Sex and intimacy can be such a wonderful thing, but it can also leave an emotional toll on both parties. Especially with the fact that there are so many diseases out there today. The fact that a lot of people are in such a hurry to jump in bed with that special someone can lead that person down a rabbit hole that no one wants to go down.

I may be a virgin, but there are times that I wish I wasn’t, but then I look at a lot of things on the news and I hear a lot of things from my peers that make me grateful that I am a virgin. There are so many advantages of waiting to be sexually intimate and not jump into it, too many to mention in one paragraph, so therefore I will break down the advantages of waiting.

1. The Lack Of Diseases

There are so many diseases out in the world today. According to an article from CNN, In 2016, Americans were infected with more than two million new cases of gonorrhea, syphilis and chlamydia, the highest number of these sexually transmitted diseases ever reported.

The article goes onto say, “The agency's annual Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance Report shows that more than 1.6 million of the new cases were from chlamydia, 470,000 were from gonorrhea and nearly 28,000 cases were primary and secondary syphilis, the most infectious stages of the disease, according to the CDC.”

This tells me that a lot of people are “shacking up” with their partners without protection, and therefore, a lot of people are falling victim to diseases. This is sad because at least half of these cases occur in young people ages 15-24, and a lot of those young people do not even know they have it. If you were to wait, the likelihood of sexually transmitted diseases would go down, not necessarily eliminated because you do not know what your partner is carrying.

2. The fewer sexual partners you have, the better (morally)

This point may not be a good one because of the fact that I am a virgin, but based on what I see and what I hear, the fewer partners you have is better because if you have more partners, you will be running the risk of people calling you names that are hurtful.

These names would be pretty hurtful and would make one think that you are what people are calling you. Morally, it is very good to not have any partners because you will obtain that “good girl” or “good guy” status, which will go over well with the adults that you may come across.

Me, personally, I am happy to be considered a “good guy,” and contrary to popular belief, nice guys can finish first if you are patient with the haters that you may encounter.

3. You will decrease your risk of becoming pregnant

Although teen pregnancies are at all time low, according to CNN, where it points out, “The birth rate among teen girls has dropped 67 percent since 1991, according to the National Center for Health Statistics, which presented preliminary data for 2016 based on a majority (99.9 percent) of births.”

If you are under the age of 30, unmarried and become pregnant you will most likely become a statistic, especially if you are a woman of color. As an African-American man, it is sad to see my sisters who are pregnant, especially when they are in it alone, because it is expected in today’s society especially among African-American women.

Women, If you wait until marriage to be intimate, you will be intimate with your husband who you know will not leave you when you tell him you’re expecting.

If was I ever was faced with this situation I know would not run. I may be shocked and stressed at first, but I will reassure my significant other we will get through this together.

4. Less Drama between You and Partner:

If you are in a relationship and are known to have multiple partners on the side, that could rise drama between you and your boyfriend/girlfriend. The best way to stop the drama is to not have any partners, but for those who cannot do that, it is better to make a commitment to stop your “sleeping around” and commit to one person.

I am not for being sexually intimate before marriage but for those who are, if you commit to one person, at least that will stop your partner from snooping around and getting “nervous” every time your phone goes off or you get a text message. A lot of relationships break up over lack of trust, and if we don’t give people reason not to trust us, we will see more relationships blossom into potentially something more.

I hope these tips would help someone who is thinking about becoming intimate with their partner. As you weigh the pros and cons of being intimate with your partner, take this list that was tailored especially for you into account.

I will not trade my current virginity for anything in the world, and it is hard sometimes, as I am getting older but I am happy that God is sustaining me and holding me up until my time comes. I hope there are a few virgins out there left, and if there is, I hope you are being "kept" until your time comes as well.