I am a Pakistani who has lived abroad (in the Middle East) most of his life. All that I knew about the American Culture came from movies and some experiences my brother had, who came here five years ago.

 As a teenager I knew ‘the facts of life’ and I did read about safe sex in the news paper. When I moved to London half a year ago, I understood what sex and condoms were all about. Although I have been tempted, I have refrained from sex. When we were talking about abortion and all those concepts in my Women Studies, I kept asking myself one question: What was the root of the problem? Repeatedly, I came to one and only one answer. It might startle you, enrage you, and even flame you to call me whatever you want, but I believe this is what the problem is: sex.

Isn’t it true that women faced almost all those problems primarily because of premature sex? Even if you don’t agree to that, science has told us today that the biggest cause of aids is sex with changed partners. If you remain faithful to one partner, then you won’t get it. For an American, safe sex means protective sex. For me, it means not having sex. Logic:

"Aids is caused by sex. Therefore, don’t have sex." Can you find ‘safe sex’ in that logic? I didn’t think so. But Americans have invented the words ‘safe sex’ and incorporated it in that logic. Care to contradict?

There was a time when morals of the American society were much higher than they are today. Sex before marriage was considered wrong. A fatherless child was not socially acceptable. Over the years, these values have changed. This has resulted in an increase in problems directly or indirectly related to sex. Should I bore you with examples?

Finally, I ask you, my friends, to answer me honestly: is it absolutely impossible to refrain from sex till marriage? Is abstinence a myth? I didn’t think so.