Christopher Pepper
(He/Him)
As seen in:
Teen Health Today,
The New York Times,
Greater Good: The Science of The Meaningful Life,
Building Boys Bulletin,
Provoked Newsletter,
Sex and the State,
Sparkle on Substack,
Substack,
W. Kamau Bell asks, “Who’s with Me?,
YourTango,
San Francisco Chronicle
and
Covers:
Health, Education, Sex Ed, Boys, Masculinity, Gender, Substance Use, Healthy Relationships, Teenagers, Mental Health, Consent, Sexual Assault, Sexual Harassment, LGBTQ inclusion
Award-winning health educator, speaker, and writer.
⬩Book in process: "TALK TO YOUR BOYS" (@WorkmanPub 2025).
👉 FREE Newsletter: teenhealthtoday.com
Articles by Christopher Pepper
How Can We Raise Boys Who Care About Consent?
Teen Health Today is an independent, ad-free publication supported by readers like you. Join the 7,000+ subscribers who get every issue delivered to their inbox. Hi Readers - I hope you are having a great week! Here’s an Instagram reel pulled from a terrific conversation I had recently with Virginia Sole-Smith on the Burnt Toast podcast. I’m hoping this teaser makes you want to check out this whole conversation, which is linked below.
What Does It Mean To Be Intersex?
I did not know this photo was being taken! Geese @ Fox Theater, Oakland CA, October 20, 2026. Photo by Alex Momtchiloff. Hi Friends! I hope you are doing well. Outside of school, where I’m currently teaching about substance use, I’ve been cheering on the Golden State Valkeries in the WNBA Finals, seeing a few concerts (Heavens To Betsy, Geese, and Phoebe Bridgers), and getting ready to perform with Conspiracy of Beards at the upcoming Leonard Cohen Festival.
Here’s What Happened When The Student Newspaper Wrote About My Health Class
Hi readers! I hope you are doing well. I’m sharing a story today from The Talon, the student newspaper at Los Altos High School, where I work. One of its terrific reporters, Valerie Zhou, interviewed me and ther other other two health teachers about our program and how we ended up in this work. It’s reprinted here in full with permission. Big love, Christopher Teen Health Today is an independent, ad-free publication supported by readers like you.
How To Talk To Teens About Sex And Consent
Hi Readers, I hope you are doing ok this week. As you might know, I started a new job in August - I’m teaching high school health education full time. I LOVE it, and I am also often EXHAUSTED (if I owe you an email, I’m sorry!) This class is only one semester long, so to make it work, we teachers need to plan thoughtfully and keep up a brisk pace. Since school started, in addition to a lot of community building, we have covered sleep, nutrition, and mental health.
VIDEO: W. Kamau Bell & Christopher Pepper (co-author of TALK TO YOUR BOYS)
Hi Readers, Thanks to everyone who was able to join my recent conversation with W. Kamau Bell live. Here’s the full recording if you want to watch or share it. This video is also posted on W. Kamau Bell asks, "Who's With Me?", where it paired with some insightful commentary about Saturday Night Live and Shane Gillis. Writing this newsletter is something I do in addition to my full-time job as public school teacher.
Yes, All Men!
Comedian Shane Gillis hosted Saturday Night Live for the third time this past Saturday. That is a remarkable achievement by any measure. The overwhelming majority of people who host SNL only get to do it once. When someone hosts SNL five times, the show celebrates them by declaring them a member of the Five Timers Club. In less than three years, Shane is more than halfway to joining the club.
CORNELL: Changing the Consent Conversation with Shafia Zaloom, Christopher Pepper and Kaamna Bhojwani
Thank you How to For Humans, Tara Dawn Hartley, Dominick Shattuck, PhD, Cheryl Nelson, and many others for tuning into my live video with Shafia Zaloom and Kaamna Bhojwani! Resources mentioned in the video: Shafia Zaloom’s website Channel Your Rage Into Action Against Rape - Effective actions we can take today from Christopher Pepper’s Teen Health Today newsletter The 5Ds Of Bystander Intervention Ever Forward Club Ashanti Branch’s organization Giving the Talk - Julia Feldman’s Instagram Safe...
Hi readers - this is a long post with lots of resources. If you’re reading in your email and it gets cut off, just click here to see the whole thing online. I was 19 the first time I spoke to a group of men about rape. I was addressing a group of fraternity members inside their frat house. It was 1994, and and I was a volunteer with the University of Missouri-Columbia’s rape education office, something I started doing after a high school friend told me about her own assault.
Some AMAZING Opportunities For Young People
Hi Readers! I’m Christopher Pepper, an award-winning health educator and the co-author of the bestselling book Talk To Your Boys. Recently I’ve heard about some amazing youth leadership opportunities that I wanted to share with you. Please check them out and pass along to the young people in your life. Feel free to share widely! Writing this newsletter is something I do in addition to my full-time job as public school teacher.
34 Remarkable Things That Happened After We Launched “Talk To Your Boys”
Hi readers! Today I am just filled with gratitude.
How To Love And Support Neurodivergent Learners
Hi readers! I’m so glad to be able to share this interview with Emily W. King, Ph.D. about her FANTASTIC new book The Neurodivergent Learner. The book is a caring, practical guide for parents and educators of neurodivergent children, packed with science-backed strategies and real-life stories King is a child psychologist, speaker, and parent educator who specializes in providing therapy and consultation services for children living with autism, anxiety, ADHD, and learning difficulties.
How Amaze.org Can Help You Talk To Teens About AI Nudes, Looksmaxing, And Loneliness
Hi readers! I hope August is treating you well. It’s a transition time for a lot of us who work in schools. I’m fully started in my new job, teaching high school full time for the first time in over a decade. It’s often exhausting, but I am absolutely LOVING it. I’ll be writing more about that soon, but today I wanted to shine a light on one of most useful and creative sites on the Internet, Amaze.org.
Let’s Rethink What Success in Sex Education Means
Hi readers! I’m excited to be able to share this opinion piece by epidemiologist April J. Bell, where she reflects on one of my favorite subjects - sexuality education in schools. I’d love to know what you think of her ideas - please share your thoughts in the comments! Big love, Christopher Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash By April J. Bell, The 74.
How To Connect With Teen Boys
Hi readers! I am busy with back-to-school trainings this week (I’m going to be teaching high school health education in a new school district), and I’ve been thinking deeply about how we connect with teenagers. I learned a lot while researching and writing Talk To Your Boys with Joanna Schroeder, and I’m always grateful to share some of that knowledge with new audiences.
How Did Cigarettes Come Back Like This?
Hi Readers! I’m Christopher Pepper, an award-winning health educator and the co-author of the bestselling book Talk To Your Boys. Almost every week, I send out Teen Health Today articles that are free for all to read - the most recent is “What Teens Say About Phones In Schools” In addition, I regularly curate collections of news stories and essays like the one you are reading right now. Think of me as your friend who keeps up with everything and sends you the most interesting stuff.
What Teens Say About Phones In Schools
Since the first iPhone was introduced in 2007, smartphones have become ubiquitous and have changed adolescence dramatically. One of the places this change has shown up most clearly is in schools, where phone use has become a major area of contention. Teachers complain about how distracting phones are and how much they interfere with learning, and news reports say that phones are making fights both more common and more vicious.
Fireworks, Watermelon, And Immigration Talk
Hi Friends, The United States is celebrating its 250th birthday this week. American readers, in addition to joining joyous “Take Me Home, Country Roads” sing-a-longs (which you should definitely do!), I would love to encourage you to think about the kind of country you want to live in, the values that are important to you, and how you’d like us to treat immigrants and refugees.
The Cast Of "This Is Us" Shares Our Parenting Advice
Hi Readers, Joanna Schroeder and I had a thrill this week when we heard actor Sterling K. Brown spreading the word about our book Talk To Your Boys on the “That Was Us” podcast with Mandy Moore and Chris Sullivan. There’s a clip avove, and here’s the full episode if you want to check it out. Like many people, Brown first learned about the book when Priya Parker recommended it on The Ezra Klein show.
Should Parents Be Tracking Their 18- to 25-Year-Old Kids On Their Smartphones?
Hi Readers! I’m Christopher Pepper, an award-winning health educator and the co-author of the bestselling book Talk To Your Boys. Almost every week, I send out Teen Health Today articles that are free for all to read - the most recent is “I’ve Worked At The Same Place For 24 Years. Today Is My Last Day.” In addition, I regularly curate collections of news stories and essays like the one you are reading right now.
I’ve Worked At The Same Place For 24 Years. Today Is My Last Day.
Hi Friends, I have some big personal news to share today, but before I get to that I wanted to tell you about a couple things: Don’t Forget About Dads: Father’s Day is coming up on Sunday, June 21, and I would love to encourage you to consider giving “Talk To Your Boys” to dads you know. Joanna Schroeder and I thought a lot about fathers as we were writing it, and it’s packed with tools that help adults connect better with tween and teen boys.
Pimples, Boobs, And Body Hair: On This Podcast, Teens Help Younger Kids Understand Puberty
Photo by saeed karimi on Unsplash Hi Friends, I’m excited to share a new podcast series with you today. It’s called Puberty! (The Podcast), and it’s produced by the team behind the wonderful show Brains On. I did a little behind-the-scenes work on the scripts, and I appear in “guest expert” mode giving some advice in Episode 4. The real stars, though, are the teen hosts who talk about their recent experiences with puberty. Their honest reflections and smart insights really make the show.
Caffeine Pouches And Teens: What You Need To Know.
Hi Readers! I’m Christopher Pepper, an award-winning health educator and the co-author of the bestselling book Talk To Your Boys. During the week, I send out Teen Health Today posts that are free for all to read - the most recent is Kratom? Synthetics? How To Talk To Teens About Drugs Today. I regularly send out curated collections of news stories and essays like the one you are reading right now. Think of me as your friend who keeps up with everything and sends you the most interesting stuff.
Kratom? Synthetics? How To Talk To Teens About Drugs Today
Hi Friends, I hope you’re having a good week! One of the most rewarding projects I’ve been involved with over the last few years is helping create TheNewDrugTalk.org, a site that provides “free, evidence-based resources to help families understand today’s drug risks—and have the conversations that matter.” Today, I’m sharing some brand new videos from The New Drug Talk that focus on some of the biggest emerging topics in teen substance use.
“I Spent Two Years Inside The Manosphere. Here’s What Most People Still Get Wrong.”
Hi Readers! I’m Christopher Pepper, an award-winning health educator and the co-author of the bestselling book Talk To Your Boys. I regularly out send curated collections of news stories and essays like the one you are reading right now. Think of me as your friend who keeps up with everything and sends you the most interesting stuff. The most recent is How To Get Teen Boys To Practice Kindness, Empathy, and Support.
How To Get Teenage Boys To Practice Kindness, Empathy, and Support
Hi Readers, I hope you’re doing well! I know people have big worries about what boys are seeing and doing online. That’s why I’m glad to be able to highlight an online community that’s doing things right. It’s called the NGM Alliance, and it is curated by the the incredible Canadian nonprofit organization Next Gen Men. NGM Alliance is an online Discord-based community created in 2020 to support boys and nonbinary youth through connection, mentorship, and positive peer relationships.
TV Moms - What Can They Teach Us?
Photo by Jametlene Reskp on Unsplash Hi Readers - Happy Mother’s Day to those of you who celebrate! I hope you have a restful and connected weekend. In honor of this special day, Greater Good Magazine asked me and a group of writers to reflect on their favorite current TV moms. My entry is below, but I encourage you to check out the full piece, which has entries on Bluey, Bridgerton, Hacks, The Pitt and more, including mini-essays from Courtney Martin and Kelly Rafferty.
How to Help Kids Navigate The Awkwardness Of Puberty
Hi Readers! I’m Christopher Pepper, an award-winning health educator and the co-author of the bestselling book Talk To Your Boys. During the week, I send out Teen Health Today posts that are free for all to read - the most recent isHow - And Why - To Talk To Teens About Fake Pills. On Sundays I send out curated collections of thought-provoking essays and news stories like the one you are reading right now.
How - And Why - To Talk To Teens About Fake Pills
Hi Readers - I’m inviting you to join me at some free events as part of National Fentanyl Awareness Day. These events offer a powerful way to understand today's drug landscape and take action to protect your community from fentanyl and fake prescription pills. I’ve also featured some excellent resources for families and teachers about this topic. Together, we can turn awareness into action. Big love, Christopher Overdose deaths are down from record highs—and that’s real progress worth acknowledging.
Five Things Everyone Should Hear About
Hi Friends, I hope you’re having a good week. I have been hearing about so many cool/interesting/smart events lately, and I’m glad to be able to share some of them with you here. Please take a minute to check them out, and if they aren’t right for you, feel free to pass them along to others you know. Big love, Christopher Wear jeans and join me for a live discussion about my book Talk To Your Boys. It’s part of the school’s Denim Day recognition.
Bigorexia, Betting, and Bros: Helping Boys Navigate Today’s World
Hi Readers, After supporting two high schoolers who joined Richard V Reeves in conversation onstage there in 2025, I was thrilled to be invited to be onstage myself as part of the 2026 Common Sense Media Summit on Kids and Families in San Francisco.
"I'm A 15-Year-Old Girl, And My Social Media Feed Is Full Of Vile Misogyny"
Hi Readers! I’m Christopher Pepper, an award-winning health educator and the co-author of the bestselling book Talk To Your Boys. I regularly out send curated collections of news stories and essays like the one you are reading right now. Think of me as your friend who keeps up with everything and sends you the most interesting stuff. If you are currently a free subscriber, please consider upgrading your Teen Health Today subscription.
Wait, Are Young People Actually Doing Better Than Previous Generations?
Hi Readers! I’m Christopher Pepper, an award-winning health educator and the co-author of the bestselling book Talk To Your Boys. I regularly out send curated collections of news stories and essays like the one you are reading right now. Think of me as your friend who keeps up with everything and sends you the most interesting stuff. If you are currently a free subscriber, please consider upgrading your Teen Health Today subscription.
Teens Are Sleeping Less Than Ever
Hi Readers! I’m Christopher Pepper, an award-winning health educator and the co-author of the bestselling book Talk To Your Boys. I regularly out send curated collections of news stories and essays like the one you are reading right now. Think of me as your friend who keeps up with everything and sends you the most interesting stuff. If you are currently a free subscriber, please consider upgrading your Teen Health Today subscription.
Is This Tech's Big Tobacco Moment?
Christopher Pepper and Jason Nagata @ Common Sense. Photo: Susie Kameny Hi Readers, I spend time this week at the Common Sense Summit on Kids and Families in San Francisco.
Hi Readers, I hope you are doing ok! This week I spent some time doing in-person sex ed lessons with high school boys, which is both funny and fascinating, as I explained in this essay for The American Institute of Boys and Men. At the same time, I started hearing a lot of reactions from people online who had watched the new Neflix documentary Louis Theroux: Inside the Manosphere.
You're Invited - Please Join Me Live!
Hi Friends, I know a lot of people are feeling the stress of the world right now, and I hope you are not getting too overwhelmed.
How To Talk About Clavicular, Looksmaxxing, And Loneliness
Hi Friends, I’m traveling home to Wisconsin for my father’s funeral this weekend (read my reflections his life here) but I wanted to share some quick Talk To Your Boys-related updates with you. I appreciate all of your kind words and support! Big love, Christopher Beth Greenfield of SheKnows interviewed me for this story about the suddenly famous influencer Clavicular, who is perhaps best known for encouraging boys to hit themselves in the face with a hammer to try to produce a stronger jawline.
"This Is Very, Very, Very Worrying,"
Hi Readers! I’m Christopher Pepper, an award-winning health educator and the co-author of the bestselling book Talk To Your Boys. I regularly out curated collections of news stories and essays like the one you are reading right now. Think of me as your friend who keeps up with everything and sends you the most interesting stuff. If you are currently a free subscriber, please consider upgrading your Teen Health Today subscription.
Fighting Sexism In Schools
Hi Readers! I’m Christopher Pepper, an award-winning health educator and the co-author of Talk To Your Boys. During the week, I send out Teen Health Today posts that are free for all to read - the most recent isON STRIKE! What I Learned While Our School Were Closed. On Sundays I send out curated collections of thought-provoking essays and news stories like the one you are reading right now. Think of me as your friend who keeps up with everything and sends you the most interesting stuff.
ON STRIKE! Here's What I Learned While Our School Were Closed
HI Friends! Teen Health Today is an independent, reader-supported publication that relies on the support of people like you. Please join the 6,300+ subscribers by signing up today. We’re all in this together! At the end of her recent post about finding joy, Anya Kamenetz asks “what’s bringing you joy right now?” For me, my answer is something unexpected: memories marching on a picket line with my coworkers.
Substance Use And Youth
Hi Readers! I’m Christopher Pepper, an award-winning health educator and the co-author of Talk To Your Boys. During the week, I send out Teen Health Today posts that are free for all to read - the most recent isMy Dad Just Died. He Would Want You To Gather. On Sundays I send out curated collections of thought-provoking essays and news stories like the one you are reading right now. Think of me as your friend who keeps up with everything and sends you the most interesting stuff.
My Dad Just Died. He Would Want You To Gather.
Hi Friends, Two big things happened in my life this week. Priya Parker, the author of the book “The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters” and the Group Life newsletter, was the guest on The Ezra Klein Show.
Some Teachers Stick With Paper And Pen To Keep AI Out Classrooms
Hi Readers! I’m Christopher Pepper, an award-winning health educator and the co-author of Talk To Your Boys. During the week, I send out Teen Health Today posts that are free for all to read - the most recent isW. Kamau Bell - The Teen Health Today Interview. On Sundays I send out curated collections of thought-provoking essays and news stories like the one you are reading right now. Think of me as your friend who keeps up with everything and sends you the most interesting stuff.
W. Kamau Bell - The Teen Health Today Interview
Hi Readers - I’m in Wisconsin this week helping take care of my father, whose health has taken a serious downturn. Solidarity and big love to everyone who has had to consider putting a parent into hospice. I’m not up to writing a new essay from his hospital room, so I’m resharing a great interview with one of my favorite comedians, W. Kamau Bell of W. Kamau Bell asks, "Who's With Me?" This originally ran in February 2024.
Let's Talk About Immigration
Hi Readers, When I got home from work yesterday, I caught this news report about kids in Minnesota being taken into custody by ICE, and then another story from the same school district that spelled out this detail: ”Masked agents apprehended 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos in his driveway on Tuesday as he returned home from school with his father,” Zena Stenvik, the Columbia Heights superintendent, said.
Why Is Nicotine Use Being Normalized?
Hi Readers! I’m Christopher Pepper, an award-winning health educator and the co-author of Talk To Your Boys. During the week, I send out Teen Health Today posts that are free for all to read - the most recent isEvery Middle School Needs A Health Class. On Sundays I send out curated collections of thought-provoking essays and news stories like the one you are reading right now. Think of me as your friend who keeps up with everything and sends you the most interesting stuff.
Hi Readers, Since 2002, I’ve been a health education teacher in San Francisco public schools. I don’t know if you’ve ever seen a well-planned, well-taught health class in action, but it is pretty amazing. We directly address some of adolescents’ biggest concerns: mental health, relationships, sexuality, social media, and substance use. Students learn skills they can use for the rest of their lives, and get help accessing services they might need to get through their teen years.
Michael Pollan Takes On The New Food Pyramid
Hi Readers! I’m Christopher Pepper, an award-winning health educator and the co-author of Talk To Your Boys. During the week, I send out Teen Health Today posts that are free for all to read - the most recent is How To Become A “Trusted Adult” For Teens. On Sundays I send out curated collections of thought-provoking essays and news stories like the one you are reading right now. Think of me as your friend who keeps up with everything and sends you the most interesting stuff.
Raising Teen Boys to Be Confident, Caring Men
I had the pleasure of spending 60 minutes with the authors of the USA Today bestselling book, Talk to Your Boys -Christopher Pepper + Joanna Schroeder! Their book rejects both the “boys will be boys” permissiveness AND the “toxic masculinity” framework. They propose a third (far more refreshing) path, which we explore in depth.
Raising Teens Today - A Roundtable Discussion
Had an amazing talk with Todd Kashdan, a professor and founder of the Well-Being Lab at George Mason University, and my Talk To Your Boys co-author Joanna Schroeder today. If you’re curious how our work applies to everyone - not just parents of boys - you’ll probably love this conversation. Amazingly, despite the seriousness of the topic, we laughed a lot throughout! Please enjoy and share!
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