PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis): Medicine that helps prevent HIV (or other infections) if started within a few days after being exposed.
Perfect use: How effective a birth control method would be if always used exactly the right way. See “typical use.”
Period: Menstruation. The monthly flow of blood and tissue from the uterus and out the vagina.
Pill, the: Short for the birth control pill.
Placenta: The organ formed on the wall of the uterus that provides oxygen and other nourishment to a fetus during pregnancy, and through which waste products are eliminated from a fetus.
Plan B: A brand of emergency contraception pill made from levonorgestrel, the same kind of hormone found in birth control pills. Available over the counter to anyone of any age or gender in the US.
Platonic: Not sexual.
Polyamory: Having sexual or romantic relationships with more than one person at a time with the consent of all people involved.
Pornography (porn): Video, photos or words that are made for sexual excitement.
Postpartum: Following childbirth.
Precum: Slang for pre-ejaculate, the liquid that oozes out of the penis during sexual excitement before ejaculation. Sometimes, for some people, it has a small amount of sperm in it.
Pregnancy: When someone is carrying a developing fetus in their uterus. It begins with the implantation of the pre-embryo and progresses through the embryonic and fetal stages until birth, unless it’s ended by miscarriage or abortion. It lasts about 40 weeks from implantation to birth.
PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis): A medicine taken daily to reduce the risk of getting HIV.
Pro-choice: Supporting the right to a safe, legal abortion.
Progesterone: A hormone produced in the ovaries that helps regulate puberty, menstruation, and pregnancy.
Prostate: A gland that produces a fluid which helps sperm move. The prostate can be very sensitive to the touch, and many people enjoy stimulating the prostate for sexual pleasure.
Puberty: The time between childhood and adulthood when people mature physically and sexually. Puberty is marked by changes such as breast development and menstruation or hair growth and ejaculation.
Pubic hair: Hair that grows around the sex organs. Pubic hair is a secondary sex characteristic that appears during puberty.
Pubic lice: Tiny insects that can be sexually transmitted. They live in pubic hair and cause intense itching in the genitals.
Pulling out / pull-out method: Pulling the penis out of the vagina before ejaculation in order to avoid pregnancy. Also called “withdrawal.”
Q:
Queef: The sound made when air is released from the vagina. Air is often pushed into the vagina during vaginal sex or penetration with tampons, fingers, or sex toys.
Queer: A word that can refer to a variety of sexual identities and gender identities that are anything other than straight and cisgender. In the past queer was used as a slur, and may still be offensive to some. However, many people use the word with pride to identify themselves.
Questioning: Being unsure about your sexual orientation or gender identity.
R:
Rape: Sexual intercourse without consent.
Reproductive cell: Unique cells—egg and sperm—that can join to make reproduction possible.
Reproductive organs: The fallopian tubes, ovaries, uterus, vagina, penis, and testes. Organs that relate to reproduction.
Romantic attraction: A desire for an intimate (but not necessarily sexual) connection with another person.
S:
Safer sex: Ways in which people reduce the risk of getting sexually transmitted infections, including HIV. A more precise term than “safe sex,” because no sex act is completely safe from the possibility of passing a sexually transmitted infection.
Sanitary pad: An absorbent reusable or disposable lining made of cotton or similar fibers that’s worn against the vulva to absorb menstrual flow.
Scrotum: A sac of skin, divided into two parts, that holds the testicles.
Second trimester: The second three months of pregnancy.
Secondary sex characteristics: Features of the body that are caused by hormones. They develop during puberty, or can be brought on by hormone replacement therapy (HRT). For people with vaginas, these include breast development and widened hips. For people with penises, they include facial hair development and voice deepening. And everyone develops pubic hair and underarm hair.
Self-esteem: Feeling worthwhile.
Semen: Fluid containing sperm that’s ejaculated from the penis during orgasm. Semen is composed of fluid from the seminal vesicles, fluid from the prostate, and sperm from the testes.
Seminal fluid: A liquid that nourishes and helps sperm to move. Made in the seminal vesicles.
Seminal vesicle: One of two small organs located beneath the bladder and connected to the urethra that produce seminal fluid.
Sex: A label assigned at birth of female, male, or sometimes intersex. Also, the act of vaginal, anal, or manual (using hands) intercourse, or oral-genital stimulation, with a partner.
Sex assignment: The designation of biological sex—female, male, or intersex—usually made by a doctor at the birth of a child. The sex that appears on a person’s birth certificate.
Sex cell: A reproductive cell—egg or sperm.
Sexism: Systemic and individual discrimination against women.
Sexting: Sending sexual text messages or images.
Sexual abuse: Sexual activity that’s harmful, exploitative, or not consensual.
Sexual arousal: Erotic excitement.
Sexual assault: The use of force or coercion, physical or psychological, to make a person engage in sexual activity.
Sexual harassment: Unwanted sexual advances from someone. Includes suggestive gestures, language, or touching.
Sexual health: Enjoying emotional, physical, and social well-being in regard to one’s sexuality, including free and responsible sexual expression that enriches one’s life. (Sexual health is not only the absence of sexual dysfunction or disease.)
Sexual identity: Your understanding of your own sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, and sexual expression/ preferences.
Sexual intercourse: Usually, sex that includes penetration of the vagina with a penis. Can also describe penetration of the anus with a penis.
Sexual orientation: Identities that describe what gender(s) a person is romantically and/or sexually attracted to. There are many sexual orientations. Some common sexual orientations include gay, lesbian, straight, and bisexual.
Sexual preference: People, activities, or other things that you like sexually.
Sexuality: Sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, sexual preference, and the way these things interact with emotional, physical, social, and spiritual life. Sexuality is shaped by your family and the social norms of your community.
Sexually transmitted disease (STD): Infections that are passed from one person to another during vaginal, anal, or oral sex, or sexual skin-to-skin contact. More accurately called sexually transmitted infection.
Sexually transmitted infection (STI): Infections that are passed from one person to another during vaginal, anal, or oral sex, or sexual skin-to-skin contact. Commonly known as sexually transmitted disease.
Shaft: A structure of erectile tissue and nerves that’s shaped like a column and forms the body of the penis and clitoris.
Speculum: A plastic or metal instrument used to separate the walls of the vagina so a doctor or nurse can examine the vagina and cervix.
Sperm: A reproductive cell that combines with an egg to cause a pregnancy. Made in the testes.
Spotting: Light bleeding that happens not during a menstrual period.
Squirting: Ejaculation from people with vulvas, sometimes called “female ejaculation.” The fluid comes from the Skene’s glands, which are located in the vulva near the opening of the urethra. Squirting happens in about one out of 10 women.
; Stalking: Following or tracking someone in person or online without their consent.
Statutory rape: Legally, sexual contact between an adult and anyone who is below the age of consent, whether or not the contact is voluntary.
Stereotype: A widely accepted judgment or bias regarding a person or group.
Sterilization: Surgical methods of birth control that are intended to be permanent—blocking of the fallopian tubes for women or the vas deferens for men.
Stigma: Severe disapproval/judgment for a behavior that’s reinforced by society/culture.
Straight: Being attracted to people of the other gender. Heterosexual.
Syphilis: A bacterial sexually transmitted infection that is easily cured with antibiotics, but can cause permanent damage if left untreated.
T:
Tampon: A firm, disposable roll of absorbent cotton or other fiber that goes inside the vagina to absorb menstrual blood.
Testes: Two ball-like glands inside the scrotum that produce hormones, including testosterone. Each testis also encloses several hundred small lobes, which contain the tiny, threadlike seminiferous tubules that produce sperm. Also called “testicles.”
Testicles: Two ball-like glands inside the scrotum that produce hormones, including testosterone. Each testicle also encloses several hundred small lobes, which contain the tiny, threadlike seminiferous tubules that produce sperm. Also called “testes.”
Testosterone: An androgen hormone produced in the testes and in smaller amounts in the ovaries. Generally associated with masculine secondary sex characteristics. Can be taken synthetically as gender affirming treatment for trans men.
Third trimester: The last three months of pregnancy.
Toxic shock syndrome: A rare but very dangerous overgrowth of bacteria in the vagina. Symptoms include vomiting, high fever, diarrhea, and a sunburn-type rash. A possible result of leaving an object (including tampons and birth control sponges) in the vagina for too long.
Trans: Short for transgender. A general term used to describe someone whose gender expression/gender identity are different than the sex they were assigned at birth. Some people put an asterisk on the end of trans* to expand the word to include all people with non-conforming gender identities and expressions.
Transgender: A general term used to describe someone whose gender expression/gender identity are different than the sex they were assigned at birth.
Transition: The process of a person changing to present as the gender they identify as. Transitioning means different things to different people. It may involve any of the following: coming out to one’s family, changing the pronouns and words used to describe one’s gender, dressing differently, changing one’s name, or beginning gender affirming health care.
Transphobia: Fear and hatred of people who are, or are perceived to be, trans-identified or gender non-conforming.
Tubal ligation: Surgical blocking of the fallopian tubes by tying them off. A form of sterilization—permanent birth control.
Two-spirit: An umbrella term for gender identities common in American Indian/First Nations/Native American cultures. Refers to people who have both masculine and feminine parts of their identity, and are treated as a third gender within those cultures.
Typical use: The effectiveness of a particular birth control method in the population, taking into account when people don’t always use their method consistently or correctly. Since this looks at real world use, it’s a more accurate way to describe how many people get pregnant using a method.
U:
Ultrasound: A medical test that creates an image of internal organs by bouncing sound waves off the internal organs. Frequently used to find or monitor a pregnancy, but has a variety of medical uses.
Urethra: A tube that empties the bladder and carries urine to the urethral opening (the hole you pee out of). The urethra also carries ejaculate and pre-ejaculate in people with penises.
Urinary tract infection (UTI): A bacterial infection of the bladder, the ureters, or the urethra. It is not sexually transmitted. The most common symptom is a frequent urge to pee and pain while peeing. Curable with antibiotics.
Uterus: The pear-shaped, reproductive organ from which people menstruate and where a pregnancy develops. Also called “womb.”
V:
Vagina: The stretchy passage that connects the vulva with the cervix and uterus. It’s where menstrual comes out of the body, a baby comes out of the body through childbirth, and/or one place sexual penetration (by a penis, finger, sex toy, etc.) can happen. During menstruation, it’s where tampons or menstrual cups are placed.
Vaginal sex: Sex in which a penis enters a vagina. Also called “vaginal intercourse” or “penis-in-vagina sex.”
Vas deferens: A long, narrow tube that carries sperm from each epididymis to the seminal vesicles during ejaculation. This is the tube that’s cut for a vasectomy, stopping sperm from leaving the body.
Vasectomy: Surgical blocking of the vasa deferentia (each vas deferens) for permanent birth control.
Vibrator: An electrically powered sex toy that applies vibrations to parts of the body for sexual pleasure.
Virginity: Having never had sex. May mean different things to different people. For example, many people think you “lose your virginity” when you have vaginal sex. Others think that you lose your virginity if you have other kinds of sexual activity, like oral sex or anal sex.
Vulva: The external sex organs that include the clitoris, labia (majora and minora), opening to the vagina (introitus), opening to the urethra, and two Bartholin’s glands.
W:
Wet dreams: Erotic dreams that can lead to ejaculation or vaginal lubrication. Common during puberty. See “nocturnal emission.”
Withdrawal: Pulling the penis out of the vagina before ejaculation in order to avoid pregnancy. Also called “pulling out” or the “pull-out method.”
X:
Xe (xe, xem, xyr, xyrs, xemself): A gender-neutral pronoun (or set of pronouns) some people use for themselves to replace “he,” “she,” or “they.”
Y:
Yeast infection: A type of vaginitis caused by an overgrowth of a yeast that naturally lives in the vagina/on the body, called candida albicans. Yeast infections may also occur in the penis or mouth. A yeast infection in the mouth or throat is called “thrush.”
Z:
Ze (ze, zir, zirs, zirself): A gender-neutral pronoun (or set of pronouns) some people use for themselves to replace “he,” “she,” or “they.”
Zygote: The single-celled organism that results from the joining of the egg and sperm (fertilization).
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
First, it is important to thank all the sex educators out there. All of them. Some of you are in schools, some of you work for non-profits, some of you do it just because young people trust you and know you are a safe adult to talk to. To all of you, thank you. This book is dedicated to your service and passion and we, the educators at the Responsible Sex Education Institute of Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, are proud to stand with you in this work.
A special thank-you to all of the young people who have texted us your questions. We are committed to being a resource for you, regardless of where you live. Thank you for trusting us.
Thank you to Planned Parenthood Federation of America and Trans Student Education Resources. It is an honor to work in this space with you, and we greatly appreciate your support as we work to arm young people with the information they need to live healthy lives.
We want to thank Planned Parenthoods everywhere, especially Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains. We will continue to fight for the reproductive freedom that all people deserve, and we are proud to be a part of this work.
Finally, we want to thank the incredible staff at the Responsible Sex Education Institute. Specifically, we would like to thank: Molly Alderton, Daniela Fellman, Meghan Hilton, Julie LaBarr, Alison Macklin, Elizabeth Weyer-Hudson, Becki Jones, Liza Bley, Rebekkah Abeyta, Tati Santos
, Lizzie Smalls, Ryan Garcia, Brandi Lucero, Jax Sugars, Myra Llerenas, Andy Nuanhngam, Persephone Wilson, Brenda Hernandez, Julissa Salas, Dawn Canty, Rosita Castillo, and Robert Thurmond.
We are greatly appreciative of your contributions to the book and the ICYC text line.
END NOTES
1Parenthood, Planned. “State of Sex Education in USA | Health Education in Schools.” Planned Parenthood. Accessed February 01, 2019. https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/for-educators/whats-state-sex-education-us.
2“Sex and HIV Education.” Guttmacher Institute. January 02, 2019. Accessed February 01, 2019. https://www.guttmacher.org/state-policy/explore/sex-and-hiv-education.
3“Sex and HIV Education.” Guttmacher Institute. January 02, 2019. Accessed February 01, 2019. https://www.guttmacher.org/state-policy/explore/sex-and-hiv-education.
4Jio, Sarah. “All the Ways You Can Burn Calories During Sex.” Woman’s Day. January 06, 2019. Accessed February 01, 2019. https://www.womansday.com/relationships/sex-tips/advice/a1922/8-sexy-ways-to-burn-calories-110923/.
5MacGill, Markus. “What Is the Average Penis Size?” Medical News Today. July 09, 2018. Accessed February 01, 2019. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/271647.php.
6“How Many Eggs Does a Woman Have?” WebMD. Accessed February 01, 2019. https://www.webmd.com/menopause/qa/how-many-eggs-does-a-woman-have.
7“How a Man Produces 1,500 Sperm a Second.” National Geographic. March 19, 2010. Accessed February 01, 2019. https://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/03/100318-men-sperm-1500-stem-cells-second-male-birth-control/.
8Pappas, Stephanie. “Bears Not Attracted to Menstruating Women.” LiveScience. August 25, 2012. Accessed February 01, 2019. https://www.livescience.com/22688-myth-bears-attack-menstruating-women.html.)
9“Science & Nature - Human Body and Mind - Teenagers.” BBC. Accessed February 01, 2019. http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/body/articles/lifecycle/teenagers/breast_development.shtml.
10Stöppler, Melissa Conrad. “Symptoms of Menopause: At What Age Does It Start?” EMedicineHealth - Health and Medical Information Produced by Doctors. Accessed February 01, 2019. https://www.emedicinehealth.com/menopause/article_em.htm.
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