The Teenage Magazine Arbitration Panel

Is early sexual activity a bad thing?

Underlying the Luff Bill is the premise that the trend towards earlier sexual experience is to be resisted and if possible reversed. This is the conventional wisdom and many people feel intuitively that it is right, but it is worth examining the reasons why it might be so.

Much is made of the notion of `readiness' as if there were a fixed time to have sex. There is no absolute logic about sex at any one age. Biologically, a young person is ready for sexual experience at the point at which they become physically mature but the age deemed socially appropriate varies through time and across societies. In the Middle Ages the legal age for marriage of girls in England was 12 and for men 14. In the Trobriand Islands adults do not mind if children engage in sexual play and attempt precociously to perform the sexual act, and adolescents may sleep with one another provided only that they are not in love with one another.

This is not to say that this would be desirable in our society. In modern industrialised societies young people are expected to delay serious mating and childbearing until they have completed the relatively lengthy process of induction into their adult roles. In only a few societies does biological sexual maturity coincide with the age deemed socially acceptable and the number is declining. But the point is that the rules which we see as strictly governing sexual behaviour are not absolute, but culturally and historically specific. Whether young people in any society perceive themselves as ready to become sexually active will depend not only on a whole set of biological, psychological and physical factors but also on social and cultural assumptions and expectations. To what extent a young person is 'signed up' to these will depend on how realistic they seem for him or her. For someone who sees little hope of academic progress early sexual activity may provide feelings of self esteem and self worth.

It is the disjuncture between maturational readiness for sexual activity and the social approved timing of its occurrence which underlies many of the problems relating to the maintenance of sexual health of young people. A balance has constantly to be sought between providing the necessary education, information and resources with which young people can safeguard their sexual health and avoiding appearing to encourage premature sexual activity.

TMAP Research - Role of Teen Magazines in the Sexual Health of Young People

The Luff Bill

Age rating

Editorial balance

Encouraging early activity

'Herding' instinct

Is early sexual activity bad?

Arguements for delaying intercourse

Contraception

Educational role of magazines

Preferred sources of information



			Is early sexual activity a bad thing? Underlying the Luff Bill is the premise that the trend towards earlier sexual experience is to be resisted and if possible reversed. This is the conventional wisdom and many people feel intuitively that it is right, but it is worth examining the reasons why it might be so. Much is made of the notion of `readiness' as if there were a fixed time to have sex. There is no absolute logic about sex at any one age. Biologically, a young person is ready for sexual experience at the point at which they become physically mature but the age deemed socially appropriate varies through time and across societies. In the Middle Ages the legal age for marriage of girls in England was 12 and for men 14. In the Trobriand Islands adults do not mind if children engage in sexual play and attempt precociously to perform the sexual act, and adolescents may sleep with one another provided only that they are not in love with one another. This is not to say that this would be desirable in our society. In modern industrialised societies young people are expected to delay serious mating and childbearing until they have completed the relatively lengthy process of induction into their adult roles. In only a few societies does biological sexual maturity coincide with the age deemed socially acceptable and the number is declining. But the point is that the rules which we see as strictly governing sexual behaviour are not absolute, but culturally and historically specific. Whether young people in any society perceive themselves as ready to become sexually active will depend not only on a whole set of biological, psychological and physical factors but also on social and cultural assumptions and expectations. To what extent a young person is 'signed up' to these will depend on how realistic they seem for him or her. For someone who sees little hope of academic progress early sexual activity may provide feelings of self esteem and self worth. It is the disjuncture between maturational readiness for sexual activity and the social approved timing of its occurrence which underlies many of the problems relating to the maintenance of sexual health of young people. A balance has constantly to be sought between providing the necessary education, information and resources with which young people can safeguard their sexual health and avoiding appearing to encourage premature sexual activity.
	Home News Position statement How to complain Adjudications Annual reports Events Guidelines Research TMAP Research - Role of Teen Magazines in the Sexual Health of Young People The Luff Bill Age rating Editorial balance Encouraging early activity 'Herding' instinct Is early sexual activity bad? Arguements for delaying intercourse Contraception Educational role of magazines Preferred sources of information Empowerment of women The 'dream' ticket Safer sex Conclusions The panel Useful links
	Contact: Kerry Neilson , TMAP secretariat, kerry.neilson@ppa.co.uk, 0207 400 7520

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