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The New Generation Sexual Revolution |
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While we can thank the 1960’s cultural shift towards sexual freedoms, the past ten years has done far more to welcome a new generation to thinking risky sex is normal. Sexual debut for teens is at an all-time youthful average age of 15. This means, more lifetime partners, more sexually transmitted infections, more teen pregnancies, and more emotional wreckage. The most easily transmitted STI’s are herpes, Chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis—often through oral sex (ask former President Clinton is this is “sex”). With over 19 million NEW STI cases each year (half in the 15-24 age group) and 750,000 teen pregnancies some would argue that perhaps this isn’t the healthiest approach to life. And this is at a time when we are striving to make important “healthy” lifestyle choices. As we approach the New Year, perhaps, a few critical thinkers will review important studies about teen depression, altered self-esteem and impaired ability to form healthy long-term relationships. When we sell youth the deal that you can be safe with a condom, we neglect to help them cope with a lifetime of issues latex will never protect.
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