How Do I Know if I'm Ready for Sex?
More than 4 in 10 boys and 6 in 10 girls who have had
intercourse wish they had waited longer.
Here's a quiz to take about your relationship.
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Is it committed, mutually kind, and understanding?
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Do you trust and admire each other?
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Have you experimented and found pleasure in non-penetrative
behaviors?
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Have you talked about sexual behaviors before they occur?
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Is your motivation for this sexual relationship pleasure and
intimacy?
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Is the setting for the sexual relationship safe and
comfortable?
Here's a quiz to take about you.
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Are you physically mature?
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Are you patient and understanding?
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Are you knowledgeable about sexuality and sexual response?
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Are you empathetic and able to be vulnerable?
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Are you committed to preventing unintended pregnancies and
STDs?
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Are you able to handle responsibility for positive
consequences?
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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.
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Is your relationship consensual? Have you
talked about how far to go? Do you both agree?
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Are you sure you aren't using each other?
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Is it honest? If you have intercourse, do you
know what it will mean?
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Will it be mutually pleasurable? Have you
enjoyed other sexual behaviors with your partner? Are they as
committed to your pleasure as they are to their own?
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Have you taken steps to protect yourself against
pregnancy and/or disease? Have you obtained condoms and contraception
(if penile/vaginal intercourse is planned)?
One way to remember these is by the mnemonic:
Can (consent)
U (not using)
Have (honest)
My (mutually pleasurable)
Pleasure (protected)
If you answered yes to all of these, and your values support
teens having a sexual relationship, go to the section on Safer
Sex. If not,
read Abstinence again.
