By Rachael Perez
We have been normalizing teen sex too much. Teens think having sex at such a young age is something to be proud of and show it off without knowing the actual dangers of it. They most likely don't take into account the consequences sex can have at such a young age. These consequences can alter a teen's physical and mental development. In my opinion, I don't think teens should be having sex at such a young age. They're not fully aware of the dangers of teen sex.
To start, sexual intercourse can alter a teenager's physical development. Studies show that women are not fully developed until 16-18, with men not fully developed until their twenties. While someone is still growing, there is a potential risk of having setbacks due to the dangers of pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, mental setbacks, etc. Teenagers most likely do not take into consideration the practice of safe sex, given that they are most likely not getting the correct sexual education. Teen pregnancy can affect a person's body if they don't receive the proper health care. Being pregnant can also affect how a young woman lives in the long run, such as their social or work life. If pregnancy takes such a huge toll on an adult woman, imagine a teenager. Their immune system can also be disrupted and potentially even altered if they don't care for themselves correctly.
To add to the fact that sexual intercourse could alter their physical development, their health could be significantly impacted. The most common way sex could disrupt a teenager's health is STDs—some of the most widespread diseases being HPV, chlamydia, and gonorrhea. HPV is the cause of many cancers, primarily genital cancers. If people aren't given the correct health care for these cancers, they can be fatal. Teens don't understand how unsafe sex can affect their lives not only in that moment but in the long run.
Not only can sex at such a young age disrupt development physically, but also mentally. Someone's mental development is one of the most important things about a person. Cognitive development can alter the way someone makes decisions in life. Having sex at such a young age can open the door to having all kinds of mental health issues. One of those is having low self-esteem. Teen sex can impact self-esteem and the way one sees themselves a great deal. Their mental health can ultimately change the way they see themselves and lead to being self-conscious, feeling the only way they can be “seen” is by having sex or even feeling guilty. Teens are so open about having sexual relations, which can lead to a lot of criticism. These factors can lead to someone being self-conscious, sometimes even feeling guilty if they receive backlash for their actions. Comparison can also be rooted in the negativity of having such intimate relations with someone. These can all take a toll on a person. The after-effects of sex, such as unwanted pregnancy and STDs, can also leave a dent in someone's mental health because it's not something they can get rid of.
I think there should be more programs to instill the dangers of teen sex. There should be more sex education classes available on the long-term effects of sexual intercourse and how to practice safe sex. Along with having more courses on teaching the practice of safe sex, there should be more education on the mental health effects sex has on a person's mind, and people should establish that no one has to do things to their body just to be “cooler” or viewed differently.
Teenagers should be more aware of how badly sex affects somebody. We know teens have sex; it's not some strange concept that we should tip-toe around. It's out there, and it's not considered how common it is among teenagers. Instead of ignoring this problem, we should be educating.