Waiting to Lose Your Virginity May Lead to Happier Relationships

by Gena Kaufman, Glamour

I don't know why people act like you have to lose your virginity by a certain age or else--i.e., hello, the guys in American Pie, or basically any movie about teenage boys--but they do. For the record, there's no right age for every person.

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And those who choose to wait until they're out of their teens (seriously, is that even considered "late") not only don't need to be embarrassed, they may even have reason to celebrate. According to new research, people who wait to have sex until they are at least 20 are more likely to enjoy happy, satisfying relationships later in life (although they are also less likely to be married), not to mention to have had a college education and work in a well-paid job.

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Of course, if you lost your virginity earlier than this you're probably not doomed to a life of misery or anything. Like I said, I just don't think there's a right age for everyone. But I do find this explanation from Dr. Paige Harden, who led the study, to be compelling: "Individuals who first navigate intimate relationships in young adulthood, after they have accrued cognitive and emotional maturity, may learn more effective relationship skills than individuals who first learn scripts for intimate relationships while they are still teenagers." There's definitely something to be said for having the right level of emotional maturity before bringing sex into your life, don't you think?

Were you a "late" bloomer (I use the term late loosely), and do you think it was the right choice for you? If you lost your virginity earlier, do you wish you had waited or do you think you were ready?

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