Analysis of 'Is Sex All That Matters?' by Joyce Garity

isGabriella Lujan
Pamela Lapcevic
English 108
February 11, 2013

In the realistic story of “Is Sex All That Matters”, Joyce Garity talks about a seventeen year old girl named Elaine, who is pregnant with her second child. Elaine’s first child was in foster care at the point of time because of her situation. The story also explains how Elaine conceived her two children, and how the sexual media had a lot to do with the two births. It also suggests how society can help young people not to make these costly mistakes over and over again.
Elaine does not think about anything but; look at the magazines fantasizing about what she wanted her life to be. If she would of never slept around and put herself in bad situations like getting pregnant. Thinking that birth control was embarrassing, and not good maybe she could have had a successful life in the modeling world. After all this is what she wanted. A lot of her decisions she made, had to do with how sexual the media. Why do most people like the way the media is? Sex sells, and teens want that kind of life. In Elaine’s situation she has a toddler and a baby on the way due to the decisions she made by the sexual media which affected and destroyed her life.
Someone should of explained the reality and consequences that come from having sexual intercourse. Pregnancy, STDS, AIDS. She should have used birth control or condoms; there could have been a way to prevent her from pregnancies. I think that most teenagers do this because they want to be cool or there boyfriend/girlfriend peer pressures them into it and after a while the significant other gives in. Sexual Education is taught in almost every High School but just the basic things, when the teacher should talk about what happens when you get pregnant. The responsibilities that come along with a baby, how your life changes, and are no longer teen they have to grow up. Most teens give their baby up or their parent has them which is so sad to me.
I personally went through this experience as a teen. I got pregnant at 18 and had my daughter at 19. A pregnant senior in High School was not how I pictured my life in any way. It was extremely hard for me, the kids look at me as if I was the worst person. Guys thought I was a whore because I was carrying a baby. It took a lot of strength for me to go to class every day but I knew I had to go and more because I was going to be a mother. I refused to drop out and be another statistic in Espanola. My whole life changed right in front of me, all from having sex. I was a teenage parent, I wish I would of waited or been more careful. My life got put on hold and my soon to be baby was my priority and I had to grow up and take care of her.
So, Sex is not all that matters there is so much more to it that needs to be taught before these young teenagers go and do it. We all live and learn from our mistakes. The media should stop advertising it in such a sexual way. Parents; teachers, relatives, friends, should teach them the real truth about sex and how it can really damage a teens life.