Felisa Gonzales - Personal Reflection

Adolescence can be a difficult transition period. During this time period, young people are establishing their identities. A desire to be perceived as an adult may lead to experimentation with behaviors that are typically reserved for adults, such as sexual intercourse. This exploration is natural phase of development, but adolescents face many barriers to safe sexual development.

There is a strong moral contingent in the United States that fiercely argues that adolescents should abstain from sexual activity until marriage. This group is very politically active and has lobbied against comprehensive sexual education in schools based upon the incorrect belief that more information with lead to greater sexual activity. Fortunately, the current administration has eschewed abstinence-only education and is investing in more evidence-based interventions to reduce the incidence of unintended pregnancy. However, the inability for young people to receive technically accurate information in the school setting is a major barrier as it prevents informed decision-making.

Another related barrier is the fact that adolescents are frequently exposed to conflicting social norms. They likely receive strong messages from adults that they should not engage in sexual activity, but they also receive strong messages from the media and perhaps their peers that everyone, especially the popular or good-looking kids, is sexually active. This conflict may lead adolescents to engage in sexual activities for the wrong reasons.

Lack of access to contraceptives is a major barrier to healthy adolescent sexuality. Adolescents who are subject to limited information about conception or the transmission of STIs and receive conflicting messages about the appropriateness of sexual behavior may not intend to engage in sexual behavior but end up in unexpected situations which lead to unprotected intercourse. Because they have never considered the possibility of engaging in sexual intercourse, they are not prepared to engage in safe sexual intercourse if a decision is made in the moment. Similarly, students who have given a lot of thought to becoming sexually active may desire to do so safely but lack the ability to obtain the contraception they need to prevent pregnancy or STIs.

Within the field of sexual behavior, much attention is devoted to sexual intercourse and less attention is devoted to sexuality in general. Often times, adolescent sexuality is viewed from a perspective of negative risk factors rather than positive strengths or opportunities. If adolescents are not provided with information about their bodies and sexuality as a source of pride and pleasure either in school or from their parents, and lack access to contraception, they may not learn to enjoy their sexuality as an important part of their identity, something that is valuable and deserves to be cherished.

It is important to note that although the aforementioned barriers apply to all youth, LGBTQ youth face additional barriers to healthy sexuality. Their struggles to come out in a society that may not fully accept them can lead to experimentation in compromised situations, or with partners who are significantly older. The stigma of identifying as gay may be too much for young people to handle and may result in the young person having an isolated or marginalized sexual development process.