I was seventeen, in love with a sexy guy in my grade who I’d known for years. He treated me well and we had a lot of fun together. After dating for six months, we decided we were ready to have sex, if we could do it safely.

This was not something I could talk to my parents about; they had made it clear they believed I should wait until after graduation to lose my virginity. So my boyfriend and I went to the Planned Parenthood in the next town over, made up a fake name, and I was able to pay for birth control pills on a sliding scale.

The nurse practitioner was easy to talk to and made me feel safe. It was a wonderful introduction to sexual health. Now, I am a happy and healthy 29-year-old who has never been pregnant (by my choice). All girls deserve the services I was able to access when I couldn’t pay for them at my regular doctor.