Sex-Positive Books for Tweens and Teens (And Parents!)
Mar 19, 2025
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Traci Thomas, the vibrant host of The Stacks podcast, joins the conversation to champion sex-positive literature for tweens, teens, and parents. They dive into the pressing need for better sex education, showcasing a variety of books that tackle relationships and self-identity. From unique memoirs to relatable fiction, they discuss how literature can bridge the gap left by traditional education. Traci also highlights titles that empower parents and enhance their sexual literacy, ensuring families are well-equipped to engage in these crucial discussions.
The episode emphasizes the inadequacy of traditional sex education, urging the need for age-appropriate resources to foster healthy discussions.
Engaging narratives and diverse voices in literature are highlighted as essential tools for helping youths understand relationships and sexuality.
Deep dives
Navigating Parenting During a Pandemic
The episode recounts the challenging experiences of a mother of premature twins during the COVID-19 pandemic. Faced with concerns about her husband, a physician, potentially exposing their vulnerable children to the virus, she chose to live separately for six weeks with her brother and sister-in-law. This difficult decision exemplified the heightened anxiety many parents faced during this time, especially regarding health and safety. Her story resonates with numerous parents who navigated similar fears and sacrifices during the pandemic.
Promoting Healthy Discussions on Sex and Relationships
A significant focus of the episode is the importance of discussing sex and relationships with children effectively. It highlights that traditional education often falls short, leading young people to turn to pornography for information, which frequently provides unhealthy portrayals of sexual dynamics. By sharing recommended books, the episode emphasizes resources that encourage open conversations, offering children age-appropriate information about their bodies, relationships, and consent. This approach aims to equip parents and caregivers with the tools necessary for fostering a healthy understanding of these topics.
Book Recommendations for Sexual Health Education
The episode presents several engaging book recommendations aimed at helping children and teens understand sexual health and relationships. Notable mentions include titles like 'What Makes a Baby' and 'You Know Sex', which present honest, straightforward discussions about human biology and emotions in an age-appropriate manner. For older teens, fiction books and graphic novels, such as 'Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me', illustrate the complexities of relationships through relatable stories. These resources serve not only as educational tools but also as conversation starters between parents and kids.
Empowering Young Readers with Engaging Narratives
Engaging narratives are highlighted as powerful tools for teaching young people about sexuality and relationships through relatable experiences. Memoirs, such as 'Heavy' by Kiese Lehman and 'Another Word for Love' by Carvel Wallace, explore the authors' journeys through trauma and identity, encouraging readers to reflect on their own lives. Similarly, the importance of including diverse voices and experiences in literature is emphasized, as it helps normalize different sexual orientations and relationship dynamics. By promoting these narratives, the episode advocates for broader acceptance and understanding among young readers.
Sex ed in schools isn’t cutting it, and studies show that kids are turning to porn for answers. In this episode, Traci Thomas of The Stacks podcast joins us to suggest books that help tweens and teens navigate the complicated world of sex and relationships. We’ll cover fiction and nonfiction — plus a few picks to help spice up the sex lives of parents!