Do it again! And again until you find the right environment that suits YOU, not your family. Full disclosure: my insane mom had another daughter when I was 18 and as much as I wish I could have stayed and helped my half-sister, there was no way I could help anyone, let alone myself with the shit and abuse in my life.…

And I’m in Canada!

I too have heard this theory!

Babies do suck. They are vampires. I’ve had 2, my first was as you describe, he almost killed me. The 2nd was less vampirish, but still, babies suck. You will LOVE it when she’s 18+ months old, trust me. Meanwhile, try not to get sick for whatever that’s worth.

No. Because if you ever want to go to college, in your lifetime, you can go. Doesn’t have to be in your 20's. Never go into debt. That is most important. You will regret student loans every day for the rest of you life.

I have to second the advice to blocking your sister. I came from the same background as you. The only way I could survive was to cut all ties, go underground, I can not be found. What if you did that for yourself for one year? The ones that love you will wish you well and understand, those are the people you can keep…

Losing your virginity is about as sexy as popping a zit. Find a guy that would pop a zit for you, that’s your guy. Sexy guys and decent guys sadly are often not one-in-the-same.

It sounds to me like you are your own person. Coming from where you’ve come from and insisting on being independent reminds me of myself. I think you will still be you whether you marry rich, or if you decide never to get married at all. Just make sure you are surrounded by supportive people, finances mean nothing if…

Like everything, it comes down to whether or not you want to listen to what “they” all say or follow your own path and ignore the hushed whispers and societal disappointment. New humans are awesome and if you listen to them, they let you see through their (hopefully) unbiased fresh perspective.

This whole thing is tasteless. I wouldn’t have been as upset if it was an “asshole warning” rather than a “trigger warning”. And following up a question about rape=sex with wishing for more of that to up the body count... blech.

Also viscerally affected by this insensitive suggestion that sex and rape are one in the same. It is such a horrific crime against the weaker individual, a crime committed in a society that doesn’t want to hear about it and a crime that overwhelmingly goes unpunished victim after victim, generation after generation…

By mentioning anything negative, you will be insulted and invalidated, there is a distinct pattern here. But yes, upsetting it is and thank you for a thoughtful response.

For daring to be grossed out by this, you will be chastised. Be prepared.

Thank you. And just no. No to the belt notches mentality, no to it all. Just hugs to all the rape victims out there for whom it is perfectly reasonable to separate the crime and violence from the act of sex. Hugs to you and hugs to your friend.

I just don’t even know anymore. I don’t want to define “sex” or “rape” for anyone because clearly we all have different experiences. But they are not even in the same category, let alone to be “counted” as one experience?

Hmmm... yes, best of luck watching your porn.

“I should wager it feels dishonest to me.” I should wager that we have experienced our rapes in much different ways. To each their own.

I’m sorry but rape is not sex. It is not dishonest to not count a rape as one of your sexual experiences. Just having to try to explain this makes me want to throw up. After having sex with someone, I don’t have to go to the police, then the hospital, then counselling, then to court, then more counselling, then a…

NOT turning out like my Mom has driven my entire life purpose. So far so good, but I thought becoming a Mom (and single Mother no less!) would be my downfall. You are your own person and becoming a Mother will not change you at all, you will still remain yourself. By 40 I finally figured if I hadn’t turned into her by…

It would not be sad because you are not your Dad. You would never parent like your Dad, would you? You will not give your children that experience, stoned or not. I use to fear that I would parent the way I was parented and once I had kids, it wasn’t some inevitability, I just raise the way I want to raise my kids and…