700 Word Draft: Let's talk about S.E.X."

We see it everywhere, on every episode of One Tree Hill, Jersey Shore, and Gossip Girl. We've heard about it, talked about, and younger and younger kids are doing it. Yes, let's talk about sex. It's a tiring topic, especially one to have with kids when they ask about it, and of course, even if they don't. With the internet, TV, music, and TV constantly adapting and getting more and more accessible (and sexual) it isn’t hard to blame it all for the recent boom in young kids getting involved with sex. Even then, is it the media pushing this sexual revolution in young teens? We have to ask ourselves key questions if we want to stop this epidemic: What is the cause? Why is it happening? And how do we stop and prevent it? There have been a number of suggestions that have been debated for decades. In the seventies, some said that health education courses in schools were the answer; now that we’ve got those, some say we need better ones. Some answer the problem with religion and spiritual practices. Some say parents need to monitor the media impact on kids, blocks on the internet and TV for example. And finally, some say we can’t stop kids from having sex, they say it’s inevitable. Those say we need to make getting the proper precautions easier and more available, giving out condoms in schools and introducing contraceptives. All of these theories can be properly tested and could work, depending on several factors. But, what most don’t realize is that this problem really hits home-literally. The problem can be solved with that one word: Home. Talking is the best way to educate kids about the precautions, the emotional factors, and the consequences of having sex at such a young age, or, for that matter, having sex in general. Having a good home life, good relationships, and good understanding of the emotions of a teenager are all the key elements of sexuality especially in the developing minds of teens. Showing care for kids, showing parental guidance, and talking extensively with kids about sex is the answer to preventing such young kids having intercourse.
To understand the problem, we have to dissect the cause. Breaking it down, we have to eliminate the double standard aspect that so often gets in the way when talking about sex. Let’s zoom in on both boy and girl separately. First, what are some causes that could explain why young girls are getting involved with sex so early? “Pathway to Early Coital Debut” introduces this great statistic on the matter, saying, “…a study of 13-year-old Canadian girls (Brendgen, Wanner, & Vitaro, 2007) found a negative relationship between self-esteem and sexual intercourse, such that low self-esteem increased the chances that a girl would engage in her first intercourse experience by age 13” (Impett 15).
She also introduces another very startling statistic that goes even farther than just the United States:
“Another important indicator of mental health, especially during a time when most adolescent girls are undergoing puberty and its ensuing bodily changes, is a girl’s satisfaction with her developing body (Tolman, Impett, Tracy, & Michael, 2004). Research has shown that body dissatisfaction is associated with early coital debut. For Norwegian 10th grade girls 15 to 16 years old, negative feelings about one’s body were associated with earlier ages of engaging in first sexual intercourse (Valle et al., 2009)” (Impett 15).
It’s a sad truth, but, many girls (and grown women for that matter) rely on sex when they don’t have a proper satisfaction with themselves. This can be prevented; a good home and good relationships settle the problem of too low of self-esteem of a young girl. Every girl goes through this, but with a good talk with parents, support, and constant verbal connections with family can help this not be a problem. Talking with girls about their appearance, their insecurities is the best therapy.
Now, let’s put the spotlight on boys. Osborne says in her own paper on “Boys and Family Education” that talking is also a great solution when it comes to boys, especially about sex. Too many times having sex is relating to being a better man in their peers’ eyes, talking to a parent could be a great way to open further understanding on the matter.
  “Boys are inclined to think that sex is love and love is sex. The parts of our culture obvious to young people do little to disabuse them of this impression. They need to learn that sex can express hostility as well as love; that sex is only one of many avenues for the expression of love; and that often the most mature expressions of love are not sexual” (Osborne 51).