Sexuality & Sexual Health: Miscellaneous / Question
Published: January 21, 2004
Dear TeenHealthFX,
i am a 14 year old girl who was looking at naked men a few weeks ago. i was doing that because i was curious to see what the male reproductive organs looked like. but my sister told on me and my parents asked me, i said no, but i feel bad because i lied. im aware of what i have done and i know i am too young to be looking at that stuff. but i just wanted to see what it looked like? whats wrong with being curious??? -curious young girl
Signed: Curious Young Girl Looking At Naked Men
Dear Curious Young Girl Looking At Naked Men,
There is nothing wrong with being curious. It is completely natural for you to wonder what the other sex looks like naked! You are not too young to have these kinds of questions.
We do not know your parents, so it is hard for us to know what your next step should be. One choice might be to tell them the truth and explain just what you told us (you could even show them this question) - that you were just looking because you were curious. Hopefully they will understand that it is natural for you to wonder about the male body, and that will make you feel better about lying. That might even be a great way to open up an honest conversation about going through puberty and your questions about sex.
However, if you are really worried about their response, you might decide to let the issue drop. We understand that you feel bad about lying, and we are impressed with what an honest person you are, but be easy on yourself - you were not honest with your parents because you were embarrassed.
If you are still curious and want more information, we suggest you look for some good books on sexuality, such as:
- All About Sexuality: A Family Resource on Sex and Sexuality
Edited by Ronald Filiberti Moglia and John Knowles - Changing Bodies, Changing Lives
By Ruth Bell and other co-authors of Our Bodies, Ourselves
The most important thing for you to know - and it sounds like you already know it - is that your curiosity is a normal, healthy part of being an adolescent.
Signed: TeenHealthFX
Teens who drink are more likely to be victims of violent crimes and sexual assault, have serious problems in school, be involved in drinking-related traffic crashes, and develop problems with alcohol later in life.
