They Really Are Different

This week we have been doing some research on how boys and girls brains’ are very different. Some might say, “Well of course they are!” But for years scientists thought there were no differences in the actual physical makeup of a male verses a female brain. It was also thought that the tendencies boys have to play with trucks and dinosaurs were only because their parents gave them those types of toys instead of dolls. Now according to a book called Why Gender Matters, by Dr. Leonard Sax MD, scientists have found major differences in how boys and girls think, in the actual makeup of their brains, eyes, and even their ears.

Many boys in first and second grade were diagnosed with ADD. A recent study has shown that boys actually are somewhat hard of hearing compared to girls. It found that boys, that sit towards the back of the classroom and are chastised for not staying focused, were actually just having a hard time hearing. Girls on the other hand may feel as if they are being shouted at when a male teacher is simply speaking in what he considers a normal tone of voice.

Their eyes are also very different: girls have receptors in their eyes that look at “What is it?” while boys eyes are made to see “Where is it, where is it going?” So when little girls draw a picture, they tend to draw nouns, like families, flowers, and houses, while boys draw verbs, like a rocket ship crashing into earth. The girl’s picture will have lots of warm colors, while the boys may use only one color like black, or gray. If they look at simple things so differently, how do they look at sex different from each other?

Dr. Leonard Sax, MD points out: “In one major study, girls didn’t even list sexual arousal as a reason for having sex. Teenage Girls have sex for other reasons. Girls may hope that having sex will earn them points in the popularity contest, or they may just want to please the boy they are hooking up with, or they may feel pressured either by the boy or by other girls who are having sex”. In regards to boys the author further states: “Boys usually answer the question with a snort. ‘Why wouldn’t I have sex?’ Boys want to have sex because they feel sexually aroused. Simple, base-of-the-brain motivation.”

Why does it matter?

Most people tend to overlook the emotional consequences involved in having pre-marital sex, but these can be just as devastating as an unwanted pregnancy or an STD. In the past people may have thought that there were more consequences for the girls than for the boys, but a study shows that boys who are sexually active are 8 times more likely to commit suicide than those who are not, while a girl who is sexually active is three times more likely to commit suicide than a girl who is abstinent. (Rector RE, et al. The Heritage Foundation 2005)

Here at Step Up Now, we want to ensure both boys and girls are presented the information to make the healthiest decision about sex and relationships in ways that they both can easily understand. We also know that the emotional affects of having sex too soon impacts boys and girls in different, but equally harmful ways.

We believe that equipping both the parent and the student with all the facts about sex and the consequences will empower teens to make the healthiest choice for their goals and their futures.