Anonymous: Hi I don't know when to lose my virginity. I'm 16 and a teenage boy.

Hi anon,

First, virginity can have many different definitions and mean different things to different people. So, you might want to decide what you consider to be “virginity” and engaging in what behaviors would mean that you no longer consider yourself a “virgin.” Most people would define virginity as never having engaged in sexual behaviors with a partner. Some people consider giving or receiving oral sex at no longer being a virgin, some people consider having anal sex as losing their virginity and others consider having penile-vaginal intercourse as losing their virginity. It is all up to you how you define it for yourself. Check out this FAQ for some more information on defining virginity.

Second, when you decided to engage in sexual behaviors with a partner is entirely up to you. There is no right time. Studies show that by age 15 only 13 percent of teens have had sex. This just shows that even though it can seem like “everyone is doing it,” they really aren’t.

There are lots of things to think about and talk about with a partner before engaging in sexual behaviors. You may want to check out these FAQs from our website for some more information.

I hope this helps!