I want my generation and the generations to come to be able to exist in a healthier sexual climate: free of the taboos and societal “norms” that keep us from asking questions, free from the predators, and ultimately free of the bad decisions.

Saramaat, 17, works with Advocates for Youth and the  Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention (G-CAPP) as a member of Georgia Youth Understanding Pregnancy Prevention (G-YUPP). 

Sex has always been a topic that intrigued me. I never understood why it was such a big deal. Why was it something my peers felt they HAD to do? Why does our society focus on it so much? I believe it is these questions and questions like them that propelled me into activism in   the youth sexual health and rights movement.

Before I completed my first year in high school one of my best friends was pregnant. Ill prepared and misinformed about sex, its risks, and how to properly protect herself, she got caught up in a situation she has to deal with for the rest of her life. Since then another one of the girls I went to middle school with has had a baby and several of my high school friends have had “secret” pregnancy scares. Even though I have chosen to abstain from sex I know that I have made a decision many of my peers are not willing to make, and if teens are going to be having sex I think it is mandatory that they are provided with adequate sexual education that isn’t just forced down their throats, but that is useful and comprehensive. My activism gives me an opportunity to play my part in helping people make smarter, safer decisions.

I want my generation and the generations to come to be able to exist in a healthier sexual climate: free of the taboos and societal “norms” that keep us from asking questions, free from the predators, and ultimately free of the bad decisions. I want young people to be able to get through school without extra drama and stress over their sexuality and how they chose to express themselves as sexual beings, I want an end to the hyper-sexualized culture that America has adapted. These are all seemingly far-fetched ideals but I believe that if young people like me and my fellow activists continue to speak up and give our input; we get closer and closer to making my ideals into a reality.