Let me start off with saying this is not something I am sharing to brag about or make it seem like I am better than those who aren't virgins.

I am sharing why I believe I made the right and healthy choice.

I don't know many of my unmarried peers to be virgins. However, there is an estimate that 25% of college seniors are virgins. So I am not alone. Another statistic shows the average age for a guy to lose his virginity is at 16.9 and the average age for a girl is 17.4. I am sharing these statistics to put my choice in perspective (I am 22 years old). Many people choose to have sex at an earlier age and with multiple people. A reason for this is the Sexual Revolution of the 1960s and the current culture that upholds the lifestyle as correct. The media shows it through TV shows and movies. Considering all of these sources, I understand why people think it is normal to lose your virginity at a young age and to think that it is unbelievable someone would stay a virgin for so long. But, there is a good reason to not have sex before marriage and not have multiple partners.

I will start with the main reason that comes to my mind and most think of when it comes to virgins. To those who don't know, I am a strong Christian and believe in the authority of the Bible. One of the categories of sins discussed in the Bible is sexual immorality. God gave us sexual desires, yet He wants us to use it in the right way. For me, as a guy, he wants me to not lust after women. He also wants me to only have sexual relations with my future wife (if I am meant to be married). God designed sex for pleasure in a marriage and for procreation. Those who study population growth and replacement know that procreation is pretty important for any healthy society. In summary, my religion has a standard for me to maintain virginity until marriage and I believe God's standards are wise and beneficial to follow.

My next reason is that having sex right now has risks that just aren't worth taking, no matter the odds.

I know that people always say "use a condom," but that does not guarantee 100% that a woman will not get pregnant. You can hear multiple stories where someone got pregnant and a condom was used. There is also the chance of catching an STD. Again, I know the medical field has a lot of resources to combat that, but there is still that risk. And if I get a woman pregnant, there are one of two bad scenarios that could happen. One is that I have an additional responsibility to take care of my child (because I am that guy that won't desert the woman), which would change my life plans of completing my education and starting my career. Plus I am not financially secure yet. The other scenario is that the girl wants an abortion, which would cause an awkward conversation with me because I am pro-life. I personally do not want to be in either situation because it is horrible for that girl and me.

Finally, I have a personal, moral reason that is not stated outright in religion or code.

I don't want to have sex until marriage because it eliminates the chance of having sex with more than one person in my life. Sex is a special expression of love and it is meant for a spouse. I want that special expression of love to be made to the woman I truly love and want to spend the rest of my life with. I believe that just having sex with every girlfriend/boyfriend cheapens sex so that, unconsciously, you just want the pleasure and the other person becomes the means to an end. From what I have heard, women tend to feel this when they say they felt used by a guy. Women can use guys as well, but I think women understand it better. I don't want to do anything in my life that causes me to view another human being as an object. And I don't want to solely desire a woman for sex, I also want to desire her for her character and person.

I know it is tough being a virgin in today's world without feeling pressured.

Trust me, I have been hit full force by the influences. That is why I don't condemn people for deciding to have sex. But please realize that it is a lie that life as a virgin is unhappy. Having an active sexual lifestyle with multiple partners causes more dissatisfaction. And even if you have a girlfriend/boyfriend that you have sex with and feel loyal to, how do you know the relationship won't end the next day? I know marriages can end in divorce, but marriages are a more serious relationship as compared to a casual dating one. Ideally, you know the person well at that point when you take the vows and you know that you want to spend the rest of your life with them. Do you know that with a girlfriend/boyfriend?

Again, I am not sharing this to say I am better than those who have an active sexual lifestyle. But my decision to choose virginity is one of the best things I have done and I look forward to meeting my future wife someday.