SEXTING - Do JFK Girls Do It?

by SET Senior Jhaniya Lovett

“When Vanessa Hudgens' naked photos hit the Internet, the High School Musical star quickly apologized. But sending nude or semi-nude pictures, a phenomenon known as sexting, is a fast growing trend among teens. The national campaign to prevent teen & unplanned pregnancy a private nonprofit group whose mission is to protect children and cosmogirl.com, surveyed nearly 1,300 teens about sex and technology the result: 1 in 5 teens say they’ve sexted even though the majority know it could be a crime.

“Sexting is the act of sending sexually explicit messages or photographs primarily between mobile phones. The term was first popularized in the early 21^st century, and is a [combination] of sex and texting” – articles.cnn.com/keyword/sexting

I interviewed one of the students in John F. Kennedy. To protect her identity, we will call her “Emily.” Here is her story, in her own words.

“I myself am a teen who has sent sexually suggestive texts & pics of myself to boys and I do regret it.

“Not all of us who have texted have low self-esteem. I am very confident about my body and I actually think very highly of myself. I think the reason I sent those things was because I feel centuries behind my friends. I'm 15 years old, a freshman in high school & I've only had 2 boyfriends before. I haven't even kissed a boy yet. Most of my friends have boyfriends and have had their first kiss in middle school. I feel like they are moving on and maturing without me.

“Also I think this is partly the guys’ fault. Yes, I am the one who sent the pics but some guys just know how to get it out of you. The guy I sent pics to has his ways of manipulation. He is really sweet and charming and like a dream guy. I felt really close to him & could tell him anything. I felt very comfortable sharing my feelings with him. Then, after I sent him the pics, he started to get bored & he moved on.

“The worst part is that this exact situation has happened before with him and many others girls, most of which are close friends of mine.

“One last thing: I don’t think adults fully understand this whole thing. My own mom said that she understands, but I can always hear the disappointment in her voice. Just because we have done this does not make us sluts and whores. We are all great girls who made mistakes. And the adults always say that we don't need a guy in our lives."

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Editor's note: If you are considering sending sexual material, including pictures of yourself or someone you know over the Internet or the cell phone network, please think again. One thing you can be sure of: A time will come, probably soon, when you are more grown up, and you see the world differently than you do now. At that time, there are things you did as a kid that you will be glad to forget about, things that would embarrass you if people knew about them. Most things can be forgotten over time. Pictures and information on the Internet are FOREVER.

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