Since I had my first sexual experience at 16 until this year (I'm now 20), I have had a reasonably strict rule about women; no sex unless I love them and will be with them.
This was never bourne out of any guilt imposed on me by parents or a church, but more that the idea of casual sex made me feel gross; that it would be uncomfortable if it wasn't with someone I loved, and that a protective/loving instinct had kicked in after sex which would be inappropriate for casual encounter.
Then there's also the more practical considerations of accidental pregnancies and STDs.
This year however, has been different. 2007 felt like a whole load of loneliness and arrested development, but this year has been a year of growing. Figuring out a lot of social/woman/family issues.
Things have changed. For years I had been a loner with no social life, and since leaving school I've wandered around the country semi pointlessly, not making friends and moving every few months. Now I've been in the same place for a while and have every intention of sticking it out here for a few years. I've made a lot of friends, got back with a lot of old ones and have carved myself out some social groups. I'm not saying I'm perfect, but I am a lot less awkward and a lot more confident around people, especially women, as I once was.
Which, going back to the subject, has caused me to take a brutally honest look at my beliefs. To what degree are my sexual morals just a result of my previous insecurities and low self esteem? Maybe a part of me didn't want to fuck around for fear of rejection, or feelings of inadequacy. I have proved to myself I can socialise and make friends normally, and my morals are starting to feel anarchronistic.
That, and it's been a while
So, yeah. What do you think of my situation? Should I give casual sex a go? Been through anything similar? What are your sexual morals, and how have they changed?