22 — Friday, September 16, 1994 ~ North Shore News

MOST PARENTS are
against teenagers having |
sex. They believe we are

babies until we are 19 or 20.
Sorry, but they are wrong!

I set out to interview a number
of teens to talk about sex. I talked
to eight peopfe, who will be
referred to by the following names:
> Homer, a 15-year-old female;
> Smurf, aa 18-year-old male;
> Tickle, a 15-year-old female; .
> Strange Brew, a 16-year-old
female;
> Thrall, an 18-year-old male;
> Kaitie, a 16-year-old female;
> Cry, an 18-year-old male; and
> Blackie, a 14-year-old female.

Bee

At what age did you first have

sexual intercourse?

> Homer: “13 (years old)”

> Smurf: “13”

> Tickle: “12 or 13”

> Strange Brew: “13”

>» Thrall: “13. It's not a big deal,

OK! Yeah we did it, or whatever.

You don't get into details.”

> Kattie: “ You don’t need to

know. Every TV special last year

had to do with sex. Now it’s

changing. Who knows what it will

be next year — gambling?”

> Cry: “I, myself, have not. Sex is

no longer such a sneaking around

thing, Everyene knows that they’re
’ having it. Teens are not having sex

as a rebellious thing to do. Teens

don’t bray about it as they use to.

“It’s still there, because it’s

been such an addressed issue,

because of teen pregnancies, teen

sex, teens having sex when they’re

14. All of last year, f don’t remem-

ber a news cast where you didn’t

hear about some teen pregnancy.”

aaa

What do you think the aver-
age age of having sex is for a
teenager?
> Homer: “13, 14 or 15.”
> Smurf: “Between the ages of 12
and 16.”

Adults believe that if you are
going to have sex, you should be
at least -16 years old.
> Homer: “I think it’s rather stu-
pid. I think it’s OK if we are sexu-
ally ready and emotionally ready.”
> Tickle: “It’s our own body and
our own mind.” .
> Blackie: “If you’re ready, go for
it!”

There is another issue ] would
like to address. It’s the one where
a 13-year-old is having sex with
someone over 18. Our society says
that this is wrong. ft is against the
law for a person who is 18 to have
sex with a person under 14 years
old.

What if the couple loves each
other? Is it still wrong?
> Smurf: “If it's an emotionally
compatible retationship, age
doesn’t matter. It’s the peopie. If
the 13-year-old is mature enough
and the person over 18 was imma-
ture enough, it would work.”
> Tickle: “It’s your Fie Fie, it
should be your choice.”

What do we have against sex?
In my opinion, North American
society is uptight about sex.
Parents should help their kids
understand what sex is.

Parents and teens should be
able to discuss questions of sex
and sexuality more freely without
the fear of reprisal or rejection.
The people | interviewed discussed
their feelings about sex.
> Homer: “It's OK, if you do it
right. Just as long as it’s safe.”
> Strange Brew: “It’s over-rated”
> Smurf: “If you feel comfortable,
and there is an acceptance between
the two partners...” - .

Why are parents so uptight
about the topic of sex?
= Homer: “i think is because they
are afraid that their kids are grow-
ing up too fast. It’s also because,
back when they were kids, it was
taboo to have sex at our age.”
> Smurf: “It's because they

Hip-hop classes start soon

THE WEST Vancouver Recreation
Centre is offering youths an opportu-
nity to pick up dance steps, work out
and have a fun time in either of two
10-week dance sessions that start
later this month.

There are three levels of Funky
Jazz this fall, all designed for youths.

Instructor Laura Zerioth has
many years of professional training
in jazz, modern and tap dance. With
her instruction, teens can expect to
learn funky new moves, develop
coordination, exercise and — most
of all — have fun.

All three levels of this program
are offered on Fridays, running from
Sept. 23 to Dec. 2. The cost is $44

per person.
Level 1, for 12- to 16-year-olds,

runs from 3:30 to 4:30 pm.; Level 2, ,

for {2- to t6-year-olds, runs from
4:30 to 5:30 pm.; and Level 3. for
14- to 17-year-ulds, runs from 5:30
to 6:30 pm. Hip-hop dance classes
for youths run Thursdays, 4 to 5 p.m.

The session, designed for all lev-
els, runs Sept. 22 to Nov. 22. The
cost is $55.

For cither of these sessions, pre-
register by phone or in person at the
West Vancouver Recreation Centre
to ensure a spot. The rec centre is
located at 780 22nd St. Phone
Morrie Baillie at 926-3266 for more
information.

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THIS WEEK'S Youth Views column concerns
sex and teens. Do you think the viewpoints pre-
sented in the column accurately reflect what's
going on in your school, or among your friends?
Do sexually active teens protect themselves
against unwanted pregnancy, AIDS and STDs?

960-KIDS

Bab dbddidd

alk about sex — and teen

remember when they were kids
and they meve or less expect the
same behavior expected of them.

“They don't want us to be like
they were, or they'll try to prevent
it as long as possible, because they
don’t want to lose us.”

Are parents really scared or do
they simply not want their kids to
grow up? Parents are concerned
about pregnancies and STDs such
as AIDS, as well as the emotional
well-being of their kids.

What about the fear of AIDS?
Has that slowed people down?
> Cry: “I don’t think so.”
> Kattie “I think it did at first,
when it first came out and they
were doing all their little television
specials.”
> Thrall: “They were so worried
about it, but now it’s like, ‘geta
condom. I°ll be OK.’”
> Cry: “It’s not like that anymore.

PiPO & CO.
FLOCK , HEE HEE...LOOK AT YOUR
SHADO y

EVERYTHING’S O.K.

“ay NEW RANT

I was listening tu a radio show and
they were asking a question ‘Do
you still wear condoms?’ Lots of

* people our own age called and said
they don’t, simply because they
find it uncomfortable.

“Even with all the AIDS stuff,
people still don’t want to wear
them. At first I think people were
scared, but because people got
uncomfortable with condoms, they
just don’t use them.

“Obviously, they don’t care
anymore. AIDS has died down.
AIDS used to be such a big issue.”

when people came to schoo! th
be, ‘Oh wow. Last night was
wicked,’ and they’d go and b:
everyone.” —~
‘> Smurf: “The media contrad
itself all the time. On one hang
promotes sex and on the otiier,
says that it’s dangerous like A
and STDs and stuff." *
> Blackie: “I think it’s really
_ critical, ‘cause they tell you
you're getting all these disease}
and stuff. Five minutes into th¢
show they have sex and abortiq
and stuff. It’s totally hypocritic
> Smurf: “It’s ike the last .
episode of 90210. Everybody
: it.” ne
Do you think that TV, maga-
zines, newspapers and the news
promote casual sex?
> Homer: “They’re saying that
sex is bad, but yet they're saying .
sex is good. It’s really quite con-
fusing, so kids just make up their
own minds now.”
> Tickle: “It's pretty much that

Oliver Spissinger is 17 yea
old and has just completed Grq
12 at Sutherland secondary sc
His interests include a youth o|
nization called DeMalay and.
heavy metal music. Spissinger
hopes to become a sound tec!
cian, .

REAL BAT - LiKe !!
HEE HEE NEE 3

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