Switched at Birth: How to Talk about Waiting
This week, on one of our favorite ABC Family shows, Switched At Birth, Bay and Tank almost take their relationship to the next level. Things are getting hot and heavy for them but Bay wants to put the brakes on the situation. It’s not that she doesn’t like Tank or even that it’s her first time; Bay already had sex with her old boyfriend Ty. But for some reason, she’s just not ready and doesn’t want to have sex with Tank until she’s sure of what it means to her.
Knowing if you’re ready for your first time can put a lot of pressure on you, but that doesn’t mean that future times are any less serious. Sex is a big deal. And every single time you have sex, it’s your choice. Whether with the same partner or a new person, it should always your decision. And remember, just because you’ve said yes before, doesn’t mean you can’t say no now. Part of knowing if you’re ready is making sure you and your partner are on the same page. How he or she reacts to your choice is also a great indicator in helping you make that decision.
In Bay and Tank’s case, Tank was initially confused. They both like each other, don’t they? And things are going well, right? And she’s not a virgin? So why wouldn’t they be having sex? But Bay doesn’t want to. She can’t really put her finger on why, but she’s not ready. They both end up upset and decide to go their separate ways. Bay confides in her birth mother, Regina, who assures her that even non-virgins can be nervous about having sex. But what she tells Bay is that the way a guy reacts to your decision tells you a whole lot about who they are, and could help you make a decision for the future.
Tank may have been confused about Bay’s choice at first but he redeems himself when he apologizes to her for what happened. He didn’t mean to pressure her. Ultimately, if she’s not ready, he understands and will wait. A conversation about NOT having sex brought Bay and Tank closer.
Every time you have sex, the consequences are the same. There’s potential for physical consequences, like a pregnancy or STIs, as well as the emotional consequences. You need to protect yourself, whether that be making sure you’re using a reliable form of contraception every single time you have sex, or maybe not having sex at all right now. Either way, talking to your partner about what you’re both thinking and comfortable with is the first step. And hopefully they react as supportively as Tank did with Bay. For more good reasons to wait, check out the waiting section.



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