IS ABSTINENCE A VIABLE OPTION?

     I remember as a young boy growing up in the 90's sex was a taboo subject often spoken of in low tones. In those days not many young people were exposed to sex and being a virgin earned one respect or mild ridicule,it entirely depended on the type of neighbourhood you grew up in.For instance,there was this particular sassy girl,lets call her Jane,in my final year of primary school who would wow her fellow girls
with stories of the sexual acts she did with some notorious boys in my class.It was overtly obvious that these girls looked up to her.Her narration of  sexual escapades she claimed to have enjoyed with those boys sounded interesting and would top any teenager with raging hormones to do list.At times I felt like walking up to her with a straight face and asking her "Jane,what about me?i want in too." But imagination was as far
as it went for me,after all I was just another shy skinny nerd that Jane would never give a second look.
   Six years later,am in campus and casual sex is all the rage-a lot changes in six years.Hardly a week ends before some pissed off campus classmate asks me to host them for the night after being 'exiled' by their roommate who is entertaining some random campus girl in their shared room.On many occasions you will bump into blue movies shot in campus with the  lass being a familiar face or worse still a classmate.Of course unlike in the past I don't feel like walking up to these gals and telling them "I want in too."
   Come to think of it,over the years,abstinence has become one of the most loathed practices by young  people.Stories abound of the amount of ridicule those who claim to be virgins or are abstaining
have been subjected to.There are those occasional PALMELA jokes that will be thrown around and the shameless ones amongst us will claim they recognize your face from those embarrassing  Muliro garden photos.Many have been known to jump off the bandwagon because of this and engaged ruthlessly in casual sex.
     Despite all this ridicule,as a young generation keen on being different from the one which came before us,we must exercise caution at all times.It is very important that we find lasting solutions to some of the problems that face us especially when it comes to the HIV/AIDS pandemic.We can choose to abstain or engage in casual sex,it all boils down to an individuals beliefs,but the most important thing is to use PROTECTION at all times.As for me,at least I don't spend sleepless nights worrying about that burst condom or some girl calling to say we need to talk,but that does not mean most times I don't get bouts of doubts for my chosen path.Is Abstinence a viable option?You tell me,maybe then I might finally jump off the bandwagon.