So a UTexas sociologist has been looking into teenage sex, particularly correlations with religious background. His research indicates that girls from evangelical Christian denominations are least likely to expect sex to be pleasurable, most likely to believe their partners will lose respect for them, and have the largest proportion (74%) to profess a belief in abstinence until marriage. You'd think that would imply they would be the girls least likely to have sex and possibly wind up pregnant. You'd be wrong. White evangelical youths are busier than Mormons, mainline protestants, and Jews. The only group with a lower "sexual debut" age (THAT's a creepy term!) are black protestants. (The article doesn't mention us Catholics. Maybe they're deferring to Frank Zappa, but I can't say for sure.) Naturally, the highest rates of teen pregnancy, teen STDs, divorce, lowest rate of contraceptive use, and youngest average age at marriage dovetail strongly--and the "leading" states are "red".

The bit that bugs me the most is the pleasure and respect issue. Iif you don't think you'll enjoy it, then why do it? So what if he dumps you? If you give it up and he loses respect for you, that's going to happen anyways. It's a lose-lose decision?

The bit that really frosts my ass is the willful deception going on in that community. "Condoms won't protect you and won't stop a pregnancy." A lot of them really do tell their kids that!

Tags: peoplearestillhavingsex