Sex can be a complicated thing. “Should I? Shouldn’t I? What’s normal? What will I be comfortable with? What is it?”
Whether you have or haven’t been sexually active, the most important thing is that you are comfortable with whatever choices you make. Nobody has the right to pressure or force you to do anything, or touch you in any way that makes them feel uncomfortable… and it’s a two-way street: You also need to respect your partner’s boundaries. With more knowledge comes a strengthened ability to make good decisions, which is especially important when talking about sex.
Keeping yourself healthy is important no matter what you do. When we talk about sexual health there are a lot of things to think about, because not only do your decisions affect you… they can affect your sexual partner(s) as well. Deciding to be sexually intimate can be complicated… Add to that all the information about contraception and STIs and it can start to feel pretty overwhelming!
The organization Options for Sexual Health provides a really good platform for information on these topics and also has experts in the area of sexual health available to answer your questions. Their website can be accessed here.