In Case You're Curious: Questions about Sex from Young People with Answers from the Experts

Did you ever walk out of class having even more questions than when you walked in? You may feel that way about history or math, but what about your sexual health class (if you even had one)? If you’re anything like most of the youth in America today, your head is probably spinning with a swirling, high-speed hurricane of questions. It is totally normal to be curious and to have questions about relationships, bodies, consent . . . you name it!

But where can your average teen go to get all the reliable and accurate answers they need? In Case You’re Curious, a text-and-answer program conceived by Planned Parenthood, has been providing this educational service for teens for years. And now In Case You’re Curious is a big book of answers—with funny and educational illustrations—to the most popular and most interesting questions young people have about birth control, development, sexually transmitted diseases, and so much more.

Within these pages you will find nonjudgmental (and fun!) answers meant to educate teens without the uncomfortable silence or weird eye contact often associated with “The Talk.” In Case You’re Curious isn’t afraid to tackle the nitty-gritty questions, such as “Does masturbating give you a disease?” and “Is the pineapple thing true?” that you may think twice about raising your hand to ask in your sexual health class or at home.

Planned Parenthood is America’s most trusted provider of reproductive health care. With over 600 health centers, Planned Parenthood delivers vital reproductive health care, sex education, and information to millions of women, men, and young people worldwide. Find them online at www.plannedparenthood.org.Alison Macklin has been with the Responsible Sex Education Institute at the Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains (PPRM) for over 14 years. She is the vice president of education and innovation and is responsible for the leadership of PPRM’s education work across its four states. Alison holds a master’s in social work from the University of Denver, is an award-winning, nationally recognized leader in the field of comprehensive sex education, and is the author of Making Sense of “It.”Molly Alderton has been serving the Northern Colorado and Southern Wyoming community for over six years as education program manager with Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains’ (PPRM) Responsible Sex Education Institute. In this role she manages and implements sexual health education programs to a variety of populations in many different settings. Molly came to PPRM with her bachelor’s degree in social work from Colorado State University and extensive experience working with local non-profits focused on HIV prevention and sexual violence prevention. In addition to her work with PPRM, Molly is a strong advocate in her community serving on the City of Fort Collins’ Women’s Commission.Meghan Hilton started as a health center assistant with Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains in April 2017 before moving to the Responsible Sex Education Institute to be a full-time sex educator later that year. With her master’s degree in social work from the University of Michigan, Meghan is an avid artist and feminist. Meghan is often found in and out of the classroom talking about healthy relationships, sexually transmitted infections, and birth control options or answering questions for In Case You’re Curious.Daniela Fellman has been with the Responsible Sex Education Institute for over ten years. As the manager of texting initiatives she is responsible for the In Case You’re Curious (ICYC) text line which includes Instagram, marketing, and training staff to answer questions. In addition to all things ICYC, Daniela continues to teach sex education. As a mother of two young boys, Daniela understands how challenging talking about sexual health can be. But thanks to programs like ICYC, parents can find the support they need to help their youth(s)!Julie LaBarr is the regional director of education at the Responsible Sex Education Institute and has worked with Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains for over seventeen years. Julie is a certified trainer in multiple curriculum and a huge advocate for sex education for people with disabilities. Julie has experience in teaching comprehensive sex education, researching evidence-based curriculum and marketing programs, and training adults to educate youth about making healthy choices about sex and sexuality. Julie’s favorite part of her work is educating and learning from her participants, and of course answering all their interesting questions.

Alison Macklin has been with the Responsible Sex Education Institute at the Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains (PPRM) for over fourteen years and is currently vice president of education and innovation. Macklin is an award-winning, nationally recognized leader in sex education and holds a Master's in Social Work from the University of Denver. She is a mother of two who lives in Colorado.