Hello! I'm a 17-year-old straight female from Texas. My boyfriend and I want to have sex, but we're making sure to try to take all the precautions we can. It would be the first time for the both of us. I'd like to start taking birth control. The thing is, I don't know where I could get some. I live in a small town and there are no Planned Parenthood places or anything like that. My mom isn't too keen on me taking birth control, or having sex at all, really. Where could I discretely get some contraceptives? Is it possible to get them online?

My computer is back which means I can start posting regularly once again. Sorry for the hiatus.

Unfortunately, you cannot get birth control online. Is there a public clinic in your area? Depending on the laws and services available in your county, you may be able to get birth control at public clinics. Just do a Google search for “[your area] public clinics,” or go to your city website. You should be able to find something.

If you can’t get birth control, then use condoms. They are easy to get, and don’t have age restrictions. You might be deterred by them because some people say sex doesn’t feel the same without one. I think that’s a lame excuse for preventing safe sex. Not only do they prevent pregnancy, but they also prevent STDs/STIs (something the pill does not). And if you are both virgins, you won’t even know what sex without a condom feels like. If you don’t know, then you don’t have anything to compare it to. I utilize this thinking as well.