Re: Let me vent some too...

My question is, at what age are children ready for sex? Really, no one is prepared for sex until they've hit puberty.

I assume you mean sexual intercourse/penetration here. Let's remember that there's far more to sex than just intercourse. In essence, I agree. I think sex play should be allowed long before puberty, if the child so desires it, and I've met one, at least, who tried very hard to get me to play with her on several different occasions. She had never been molested or any such thing (as the antis tend to claim when children seem to be interested in or curious about sex)--it was obvious she was naive, but yet her intentions were very clear. I'll give you the full story if you like.

My point is, this stuff should be gradual throughout the person's childhood, and it should culminate in intercourse at puberty. I'll agree that the body tends not to be physically ready for penetration until it enters puberty. Thus, if I were making the laws, I'd have first menses be the legal mark at which a girl can have intercourse. For boys, it would be the ability to ejaculate, but really only in fairness to girls, since I can see no real reason why boys shouldn't be allowed to have intercourse--if they can manage it--at any point.

As a friend of mine said, sex is a natural extension on a loving relationship.

But loving relationships cannot be defined by age, and certainly not by puberty. Lots not make the mistake of confusing love and sex--that is one of the major sources of disconnection when it comes to this issue. People have for too long been programmed to believe that love and sex MUST be compatible for the romantic relationship to have any value, and this stems from the concept of the traditional relationship, a concept I find to be basically outmoded.

I fully agree with that statement; however, how can we know that children truly are ready for sex at a young age when they are so impressionable?

When they display a curiosity and a desire to participate, particularly when they themselves attempt to engage it, as the young girl I mentioned above repeatedly tried to do. That's a pretty good indicator.