Abstinence and Protection Equal Sex Awareness

by Danielle Meyers

Sex is used to sell everything from clothes to food, shampoo to cars. Movies, television sitcoms, and even newscasters know that a sexy story will guarantee ratings and grab an audience. Television shows with stars representing teenagers are having sex in their teenage years.

What is so strange is that this constant flow of images and stories runs contrary to what teens are taught in school: abstinence, HIV/AIDS, teen pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases - the consequences of unprotected sex. Health experts are fighting an uphill battle against a culture that barrages us constantly with sexy images. A lot of studies seem to show that teens today are having sex at a much younger age than ever before, and that more teens are engaging in sexual activity. Additionally, research shows that teens' sexual activity tends to be "performed" for unromantic reasons.

We have all heard stories about girls being told that they are loved, so that boys can get what they want sexually. We have also heard stories about aggressive girls who shame boys into doing things to prove their masculinity. In trying to create awareness about sex and positive relationships, experts sometimes end up scaring other teens about engaging in sex of any kind for fear that they might get a sexually transmitted disease. Is this necessarily a good strategy? Will sex with proper precautions help to reinvent romance? Will this sex education prove to be effective, or will it be so unbelieveable because it is so contradictory to what is going on in real life, that kids won't pay any attention? These questions may be difficult to answer right now. Just for the record, in hopes that one teen can benefit, here are some facts.

Recently, I spoke with Tom Mahoney, Director of HIV/STD Information and Services and Dr. Marcie Schneider, the Medical Director of Adolescent Programs at Greenwich Hospital. Both Dr. Schneider and Mr. Mahoney gave TEENSPEAK some advice that might be helpful for all teenagers. First of all, the best way to protect yourself is to practice abstinence. However, it is unrealistic to believe that you can stop all teens from having sex. What you can try to do is help teens learn to say no, and to teach them that sexual acts of any kind aren't safe unless they are done with precautions. Teens need to know the risks of their actions, and where they can turn when they do end up in trouble.