like analsex or oral sex.

The subject of virginity has been debated for centuries and is an issue of both moral and personal consideration.

“There is really no scientific pinpoint way to tell if one is a virgin; there are many controversies,” said Mrs.

Algaze, head of the Health Academy at MLEC.

The definition of virginity has a deep cultural history; virginity originated from the concept that a woman was a man’s property and when a man invested in a property, he wanted the most valuable, and a virginal woman had more value than a tainted one.

In many religions, one is taught that if they have any sexual experience before marriage, he or she is impure in the eyes of their god. This is a reason

why many girls make promises to themselves and to their parents that they will save themselves until their wedding night.

In the same survey conducted by Cosmo Girl, 43 percent of girls responded that non-virgins at their high school were considered slutty and 70 percent said that

they felt the pressure to remain a virgin,mostly from church, their parents, and their friends.

What is still debated is the true meaning of virginity. The medical definition of a virgin is, one who has not had

sexual intercourse. But most moral definitions differ.

Over the years, oral sex, anal sex, and other forms of sex that do not include intercourse have become more common amongst teenagers.

The number of teens having sex has also risen; national statistics show that 70 percent of girls in the year 2006

will lose their virginity before the age of 18.

“You know what you’ve done to make you a virgin or not,” said junior,Andrew Lopez.

Also tying the knot with the issue of virginity is the emotional side of losingone’s virginity.

“When a guy looses his virginity, I don’t think there is as much emotional attachment as when a girl does,”

explained Antonio Ventura, a senior from MLEC.

Overall, being a virgin is more a state of mind rather than a physical condition. It all depends on the person’s judgment. While some girls may think that they are virgins, even though they have had some type of sexual contact, excluding intercourse, other girls might

not consider those acts virginal.

"The problem is that many kids are not prepared to make those types of decisions and handle the emotional and physical consequences," said one parent.

Virgin or not, is a decision that is to be made by the person. It is up to one’s discretion to decipher the true meaning of virginity. But with this, it is important

for teens to know that if indeed, they are engaging in any type of sexual activities, that they should know the consequences and must use protection.

Emily Nixon, a junior at MLEC,said, “Sex is a special thing that should be saved for the right moment.”