Alright, you chiquitas. Welcome to THE LITTLE BLACK BOOK.

In your very two hands, you hold a copy of a publication created especially for and by young women. It’s a special book all about healthy sexuality and we’re super proud of it. Why? Because this book was put together by a diverse group of teenage girls who have questions (and sometimes answers) about what and why and who we are as young women.

This book is just full of great stuff. Inside you’ll find stories of personal experiences, poetry, important information, and resources all written and put together by young women aged 14 to 18. We look at relationships, periods, sex, birth control, pregnancy, STIs and AIDs, abortion, and sexual assault, Most of the authors of this book gained a lot of their knowledge from being “Arcade kids" (hanging out at the youth drop-in program at St. Stephen’s Community House). And we interviewed many experts around Toronto to get straight facts about the stuff we chiquitas have to deal with.

I think young women in Toronto are among the luckiest creatures on this planet. We live in an amazing city, in a culture that allows us to be who and what we want. It can be hard to know what to do with these freedoms, and it’s a drag dealing with any limitations. Many times we aren’t given the respect that we deserve. Sometimes we are asked to be silent.

We of THE LITTLE BLACK BOOK FOR GIRLZ group realize that all women everywhere deserve a voice. This collective of girls understands the importance of voicing our opinions and sharing experiences and stories. Adults can tell us what they think we’re dealing with, but can they KNOW? We felt it was important for young women to have a book dedicated to what we think matters. Wherever you are in your life, there’s one fundamental thing that links us all: We are teenage girls and we kick ass!

So please read on. Enjoy. Ask. Question. Talk to your friends, families, and lovers. It is super important to understand who and what you are and where you can go. And if you’re ever stuck, please feel free to contact us or any of the organizations listed at the back of this book.

Signing off, Chi Nguyen