Sex has become a commodity traded by our teens for affection and acceptance. In a world where the importance of physical expression is disproportionate to the importance of our mental and emotional health, sexual “freedom” is out of control and has now become more of a bondage to a generation who feels like they must give sex to get value.
Peer pressure is the driving force behind the choices of young people. Inside every boy and girl is a battle between being themselves and being who others want them to be. Sexual relationships have become a device for acceptance. Because sex is now the norm, to feel “normal,” teenagers feel the pressure to have sex. Males and females experience this pressure in different ways. Teenage boys who are not sexually experienced are often treated as if something were wrong with them. To counteract being left out, they feel the need to prove themselves to their peers through sexual conquests. In contrast, a teenage girl gives sex to obtain acceptance from her partner. Sadly, young girls will often concede sex in order to keep their partner happy. The most unfortunate part of this situation is that males will often use this to coerce their partner to give in.
This seems like a larger problem than simply a condom can cover. Unfortunately, many people have decided that the only issue is how to keep their kids from becoming pregnant and from obtaining STD’s. It seems as though many parents and health educators have given up on this generation. They argue, “You can’t stop them from having sex, so all you can do is provide protection.” What kind of a mindset is this? What are we aiming for? Do we want kids that have promiscuous sex but at least use a condom? Why set the bar low? We need to aim for what is wholly healthy and help this generation rise up to a level of emotional and relational maturity.
If we were able to help students understand the complexity of sexuality, the emotional and personal ramifications of...