Thank you to Daryn, Summer and Jamesha for sharing their different perspective on sex myths! Their stories are below.
Give Me a Myth, I’ll Give You a Fact
Myth: Everyone is having sex.
Multiple sources show the average the largest number of young people began to have sex is around the age of 17. And even at that age they don’t have sex often. By the age of 20, 30 percent of people haven’t had sex, so it’s normal to wait until you’re older to have sex.
Myth: You can’t get sexually transmitted diseases or infections from oral sex.
While most STDs and STIs are spread through vaginal and anal sex, you can also get them from unprotected oral sex. Human papillomavirus (HPV), gonorrhea, syphilis, herpes and hepatitis B can all be transmitted through oral sex … even HIV. If there’s an open sore, a disease or virus can spread. Use protection!
Myth: Douching after sex can prevent pregnancy.
This is so false. Squirting water, vinegar or anything else after sex won’t prevent pregnancy. It can, however, cause an infection. The only thing that prevents pregnancy is birth control or not having sex at all.
Myth: You can’t get pregnant if you have sex in water.
You get zero protection from water because sperm still goes in the vagina during sex. However, if a guy ejaculates (or cums) in the water near, but not in the girl, chances are low to nearly impossible she will get pregnant. Sperm can’t survive that long.
Myth: You can’t get pregnant the first time you have sex.
You can get pregnant anytime sperm goes in the vagina. Whether it’s the first or 100th time. It’s even possible for a girl to get pregnant before her first cycle.
Myth: You can’t get pregnant during your cycle.
Fact: It’s not very common, but it’s possible. This is because sperm can survive in your body for up to six whole days (Yes! Six days!), waiting on an egg.
Myth: Birth control doesn’t work.
If birth control isn’t used correctly, it won’t work. But if it’s used correctly, it works correctly! Some methods are more convenient, like the patch or intrauterine device (IUD), which is placed inside your uterus, but that’s between you, your research and your doctor. The pill works just fine, as long as your take it as prescribed. The best thing to do, though, is use a condom and another birth control method.
If you’re going to make love with the person you love, do it with the facts.
Just the Facts, Ma’am
It is easy to be confused about sex. There are so many mixed messages and myths surrounding sex, it can be hard to know what is true and what is not. Before you decide to have sex, it is important that you know the facts.
One well-established myth about sex is that you can’t get pregnant the first time you have sex. The truth is, you can get pregnant any time you have sex, even if you use a condom or any other form
of birth control. Of course, birth control and condoms signifcantly reduce the risk, just saying. The only 100 percent safety measure is by not having sex. Another myth about sex is everyone you know is doing it. Don’t believe everything you hear. More than half of teenagers are virgins until they’re at least 17 years of age. People lie and exaggerate when it comes to their sexual antics (or lack).
Another one—no, just because you love a person doesn’t mean you should have sex with them. Loving someone and being ready for sex with them are two different things. If you know you love someone deeply, first consider other ways to express your love until you’re ready for sex.
If someone is pressuring you into taking the step to have sex, maybe they’re not the person for you, after all. Another myth is that sex equals instant adulthood. Maturity is about a million other things besides sexual experiences. Actually, it is a lot more “adult” to focus on growing as a person.
There’s another myth that girls can’t get pregnant during her period. Truth is, she can get pregnant just about any time of the month, if she’s having sex without contraception. Sperm can survive for several days after sex, so even if you do it during your period, sperm can stay in the body long enough to get you
These myths are exactly what they say they are—myths. The best way to ensure that you know what you need to about about sex is to learn all the facts. They make decisions easier and take the guess work out of just about everything sex-related.
Gems from the Gym
When I was 15 years old and in high school, I took gym class. This was everyone’s favorite class because after exercising you could do whatever you wanted as long as you stayed inside the gym. The guys normally played ball, while we girls would sit in the bleachers and gossip. The good life, so we thought. One day, in particular, my best friend at the time came in the gym and started crying. When we asked what happened,
she told us that she was pregnant. The biggest shock to me wasn’t fact that she was pregnant, but that she’d given me tips on how not to get pregnant.
A few weeks before, Ashley (that’s what we’ll call her) told me she was having unprotected sex with her boyfriend. “I have a trick for that,“ she said. “I just pee after every round of sex.” This, she explained, was
to flush out the sperm that might’ve made it inside her. At the time, it made sense to me. It’s very important to get factual information when it pertains to sex, and that sometimes means not getting it from your friends.
Your teen years are the ones when you start to trust your own judgment, but you’ll later look back and see
how you were wrong about a lot of things and so were your friends. Me believing what my friend told me about urinating after sex proves just that! People have sex. Being informed by credible sources helps make life easier when making decisions, especially ones about sex. There are doctors and experienced women who can help us better understand our bodies and how they work.
We owe others nothing, and ourselves the world!