Our Sexual Journey Through Life... through the Teen Years - Although there are a broad range of normal behaviors and traits, and not every person may exhibit all of them, the following is a summary of what we can usually expect to happen:

• Pubertal changes continues
  
• Menstruation or sperm production
  
• Greater interest in sexuality
  
• Possibility of masturbation
  
• Possible pleasure from kissing and petting
  
• Greater awareness of attraction to people of same, opposite, or both sexes
  
• Possibility of sexual intercourse
  
• Possibility of pregnancy or impregnating
  
• Possibility of birth control decisions
  
• Strong needs for independence
  

• Information about Teen Sexuality
• Web-site written by and for teens
• Planned Parenthood web-site designed for teens
• “Is This Love? How to Tell if a Relationship is Good for You”
  

SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF SEXUAL HEALTH IN ADOLESCENTS

• Feels good about being male or female
  
• Understands how the male and female reproductive systems function
  
• Has a realistic and positive image of his/her body
  
• Is not obsessively concerned with dress and appearance
  
• Understands the stages of sexual development and how he body changes during the teen years
  
• Knows his/her genital area and does not feel ashamed about his/her genitals
  
• Feels comfortable with bodily functions
  
• Is able to discuss the body with giggling or ridiculing

Interpersonal Relationships
He or She:

• Is able to communicate feelings to others without being embarrassed
  
• Is able to ask questions of parents and other adults about sex
  
• Is able to express affection
  
• Understands another person’s viewpoint, e.g., boys and girls are able to understand each other
  
• Has respect for another’s individuality
  
• Takes responsibility for his/her actions
  
• Is aware of personal needs and is able to assert them with a partner
  
• Knows his/her limits and is comfortable with setting limits
  
• Feels that s/he has positive things to offer in a relationship

• Is able to decide what is “right” for himself/herself and acts in own best interests
  
• Is able to assess risks in any situation and make decisions based on the amount of risk s/he is willing to assume
  
• Has a sense of the future and is planning for it
  
• Has decided ahead of time what is or is not okay for him/her sexually
  
• Has confidence in himself/herself based on accurate knowledge
  
• Has a clear sense of his/her values and acts in congruence with those values

• Feels good enough about himself/herself not to have early sexual experience in order to prove his/her sexuality
  
• Understands that sexuality is more than just intercourse
  
• Understands the consequences of sexual activity
  
• Understands the difference between sexual feelings and love
  
• Is able to experience sexual intimacy whether or not s/he has intercourse
  
• Has accurate knowledge about birth control, and has the ability to talk with a partner about it and to use it before having intercourse
  
• Knows that one can feel aroused and excited and yet have reasons for saying “no” to intercourse
  
• Knows that one’s feelings deserve respect from others
  
• Is able to accept refusal for sex without feeling hurt