by Heather Webb

Created on: June 11, 2009

Throughout generations, teens have had sex. To not acknowledge that is to live under a rock. It happened. However, recent teen sex trends throw up some red flags.

Unlike the past, there is an ever-increasing trend to under-emphasis the importance of emotions involved in sex. Teens are encouraged by their peers to do more - the more the better.

A new trend is the rainbow parties, as discussed in Ariel Levy's book Female Chauvinist Pigs, where one lucky male classmate or friend is chosen to come over to one of the girls' house. The host invites all her friends to come over and the girls put on different colors of lipstick. At the end of the night, whichever girl's color of the rainbow is not on the boy's penis is ostracized because she was not willing to conform to the sex game. These kids can be as young as 12.

Oral sex is seen as the safe alternative to sex, though, thanks to the abstinence-only teaching, teens are not educated to know the repercussions of oral sex. Though one cannot become pregnant through oral sex, sexually transmitted diseases are still a threat.

Another huge drawback to the teen sex trends is the lack of birth control usage. The younger the teens engage in sex, the less likely they are to not use protection. Even if they use protection, there is a great chance they are using it incorrectly. The failure rate of birth control is mostly due to personal errors. While teens are being encouraged to have sexual relations, they are not knowledgeable enough in the repercussions and protection methods.

The boys pressure the girls, which is nothing new, but now the girls pressure the girls. The virgin in a group of experienced girls will be looked down upon. She is seen as immature and inexperienced, while they feel like women. But teens feeling like women can be dangerous.

While there is so much pressure to have sex, they are told to go into these relationships with the no strings attached mentality. Teens are generally not mentally and emotionally ready for sex. You get emotionally attached. You are baring a very personal part of yourself to someone else. That is hard to deal with, especially when you are not ready.

Teens have always had sex, but teens now have to deal with their peers, along with their own sexual desires, hormones and boyfriends/girlfriends. While the whole world may be showing them that they are ready for sex, teens need to wait until they are ready on all levels.

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