Masturbating together and looking at or caressing each other s genitals is common among preadolescent boys and girls. Such same-gender sexual behavior is unrelated to a child s sexual orientation. Some group dating occurs at this age. Preadolescents may attend parties that have guests of both genders, and they may dance and play kissing games. In some urban areas, preadolescent boys seek out situations in which they experience vaginal intercourse.
Young women are usually older when they begin voluntary sexual intercourse.
However, many very young teens to practice sexual behaviors other than vaginal intercourse, such as petting to orgasm and oral intercourse. Once youth have reached puberty and beyond, they experience increased interest in romantic and sexual relationships and in genital sex behaviors. As youth mature, they experience strong emotional attachments to romantic partners and find it natural to express their feelings within sexual relationships. There is no way to predict how a particular teenager will act sexually. Overall, most adolescents explore relationships with one another, fall in and out of love, and participate in sexual intercourse before the age of 20.