Pornography

Pornography is any photo, video or writing that mentions or is about sexual activity. Pornography is usually made to make the reader or viewer feel sexy. Pornography is sometimes called porn. Some porn is legal and some porn is illegal. Watching or looking at porn is a private behaviour that must happen in a private place.

Private things can be places, behaviour, talk, body parts, and types of touch. Private places are where no one can see or hear you.

Some examples of private places are your bedroom (if there is no one in it, and the door and blinds are shut) or the toilet at home when the door is shut. You can do private behaviours in these places such as masturbate, have sex, or look at pornography. You can only do private behaviours in private places otherwise there are legal consequences.

Sexual activity can include lots of different things.

It can mean any kind of sexual touch including hand jobs, fingering, oral sex, anal sex, vaginal sex, genital to genital contact, using sex toys with partners, sexual intercourse and other things too. Sex is with another person or persons. Sex needs to be consensual, meaning you both want to do it. You can stop having sex at any time. Sex should feel good for both partners.

Consent is a form of agreement. We consent for lots of things like sharing our belongings or deciding with a friend or support worker what you want to do in the day.

When we talk about sex and consent, we mean both people have to agree to want to have sex. No one should ever force, trick, or guilt you into sex or sexual activities. If they do, it is against the law.

Sexuality is who you feel attracted to and also how you feel about yourself. Sexuality is related to your sense of self and your relationship with others. It is not just about who you have sex with or want to have sex with. It involves self expression, fantasies, desires, and more.

Contraception is a method or medicine that is used to stop a person with a uterus becoming pregnant. There are lots of types of contraception and it is important to find the one or ones that work for you. There are barrier methods such such as condoms or dams which are used during sex or sexual activity. There are hormonal methods such as an implant, an injection, an intrauterine device or pills which are used regularly and before sex. Or there is an emergency contraceptive pill which can be used after sex. To find out more about contraception options, go to your doctor or sexual health organisation.

Health professionals are people who are trained to help other people with their physical, mental and sexual health. Health professionals give advice and can answer questions that you might have about your body, feelings or relationships.

There are lots of different types of health professionals. Some types of health professionals are:

• doctors
• nurses
• physiotherapists
• dentists
• psychologists
• pharmacists
• midwives