YOU'RE NOT THE ONLY VIRGIN

In today’s world, it seems like sex is everywhere. People are either talking about sex, thinking about sex or having sex. It’s on billboards, on TV, in songs and on the bus. And because women are now allowed to freely have sex with whoever they want, it’s assumed that all women are. As little girls, we were told to ‘save ourselves’ until we were 200% sure the guy was the ‘right one’. But if a girl’s done exactly that, and is still a virgin at the age of 20, she’s considered frigid and abnormal. The average age for a kiwi girl to lose her virginity is at 16, so while the idea of a 22-year old virgin may seem strange, when I asked around, I found that it’s actually more common than I thought. There are two types of virgins - those who choose to be, and those who wish they weren’t. Religion often plays a big role in the decision to stay a virgin. Jessica Simpson was a virgin when she married Nick Lachey - a choice influenced by her Christianity. She said that she “promised God, my father and my future husband that I would remain a virgin until I got married. I just always knew it was something I wanted to do”. Some girls simply want to wait until they’re married to have sex - not for religious reasons, but moral ones. My friend, a 21-year-old virgin, decided to wait until marriage when she was propositioned by a boyfriend when she was 15. She says that while she certainly has been tempted, she wants to wait and make her first time something really special. And with the high levels of sexually transmitted infections and teenage pregnancy, she doesn't see the point of putting herself at risk. But for some girls, virginity is a curse. Older girls who haven’t consciously chosen to save their virginity often feel ashamed at their inexperience. They feel like they’re the only person not having sex. Which definitely isn't true when you look around - I asked around my group of friends (aged between 18 to 25), and found six virgins. I’m sure if you asked around, you’d find you know more virgins than you’d expect. I say be proud of your virginity. Regardless of whether you’ve decided to be a virgin, or if you just haven't happened to have sex yet, don't be embarrassed. You have something a lot of other women don't. And remember - it’s just sex. Who really cares if you’re missing out just now? You have years ahead of you to discover the pleasures and excitement of sex. It might sound clichéd but it’s true - when the time is right, it will happen. We all know how Britney Spears’ attempt at staying ‘pure’ until marriage turned out. But not all attempts fail. There are many celebrities that chose, or have chosen, to keep their virginity until they married/marry:  Jessica Simpson  Lisa Kudrow  Brooke Shields  Leelee Sobelski  Petra Bagust  Anna Kournikova (debatable) Zoe Walker