I Wish I Could Go Back to College

thanks to jezebel.com I just learned that according to a recent study, Generation X (which spans 1965-1985 and includes both authors of this blog) is having less sex than any other generation. We have "significantly fewer sexual partners and are less likely to be unfaithful than those who came before and after" us.

Well, I wonder where they are getting this from because either all the other generations are major sluts, or just my friends are the exception to the rule. I mean, what is the standard number of partners for the older and younger generations? I would like to compare that to my friends. Maybe it's just the liberal southern California college that I went to that leads me to think that the study is just talking to prudes, because at my university a "date" meant watching a "movie" in a dorm room and by movie I mean you started hooking up with in 5 minutes, or getting drunk, grinding on each other at a party, then going back to the available empty dorm room for some sexy time. Oh and both cases meant lots of alcohol was involved, obviously.

Of course, I have sat there while my grandfather has alluded to having sex with his girlfriend (or wanting to have sex since she's religiously celibate and he won't get married again), and had my mother hint at how the anxiety medication my father was on (and I am too) lead to some problems in bed, so I can say, while shuddering, I know the older generations are still getting it on, but are we really NOT getting it on? On top of that, it's those just younger than us, in college and high school, that are getting jiggy with it more regularly and with more partners.

Now, this relates directly to the big news that recently came out on the front cover of OK! Jamie Lynn Spears, Britney's little sis, is pregnant at 16. The best part of this story is how she was supposedly shocked that she was pregnant. I blame conservative abstinence only education for all this. Kids are taught not to have sex, which has been proven not to stop anything such as spread of infection or pregnancy. The problem is, not talking about it doesn't stop it. Not talking about it just leaves kids in the dark so they think two condoms are better than one. Which, we should all know, actually increases the likelihood of breaking and therefore pregnancy and disease.

My sister's watch such shows as Degrassi: the Next Generation, which supposedly "goes there" and teaches young adults the dangers of sexual activity. For example, in one episode Emma contracts chlamydia in her throat from giving head to a skeezy guy who then gives the std to his girlfriend and his girlfriend's best friend, all of whom who he is sexually involved with. However, it's curable and we never hear about it again after that episode. If we're "going there," why don't we deal with HIV/AIDs or even HPV. I have a few friends who've been "lucky" enough to get their cervix frozen. Now why don't we teach the younger generations this? That you can't cure everything? Or if you can cure something that it's not always painless or easy? Why don't they have HPV and cervical cancer scares on Degrassi? Why do the sex problems get pushed aside after an episode, wherein as the credits role we assume Emma gets some medication and is POOF all better? Why was the abortion episode banned from the air waves?

Most likely, Generation X has the least amount of sex and sexual partners because we grew up in the height of the AIDs pandemic. I grew up believing that if I had unprotected sex I could end up contracting HIV, Herpes, or another incurable disease, which to me, is much worse than getting pregnant. Generation Y isn't getting the same education. We can't rely on the government to get it through to them, so others need to step it up.

Maybe it's a good thing that we aren't having as much sex. Teen pregnancy is on the rise again, the CDC confirms it, meaning my generation helped lower it. I don't know if STD/STIs are on the rise, but I bet they are. I managed to get into my twenties with out a pregnancy or std scare, and I hope I can continue my good fortune into my thirties with out one either. Will the younger generation be the same? Luckily, my younger sisters are smart, and my parents are comfortable talking to us about such things so I'm pretty sure they'll be fine too. But will their friends?