Sex and Adolescents

Teenagers, your first thoughts are typically immoral, rebellious, wild, and promiscuous. The way in which older generations evaluate the younger generations is that they always appear to be getting worse. Is this truly the case or are teenagers being misjudged today? When it comes to sexual behaviors amongst teens of today it is certainly a false statement. Especially, when compared to the teens of the eighties, who are most likely their parents. Do these changes appear to be caused by improved values and morals, a better attachment with their parents, or a stronger tone placed on sexual education?

It has been nearly thirty years since I began high school and the news of HIV was everywhere. There were many false threats as to how HIV was contracted some of the ones I remember were through saliva, toilet seats, even the sharing of lipstick. These fears paralyzed teenagers including myself however; it did not stop teens from engaging in sexual behaviors. Following the seventies which had the attitude of peace, love, and happiness the eighties were much more rebellious against parents and authority. Teenagers of the eighties, like me, who lived in large cities (such as I, who was raised in Philadelphia) wanted to be risk takers and experience parties, alcohol, and of course engage in sexual behaviors. Overall, 43% of teens participated in some form of sexual touch, oral sex, as well as masturbation. The average age for a teenager in the eighties to experience intercourse was 16 and some even began shortly after puberty (PubMed, 1989). The attitudes of teenagers on sex were whatever you do just do not get caught. We truly did not believe that STD’s were something that we had to personally worry about. The uses of contraceptives w...

... middle of paper ...

...ducation must be taught in the schools as well as in the home.

Resource:

Bostrom, M. (2001, December). The 21st Century Teen. Public Perception and Teen Reality , 1-39.

Bukatlo, D. (2008). Child and Adolescent Development: A chronological approach, 1st edition. Mason: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.

Helge, D., (1989) Needs of Rural Schools Regarding HIV Education; Bellington, WA. 19pp

National Education Association, Washington, DC, Commission on Professional Rights and Responsibilities. 1970 33 pp (ED042255)

PubMed, (1989) Retrieved on January 25, 2011 from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12143748

Singer, Alan. (1994) Why Schools Should Make Condoms Available to Teenagers; Educational Leadership, v52 n2 p78-79

U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Educational Statistics. (2009). Digest of Education Statistics, 2008 (NCES 2009-020), Table 188