What is sex?

It might seem like a stupid question but it's not. Sex means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. There's a huge range of sexual things that you can do - so there's no straightforward answer to that question.

Similarly there's no right way to have sex. Sex is about you and your partner enjoying yourselves and if you're doing something legal then it's no-one elses business but your own. Don't feel you have to talk about your sex life with anyone who asks.

Having sex is something both young men and women get interested in as they become more mature and start thinking about having relationships. Thinking about having sex is completely normal, and it is important to remember that there is no need to rush into having sex if you don’t feel comfortable, as you will have plenty of time to do it in the future when you do feel ready.

Getting it right

There is no right or wrong way to have sex, what matters is that it feels right for you and your partner. Above all sex should be fun, safe and with someone you feel comfortable with.

Protection

One thing which you do need to take seriously when having sex is protecting yourself from sexually transmitted infections, HIV and unplanned pregnancy. Condoms are the only form of contraception that protect against all of these, and so it is always sensible to use these if you or your partner have not had a sexual health check. There are also other methods of contraception that woman can use to protect against pregnancy, and some people like to use one of these methods with condoms for extra protection.

It’s good to talk

Knowing about contraception is not enough though, it is also important to talk to your sexual partner about contraception and make sure both of you take responsibility for your own sexual health.

It can feel embarrassing to talk about contraception, but having a conversation about it before sex is better than telling someone about pregnancy or a sexually transmitted infection after sex! Also, if you can’t have an open conversation with someone about these important issues, then maybe you shouldn’t have sex with them.