The Naked Truth About Sex

The Naked Truth about Teens and Sex by sexologist Roger Libby is based on a phone-in radio show he had on an alternative rock station in Atlanta.  Most chapters have lots of questions from young people in their teens and early twenties, along with answers from Libby.  The questions are in a large typewriter font, and his answers are in sans serif font, with key terms in bold.  There are no illustrations.  There are nine chapters, on what is normal; gay, lesbian, bisexual, and heterosexual preferences; masturbation; dating, hooking up, and friends with benefits; virginity; pre-sex discussions; safer sex; birth control; and healthy, safe and fun sex.  Libby's tone is upbeat and compassionate, and he includes many recent statistics in his answers.  His basic approach is reasonably liberal: he thinks that young people should always be careful when approaching sex and should make sure they are very comfortable with any sexual activities they engage in.  He thinks it is a bad idea for younger teens to have relationships with older people, and he cautions against them having sexual relationships too early.  But he sees nothing wrong with teens with sufficient maturity exploring their sexual side in committed relationships.  He emphasizes that it is important to avoid risk of STDs, and explains about using condoms and other protective devices.  Libby's book is a good source of information presented in accessible language.  The lack of pictures and illustrations might mean that some young people would find it a little heavy on text. 

© 2008 Christian Perring

Christian Perring, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Dowling College, New York.