by William Santagata

Created on: May 28, 2008

The debate under consideration is entitled "Should you wait until marriage for sex?" This is an open-ended question and depends solely on each individual making this important decision. Neither "yes" nor "no" is a correct answer. There is nothing wrong with waiting until marriage before becoming sexually active, and there is nothing wrong with not waiting (provided that one adheres to certain principles which I will explain in a moment). Rather, the question should be worded "Should teens be pressured or taught to wait until marriage for sex?", and I will write this article using this as a basis for my argument.

Provided that the unmarried couple is monogamous and free from any sexually-transmitted diseases, no health risks will arise that would not arise in a monogamous marriage. A marriage certificate does not ward off HIV, herpes, or other STDs, so provided that the teen couple is honest with each other, neither partner cheats on the other, and both enter the relationship with a clean slate health-wise, no difficulties will emerge that would not arise if the couple were married. Should an unplanned pregnancy occur, marriage in and of itself will not make the situation any better. Some argue that marriage provides stability for child rearing, however in reality it is loving, knowledgeable parents and a comfortable, steady income that are truly the stabilizing factors. The answer to the question should be "No: teens should not have to wait until marriage before having sex, but they should wait until they are financially and emotionally secure to deal with the consequences of an unplanned pregnancy should the situation occur." In many regions (including all of the United States), abortion is an option, but may understandably go against the morals of the expectant mother, who ultimately has the last say.

In the United States, marriage as recognized by the government has no sanctimonious or religious meaning. Rather, it is solely a form of recognized sexual relationship that grants certain legal rights to couples to make their lives easier (for example, being able to jointly file tax returns, hospital visitation rights, medical decision rights, adoption rights, and others). It is perfectly possible for two people of any age to form a committed and safe sexual relationship without these extra legal benefits. However, many people also view marriage as a religious institution that mandates it be the only form of relationship in which sexual activity is acceptable.

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