| Dating in today's world has changed | | | | There's little embarrassment in answering |
| dramatically in the last half century. The | | | | questions about one's past sexual experience, |
| subject of sex, and even the act itself, has | | | | one's likes or dislikes, or even one's level |
| become more recognized as an acceptable part | | | | of sexual expertise. Questions of this |
| of a date in today's world. In the 1950's and | | | | nature are neither embarrassing to the |
| early 1960's the subject of sex was rarely | | | | participants, nor, thought of to be intruding |
| discussed or considered in such an open | | | | upon one's personal and private business. In |
| manner, on a date, as it is today. This is | | | | fact, if the subject of sex isn't brought up, |
| not to say that sex, or the subject of sex, | | | | the dater is often thought of as boring or |
| has never made an 'appearance' on a date. On | | | | inexperienced, rather than respectful of |
| the contrary, sex, on many occasions, has | | | | one's privacy. Even more disturbing is the |
| indeed 'inserted' itself into a date. The | | | | number of first time daters that engage in |
| difference between then and now is that those | | | | sex after knowing one another for mere hours. |
| occurrences were the exception, rather than | | | | Many guys come right out and ask their date |
| the rule.For the broad majority of daters in | | | | if they have ever had a 'one night stand', |
| those times, the subject of sex was kept in | | | | and/or if they would be interested in having |
| the background. Sex was the unspoken of | | | | a 'one night stand'. Few girls are insulted |
| 'elephant' in the room. As one might expect, | | | | by this line of questioning, and answer as if |
| in a situation where two healthy young | | | | they were at a job interview. Worse still, |
| members of the opposite sex are sharing close | | | | some girls consider the request, and some |
| quarters, there was always an undercurrent of | | | | even agree to it. When it comes to sex, it |
| sexual electricity in the air. It just was | | | | seems as though the thought process of some |
| not openly, or crassly, acknowledged by the | | | | of these young women has become slightly |
| dating couple. Most of the dates back then, | | | | warped. Point in fact, an increasing number |
| followed along similar lines. During a date, | | | | of young women today insist that a certain |
| a guy could make suggestive jokes and/or | | | | type of sex, which I will not describe here, |
| comments, and sometimes, playfully hug and | | | | is not, in fact, sex. They say sex only |
| grab the girl, but he knew where to draw the | | | | occurs when two people lay together and have |
| line - and had enough class not to cross it. | | | | sexual intercourse. They say that any other |
| A girl flirted and looked knowingly at her | | | | sex act isn't a sex act at all, and such acts |
| date, and depending on the circumstances, | | | | are no worse than kissing. With this type of |
| might allow a certain degree of superficial | | | | thinking, it's plain to see how easy it is |
| physical contact. Still, she wouldn't go so | | | | for unscrupulous males to exploit these naive |
| far as to put herself into a compromising | | | | and ill-informed females. The level of |
| situation that she couldn't get out of. Most | | | | self-respect and self-control, in many of |
| dates culminated in a 'good night kiss'. Some | | | | today's dating couples, seems to have |
| went further, and included 'heavy petting', | | | | declined in direct ratio to the increase of |
| which included tongue kissing, fondling, etc. | | | | their unabashed and unbridled lust. It would |
| - but no 'skin' came out into the open. | | | | be wise, for the daters of today, to keep in |
| Finally, a smaller group included those who | | | | mind that while it cannot be denied that |
| went 'all the way'; but as previously | | | | having sex is a pleasurable experience, it |
| mentioned, this group was the exception, | | | | can also be a costly one. The act of sex |
| rather than the rule. It was rare that a | | | | carries consequences and responsibilities |
| dating couple would have sex during the early | | | | that are frequently underestimated, and often |
| stages of 'courtship'. While there is no | | | | overlooked. Pregnancy, sexually transmitted |
| question that sex was always in the | | | | diseases, family crisis, and a loss of |
| background of a date, the daters had enough | | | | standing in one's community are just some of |
| self-restraint, or, self-respect, to prevent | | | | the consequences of an 'uncontrolled libido'. |
| it from coming to the fore. In today's world | | | | Sexual choices made by daters must be |
| of dating, sex has taken a much more | | | | fashioned with foresight, self-control, and a |
| prominent role. On most dates, sex is openly | | | | willingness to accept responsibility for |
| discussed and talked about by both daters. | | | | one's actions. K. |