Making choices
Are you living between two cultures? Or are you religious? Then making choices in love, sex and relationships can be tricky. How do you make choices that feel right for you?
Questions to consider
Consider the following questions:
- You
What do you think is important? What’s your opinion? What do your instincts tell you? - Your family
How does your family feel about it? What do you think about that? Do you want to consider their opinion when making your choice? You can still really love your family even though you think differently. - Friends
What do your friends think about it? Do you agree with them or not? However good your friendship is, you can still make different choices to them. - Your faith
How does your faith regard it? There is often more than one interpretation of the faith. What is your interpretation? You could think differently from the priest or the imam and still be a good Christian or Muslim. - Other young people
How do other young people regard your culture or faith? That is often quite varied!
Do you have a better idea now of what you want? Or are you still not sure? Don’t bottle it up, talk about it with someone you trust.
All kinds of opinions
What do you think about staying the night at your partner’s place, or about masturbating? About homosexuality? Everyone has his or her own opinion. This may make you unsure: what is the truth?
Guilt and shame
Your faith can give you great support, but religious rules can also make you feel guilty. You may feel guilt or ashamed when you do something that’s not allowed or because you have sexual feelings that are forbidden. Does this sound familiar? Talk about it with someone you trust.
Safety
In some families, making your own choices in love, sex and relationships can be a problem. Perhaps your parents won’t accept that you have a relationship, have had sex or have feelings towards people of the same sex. Maybe you are afraid your family will hurt you or other people.
Do you fear for your own safety? Seek help:
- Emergency? Call 112/911.
- Talk to someone you trust. You could perhaps do this with a friend, family member, your mentor at school.
- If you are under 18 years of age call the children’s helpline, Guana Chat on 918.