Promiscuity
Promiscuity. What is your reaction to the word? We all know a promiscuous girl. We all look down on her in our own ways. Sometimes she is backstabbed by friends and sometimes she is openly scorned by others. What we do not realise, is she is not the only one, or maybe we do not want to accept it. Research positions us at first place on the podium of promiscuity. Why are we such a promiscuous nation? What risks are we bringing upon ourselves? Are we all nomads in the land of sexuality? Perhaps it is our loose lifestyles, or when growing up we are faced with confusion.
A young New Zealander’s lifestyle of drinking, partying, and in some cases, drugs is the perfect precedent for a night likely to be regretted, not remembered, or resulting in possible pregnancy or STI scares. The poem September Assignment by Mike Kivi develops a scenario of a young girl “filled with the thrill of a chemical wave…pulse pumped hard with a pocket full of pills” who, as a result of the party, ends up “sinking in the seat of a clapped out Lada…scrambling for the condoms on the cold car floor.” The tone then changes and the girl is “worried over syphilis and HIV” and having “dreams of a foetus in a marmalade jar.” This poem outlines a series of events many young people can relate to. This includes having casual sex after drinking and partying. I believe these actions show little respect for ourselves. Our health and emotional wellbeing are at risk of being compromised. We are exposing our bodies to the possible transfer of STIs, HPV and the notoriously negative effects of alcohol and drugs. The young people of today believe it will never happen to them. This feeling of invulnerability does nothing but increase the chances of it happening. Perhaps we are not being warned sufficiently? Our sexuality has no warning label; there is no list of harmful side effects specified before its use. Therefore, I believe the issue at hand needs to be acknowledged more widely in society. We need to
A young New Zealander’s lifestyle of drinking, partying, and in some cases, drugs is the perfect precedent for a night likely to be regretted, not remembered, or resulting in possible pregnancy or STI scares. The poem September Assignment by Mike Kivi develops a scenario of a young girl “filled with the thrill of a chemical wave…pulse pumped hard with a pocket full of pills” who, as a result of the party, ends up “sinking in the seat of a clapped out Lada…scrambling for the condoms on the cold car floor.” The tone then changes and the girl is “worried over syphilis and HIV” and having “dreams of a foetus in a marmalade jar.” This poem outlines a series of events many young people can relate to. This includes having casual sex after drinking and partying. I believe these actions show little respect for ourselves. Our health and emotional wellbeing are at risk of being compromised. We are exposing our bodies to the possible transfer of STIs, HPV and the notoriously negative effects of alcohol and drugs. The young people of today believe it will never happen to them. This feeling of invulnerability does nothing but increase the chances of it happening. Perhaps we are not being warned sufficiently? Our sexuality has no warning label; there is no list of harmful side effects specified before its use. Therefore, I believe the issue at hand needs to be acknowledged more widely in society. We need to