This is for you the boy who broke some hearts
that silly boy who ripped it to parts
here’s another song just for you

I’ll drown away my sorrow
I’ll take another sip
You’ve stripped me of emotion
I’ll just bite my lip

Even when I’m smiling
I’m crying on the inside
Every time I laugh
it’s a mask so I might hide

This is for you the boy who broke my heart
you, the stupid boy who ripped it apart
here’s one last song only for you

I may start to scream
excuse me if I yell
you tore me at the seam
you’ve made my life hell

I’ll cry as I have been hurt
I can’t lie anymore
you treated me like dirt

At times I feel so alone
who’s here standing next to me
will anyone help
who will that be

When was wrong ever right
I’ve seen you try to talk
yet, it always turns into a fight

I never asked to be abused
I wanted love
I never asked to be bruised
I wanted love

This is for you the boy who broke my heart
let me open your eyes to a cycle we let start
here’s one last song just for you
here’s one last song to say we’re through

By Alicia

(Teen Talk’s note: If want to learn more about unhealthy and healthy relationships, check out our teen dating violence section. To learn about what you can do if you or someone you know is experiencing abuse, click here. The page also has information on how to stop using abuse. If you need to talk to someone, you can call the Klinic Crisis Line at 1-888-322-3019.)

I used to feel like I was being judged by my weight or size. But I’m starting to like myself even more, and come out of my bubble. Which is awesome for me. Now I do wish I had a boyfriend sometimes when my friends are around theirs and stuff. But my last boyfriend dumped me because him and my friend got into a fight. And the next day he wanted me to chose between him or them and well I tried to chose both, but that didn’t work. So I thought my friends are worth more to me than a weird boyfriend who most of my friends didn’t like anyways.

By Sarah (who’s glad to show her true feelings!)

To the girl whose beauty is present in all seasons
I tell you why you are beautiful, here are the reasons:

Your beauty extends into the heavens,
it goes on forever and never lessens.
Even when the clouds heighten
you are here and the world brightens.
You are like a fruit that constantly ripens
your beauty continues to grow no mater what happens.

Your beauty seems to increase with every breathe
it tests the limits my imagination can stretch.
It makes me question if what I am seeing is real
I only know it is true by the way that I feel.
Your beauty is so vast it can’t be concealed
there is no hiding it your beauty is always revealed.

My fondness for you constantly deepens
because every time I see you my heart starts to weaken.
You make everything else appear hollow
where ever you are loveliness is sure to follow.
You shine so bright you cast your own shadow
a beauty that others would love to borrow.
But try as they might your beauty they will never catch
because something like you they could never match.

The power of your beauty is the world’s greatest gift
the heaviest boulder it could easily lift.
A girl this perfect I never knew
all that changed the moment I met you.
Heaven on Earth I was not aware
until I met a girl that was crafted with such care.
You would be the answer to a prayer
if someone asked for something rare with beauty to spare.

If I had a choice I would choose this girl over air
for air can’t compare to this girl not found elsewhere.

Submitted by Zach Bowman  at Westwood Collegiate

Great question! Some qualities of a healthy relationship can be found right here. You can make your own list of what you would want in a healthy relationship (communication, attraction, fun, no abuse, honesty, etc.). You have a right to expect a healthy relationship!

This is a really good question. Sometimes people give excuses for their abusive behaviour, but there is never a good reason to use abuse. Ultimately, it boils down to a choice someone makes.  It is true that:

• Some people grow up experiencing abuse.
• Some people are insecure so they try to control other people to give themselves a greater sense of power. 
• Some people don’t value or respect women and choose to abuse them. 
• Some people don’t know how to deal with their pain so they abuse others.
• Some people may drink or do drugs and then let out their issues by becoming abusive. 
• Some people may claim that they have a bad temper or just get so angry that they lose control. 

NONE of these things excuse abuse. Abuse is always wrong.

Abuse is a choice. Someone who has been abusive can change if they work very hard at taking responsibility for their behaviour. They have to admit they are abusive and start to learn how to deal with their emotions differently. Often counselling is needed to make lasting changes, and someone could go to drop-in counselling at 545 Broadway in Winnipeg. Ending the relationship can also help stop the abuse. If you or someone you know is using abuse, try calling the Klinic Crisis Line at 1-888-322-3019.

There are a number of different warning signs that you may be in an abusive relationship. Abuse might be happening if your partner:

• puts you down
• criticizes your clothes, your friends, or the way you look
• follows you around, phones/texts you all the time and demands to know where you are
• tries to cut you off from your friends or family
• hits, shoves, pinches, slaps you or throws things at you
• threatens to hurt you or themselves if you leave
• blames you for the hurtful things they say or do
• tries to force you to have sex when you don’t want to

If you have any or all of these types of behavior in your relationship, this is a sign that it is an abusive relationship. Don’t hesitate to call the Klinic Crisis Line at 1-888-322-3019, 24-7, free, confidential.

Recognizing and admitting that you need to change your behaviour is the first step. You have to take responsibility for your actions without blaming your partner.  Talking about it with someone you trust is also very important. It helps you look at your behaviour and learn new ways of dealing with your emotions. You should also think about leaving the relationship, to give you and the other person space.

You can speak with a guidance counsellor or visit a teen clinic. You could also call the Klinic Crisis Line at 1-888-322-3019. If you live in Winnipeg, you could go to Klinic on Broadway (545 Broadway) for free drop-in counselling Monday to Wednesday from 12:00 to 7:00 pm and Friday and Saturday from 12:00 to 4:00 pm.  It is free and you don’t need permission from your parents.

There needs to be a sperm and an egg for a pregnancy to happen. Obviously, if two people with the same parts are having sex, there will be no chance of a pregnancy. That being said, there are some options for people in same sex relationships who want to have kids.

A woman can get pregnant using a sperm donor, from someone they know or from a sperm bank. The donor would give a semen sample, which the woman could have inserted through the vagina at home or in a clinic. Some women also choose to use hormone therapies or in-vitro fertilization (often called IVF) during this process.
For men who only have sex with men, the process of becoming a parent might include finding someone to carry the pregnancy. Often, they would use one (or both) of the men’s sperm to fertilize an egg in the person who agrees to carry the pregnancy. An agreement is usually made with the person who will be carrying the pregnancy that the couple or person will adopt the baby and become the legal parent(s).

These options are also available to anyone who wants to parent (a straight couple dealing with infertility or a single person in particular). Anyone considering parenting needs help and support, and this might include getting information from doctors, counselors, and other people who are parenting. For more information about LGBTTQ* parenting, contact the Rainbow Resource Centre at 474-0212.