YOUNG ADULT STORYLINES- Teen Sex
Last week I posted my thoughts about the requisite love triangles found in many Young Adult storylines and this week I will endeavor to put words to the virtual paper, once again, to discuss teen sex–NO, not in general, but in YA storylines and novels. Although teen sex is a topic some adults would rather brush under the proverbial carpet, so to speak, it is a topic that should be addressed. In today’s society sticking one’s head in the sand with regards to teen sex ranks close to neglect but I am not going to address such issues. I would like to talk about teen sex in the YA storylines-virtual teen sex-so to speak.
I would like to start by saying emphatically…”I am not a prude. I do not preach about the morality or lack thereof of today’s society. I do not sit in judgment of anyone’s lifestyle, as long as the people involved are free from harm and everything is consensual”. But I am talking about adults-over 18 years of age. Saying that, as readers, we all know that YA storylines are no longer just for teens and young adults. Gone are the days of ‘Little Women’ and ‘The Hardy Boys’. Authors write many of their novels knowing that a large portion of their audience and readership are adults over 18 years of age. But there appears to be some unwritten guidelines as it pertains to the sexual content of young adult storylines. And keeping that in mind, I have noticed more YA storylines involving teen sex. These storylines are not sexually graphic: there is no erotica-style writing: there is rarely any description of a sexual or erotic nature: most of the sex is implied or ‘fades to black’, but there is a sexual encounter or more precisely-intercourse. The scenarios vary, the circumstances range from clumsy first times, implied intercourse to beautiful encounters but the reality of the situation is that an underage (under 18) character(s) is having sex. Most YA storylines talk around the issue of sex, the characters come close to participating or experiencing sex, but a few cross into sexual territory or engage in sexual intercourse.
Awhile back, The Reading Café had an author comment on a review regarding the graphic nature of the violence in his YA storyline. The author pointed out that, as a teen, he was reading novels that contained graphic violence and sex, but what he failed to note, was that these novels were written for adults. The novels he mentioned were not directed at the young adult market nor were they ever intended for the teen reader, but many teens do read novels from every genre and every age level, so they will be exposed to various styles of writing and content. I, myself, read only adult literature in my teens and didn’t think twice about the content and apparently neither did my parents-the maturity level of the teen was the motivating factor. Again, I will address that issue further along.
To prove a point, many readers are concerned about Karen Marie Moning’s (KMM) new release ICED. ICED is part of KMMs Fever series. The Fever series is an ADULT paranormal series, but ICED’s heroine is a young teen girl who ages from 14-17 years old over the next 3 releases. Karen has pointed out that her character of Dani O’Malley will NOT be engaging in sex but the other adults in the storyline will: KMM writes about sex and enjoys the storylines with sex. ICED is NOT a young adult storyline, but a continuation of her adult FEVER series.
October 15, 2012- Karen Marie Moning’s FACEBOOK:
Guys, ICED is NOT Young Adult. Dani ages during the next three books of the Fever Series. Yes, there’s sex. I like writing about sex. I always write about sex. No, 14-year old Dani doesn’t have sex. Other people do. Nor does 14 -year old (at the start of the trilogy) Dani make it a book by or for a 14 year old. I promise you all the magic you’ve come to expect from the Fever World. I don’t write YA. This series isn’t YA. Please spread the word so my inbox will calm down:)
This is an example how readers are concerned about potential storylines involving underage teens and sex. And yet, all this uproar, involved an adult storyline not intended for young adult reading.
But, I am not talking about adult storylines. I would like to address the storylines that are written specifically for teens, where the lead characters are under 18 years of age. In a society where many teens ‘learn’ about sex from books, magazines and friends on the street, should the storyline heroine lose her virginity to the hero or anti-hero? A series I read recently, had an adult male, in a position of authority, engaging in sex with female students at the local high school. And to complicate matters, most of the leading characters in the storyline were very much aware of the situation, yet not one adult made any attempt to stop the male teacher in question. And the girls, with whom he had sex, were jealous of his many conquests. This, to me, lacks moral responsibility. It almost screams, that it is okay for a male teacher to have sex with female students. But, I will digress and add, the YA storyline in question is written in the paranormal genre, and the adult male is technically several centuries old (rolling eyes) and looking for his mate (again rolling eyes) which is not an excuse, only an explanation of this particular premise.
Another paranormal YA series had the female lead, a young teen of 15, trying to seduce many of the male characters including teens and adults, all in the name of over-active supernatural hormones. She was eventually successful in her attempts and lost her virginity to another supernatural being (just after her 16th birthday). The scenario did not contain any graphic sexual content, but the scene was written from the heroine’s point of view (as well as the entire series) throughout the encounter. And in the end, her over-eager need to copulate was written-off as over-active shapeshifter hormones.
In both of these circumstances, each sexual encounter was written as part of the storyline premise trying hard not to appear as gratuitous or unnecessary and in my humble opinion not adequately addressed.
And yet another YA series, the young couple in question are both teen vampyres. Their relationship is basically monogamous, although the female in question has not always been faithful to her beaus. She lost her virginity at 16 to a 23 year old professor and in her present coupling, the sexual intercourse is implied using euphemisms such as “he loved me all night long” and “our loving was hot and heavy”.
Addressing the age of consent. In Canada and the USA, the age of consent (age of protection) is 16 and perhaps that is also an issue with the YA storylines as it involves teens under the age of 18. Sexual intercourse with a minor under 16 is illegal in North America and punishable by law. There are many different circumstances as it pertains to age of consent for teens between 16 and 18 years of age but I will not address the criminal justice system at this time.
Here is where the reader’s maturity level will come into play. Like the requisite love triangle in many YA storylines, the readers must make the decision and understand the exact nature of the sexual premise. Some 14 year old readers are more mature intellectually than some 18year olds (and vice versa) but that doesn’t negate the fact that an under age character is engaging in intercourse. As a teen, I was reading my mother’s Harlequin romance novels where most of the sex was implied or glossed over with euphemisms, and there were a few novels that were questionable due to their sexual or violent content (The Happy Hooker by Xaviera Hollander and The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty). My attempts at Ayn Rand’s ‘Atlas Shrugged’ garnered me a few raised eyebrows from my friends, but it took me several reads to understand fully the nature of the ‘beast’ that was Rand. But I digress. These novels were written specifically for adults, with adult content and never with the intention of having a 15 year old girl from a small Canadian city holding court over the storyline content. But I was well ahead of my peers in the maturity level and my parents, especially my father, was always open to conversation and question if ever I was willing to talk or ask.
I guess we can look at this two-fold.
1. Should the young adult storylines include sexual intercourse between under-age (under 18) teens (or between teens and adults) in their YA novels and series? And if so, should there be a disclaimer as to the sexual content of the novel? Should the publishers have a rating system in place that warns of the sexual content in young adult storylines?
Please note: many writers are following the dictates of the publisher as it pertains to content of their novels. Whatever is ‘hot’ at the moment, the publisher may ask the author to ‘pursue’ that avenue as it pertains to the storyline content and premise.
We are all well aware that many teens are sexually active. Do we want to perpetuate the scenario in the young adult storylines-making teen sex acceptable, inevitable and in some cases, necessary? No matter how much we preach, teach, educate and advise, there are still teenage pregnancies, teenagers contracting STDs and having unprotected sex. And on that note-many of these YA storylines involving sex do NOT talk about protection: the characters are NOT practising safe sex.
2. Adult storylines and teens. What is your opinion, feeling or thoughts about teens reading adult storylines with sexually graphic scenes and premises? Would you want your 15 year old child reading many of today’s more popular storylines that contain BDSM and sexually explicit content? You might say that the parent must be ever vigilant when it comes to their children’s reading habits etc, but with the advent of the e-reader and e-books, the availability of every genre and storyline is beyond our imaginations.
Let me know how you feel. Oh, and let us know how old you were when you read your first sexually explicit storyline. Do you remember the name of the book?
Just my thoughts-Sandy
Fabulous post, Sandy. I totally understand where you are coming from in YA books with pushing the sex theme. Funny for me, I have read a lot of YA this past year, and mine are mostly dystopian, and whereas many of these books do have love interests, they haven’t really had sex in the books I have read.
But you raise a lot of good questions, and have given some excellent examples. Today’s teenagers are exposed to sexual content either reading, tv or movies, not to mention other ways. Things are more aggressive or permissive today. Does this mean we should accept having us read about the 14 or 15 year old having sex in books, I personally don’t like to read that. I do not mind them having sexual attraction, falling for the gorgeous guy at school, or whatever.
I saw that article with Karen Moning, and she has said from the start, though Dani is 14, her books are not YA, and never will be. But Karen is conscious of people not wanting to see Dani at that age have sex, she knows to wait til she is older. But as you said, others will be having sex in the series. lol
This is a great post, and I’m sure many people have different opinions.
I just want to add to KMM and Dani. If you recall, Dani keeps talking about WANTING to have sex (she goes on and on about how gorgeous Barrons and V’lane are), but Mac is very opposed to it and encourages her to wait. She also admonishes V’lane for flirting with her.
Not once did I think Dani’s spin-off was NOT going to include sex; I trusted KMM to handle it appropriately.
Wow Sandy!! Awesome post!! I do NOT like it when there is sex in YA. Period. However, I think that I may be part of the problem. My favorite YA series is The Morganville Vampires, and there is sex as you described. Glossed over. When I got to the part where they had sex, I seriously put down my Kindle and had to think about it. In the end, the fact that it was not described or graphic in any nature, spurred me on to continue the series. With that said, if it had been detailed, I would have hands down, stopped the series. Does that make me a hypocrite?? Probably so…….
The series you referred to about the teacher having sex with female students will NEVER grace my Kindle. That, imo, crosses the line. Like waaaaay crosses it.
My favorite adult series is The Black Dagger Brotherhood, and would be mortified if my 15 year old ever dared to read it. I realize that kids at that age now know a hell of a lot more than I did at that age, but reading a series such as BDB is highly inappropriate. Regardless of maturity level. In most ways, sex is so romanticized that I think kids would have a hard time distinguishing between fiction and real life. Let me be blunt…… I do not know of one person whose first time was “magical”. Not saying that it doesn’t happen, *snort*, but I personally don’t know anyone who would say that.
Very thought provoking stuff Sandy!!! I’ll ponder it some more………. Great job!!
I’m with Vickie, Barb AND you, Sandy! 😀 Teen sex happens, but I just don’t want to read about it; especially in detail.
The one series Sandy was referring to with the male, adult professor and young, impressionable vampyre just coming into her powers….SO WRONG…but the authors didn’t stop there. They’ve attached a number of boys who are pursuing her and the heroine considers them all. I’m not saying it’s not realistic, it is, unfortunately, but as an adult (and mom), I want that nonsense to a minimum.
The daughter of a good friend of mine, now 17, is an avid reader and honor role student. She read Twilight, the House of Night series and the Vampire Academy and it’s spin-off series by Richelle Mead; she was enamored of the PNR. She’d always go to my bookshelf and try to pick a book. Well…I’m an adult and LOVE my PNR with steam….I always shooed her away and told her, “Later…you’re NOT ready to take these issues on”.
I introduced her to Nick’s Chronicles and she fell head over heels in love with Nick — hard not to, I know! 😉 Anyway, when she started asking questions (and CRITICIZING Acheron?!), I remarked that it was a spin-off; that she could read the DHers “later”. OMG, she said she would go to her school library and check it out! I told her they would NOT carry the DHers; that she had lots of time to read other books. I don’t think she found it, plus I told her that I didn’t like feeling like she was moving too fast. I panicked. Would she go after it? Was I at fault? She’s a bright, resourceful young lady. Did I create a monster???
Love the post… I remember my parents not allowing us to read anything that even looked as if it might be sex related when we were teenagers, they considered them trouble. To this day I have this thing about teenagers reading books that are “too old” for them, believing that there is a place for innocence in this world yet… though to be honest, I don’t know where. There is sex everywhere… shoot, there are 13 & 14 year olds that have more knowledge about it than some of their parents… I remember one parent complaining that when she took her daughter aside for “the talk” she was asked by her child what she would like to know about it. Problem was that the girl knew all the answers too. It is getting to be a bigger question all the time, when do you start allowing your child to dive into the heavier books, they can get them anytime they really want to… all they have to do is walk into a library or book store and pull it off the shelf. Would I let my teenager read an adult book? No. Could I stop said teenager? No. Sad by true… you can try guide them but it doesn’t guarantee they will do what you want.
Some YA books come so close to adult books they might as well be guidelines. I have to wonder in those cases whether they are giving the green light to the teenagers who are reading them to experiment. They don’t cross the border so they can’t be banned, or bumped up. There is only so much control that can be practiced… and if they do get banned, they become a best seller… lol.
All the examples I talked about never went into detail. Basically ‘faded to black’ or went off into a dream like sequence (rolling eyes). In each of the instances the female was only 16 years old and just past her 15th birthday.
And Carmen, we know the series I was referencing….the sexual intercourse continues throughout the series. And if I am not mistaken, another couple in the storyline are active as well where the female is only 17 years of age.
But my biggest concern was the lack of protection…absolutely NOTHING was mentioned, talked about or even alluded to. I don’t care if they are supernatural beings without the ability to conceive….they are still having sex etc and in a young adult storyline.
and saying that…the shifter series..the young female had just turned 16 and she is horny as hell due to her ‘wolf’ DNA. Her wolf is looking to mate with anything on ‘3’ legs. And, in this instance, she can get pregnant..and once again, nothing is mentioned about safe sex or protection.
I know these are fantasy and fictional storylines, but if the books are directed at minors (under 18) there should be some sense of responsibility. IMO
Wow, this is something I never thought about. I have read so many YA books but have not encountered any sex (yet), although they are tempted.
I am concerned that the books directed at teens would contain teen sex. With all the preaching, advertising, talks and education about teen sex, teen mothers, ‘std’ and teen pregnancies, you would think there would be a little more thought put into the premise where the characters are actively engaging in sex. We know that teens are having sex but to add that to the storylines is a bit disconcerting. I am actually worried now 🙁
Great post, Sandy! This is such a complicated issue. Our Puritan roots have most of us avoiding anything to do with sex knowledge as something that “nice” people just don’t do….LOL We all know that simply isn’t true, but when kids try to read some of this stuff, it just seems so wrong! I know, my age is showing!LOL While I’m personally an advocate of sex being a part of our lives and as it’s the invention of a loving God – it’s not something we shouldn’t talk about…when and how to start letting kids learn is a tricky point. Do they stumble in or feel safe with discussing with adults? But books and stories that involve an adult taking advantage of teens is unacceptable to me at any age…just eeewww!
I’m with you on even if sex is in the story appropriately, it should still be done responsibly. I don’t think we can stress the risks of sex too much, it should be a good realistic look at what to avoid as well as what can be enjoyed. If kids might read it no matter what parents do…at least we need to provide good and realistic information.
Sandy, this is a terrific post. I agree with you on everything you said. I have read a lot of YA, and I can’t remember which series it was, but the young heroine did have sex. Most YA books have the temptation, the falling in love, even as you had said before, the triangles, but the majority normally do not have sex. At least on those I have read.
It is a different day and age, and the young readers can read anything with e-books. But I agree, until they are at least a bit older, I do not like to see the 14-15-16 year olds having sex in those books. Great job, Sandy
Great post Sandy. As i have a teenage grandaughter and her mom allows her to read Christine’s books there is not a lot I can say about the subject. I read very mature books at an early age but I had to sneak to read them. I think if the book is aimed at teens it should be kept sex free myself. I have ti laugh because the books I was sneaking to read are cleaner reading than some of the YA I have seen.
Honestly I hadn’t thought about it. I started reading romance at 14 Harlequin and Barbara Cartland. In BC books there wasn’t any sex involved and the couple were married at the end of the story and yes it pretty much faded to black. I’ve only read 3 YA books and they were the Nick Chronicles by S. Kenyon and he isn’t sexually active yet. He’s too busy trying to stay alive.
I wouldn’t want to read about anyone having sex before the age of 18 and even then I would want the couple to be mentally mature enough to handle it. No way on perve teachers or older manipulating men. Yuck!
Wow so much controversy and very thought provoking. I have some mixed feelings on some things however. Yes I do see how some books make it so that young minor women and older men to the point that their old enough to be their uncle is okay but in my opinion it is creepy to the point that it sounds criminal to me.
Growing up as a teen, I was a very curious teen that yes I did stray to the young adult books with implied sex scenes, violence and drug use. I will admit to that and I was reading this type of material as young as 14 and 15. I have to go with the whole maturity thing because it depends on the maturity on who can handle it. In a way, if a young teen is showing enough maturity then I don’t want to dishearten them that they can’t read the book but at the same time I can also understand the concern from a parent’s point of view. And the least bit sometimes an occasional underage sex scene may be used because I do agree with the bit about the sexually active teens. Whether we acknowledge it or not, teen sex very much do exist and yeah some are having sex as young as 13; I would know about that when I got teased (not in the bully way mind you) by some girls I talked to that I was still a virgin at 14.
My feelings are very mixed and it may also be from my point of view and circumstance. The thing is, my parents were pretty much the whole play ignorance/denial and believe my children don’t engaged in pre-martial sex and drugs but the thing is I felt like that did more harm that good. My brother did marijuana and alcohol as a teen ; and well the unexpected happened to me and my sis before we were of age and I wished I could have talked to my parents about it before it happened. All my knowledge about life’s vices whether it be drugs, sex, violence I learned it all from books and movies as a young teen. The thing is you can’t keep your child in a shell forever and they may as well eventually face it the life can get a little crazy and unexpected.
This was a very interesting topic, i actually think it’s good and bad. I’m not going to lie but, i was about 15 or 16 when i started reading adult rated books. I fell in love with the way the writer would give detail and explain their story through words, my imagination opened up that moment and is why i write today. My rating for the content that i write will always be for readers who are over the age of 18, since i am 20 and going to turn 21 this month on the 15th. I do not support young kids to read adult themed books but if their maturity level is above others and they actually decide to read it and like them like i did at that age then i say go for it. If it means letting a young adult find their passion in life and wanting to make their dream a reality, then i say “Here, start off with this book, take it slow. It has a little more of a teen rating but i know you will love it.” With a smile. I do not want to hold back a potentially great book from someone who will love it and would open their mind to other wonderful titles. That’s just my opinion. ^.^