Sex vs. Love
Love and sex are NOT the same
thing. Love is an emotion or a feeling.
There is no one definition of love because
the word "love" can mean many
different things to many different people.
Sex, on the other hand, is a biological
event. Even though there are different
kinds of sex, most sexual acts have certain
things in common. Sex may or may not
include penetration.
Differences Between Love and
Sex
Love
- Love is a feeling (emotional).
- There is no exact "right" definition of love
for everybody.
- Love involves feelings of romance and/or attraction.
Sex:
- Sex is an event or act (physical).
- There are different kinds of sex but all kinds of sex have
some things in common.
- Can happen between a male and a female, between two females,
between two males, or by one's self (masturbation)
Abstinence
The word for not having sex is called
abstinence. Some people, especially people who think it's not
cool to wait to have sex, think that abstinence is a completely
bad thing. Actually, there are some really good things about abstinence
and some of them might apply to you.
Abstinence, or not having oral, vaginal
or anal sex, is the best way to protect
yourself. It is possible to get an
STI even without having intercourse (penetrative sex) through
skin-to-skin contact (herpes and genital warts can be passed this
way).
You also have to think about your own
personal values and feelings. Your teenage years bring a lot of
changes in how you feel about yourself, family, friends and potential
love interests--even if you don't think about sex. No matter what
your feelings on sex are, it may be smart to wait until something "feels
right."
Ways to Express Love Without Sex
There are millions of nonsexual ways to show someone you like them. You can show
a person you care for them by spending time with them. Go to the movies. Or just
hang out and talk. If you are with someone you really like, then anything can
be fun.
There are other ways to feel physically close without having sex. These
ways include everything from kissing and hugging to touching and petting each
other. Just remember that if you're not careful these activities can lead to
sex. Plan beforehand just how far you want to go, and stick to your limits. It
can be difficult to say NO and mean it when things get hot and heavy.
