09 PDT

When I was a teenager we didn't have iPhones, we didn't text, and our prom photos are actual, physical photographs (they are pre-Facebook, luckily). But it's a whole new world out there for high schoolers these days. I was curious about how teens in 2012 do prom, so I started browsing Instagram - something we also didn't have in high school - to get a glimpse into the proms of today. While the fashions may be a far cry from what we wore a decade or longer ago, the ways teens ask their potential dates haven't changed much, besides, of course, the ones utilizing modern technology (yes, there are some texts in there). So this prom season, see the creative and not-so-creative ways the teens of today are asking their dates to their high school dances!

"Romeo and Juliet" Couples Treated as Sex Offenders

Tara Block — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 11:49:00 PST

There's a major debate going on about whether teens should be jailed as sex offenders when they are having consensual sex with other teens.

The groups fighting against the laws say that teens should be sent to treatment centers or counseling, not jailed and put on sex-offender registries. "The laws often don’t differentiate between a 50-year-old man molesting a 14-year-old girl, and two teenagers having sex," points out criminal-defense attorney Cheryl Carpenter.

And it's easy to see where they're coming from with examples like Ken Baldino, who spent six years in jail for being an 18-year-old high school senior having sex with his girlfriend, 14-year-old freshman Emily Lester. Now 26 and out of jail, Ken will be a convicted felon for life, isn't allowed to use a computer (he's never been on Facebook!), and is forced to wear a bulky GPS device at all times. His relationship was also cut off with the woman he loved, as he's still not able to be in contact with his "victim." Emily pleaded then that they were in love, and even today she says, "I'm not a victim. He didn't rape me."

But those on the other side say the law's the law. Assistant district attorney Joan Korb says, "I wish parents would teach their kids respect for authority, the law, and other people." And chief assistant prosecutor Paul Walton says, "You can disagree on the age of consent, but the law says that prior to that age, a person doesn't have the ability to consent."

When it comes to cases dealing with sexual offenses, the line is blurry and the debate is heated. After all, who needs to be protected with these laws? We want to be advocating for the victims, the kids, but what if the offender is a kid himself? Weigh in below.

Study: Majority of Girls Face Sexually Charged Bullying

Lizzie Fuhr — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 11:40:55 PST

Kids dubbing a girl a "slut" is overheard far too often across the nation. And it's not just high school or college girls we're talking about here. Middle school tween bullies commonly label girls they don't like or are mad at as "sluts." The American Association of University Women released a study this month that found 56 percent of the middle and high school girls surveyed were sexually harassed in the past school year. And most of the time, these girls are not even sexually active.

One psychologist, Maureen McHugh of Indiana University, explains that as girls experiment with more grown-up fashion and makeup choices, their peer cans brutally police them: "There's monitoring of people wearing too much makeup or dressing too provocatively, so it's a weird fine line." And the sexual harassment doesn't end with the "slut-bashing." According to a 2010 study, students who are gay are bullied three times as much as heterosexual kids.

With all of the "slut walks" and grassroots movements taking place across the country to educate people on alternative lifestyles, and an attempt to reclaim the word "slut" itself, this research seems to suggest kids aren't getting the sex-positive message. I'm curious; did you ever experience these types of taunts?

Is New York's Sex-Ed Too Sexy?

Tara Block — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 11:22:00 PDT

Beginning next year, sex education is going to be mandatory for middle school and high school students in New York City, but the new sex-ed curriculum includes some controversial lessons. The Department of Education's recommended workbooks include:

Comparisons of prices and features of different condom brands at stores.
Research of the confidentiality policy at clinics that provide birth control and STD tests.
Discussions about the safety and risks involved in having sex with a condom, mutual masturbation, French kissing, oral sex, and anal sex.
Resources like Go Ask Alice, which covers sex positions, sadomasochistic sex play, fetishes, bestiality, and more.

The Department of Education claims the curriculum enforces that abstinence is the best option for avoiding teen pregnancy and STDs, but parents are upset that it may go into too many sexy details for preteens and teens. The question is, would it be more preferable for kids to learn about safe sex practices in a healthy, school environment than the possible misinformation they'd receive from their peers and TV? How much is too much?

More Teens Are Using Condoms Than Ever Before

Annie Scudder — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 11:50:53 PDT

American teens get an A+ in sex ed. According to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, use of condoms is on the rise, up nine percent from 2002. Among teen boys 15 to 19, eight out of 10 said they wrapped it up when they lost their virginity. Meanwhile, the popularity of riskier methods, like withdrawal, fell.

The rate of sexual activity among America's youth remains the same; 43 percent of teen girls and 42 percent of teen boys say they are sexually active. But in addition to a rise in condom use, more teens rely on two forms of contraception when they have sex by using condoms in addition to the pill or other hormonal birth control like the patch or injectables. Despite what you see on 16 and Pregnant and Teen Mom, the CDC says the increase in condom usage is consistent with a decline in teen pregnancy across the US.

Study Finds Tweens Value Fame the Most

Tara Block — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 12:00:00 PDT

A new study out of UCLA has found that kids ages 9-11 value being famous more than anything else, ranking it No. 1 compared to 15th in 1997. The researchers involved are wringing their hands at the results, predicting that this obsession with being famous is going to negatively affect this youth generation's future success. One of the study's coauthors said, "They may give up on actually preparing for careers and realistic goals," and another added, "When being famous and rich is much more important than being kind to others, what will happen to kids as they form their values and their identities?"

While tweens and teens have always looked up to celebrities and dreamed about fame, what's new is the idea that it's much more attainable. Thanks to reality shows, viral videos (ahem, Rebecca Black), and the mini celebrity that can be obtained on social networking sites, tweens may believe it's easy to make it big.

I agree with the researchers that kids need to be taught that working hard, treating people with kindness and respect, setting realistic goals, and honing your skills are the types of things we should value, but they need to realize these are still kids we're talking about. How many 9-year-olds are thinking about their college degrees and future careers at this point, or even understand what it takes to succeed in their ideal jobs? Kids will always have big dreams when they're young, and does it really matter if it's fame, making a lot of money, or becoming an astronaut? What do you think?

Prom Through the Decades

Tara Block — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 02:00:20 PDT

The American prom has come a long way since its inception in the late 1890s. Prom, short for promenade, was first used to describe a simple college ball before gaining momentum and popularity as a high school dance. By the 1950s it had become more of the elaborate event it is today, with its prom courts, fancy cars, and expensive dresses - the glorified pinnacle of adolescence. I love looking at prom pics in old high school yearbooks, which range from awkward to awww. So take a look back with me at proms through the decades, and add your favorite prom pic to our Prom Night community group!

A Prom to Regret

Tara Block — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 02:00:06 PDT

I asked what your biggest prom regrets are here and on Facebook, and I saw some recurring themes in your responses. Most of you either regretted going or not going, fashion faux pas, and lame dates. So for future generations of prom-goers, I'd say go with a guy friend or group of friends, wear something timeless not trendy, and bring a pair of flats in your purse for dancing! Here is a sampling of the things you'd do differently if were you able to go back to your good ol' high school days:

"My regret is the shoes I wore. I rarely wore heels and I decided to wear 4 inch heels to prom. My feet were killing me before the prom even started!" - Gdeeaz
"Junior prom regrets . . . my hair was boy short and yet I still paid $60 for an 'updo' that consisted of one big 'bang curl' and a fake diamond bobby pin. Letting a makeup kiosk at the mall do my makeup for the evening: orange face/white neck . . . pretty!! Being too nervous around my date to actually have fun and not be completely awkward. I made up for those the next year at my senior prom and had a great time. Live and learn, right?!" - Anonymous
"Waaay boring date, and not even a kiss goodnight. Lame." - Elizabeth
"I regret that I let not having a date keep me from going. I easily could have found a group of girls to go with." - roseate

Read the rest below.

What Is Your Biggest Prom Regret?

Tara Block — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 15:15:19 PDT

From extravagant proposals to $1,400 dresses, are proms the new weddings? Reading the New York Post piece on pricey proms, I'm baffled that girls are not just getting $1,000-plus prom dresses, they are buying wedding-esque white, celebrity-inspired dresses and renting $9,000-a-night double-decker Hummers. I remember prom being important and fun, but "splurging" on a dress back then was closer to $300, and I'm glad I held on to my savings for college instead of wasting it on one high school night. My prom night was a blast and super tame (no crazy lost virginity stories), ending with a group of us staying up all night before going to my best friend's date's swim meet at the crack of dawn.

Whether you got a little too crazy or not crazy enough, your date was a disaster, or you spent your college fund on a hideous dress, what is your biggest prom regret? Or do you not regret anything?

Source: Flickr User gregor_y

How Were You Asked to Prom?

Colleen Barrett — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 04:00:30 PDT

What is going on in high school these days? Specifically, this high school where a guy wrote a song, got his friends to be back-up clappers, and popped the prom question in front of third period with next to no embarrassment.

The video even circles the classroom, showing clapping kids who are totally supportive of this public display of vulnerability. High schoolers aren't supposed to act like this! But since this video went over so well, expect other lyrical boys to follow. Meanwhile, I fully expect this crooner to grow up and publicly propose marriage via a full-scale Broadway production.

For now, I want to know how you were asked (or did the asking). Did a friend act as a broker, either procuring the date or ensuring both parties would say yes to minimize risk? Was it on a note or by email, IM, or text? My date whispered the question in the school library, and I felt pressured to say yes by the publicness. In hindsight, it was everything it's supposed to be - passive and awkward. What about you?