It's not every day that you come across something online that you think is truly different, useful and, even fun. The other day I came across a website, "Maria Talks," that I think meets this criteria. The site was created through funding from the Massachusetts government, and it operates in conjunction with the Massachusetts Sexual Health Hotline. As someone who has spent plenty of time searching the web for resources on sexual health and birth control, I think that this site stands out.

At The National Campaign, we often send the message that safe sexual practices among teens are best achieved through ongoing conversation and communication. First and foremost, teens themselves have told us their parents most influence their decisions about sex, and we have long asked parents to take the lead and start that open and ongoing conversation with their children.

This blog doesn't need to be all Kardashian all the time, but it's worth noting in this space that not only is Kourtney Kardashian talking about her unplanned pregnancy, she is also talking about ambivalence and abortion - both incredibly common in these situations but both incredibly absent from most Hollywood baby bump coverage.

I don't know a whole lot about Kourtney - I don't watch her show and I'm not sure what sort of extraordinary things she's done to deserve a show - but what she told People magazine makes her sound like a normal person and not a creation of publicists:

"I definitely thought about it long and hard, about if I wanted to keep the baby or not, and I wasn't thinking about adoption."

"For me, all the reasons why I wouldn't keep the baby were so selfish: It wasn't like I was raped, it's not like I'm 16. I'm 30 years old, I make my own money, I support myself, I can afford to have a baby. And I am with someone who I love, and have been with for a long time."

That a "celebrity" would give voice to those feelings and ideas is refreshing because that's what we hear so often from regular people who live far outside the spotlight.

Less refreshing is what her doctor told her when she sought medical counsel about what to do: "My doctor told me there is nothing you will ever regret about having the baby, but he was like, 'You may regret not having the baby.' And I was like: That is so true."

One would hope that a physician would have a more balanced opinion about terminating an unplanned (and perhaps unwanted) pregnancy, but let's hope for the baby's sake the doctor was right this time.

On July 23rd, I had the opportunity to attend an historic event: a press conference at which people with very different views about abortion worked together rather than against each other. The occasion was the introduction of the Preventing Unintended Pregnancies, Reducing the Need for Abortion and Supporting Parents Act authored by two bold leaders, Representatives Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and Tim Ryan (D-OH) - one pro-choice and one pro-life. As Amy Sullivan of TIME put it, "The volume in the abortion debate has been stuck at rancorous screaming for so long that when it gets turned down, it's disorienting, like walking outside after a rock concert and trying to hear again."

As an organization dedicated to reducing teen and unplanned pregnancy, and with respect for deeply-held views about difficult issues, the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy applauds this bill as a comprehensive, balanced approach to reduce the need for abortion by both helping to prevent unplanned pregnancy in the first place and supporting women and families once pregnancy occurs.

To the extent that the National Campaign has a tag line it is this lovely bon mot: "Responsible Behavior. Responsible Policies." That is, if we are to make true and lasting progress in reducing teen and unplanned pregnancy it will take a heaping helping of both responsible behavior on the part of individuals and responsible policies in both the public and private sectors.

The emphasis today is on the former. The role of personal responsibility in pregnancy planning and prevention is examined in some detail in a new book out today, Rethinking Responsibility: Reflections on Sex and Accountability. Released by The National Campaign, the volume includes 29 essays written by leaders in their respective fields. Contributors include:

• Leading media voices, such as syndicated columnist E.J. Dionne, radio talk show host Tom Joyner, and Will Saletan, National Correspondent, Slate.

• Leaders of national organizations, such as Cecile Richards, President of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Janet Murguía, President and CEO of the National Council of LaRaza, and Roland Warren, President of the National Fatherhood Initiative.

• Religious leaders and thinkers such as Jim Wallis, President and CEO of Sojourners, Rev. Samuel Rodriquez, President, National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, Fred Riley, Commissioner, LDS Family Services, Rev. Sterling Lands, Senior Pastor, Greater Calvary Baptist Church in Austin, TX, and Rev. Debra Haffner, Co-Founder and Executive Director, the Religious Institute.

• Individuals who have worked with or written extensively on teens and young adults, such as Michael Carrera, Director, The Children's Aid Society Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Program, Elayne Bennett, President and Founder, Best Friends Foundation, Laura Sessions Stepp, Senior Media Fellow at The National Campaign, and Kay Hymowitz, the Manhattan Institute.

• Twenty-somethings, such as author Amber Madison and Cassandra Debenedetto, Founder, Anscobe Society, Princeton University.

We do hope that--in some modest way--these essays will be both thought-provoking and will help foster a national discussions about what personal responsibility means vis-a-vis pregnancy planning and family formation.

We also hope that you will take the opportunity to tell us what you think about the essays--don't worry, there's something in there for everyone to hate--or to simply tell us what you think about personal responsibility. Don't be shy, we really do want to hear from you.

Over the weekend I was able to catch the national tour of the eight-time Tony Award winning production, Spring Awakening, based on a German play written over 100 years ago by Frank Wedekind.

Before I got tickets, the only thing I really knew about this musical was that Duncan Sheik, arguably most famous for his '90s hit, Barely Breathing, composed the music. Given where I work, I'm surprised I didn't realize earlier that among the show's primary themes--which are depicted with graphic scenes and explicit language--are teen sexuality, sex, and pregnancy.

Sheik brought a modern twist to the production through its pop music, but the "mature" themes were there from the beginning. That's right. In the 1890's, adolescents were curious about, and exploring, their sexuality. These days (some) teens express that side of themselves using cell phones. Back then, apparently, they were passing handwritten and hand drawn notes to explain sex to one another and to plan forbidden rendezvous.

Another central theme of Spring Awakening is parent-child communication (or lack thereof). Realizing that this is still something we still struggle with today--especially when it comes to sex--the producers of the musical created a parent's portal so that adults could decide whether it's appropriate for them to bring their children to the show. The site has letters from parents and video testimonials from both parents and teens who have watched the show together. They state repeatedly what a great opportunity this show provided for them to talk about sex. I wish they had provided discussion guides to help out even more with those conversations, as we do for a number of TV shows about teens and sex, but at least they're trying to encourage dialogue. 

So if this show is passing through your town soon, grab a ticket and take your teen. It's understandable if some of the scenes make you uncomfortable, especially if you're there with your child. So sit across the theater from each other if you must. Just be sure to talk about what you saw after it's over.