Sex and the After Shock June 1, 2010 Sex: it’s such a small
word, but has so many meanings, feelings, opinions, beliefs and
consequences, both positive and negative, attached to it. Most
people, no matter what their age or level of maturity, find it
difficult to discuss sex and often shy away from doing so.
Parents often reduce a discussion of sex to the “birds and the
bees” talk, when in fact it is a wonderful umbrella topic for
sexuality, reproductive health, relationships, interpersonal
dynamics, intimacy, body image, gender roles, broken hearts,
abuse, violence, unwanted sexually transmitted diseases (STDs),
pregnancy, addiction and growing up in general. Sex is laden
with religious and spiritual beliefs, cultural upbringing, media
imaging and peer review. Because sex is a complex human
interaction, the effects of becoming sexually active vary
depending upon whether the sex was truly consensual, made under
pressure, exploitive, honest, protected against STDs and
pregnancy, and aligned with one’s internal