Keep the Power On: #TalkingIsPower 2021
Our fourth, and my first as CEO, Talking is Power campaign begins today. Every year we dedicate the month of May to encouraging young people’s parents and champions to begin conversations around sex, love, relationships, and ultimately, birth control.
As vaccine rollouts continue and in some places a measure of normality has begun to reassert itself, we are all excited to resume our lives. However, it’s important not to stop talking about healthy relationships even though we may not be spending quite so much time together in the coming months as we did in the last year. As a mother of two teenagers and a reproductive health care provider, I know first-hand how critical it is for young people to have a safe place to discuss these important topics.
But I also know that sometimes it’s difficult to start talking or once one conversation has ended to pick it up again at a later date. Which is why every year we do our best to help ease the way with resources, such as conversation prompts, tips for talking, and meaningful stories from a variety of people’s own experiences.
We know that when you talk, the young people in your lives listen. In a 2016 survey we conducted, 52% of teens age 12-15 and 32% of those age 15-19 said that parents most influence their decisions about sex. So whether you believe it or not, you have had a massive impact on the decisions the young people around you make.
Our goal is to help ensure that all young people have the power to decide if, when, and under what circumstances to get pregnant and have a child. Let us help you be the source of information your young person needs to make informed decisions.
Also be sure to use the Twitter hashtag #TalkingIsPower to see what others are saying and add your thoughts to the mix. Follow the Power to Decide and Bedsider accounts for more tips on talking to your young people about sex, love, and relationships.
But whatever you do, talk to a young person! We’re counting on young adults, champions, and everyone in between to start talking. Conversations about sex, love, relationships, and future goals are key to preparing young people for the futures they envision for themselves. So, start early and talk often and if you’ve already started, keep the power on and continue the conversation. You’re more powerful than you think!