SEXUAL RESPONSIBILITY

AS YOU GROW into manhood, you are maturing in many remarkable ways. You are becoming stronger, wiser, and better able to make good decisions. Young women you know are also maturing both physically and emotionally. Your relationships with them will become closer and more meaningful, both to you and to them.

You are maturing sexually, too. The ability to father a child is a responsibility with powerful consequences in your life and in the lives of others. The choices you make require your very best judgment. It's important to remember that sex is never the most grown-up pan of a relationship. It is never a test of manliness. True maturity comes from acting responsibly in the following ways:

Your Responsibility to Yaung Women Whenever you like to be with someone, you want the best for that person. Ahealthy relationship is supportive and equal. You can have a terrific time together enjoying life and growing socially and emotionally. However, the difficulties created by an unplanned pregnancy can be enormous. Don't burden someone you care for with a child neither of you is ready to bear.

Your Responsibility As a Future Parent When you are fully grown and have become secure in yourself and in your relationship with another person, the two of you might decide to marry and become parents. That is a wonderful choice full of challenges and rewards. By waiting until you are prepared, you can give a child a close, loving family in which to grow.

Your Responsibility to Your Beliefs For the followers of most religions, sex should take place only between people who are married to each other. To do otherwise might cause feelings of guilt and loss, while waiting until after marriage provides a foundation for a lasting relationship and a strong family. Abstinence until marriage is a very wise course of action.