Dear donnaindia,

Yes, it can! Being mean can be a form of emotional abuse. Some teens may be emotionally abusing people and not be aware of what they are doing or why they are doing it. Sometimes, teens may be aware of it and not know how to stop. If you feel that you are being emotionally abusive to your boyfriend, check the article "Are You Abusive in Your Relationships?" to find out how you can take steps to make your relationship healthier.

Many people agree that there are six basic qualities to healthy, loving relationships:

• respect
• trust
• honesty
• fairness
• equality
• good communication

Some teens find it helpful to evaluate their current relationship to see if they share these qualities with their partners. You may want to ask yourself, "Does my partner respect me? Do I respect him? Do I trust him? Is always he honest with me? Am I always honest with him? Do we treat each other fairly and equally?"

Many teens involved in relationships find it helpful to ask their partner these sorts of questions, too.

If people choose to trim their body hair, the amount they decide to remove is up to them.

Hope this information helps!

Take care,

teenwire.com^® Editors

This column is for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have a medical problem, please call toll-free 1-800-230-PLAN for an appointment with the Planned Parenthood health center nearest you.