The Huffington Post has been running a series of articles by teens, about sex. So far, all of the stories in the series, called “Teen Sex: It’s Complicated,” cover the two topics that you’d expect them to – virginity and loss of virginity – but each perspective is markedly different, nuanced, and far more thoughtful than the media usually gives teenagers credit for.
Rather than making a sweeping statement about Teenagers And Sex Today, we’re going to let the authors speak for themselves:
“I don’t even feel comfortable talking to my doctor about it because she’s known my family for so long and thinks I’m sweet and perfect. I wouldn’t want her opinion of me to change.” – Paige, 17
“ No matter how much he reassured me, I had a subtle fear my boyfriend would stop loving me. I also expected a monumental change in myself after sex. But afterward, I felt the same. I still loved him, he still loved me (to the teenage extent of love), and I felt okay with myself.” – Elise, 16
“Don’t have sex in the back of a car. Just. Don’t. Trust me.” – Michaela, 18
“ I do wear a purity ring, but I never really know if I’m going to keep that promise. The consequences of premarital sex do worry me. I do, however, enjoy the thought of sharing a special moment of intimacy with someone that you do love.” – Jazmine, 17
“I realized I wasn’t ready to have sex and it was not the ideal situation (being on a futon didn’t help). But, in my perpetually practical and mature manner, I’ve dealt with it.” – Anna, 19
“I’m not some Puritan who wants to clap people in irons for the crime of premarital fornication and furrow my brow at “sinners.” I think everyone has the right to make their own choices concerning sex and I’m glad they respect my decision, even if they don’t agree with it.” – Grayson, 19
We encourage you to give each of these articles a read. We’re looking forward to the rest of the series.
If you want to hear more honest, unembellished stories about sex, check out SexIsBack.com, our new video campaign that features people telling us about their sex lives on camera.
For a truly hilarious-in-retrospect loss of virginity story, we present Maria Falzone on her first time.
