How Do I Know if I'm Ready for Sex?
From FamiliesAreTalking.org
Did you know that more than 4 in 10 boys and
6 in 10 girls who have had intercourse wish they
had waited longer? If you’re a teen wondering
if you should engage in sex with your boyfriend
or girlfriend, check out this useful quiz from
Families Are Talking:
Questions About Your Relationship
Is it committed, mutually kind, and understanding?
Do you trust and admire each other?
Have you experimented and found pleasure in non-penetrative
behaviors?
Have you talked about sexual behaviors before
they occur?
Is your motivation for this sexual relationship
pleasure and intimacy?
Is the setting for the sexual relationship safe
and comfortable?
Questions About You
Are you physically mature?
Are you patient and understanding?
Are you knowledgeable about sexuality and sexual
response?
Are you empathetic and able to be vulnerable?
Are you committed to preventing unintended pregnancies
and STDs?
Are you able to handle responsibility for positive
consequences?
Are you able to handle responsibility for potential
negative
consequences?
Are you honestly approving of the behavior?
Unless you answered yes to all of these questions,
you are not ready to be having intercourse.
Here are some more questions to ask yourself
about having intercourse:
Is your relationship consensual? Have you talked
about how far to go? Do you both agree?
Are you sure you aren't using each other?
Is it honest? If you have intercourse, do you
know what it will mean?
Will it be mutually pleasurable? Have you enjoyed
other sexual behaviors with your partner? Is
he/she as committed to your pleasure as to his/her
own?
Have you taken steps to protect yourself against
pregnancy and/or disease? Have you obtained condoms
and contraception (if penile/vaginal intercourse
is planned)?
If you answered “yes” to all of these
and your values support having a sexual relationship,
visit the Families Are Talking feature “Safer
Sex” for information by clicking here.
If you did not answer “yes” or your
values do not support having a sexual relationship,
click
here to read their feature on “Abstinence.”
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