|
|
The V Word True Stories About First Time SexStock informationGeneral Fields
Special Fields
DescriptionAn honest and poignant collection of essays by women about losing their virginity in their teens. The V-Word captures the complexity of this important life-decision and reflects diverse real-world experiences. Includes helpful resources for parents and teens. ReviewsA selection of seventeen womenwriters tell about their experience of first-time sex. The stories reveal agreat diversity in age, situation, sexual orientation, gender identification, and even what counts as first-time sex. The resources section provides abibliography, notes, biographies of all the contributors, and several essays.One essay gives straight-forward advice, empowering young women to be informedand to make their own choice about when and with whom. Kelly Jensen, a formerteen librarian, suggests teen novels and nonfiction that deal particularly wellwith different sexual situations. Parents are also addressed with resources forthem as well as advice on opening an on-going conversation with their daughtersabout their values and experiences around sex. The book serves youngwomen as a kind of rite of passage with a bevy of oldersisters telling it like it is, sharing experiences that are rarely talked about.Given the array of experiences (from wedding night to casual encounter) andidentifications (hetro, lesbian, bi, and trans) some readers may havedifficulties with some of the frankness, diversity, and language. Thetrade-off, however, is well worth it. Thevariety emphasizes how individual it is and how important it is for each youngwoman to make an informed and conscious choice for herself. It turns out theV-word of importance here is not so much virginity as it is finding one s own voice. Elizabeth Matson.--VOYA, STARRED REVIEW "February 2016 "" |