Let's Talk About Sex

Abstract

In the past sex was usually saved until marriage. This meant that talking about sex was taboo and there were not many unplanned pregnancies outside of marriage. Well, times have changed and people are having sex at a younger age, but usually this is without education and the proper protection. However, the taboo that is still placed on talking about sex prohibits those who are becoming sexually active from learning how to protect themselves from mishaps like unplanned pregnancies. Unplanned pregnancies hit teenagers the hardest because they are still in school and sometimes are barely able to take care of themselves, let alone another dependent human being. These circumstances make teens that are pregnant more likely to not finish their education (Bennet & Assefi, 2005). Some still believe that this is a topic that should not be talked about, or if it is talked about then abstinence is the only thing to be taught. Throughout this paper, topics like sex education in high schools, the knowledge of contraception, and parental involvement in sex education will be discussed on how they affect teen pregnancy rates in the United States.