Luan Goldie says that although it sounds like everyone has under-age sex now, the reality is slightly different. Virginity is the new black, don't you know.
When Britney Spears sings "I'm not a girl not yet a Woman" eyebrows become raised and it's likely someone in the back will shout "Yeah right!" For despite her protesting, not everyone seems to believe that 'the most famous virgin in the world' is truly a virgin.
But even if you're not a teen pop queen, all your friends seem to want to know if you've lost it yet. The bottom line is: virginity is a big deal. Especially if you're above the national average of around 17 years old and still have yours intact.
Virginity is something that becomes more of an issue with age. The older you become, the more pressure you feel to join the majority.
The oldest virgin alive
For those of you that decide to hold on a little longer, the feeling of being left out is common. Especially if none of your friends are owning up to still being the V-word. But as sexual health development worker Carole Vincent assures us, you're not alone.
In the last two years she has noticed a significant increase in those postponing sexual relationships. "There's more information out there about diseases, teen pregnancies and terminations. So people are choosing to wait. They're thinking more before rushing in."
No sex but still sexy?
A big misconception about being a virgin is that your sexual identity, or even your personality, is defined by it. People find it difficult to see you as someone with normal sex appeal and sexual desires. Just like we might find it difficult to believe that someone who acts as sexy as Britney Spears is still a virgin.
21 year old Eleanor is waiting for the right relationship and finds others reaction to her virginity frustrating. "If I ever make a comment about finding someone sexy my friends seemed shocked that I have those feelings. Its like they think I'm incapable of intimacy."
With attitudes such as 'You're not a real man or woman 'til you do it', it's no wonder some find their virginity such a burden to admit. And those that do embrace and promote it can be faced with feelings of exclusion, inadequacy and embarrassment.
By design or by accident
It's not only fear of the consequences that's influencing people's choice to wait, some are waiting for love or have religious reasons.
Nazrin is a muslim and has just turned 21. He says: "I'm proud to be a virgin because I have strong reasons to be. My friends that lost their virginity very young regretted it. They had awful experiences and for what?"
For others still driving with the V plates, it's not a deliberate choice. It's just something that worked out that way. This is the case with 20 year old Scot who has decided to make his wait worth it. He says: "It wouldn't feel right to sleep with some girl I had lukewarm feelings for. Not now."
Although virgins above the age of 17 are not 'average' there are still plenty of them. Some people are realising that having true sexual freedom includes the option to say no. Carole Vincent sees young people exercising a more informed type of sexual freedom. "The thinking now is if they can't have a safe sexual relationship they won't have any."
