The Importance Of Knowing Your Genotype

Genotype is the genetic makeup of an individual with reference to a trait or multiple traits. They are the collection of genes passed from parents to the children.

There are four genotypes in humans - AA, AS, SS and AC. AC genotype is not so common and popular unlike the other three. SS and AC are the abnormal genotypes or the sickle cells. The knowledge of genotype is important when choosing life partners. Intending couples should know both their own genotype as well as their partner's genotype at the early stage of their relationship before they are well rooted in love and emotions. Emotions and time spent in the relationship can cloud people’s judgment or decision to break up if they are not compatible, thus, giving birth to sickle cell children and subjecting themselves and their children to pain, torture and agony.

Possible Outcomes of Different Genetic Combination

AA + AA = AA, AA, AA, AA
AA + AS = AA, AS, AA, AS 
AA + SS = AS, AS, AS, AS
AA + AC = AA, AA, AA, AC
AS + AS = AA, AS, AS, SS
AS + SS = AS, SS, SS, SS
AS + AC = AA,  AC, AS,SS
SS + SS = SS, SS, SS, SS
AC + SS = AS, AS, SS, SS
AC + AC = AA, AC, AC, SS

People with the genotype AA are prone to malaria sickness at their early ages. Sickle cell arises when there is any blockage in the blood vessels which inhibits the flow of oxygen. When the red blood cell do not have the required oxygen, there will be changes in its original shape (disc shape) to a "Sickle-like" or "crescent-like shape", Thus, the name "sickle cell". Sickle cell patients experience severe pains in body parts that lack oxygen flow. Their bone marrows will fail to produce red blood cells and this result to anemia. To save this crisis, blood is usually transfused to them.

In terms of compatibility, someone with AA genotype can marry anybody. It is safe for someone with AS to marry someone with AA genotype. The combinations of AS and AS, AS and AC should not be risked. There is probability of having a SS. Although. Two sickle cells should not even have a relationship or get married. Individuals with the AA genotype should help you prevent genetic abnormalities by marrying the AS, AC and SS.  By this, we are hopeful to eradicate sickle cells in the world.

Sex: Learning Without Doing

When I was a little kid-6, 7, probably even 8 years old-sex was a mystery. I was a child with a big imagination and I used to think that a girl could get pregnant after kissing a boy.

Later, when I was 9, 10 and 11, I was enlightened by my friends, who told me sex was allowing a boy to stick his penis into your vagina.

Of course, with this information came the school rumors of little boys and girls having sex in the bushes, in the classroom, behind the building and wherever else they could think of.

Even though we thought sex was nasty and were obviously embarrassed by it (we made up a bunch of other names for it like "dogu dogu"), we also found it mysterious and interesting. We assumed it was one of the things adults did for fun, like kissing and drinking beer, but we wanted to know more.

I Wanted to Know More

I was living in Jamaica back then and, because of the grade I was in, I didn't get any sex education. The only grown-up person who used to talk to me about sex was my grandmother's stepdaughter. She would tell my cousin and me not to have sex and she would give us a little information about menstruation, but not enough to be much help.

When I had just turned 13, I came to New York to live with my grandmother. During my first two years here, she talked to me about boys and sex no more than two or three times. What she had to say was either confusing or negative, so I didn't gain much from our discussions.

What she was clear about was that I couldn't go to parties, date or have boyfriends. She explained that if I did those things, something could happen to me that I might later regret.

Body Image and Self Esteem

Does any of this sound familiar? "I'm too tall." "I'm too short." "I'm too skinny." "If only I were shorter/taller/had curly hair/straight hair/a smaller nose/longer legs, I'd be happy."
Are you putting yourself down? If so, you're not alone. As a teen, you're going through lots of changes in your body. And, as your body changes, so does your image of yourself. It's not always easy to like every part of your looks, but when you get stuck on the negatives it can really bring down your self-esteem.