Time for What’s Sexy Online III: Teen Sex Edition!
You might remember the slideshow from last week’s edition that discussed the different views toward teenage sex in Europe and the US. Now Time and Salon have caught on to how Dutch parent’s permissive views toward “romantic sleepovers” have led to dramatically fewer teen pregnancies and STDs in the Netherlands compared to the US. Both articles cite a study by Amy Schalet called Sex, Love, and Autonomy in the Teenage Sleepover. Not only is the Dutch approach safer than the typical American one because it doesn’t force teens to come up with furtive and possibly dangerous ways to bust their nuts, it’s much more sex-positive and promotes healthy sexual relationships with dedicated partners. We approve.
CNN also reported on a study that indicates that girls are more less likely than boys to engage in unprotected first sex– in the US, at least– and that African-Americans are much less likely to protect themselves during their first times than whites. The girls might not be entirely at fault:
[The presenter] said teenage girls are less likely than boys to want to have sex when it happens for the first time and may not do as good a job advocating for birth control.
Depressing. American parents might want to look to the Netherlands for advice.
PS: Don’t forget to register! There are lot of great SWGS classes available this year. I (Kieran) personally recommend SWGS/HART 346: Seminar on Love with the brilliant Marcia Brennan.