What would I tell 13-year-old-me?
Beginning on World Contraception Day, we invited young leaders and their influencers to share their teenage memories and early experiences learning about reproductive health. These poignant and endearing stories remind us of our teenage years and how tricky (and exciting!) it was learning about our bodies. But even more, the stories elevate the challenges young people face and the opportunities we have to revolutionize how the next generation can own their health decisions. Every girl and boy has the right to make informed health choices and plan for the futures they want and deserve. That’s our commitment to bringing care closer to the next generation with the power to change it all.
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“You’ve got this girl. Enjoy the ride, you are magic just by being.” —Dr. Tlaleng Mofokeng, Doctor, DISA Clinic |
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“My dad was the first person to give me ‘the talk.’ I had asked him what a condom is. He had to tell me more: what, when, and why it’s used. But he didn’t discuss the how. A peer educator handled the remaining part of the course. LOL!” —@AgunyoCaren |
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“When I was a teenager, I wish I knew that there were birth control options other than the pill.” —Caitlin Thistle, Family Planning and Reproductive Health Research Advisor at USAID |
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“When I was a teenager, I wish an adult had talked to me about sex, at all!” —Sarah V. Harlan, Learning & Partnerships Director, K4Health |
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“I thought that contraception is nothing of my concern, a condom was mainly for HIV and that generally, contraceptives are not safe and are reserved for ‘careless’ adults who can’t use natural methods to prevent unwanted pregnancies.” —William Otuck, Director of Human Resources, International Youth Alliance for Family Planning |
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“Biggest misconception? That sperm could penetrate multiple layers of clothing.” —Karl Hofmann, President and CEO, PSI |
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“I thought contraception was wrong and immoral but I also wanted to know more about it. There’s nothing wrong with SRH education. If anything it’s empowering.” —@AmakaAnne_ |
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“Due to the lack of information, I thought using two condoms would protect me more when having sexual intercourse.” —Marcos Rodas, Social Media Coordinator, Pan American Social Marketing Organization, Guatemala |
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“I wish I understood as a teenager that it is a sign of emotional maturity and autonomy to take full control over my sexual health.” —Debra Messing, Actress, Producer, PSI Global Ambassador |
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“Grateful that my mother AND father thought it was important to tell me about sex, contraception, being in control, and even the importance of pleasure.” —Beth Fredrick, Executive Director, Advance Family Planning advocacy initiative, The Bill & Melinda Gates Institute for Population and Reproductive Health |
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“I grew up at the birth of the sexual revolution, and along with it, the pill, the IUD and the diaphragm, and, sadly, the misperception that birth control was a woman’s responsibility.” —Jonathan Stack, Co-founder, World Vasectomy Day |
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“As a teenager I wish condoms were easily accessible and affordable, and I knew how to use them. I never got ‘THE TALK.’ I learnt it all on my own after many failures. My biggest fear was contraceptive failure.” —Christopher Meraiyebu, 120 under 40 honoree, Market Development Technical Advisor, PSI East Africa |
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“In Texas, we didn’t have comprehensive sex ed, but I had a mom serious about it. I’d tell my teen self ‘Help! Be for your peers what Emma Gonzalez is for gun control.’ Here’s to activist adolescents!” —Claire Cole, Implementation Science & Learning Advisor, PSI |
Banner image: © PSI, Illustrated by Cassie Kussy
