Teens Not That Into 'Technical Virginity'

Teens rarely have oral sex as a way of putting off intercourse, making the idea of "technical virginity" is more or less a myth, according to a new study. "There's a popular perception that teens are engaging in serial oral sex as a strategy to avoid vaginal intercourse. Our research suggests that's a misperception," one researcher tells the Washington Post.

The study found instead that most teens become sexually active in a variety of ways at the same time. "We have these images of oral sex parties, but it's not based on evidence," says one academic. "A study like this allows us to begin to dissect what actually is going on. It really helps to break both the positive and negative stereotypes." (More oral sex stories.)