Kristin Luker

In the following viewpoint, Kristin Luker argues that many teen girls who have had sex did not make a conscious decision about how and when they would lose their virginity. Teens believe sexual activity is common and widespread, she maintains, and girls often feel pressured by their friends to have sex. According to Luker, some girls have sex because they are curious and feel that they are missing out on an experience, while for others, sex is something that “just happened” without being planned. Luker is a professor of sociology and law at the University of California, Berkeley.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. How do many teen girls describe their first sexual encounter, according to the author"

2. How do boys regard sexual activity, in Luker’s view"

3. In...