Q.   I'm 19 and have yet to have sex.  I've never had a boyfriend, but I don't want to sleep with just anyone.  Whenever I tell people I'm still a virgin, they're shocked.  It's making me embarrassed and I feel pressured into having sex.  Should I get it over with, or wait?


A.   Why are you so embarrassed?  Being a virgin is nothing to be ashamed of and 19 is not old at all!  If you're dating someone, you don't need to bring it up.  If you do and he makes you feel awkward or ashamed, then you shouldn't be dating him anyway.  If you sleep with someone just for the sake of it, then you'll get a name for yourself because of that - and not a good one.  People I know lost their virginity really young and it wasn't cool or sexy.  You should be proud that you haven't just jumped into bed with the first guy who came along.  Decent blokes won't care if you're a virgin, and you shouldn't be dating blokes who aren't decent.