Body Image - The personal opinion someone has of their own physical appearance. This could be positive, negative, or more neutral.


Body Shame - Having a very negative perspective of one’s own body. This can include feelings of worthlessness, unattractiveness, inferiority, repulsion, embarrassment, and self-consciousness.
Body shame can also include when someone shames another person for the way that they look.


Comprehensive Sex Education - Sexual education that is presented through a wider perspective with a more realistic approach. This includes teaching about options for having safer sex and speaks of the physical, emotional, and social parts of how sexuality effects peoples' lives. Many schools in the United States are not using comprehensive sex education!


Femininity - The qualities or characteristics of females. However, this is not so easily defined. It can be hard to tell what is inherent and what is learned. As well, many people have their own descriptions of what it is to be feminine. Femininity and how people view it is likely a combination of biology and the culture one grows up in.


HPV - Human Papilloma Virus is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States of America. There are many strains, some of which cause (usually) harmless warts, and others which can cause cancer.


Masculinity - The qualities or characteristics of males. However, this is not so easily defined. It can be hard to tell what is inherent and what is learned. As well, many people have their own descriptions of what it is to be masculine. Masculinity and how people view it is likely a combination of biology and the culture one grows up in.


MSM - Men who have sex with men. A broader term since not all MSM identify as bisexual or gay. The same can be applied to WSW (Women who have sex with women), MSW (Men who have sex with women), and WSM (Women who have sex with men).


STD/STI - These are often written and said together. Sexually Transmitted Disease and Sexually Transmitted Infection. The difference between the two is an STD means there are symptoms while an STI does not show symptoms. The more popular term used now is STI because people often have no symptoms when infected. Example: Chlamydia and HPV often have no symptoms.