THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, August 5, 1994 TAG: 9408050081
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E13 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: TEENSPEAK
SOURCE: BY DACRIE BROOKS HIGH SCHOOL, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 74 lines
BEWARE OF THE three-letter word.
That's the consensus among the masses. But during this week's Teenspeak at the newspapers' 8th annual Minority Journalism Workshop, six students said talking about sex with their parents is weird, but it really wasn't as bad as they thought it would be.
Nancy Costa, 16, doesn't have any problems confiding in her mom. She even tells sex jokes and admits to checking out guys when she's out with her parents.
``My mom and I can talk about it at anytime,'' Nancy said.
But Nancy's dad is different. ``My mom and I will be watching a movie, a sex scene will come on, and he'll start coughing or look away,'' she said.
Ronjit Goudar's parents ask him what he learns in sex education classes. He thinks it helps when parents are open with their children. ``Kids are going to do things anyway, but it always helps to give them a choice,'' said Ronjit, 15.
Aisha Durham, 17, firmly believes that everyone should talk to their parents about sex, take sex education in school and become comfortable with discussing the three-letter word. Talking about sex helps teens learn how to cope with peer pressure, she said.
``I know 13- and 14-year-old girls who . . . are pregnant,'' Aisha said. Part of the reason that they are pregnant, she believes, is because they didn't feel comfortable talking about sex with anyone, especially their parents.
Marshall Leathers, 16, said he can discuss anything with his mother and father, including sex. ``I don't really have any problems talking about sex to my parents because they give me a more down-to-earth explanation of sex and its possible consequences.''
His traditional values come from his relationship with his parents. ``I would probably marry a girl if I were to get her pregnant, just because that's how I have been raised,'' he said.
Nicole Allen, 16, who recently gave birth to a healthy baby girl, wishes she could have felt comfortable enough to talk to her mom about sex sooner. ``There are a lot of things I could have done differently,'' Nicole said.
Jewell Burchette, 16, can talk to her parents, but she prefers to learn about sex by reading. She said sex education at her school didn't answer any of her questions. She remembers asking a question in class and never getting a straight answer.
Aisha also thinks that sex ed is too restricted. ``In my sex education class, our teacher only discussed abstinence,'' she said. ``What about birth control or abortion?''
Nancy describes her sex ed classes as ``noneducational.'' When adults can't be completely honest with their children about sex, Nancy said, it is harmful to them.
Jewell, who has a friend who is pregnant, agreed. ``My friend's mother doesn't even know it,'' Jewell said, adding that her friend is scared. ``She doesn't know how to talk to her mom about it.''
Nicole has promised herself to never overlook or undervalue a question her child may have about sex. ``I will tell my child whatever she wants to know,'' she said. ILLUSTRATION: Photos
Dacrie Brooks is a rising senior at Cape Henry Collegiate.
Jewell Burchette, 15, Ocean Lakes High rising junior
Nicole Allen, 16, Maury High rising senior
by CNB