Saturday, September 3, 2011

What Is The Right Age For Sex?

"Unless a person has thought about sex and found a place for it in his or her personal system of values and ethics, there is the risk of conflict, guilt, jealousy, and other negative feelings that may outweigh the benefits of sex". Says Dr June Reinisch in the book he Kinsey Institute's New Report on Sex. 

Adolescents may dislike the idea of restrictions of any kind but prudence demands that they prepare themselves for sexual initiation just as well as they prepare themselves for their future careers. And that demands thinking through, discipline and restrain. 

Chronological age alone cannot define readiness for sex. Sensitivity, maturity, mastery over life skills, emotional readiness, responsibility and ability to deal with the various consequences - both pleasurable and not so pleasurable, of sex are a must for leading a joyful and healthy sex life. 

Before becoming sexually active, a person should have accurate information about reproduction and contraception, STDs including HIV and how to prevent their spread. 


All this requires conscious learning during adolescence and access to a youth friendly health system. Another trap of chronological age dependent sexual activity is that, just like the young, the elderly too may be expected to refrain from it - an unjust and contentious expectation. 

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