About
Launched in 2017, Adolescent X is a research project that studies narrative methods to explore the messages that young people receive about their bodies, identities, and sexual health. Adolescent X uses arts-based methodologies to explore issues of gender and sexual health among cisgender and transgender adolescents from the South Side of Chicago. The project studies how young people experience messages about contraception, safer sex practices, sexually transmitted infections, and pregnancy, and also how these messages impact their attitudes and behaviors about gender, sexuality, body image, pleasure, and romantic relationships.
To share our findings widely with other young people and community stakeholders who work with adolescents, Ci3 is currently in the post-production phase of a seven-episode podcast series. Frankly. prominently features the voices of young people from Chicago’s South and West Sides, while also highlighting data and expanding on the themes identified in our Adolescent X study. It weaves together arts-based practices, adolescent narratives, and expert commentary to illustrate how gender, sexuality, and social context shape the lived experiences and sexual and reproductive health of young people from Chicago. Findings will also be shared via a paper submitted to a peer-reviewed journal.
FRANKLY. PODCAST
To expand on the issues presented in the Adolescent X study, we are partnering with young people from Chicago to launch the Frankly. podcast. Young people share their first-hand experiences of the structural and systemic barriers that impact their health and wellbeing while living on the South and West Sides.
For More Information
To learn more about Adolescent X and the Frankly. podcast, contact Madeline Quasebarth at mquasebarth@bsd.uchicago.edu.