Am I Ready For Sex?: 7 Things To Think About

By Katie Naymon in SEXUAL HEALTH

Whether you’re a virgin or are contemplating having sex with a new partner, first times can be nerve-wracking. There are many factors to consider, both emotional and physical. We talked to Heather Corinna, founder and executive director of Scarleteen, an independent, grassroots sexuality education and support organization and website. Corinna is a sexuality, contraception and abortion educator and counselor as well as a writer and activist. Read on for her and collegiettes’ advice on how to know when you’re ready for sex.

When is the right time to have sex in a relationship?

Some girls wait until marriage, some wait a few months and some just a few dates. There’s no recommended timeline—the right time to have sex is when you and your partner feel ready. Eva, a collegiette at Colby College, decided to lose her virginity a month into hooking up with the girl she liked. She says you know it’s a good time to have sex “once you stop thinking about it and don't doubt the person and trust they're on the same page,” she says. “I had a first time that was genuinely lovely. We fell hard and fast.” For others, it takes a bit longer to get comfortable. Veronica, a collegiette at Johns Hopkins, has dated her boyfriend for four months but has decided to wait to have sex. “I want to make sure I’m in love. I don’t want to have any doubts about it. You hear about a lot of people who do it and then regret it,” she says.

Penis Size: From the Wife's Point of View

Today's reader question may be our shortest one yet. Here it is from our most popular commenter, that ever-present Anonymous.

Can you do a post on penis size?

I don't know exactly what the reader expected me to say on the subject. However, a common question is whether penis size matters and, if so, how.

Let's start out with a little anatomy. The average length of a penis has recently been reported at 5.88 inches. That's slightly smaller than a U.S. dollar bill. Previous estimates of 6.5 inches were skewed by discrepancies in self-measurement and liars who claimed to be up to 10+  inches. That 5.88 inches is an erect penis, by the way.

Enhancing Postpartum Sex

If you're leery about having postpartum sex, you're not alone. Most women have fears about resuming their sex lives after delivering a baby. Perhaps the main thing to understand is that your body has changed, so it is natural that sex too will change and be a different experience. Here follows some tips and tricks for easing your way back into your love life.

* Take your time. Your partner may be anxious to make love, but he will need to take a deep breath and be patient. You mustn't have sex until you are ready in both body and mind. Otherwise, you may do irreparable damage to your relationship.

*Be creative. Perhaps you can try taking a bath or shower together. This will inject some fun and excitement into your love life, making it new and irresistible.

*Use contraception. Don't count on nursing or just having delivered as factors that can protect you against another pregnancy. Don't look back with regret because you took a risk.

Alone Time

Sex After Menopause - The Difficulties And The Delights

So what is sex after menopause really all about? The following report includes some fascinating information about sex after menopause--info you can use, not just the old stuff they used to tell you.


The information about sex after menopause presented here will do one of two things: either it will reinforce what you know about sex after menopause or it will teach you something new. Both are good outcomes.


Whatever your sex life was like before the onset of menopause, you can guarantee that the physical and emotional changes you go through at this time will have some sort of impact. While some women find that menopause causes their libido to drop so that they can't bear the thought of having sex, some find their new situation sexually liberating.