pre-marital sex
...en toss to the side. Any girl not having sex is considered to be boring and too conservative. This idea leads young girls to believe if they don’t engage in sex with their boyfriend, he will leave her for someone that will. The sad truth is that in many cases, it’s probably true. Some young men view sex as a requirement of a relationship. The ridicule they could face from their friends is more important than the well being of the young woman. Often times, young men who pressure girls into having sex aren’t ready for sex themselves. In order to feel like a real man, they believe sex should be a regular occurrence in their lives. Teenagers have disillusionments about love that lead to bad decisions regarding sex. Young adults believe if they are in love it’s okay to have sex. The main concern with this idea is that teenagers have trouble discerning what love truly is. Without the experience of mature relationships, young people tend to feel like every relationship they are involved in is meant to be. The thrill of mutual attraction and chemistry leads to lust, not love. Without the knowledge and experience of the difference of the two, hasty decisions can be made. Lust is the desire and need to have something at that very second. Love is patient and understanding. Love can outlast any unfulfilled desire in the long run. Teenagers are too impatient and want instant gratification. They have difficulty discerning whether the relationship they are in is a long-term commitment. A first love always feels indestructible. With the idea that they will get married and live happily ever after, most don’t see the point in waiting to have sex. In a matter of a few months, couples talk about long-term issues such as marriage and children. It only seems logical to them that with such a level of commitment, sex should be involved. The problem with this expectation is that nearly all relationships that begin this way don’t end up in marriage. Once the couples truly get to know each other, the excitement of a new thing wears off and reality sets in. The reality of the consequences of sex is something most teenagers feel invincible to. They convince themselves that nothing bad could come from them having sex. They believe teenage pregnancy is something that happens at another high school. AIDS is something that happens in other states to gay men. They believe any disease they could possibly catch is easily treatable with antibiotics. This cynicism is extremely detrimental. Often a slap in the face such as getting pregnant or catching a disease is the only thing that changes their mind. Understanding the causes of premarital sex is the first step in solving the problem. Taking a new approach to sexual education by focusing on self-esteem and self-worth could be just what teenagers need. Also, by putting the focus on parents to teach their children the values of sex allows an open relationship to develop between the parents and their child. With a lot of work and love for the youth of our communities, sexual promiscuity can be lessened. The environment in which a person is raised has a tremendous effect on their willingness to have sex before marriage. The absence of a father plays a key role. When a child doesn’t have an adult male in their life to look up to, their view of the male sex is distorted. For young girls, relationships with their fathers are how they learn to communicate and view men. The...