As adults, we all look back and feel a bit sad about teens of 17 feeling they are very late to have sex, don't we. We look back at the numbers where it wasn't really consensual or pressure was applied and feel sad. And that's before we even get to those who were abused as children and teens and groomed.
I just feel sad, that whilst many have happy memories and feeling s about their first time, so many look back with sadness on it. I hope there are less who feel like that in the current teen generation, but I fear teens will always feel they need to do everything quicker than they are really ready to, and be subject to peer pressure in a way that older people can avoid better.
Some of these remind me of the bit in Nick Hornbys 'Hifideltiy' where the character talks of his teen self applying pressure and a level of force to his teenage girlfriends or have sex, that a grown woman would have been outraged and horrified by. But somehow, teen girls always seem to just expect teen boys to push for sex and that a bit of coercion or even force is par for the course and normal.
I don't suppose first sex is ever really brilliant sex and that often the relationships don't last lomg beyond it, but it would be nice to think the people cared about each other and respected each other.
I agree with a precious poster, that even if you later decide that sex outside of a relationship is great, it usually isn't the best first experience.
Teen boys can be shits, but even more worrying are the older teens and 20s who prey on the early and mid teens for sex.