It's worse than anything. Dating, romance and sex have always been a muddling, vexing, tormenting experience for teens. They're awash in testosterone and estrogen, chemicals that stimulate severe mood swings, powerful sexual urges and startling body changes. Their chests, breasts, hips, genitals are growing, developing. In the middle of this profound metamorphosis, they're tangling with first loves, crushes and French kisses.
Sex is in their face on family hour and prime time, on soaps, sitcoms and shampoo ads.
On the tube alone, teens see and hear sex, sex, sex, an average of 14,000 times each year. Everyone else is. Sex is fun. Whether it's TV's influence or not, kids are having sex earlier. For 50 cents, they can buy condoms in high school bathrooms or get them free from school nurses.