I'm calling BS on this one... 9 out of 10 have had premarital sex?

Braincase · 12-20-2006, 01:22 PM

That's a crock of poop. Premarital implies that the intent was marriage, and in most cases, folks are just fornicating.

Link

Even grandma had premarital sex, survey finds
Americans weren't any more chaste in the past, researchers report
MSNBC.COM SPECIAL REPORT

Updated: 6:57 p.m. CT Dec 19, 2006
NEW YORK - More than nine out of 10 Americans, men and women alike, have had premarital sex, according to a new study. The high rates extend even to women born in the 1940s, challenging perceptions that people were more chaste in the past.

“This is reality-check research,” said the study’s author, Lawrence Finer. “Premarital sex is normal behavior for the vast majority of Americans, and has been for decades.”

Finer is a research director at the Guttmacher Institute, a private New York-based think tank that studies sexual and reproductive issues and which disagrees with government-funded programs that rely primarily on abstinence-only teachings. The study, released Tuesday, appears in the new issue of Public Health Reports.

The study, examining how sexual behavior before marriage has changed over time, was based on interviews conducted with more than 38,000 people — about 33,000 of them women — in 1982, 1988, 1995 and 2002 for the federal National Survey of Family Growth. According to Finer’s analysis, 99 percent of the respondents had had sex by age 44, and 95 percent had done so before marriage.

Even among a subgroup of those who abstained from sex until at least age 20, four-fifths had had premarital sex by age 44, the study found.

Sex stable since the '50s
Finer said the likelihood of Americans having sex before marriage has remained stable since the 1950s, though people now wait longer to get married and thus are sexually active as singles for extensive periods.

The study found women virtually as likely as men to engage in premarital sex, even those born decades ago. Among women born between 1950 and 1978, at least 91 percent had had premarital sex by age 30, he said, while among those born in the 1940s, 88 percent had done so by age 44.

“The data clearly show that the majority of older teens and adults have already had sex before marriage, which calls into question the federal government’s funding of abstinence-only-until-marriage programs for 12- to 29-year-olds,” Finer said.

Under the Bush administration, such programs have received hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding.

“It would be more effective,” Finer said, “to provide young people with the skills and information they need to be safe once they become sexually active — which nearly everyone eventually will.”

Wade Horn, assistant secretary for children and families at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, defended the abstinence-only approach for teenagers.

“One of its values is to help young people delay the onset of sexual activity,” he said. “The longer one delays, the fewer lifetime sex partners they have, and the less the risk of contracting sexually transmitted disease.”

He insisted there was no federal mission against premarital sex among adults.

“Absolutely not,” Horn said. “The Bush administration does not believe the government should be regulating or stigmatizing the behavior of adults.”

Horn said he found the high percentages of premarital sex cited in the study to be plausible, and expressed hope that society would not look askance at the small minority that chooses to remain abstinent before marriage.

However, Janice Crouse of Concerned Women for America, a conservative group which strongly supports abstinence-only education, said she was skeptical of the findings.

“Any time I see numbers that high, I’m a little suspicious,” she said. “The numbers are too pat.”

MichaelH · 12-20-2006, 01:24 PM

People are having s e x before marriage?

'Hamas' Jenkins · 12-20-2006, 01:25 PM

This really isn't new. This was broken about 50 years ago in the Kinsey report. And premarital can imply more than one thing, "before" marriage temporally, not that they were saving themselves for it.

NewChief · 12-20-2006, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Braincase

However, Janice Crouse of Concerned Women for America, a conservative group which strongly supports abstinence-only education, said she was skeptical of the findings.

“Any time I see numbers that high, I’m a little suspicious,” she said. “The numbers are too pat.”

Odds are that Ms. Crouse got it on before marriage, too.

**Mr. Kotter** · 12-20-2006, 01:28 PM

Premarital, to my way of thinking, doesn't limit it to one's future wife....if you sleep around, before finding Ms. Right....but don't have sex with her until after you are married....you've still had premarital sex.

I do think the 90% could be right, although I do think it's probably a tad high.....

**dirk digler** · 12-20-2006, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Kotter

Premarital, to my way of thinking, doesn't limit it to one's future wife....if you sleep around, before finding Ms. Right....but don't have sex with her until after you are married....you've still had premarital sex.

I do think the 90% could be right, although I do think it's probably a tad high.....

I would like to know who the 10% losers are. Oh I know one..gochiefs.

sedated · 12-20-2006, 01:39 PM

marriage?

I won't wait past the fourth date.

**luv** · 12-20-2006, 01:41 PM

What if there's someone who's divorced, they never had sex outside of that marriage, and they are getting ready to get married again? Would that be considered premarital? They had sex before their second marriage, but never outside of wedlock.

Yes, I can overthink just about any topic.

siberian khatru · 12-20-2006, 01:43 PM

Interesting how it drops to 4 in 10 having postmarital sex.

Sully · 12-20-2006, 01:46 PM

I've never thought premarital connoted that it was with one you planned to marry.
Weird how different people interpret things.

Mr. Laz · 12-20-2006, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by siberian khatru

Interesting how it drops to 4 in 10 having postmarital sex.

**Bob Dole** · 12-20-2006, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sedated

marriage?

I won't wait past the fourth date.

You're old-fashioned.

Why wait past the second?

Pitt Gorilla · 12-20-2006, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Dole

You're old-fashioned.

Why wait past the second?

Did she order the lobster?

jjjayb · 12-20-2006, 03:08 PM

I like how they say that sex patterns haven't changed since the 40's to debunk abstinence programs, yet they showed no figures for pre-marital sex for people under the age of 18. I'm sure there would be a huge difference between that number in the 40's and that number now. Aren't most abstinence programs aimed at teens? You'd think they'd show the statistics on teens in this report. Or did those numbers not line up with their agenda?

Kerberos · 12-20-2006, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pitt Gorilla

Did she order the lobster?

And a brand new lighter.

12-20-2006, 01:22 PM
Braincase Banned Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Pond> Me <Barn Casino cash: $11298284	I'm calling BS on this one... 9 out of 10 have had premarital sex? That's a crock of poop. Premarital implies that the intent was marriage, and in most cases, folks are just fornicating. Link Even grandma had premarital sex, survey finds Americans weren't any more chaste in the past, researchers report MSNBC.COM SPECIAL REPORT Updated: 6:57 p.m. CT Dec 19, 2006 NEW YORK - More than nine out of 10 Americans, men and women alike, have had premarital sex, according to a new study. The high rates extend even to women born in the 1940s, challenging perceptions that people were more chaste in the past. “This is reality-check research,” said the study’s author, Lawrence Finer. “Premarital sex is normal behavior for the vast majority of Americans, and has been for decades.” Finer is a research director at the Guttmacher Institute, a private New York-based think tank that studies sexual and reproductive issues and which disagrees with government-funded programs that rely primarily on abstinence-only teachings. The study, released Tuesday, appears in the new issue of Public Health Reports. The study, examining how sexual behavior before marriage has changed over time, was based on interviews conducted with more than 38,000 people — about 33,000 of them women — in 1982, 1988, 1995 and 2002 for the federal National Survey of Family Growth. According to Finer’s analysis, 99 percent of the respondents had had sex by age 44, and 95 percent had done so before marriage. Even among a subgroup of those who abstained from sex until at least age 20, four-fifths had had premarital sex by age 44, the study found. Sex stable since the '50s Finer said the likelihood of Americans having sex before marriage has remained stable since the 1950s, though people now wait longer to get married and thus are sexually active as singles for extensive periods. The study found women virtually as likely as men to engage in premarital sex, even those born decades ago. Among women born between 1950 and 1978, at least 91 percent had had premarital sex by age 30, he said, while among those born in the 1940s, 88 percent had done so by age 44. “The data clearly show that the majority of older teens and adults have already had sex before marriage, which calls into question the federal government’s funding of abstinence-only-until-marriage programs for 12- to 29-year-olds,” Finer said. Under the Bush administration, such programs have received hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding. “It would be more effective,” Finer said, “to provide young people with the skills and information they need to be safe once they become sexually active — which nearly everyone eventually will.” Wade Horn, assistant secretary for children and families at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, defended the abstinence-only approach for teenagers. “One of its values is to help young people delay the onset of sexual activity,” he said. “The longer one delays, the fewer lifetime sex partners they have, and the less the risk of contracting sexually transmitted disease.” He insisted there was no federal mission against premarital sex among adults. “Absolutely not,” Horn said. “The Bush administration does not believe the government should be regulating or stigmatizing the behavior of adults.” Horn said he found the high percentages of premarital sex cited in the study to be plausible, and expressed hope that society would not look askance at the small minority that chooses to remain abstinent before marriage. However, Janice Crouse of Concerned Women for America, a conservative group which strongly supports abstinence-only education, said she was skeptical of the findings. “Any time I see numbers that high, I’m a little suspicious,” she said. “The numbers are too pat.”
Posts: 15,429

12-20-2006, 01:24 PM	#2
MichaelH Go Chiefs! Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Gastonia, North Carolina Casino cash: $9312006	People are having s e x before marriage?
Posts: 3,187

12-20-2006, 01:25 PM	#3
'Hamas' Jenkins Now you've pissed me off! Join Date: Jan 2006 Casino cash: $8009572	This really isn't new. This was broken about 50 years ago in the Kinsey report. And premarital can imply more than one thing, "before" marriage temporally, not that they were saving themselves for it. __________________ "When the Know-Nothings get control, it will read 'all men are created equal, except negroes, and foreigners, and Catholics.' When it comes to this I should prefer emigrating to some country where they make no pretense of loving liberty – to Russia, for instance, where despotism can be taken pure, and without the base alloy of hypocrisy.”--Abraham Lincoln
Posts: 74,825

12-20-2006, 01:28 PM	#5
Mr. Kotter The Dude Abides Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Dakota Country Casino cash: $5905285	Premarital, to my way of thinking, doesn't limit it to one's future wife....if you sleep around, before finding Ms. Right....but don't have sex with her until after you are married....you've still had premarital sex. I do think the 90% could be right, although I do think it's probably a tad high..... __________________ "I've always said I worry about legacy and winning rings more than making money at this moment...We see what's going on around the league, but at the same time, I'll never do anything that's going to hurt us from keeping the great players around me.”
Posts: 46,349

12-20-2006, 01:41 PM	#8
luv MY LITTLE #15 Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Springfield, MO Casino cash: $6259600	What if there's someone who's divorced, they never had sex outside of that marriage, and they are getting ready to get married again? Would that be considered premarital? They had sex before their second marriage, but never outside of wedlock. Yes, I can overthink just about any topic.
Posts: 63,425

12-20-2006, 01:43 PM	#9
siberian khatru 21st Century Schizoid Fan Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: The Gates of Delirium Casino cash: $2574950	Interesting how it drops to 4 in 10 having postmarital sex.
Posts: 69,130

12-20-2006, 01:46 PM	#10
Sully It Goes On Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Lees Summit Casino cash: $10026331	I've never thought premarital connoted that it was with one you planned to marry. Weird how different people interpret things. __________________ "And I don't wish that girl any bad luck," he said, "but I hope she gets hit with a car." - Tommy Lasorda
Posts: 18,295

12-20-2006, 03:08 PM	#14
jjjayb MVP Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Back in K.C. baby!!!! Casino cash: $6163433	I like how they say that sex patterns haven't changed since the 40's to debunk abstinence programs, yet they showed no figures for pre-marital sex for people under the age of 18. I'm sure there would be a huge difference between that number in the 40's and that number now. Aren't most abstinence programs aimed at teens? You'd think they'd show the statistics on teens in this report. Or did those numbers not line up with their agenda?
Posts: 7,013