Don’t call it “dating”. What they’re really saying is that teens who don’t have sex. Makes sense. There’s a huge emotional anxiety and turmoil associated with young people having sex.
Bingo.
The word “abstinence” is buried way down in the article, but it was obvious to me immediately that the word “dating” is a euphemism for “having sex” -— and usually with a series of changing partners.
But from the comments it’s apparent FReepers think “dating” still means going out for a movie & a milkshake, & wondering when you’ll ever get to first base.
That’s exactly right.
Even back in my day I wondered why some girls made fools of themselves after a guy broke up with them: publicly demanding that they get back together, yelling and crying. I kept thinking that they needed to shut up, hold their head high and show some pride. Then I realized that they had been sleeping with these guys; had given them everything then were tossed aside like a used tissue.
It’s like marrying and divorcing, repeatedly for some, during your teen years-there’s bound to be negative consequences to mental health.