Bad news for those who lost their virginity young
A new study from the University of Iowa suggests that girls who have sex before the age of 16 are more likely to get a divorce down the road. The study surveyed about 3,800 women and found that 47 percent of girls who lost their virginity in their teendom were divorced within 10 years of marriage. Some argue that the study implies that if a girl is sexually active as a young teen, her later relationships will suffer for it.
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It's studies like these that really get my goat. If the divorce rate is 50 percent anyway, wouldn't that mean that it's a crap shoot either way, early sex or not? This vague causal relationship between early sex and divorce doesn't make much sense to me.
The older I get, the less tolerance I have for these kinds of studies. And by that I mean studies that say who's going to win at marriage, studies that explain why you should settle, why you shouldn't settle, why you're more likely to be injured in a terrorist attack than you are likely to get married after turning 35, and why, LINDSAY (they seem to scream), your ovaries are dying faster and faster every day and really that damn fast food habit of yours isn't helping things, now is it.
Just me?
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Enough with the research on women. Let's get some numbers on men out there. Do men read the Internet less than women do? Is that why universities aren't publishing reports on men and their cause and effect relationships with sex, dating, and marriage? I, for one, would like to take a break from the numbers and figures about my likelihood at happiness. I'll take the lead on my own misery, boys, so you can sell your percentages and analyses and crazy tales of future spinsterhood somewhere else. I'm all stocked up here.
This latest piece of info about young girls who have sex early being doomed in marriage might be used one of two ways in sex-ed class. We're all fed the idea that our happily-ever-after is with a husband and kids, so maybe this will scare young teenage girls into believing that if they give it up too soon, they'll be a bitter old divorcee before they know it. Or, the teachers could use the info to encourage teens to wait until marriage for sex ... which of course will backfire beautifully into a bevy of teen girls sobbing on their toilets, pee-sticks in hand.
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However the educators try to use this study about early sex affecting future adult relationships is up to them. But if the girls are smart enough, they'll realize that they don't need to listen. They're in charge.
What do you think about these kinds of studies?
Photo via alubavin/Flickr
Written by Lindsay Mannering for CafeMom's blog, The Stir.
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