Dear friend,
“Fewer American High Schoolers Having Sex Than Ever Before” reads a recent headline from the Institute for Family Studies. Not only do expert opinions differ as to why rates of teenage sexual activity are on the steep decline, but folks are also in disagreement whether or not this recent phenomenon is a good thing. So Natural Womanhood decided to examine both in a new series on teens and sex.
This week, we’re looking at the double-sided coin of teenage mental health as it pertains to sex. On the one side, as Madison Ayers points out, we have good data that teenage sex is linked with poor mental health outcomes. On the other side, despite decreasing rates of teenage sexual activity, mental health among teens has perhaps never been worse than it is now, as they struggle to form strong friendships and social ties outside their internet-enabled devices.
So what can we do to help teens develop healthy attitudes towards sex and build better, age-appropriate relationships with one another? (Hint: Giving girls age-appropriate body literacy education, like our Mothers of Pre Teens online course does, is a good place to begin!) Madison also has some thoughts for us on the value of teaching teens the tenets of the Success Sequence—of which abstinence is a key component—and why parents must work harder than ever to keep kids away from screens and porn.
Finally, Kristen Curran draws from her experience teaching high schoolers about healthy relationships with a Denver non-profit to explain the misconceptions teens have about sex—misconceptions that make “consent” an incredibly low bar to set for healthy sexual activity, especially so for teens.
Action call: We’ve been blown away by the testimonies we’ve received from moms who’ve used our Mothers of (Pre)Teens online course to educate their daughters about their cycles and the dignity of their female bodies. If you haven’t yet, we encourage you to read some of these reviews—including what our friend Jason Evert has to say about the program.
Best,
Grace
Grace Emily Stark
Editor
Natural Womanhood
| Teens and sex: The kids aren’t alright—the connection between decreased teen sex and mental healthTeens are having less sex but their mental health is worse than ever. What’s the connection between teen sex and mental health? Click here to read the full article. |
| Teens and sex: Rescuing a generation—how abstinence and the Success Sequence can help Gen Z experience long-term success and fulfillmentThe Success Sequence is a formula aimed at helping youth reach financial and personal success. Here are the steps, and why it’s so powerful. Click here to read the full article. |
| Teens and sex: Why consent can’t be the final word in what’s sexually acceptable–especially for teensSex is never ok if both parties don’t agree. But consent, especially when it comes to teen sex, isn’t as clear cut as many people think. Here’s why consent isn’t enough. Click here to read the full article. |
| Natural Womanhood in the News Natural Womanhood’s Editor, Grace Emily Stark, was featured in the Guiding Star Project’s recent webcast, “Empowering Authentic Womanhood: A New Vision for Pro-Life Women’s Healthcare.” Watch an excerpt of her discussion with Lisa Canning on “The single most effective way to communicate that fertility is not a ‘disease’ and not something to be suppressed” beginning at 38:35, here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4Quk3PADPM |