to never, ever want my children to grow up when reading this kind of thing?

[emkana]

promiscuous teenagers

Words like "experimenting with sex in a guilt-free environment" are appropriate
for people in their twenties. They are just words when it comes to describing teenagers.

I completely disagree. There is nothing wrong with teenagers experimenting with sex as described in this article.

There is also a lot of language on this thread about girls doing it because they have low self-esteem. I don't know about that argument. Why focus on the girls?

Why are the girls doing it? It's obviously not to enjoy themselves!

Are you SURE?

14 is consistent with when puberty is. I also believe in the rights of the child to some extent and I don't see why on grounds of age like that you should be denied the right to have sex. Also 14 is the age in the Catholic Code of Canon law so it would make state and church law consistent for me too.

they might enjoy it at the time but I bet they feel a bit grubby afterwards.

"Nothing wrong with teenagers experimenting with sex". H'mmmmmm.

What about diseases linked with early age of first intercourse?

Is teenage pregnancy really a good thing? I know there is such a thing as damage limitation, but don't we want to see the teenage pg rate reduced?

The earlier people start to be sexually active, the greater the number of sexual partners they are likely to have in a lifetime, the greater chance there is of passing on infections.

if grown women occasionally do I'm sure teenagers would more often!

Teenage boy boasts about his sexual conquests shocker!

It's just that this one has a journalist hanging on his every word, and writing it up for a paper as if it were gospel truth.

And she certainly likes her assumptions and gross generalisations.

So you're 14 and it's your right to have sex. Some guy is badgering you into sleeping with him and you'd really rather not but you don't want to be labelled square. So you sleep with him. It was just a shag to him and he's chasing another prettier girl now.

HOW crap does that make you feel??? Do you really think it's about rights? The right to be left feeling used and rejected?? Because how many 14 yr olds are in loving supportive equal stable relationships??????????????

I think 14 is better than 16. I don't think many girls are put off at 14 anyway if they want sex and let's not forget what huge pleasure many many women get from sex even at age 14. I am sure a lot of use had orgasms at a much younger age than 14 anyway.

But I doubt there's much call in the UK for lowering the age of consent.

How do we know any of these girls weren't enjoying themselves or felt "grubby" afterwards Don't attribute you're own negative feelings about sex to them!

I think the emotional side for girls is neglected...can they emotionally cope with a relationship or are we saying sex is a mechanical physical act in which women/girls feel no emotional attachment?
This is not the case for most girls/women although the boys are probably not the slightest bit interested in any form of emotional bond and just want to get their end away.
I don't think girls should have sex till they are emotionally ready for the consequences, it is not just a physical act like sneezing!
And why does the Catgolic Church want 14 year old girls to have sex...isn't it a sin and only for procreation...so 15 year old mothers are a good thing? Can they cope emotionally with motherhood? And what of their chosen sexual partner, how likely is a teenage boy to hang around his pregant partner if a nice willing girl is just down the road "experimenting with sex in a guilt free environment"?!!!!
EH???!!!!
I agree that this article is citing a minority, but these journalists have to get their kicks somewhere I suppose. They were probably hoping THEY would get a blow job from these girls.

Xenia, the way you blithely describe a 14 yr old girl as a 'woman enjoying sex' makes me realise that it is pointless to argue this through with you.

A 14 yr old is a GIRL.

do you think 14 and 15 year old girls can't enjoyu having sex
WHAT??
whyever not?

Surely it depends on the emotional maturity of the 14 yr old

Reading these replies shows that teenagers are no different than they have ever been-there is the huge cross section as there is in life. I think it shows very low self esteem, an inability to have a satisfying close relationship and I feel very sorry for them(boys and girls)but I accept that others don't see it this way.

As I said winniethewino-we are all different-I would hate it! I don't think it is in the least liberating.

I also have to say that I don't have two standards-I am thrilled that my DSs are not into one night stands and want a deep and meaning full relationship. To me a meeting of minds is far more important.

Sorry should proof read for spellings.

It was my first answer to the post-not all teenagers are like the ones in the article. Adults attitude to sex varies tremendously and teenagers are no different. The best thing to do is bring up your DCs to be strong enough to be individual and not feel they have to follow peer pressure.
It is human nature to have different attitudes, the only difference today is that it is easy to access porn on the internet, and teenagers may think that what they see is the norm. (it may be the norm to some but very abnormal to others).

I said many women enjoy sex. I know teenage girls can enjoy sex hugely too. not all will be emotionally ready for it (but nor are all adults! biggest category of increase in STDs at the moment is 40 and 50 years olds like me - the youngests are better at using protection). Perhaps we need to be less patronising sometimes and learn from younger people.

Anyway I think age 14 is a more pragmatic and better age for consent.

Age of consent is 13 for girls in Argentina and 14 in North Carolina. In Catholic canon law is it 14 for girls and 16 for boys although each country can set its own rules so in the UK it's 16 in common with civil law.

These liberated women of 13 you speak of don't need the law to protect them in the even of preying paedophiles.

The more average 14 yr old benefits from having the age of consent at 16.

The age of consent being at 16 doesn't prevent a 14 yr old having sex, but it does offer some protection to the vulnerable.