I don’t have to tell you – dear readers – how important sexual health education is for our young people. It is one of the cornerstones of a happy, healthy life and refusing to provide the tools, education and resources needed to teach teens about their sexual health, relationships, and bodies is tantamount to putting them in harm’s way. Likewise, our federal government’s continued funding of what I like to call this country’s very own "hush fund" (abstinence programs) is equally as harmful.

That’s why sex ed warriors like Heather Corinna, founder of Scarleteen.com (and Rewire weekly Q&A columnist among a million other titles and endeavors) are treasures – hard-working, sincere, passionate, brilliant, caring treasures. Heather founded the website in 1998 to provide information and answers, and really an ear, to young people seeking out the answers to their sexual health questions. Since then Heather has kept the site going on her own with help from volunteers, an intense drive, and the will to ensure that young people are healthy, safe and knowledgeable about their sexuality and sexual health. 

Heather has recently launched a fundraising drive for Scarleteen.com that runs through March 15th:

From February 14th through March 15th, one of our regular donors has agreed match the donations we receive up to $350 per donor, and/or up to $3,000 total.

This is a great opportunity to amplify your support! You can play a part in sustaining Scarleteen and all of the young adults who need and are helped with our unique brand of inclusive, progressive, holistic and accurate sexuality education. As we finish one decade of delivering the goods we so strongly feel have nurtured and continue to nurture the development of a healthy, happy sexuality for young people, I’m asking for your help as we enter another.

Heather’s column, Get Real!, weekly on Rewire, is easily a reader favorite and Scarleteen.com is one of our personal favorite sites on the web. Now is an especially wonderful time to give – as Congress considers whether or not to continue funding abstinence-only programs in the FY2009 and 2010 federal budgets and/or whether to fund comprehensive sex-ed. Why not just fund our own comprehensive sex ed? Give to Scarleteen.com!