( CNN ) American society has a double standard when it comes to sexuality . We have a puritanical taboo against talking about sexuality directly , yet we are fine with the sexual images that pervade television and glossy magazines . We sexualize children in advertising by turning girls into objects that bear little resemblance to what young women actually look like . And we do this in movies where even animated characters take on curvaceous hips and big breasts . But then when it comes to our kids having some kind of sexual identity , we freak out . That needs to stop . We vilify sexting , or sending sexually explicit messages and images via text messaging . But sexting , if not taken to the extreme or exploited by bullies , is not the social evil that it is made out to be . Sexting is a normal part of human sexual expression not only for adolescents , but for adults as well . New data from the Pew Internet and American Life Project show that adults 25 to 34 years old are more likely to sext than those in other age groups . Anxious parents might think that sexting leads to a slew of negative consequences like early and risky sexual behavior . But there is evidence to suggest this is not the case . The proportion of American adolescents who are sexually active has declined in recent years ( though the rates are still high and warrant concern ) . Adolescent pregnancy rates have also declined over the last two decades , perhaps due to more teenagers using contraception . Sexting is not related to riskier sexual behaviors like having unprotected sex . About the only thing sexting is related to is sexual activity — adolescents who are sexually active are more likely to sext . Sexting does n't indicate a significant change in teenage sexual behaviors ; it just makes teenage sexual behaviors more visible to adults . Sexting can help adolescents discover their sexual identity , something that is developmentally appropriate in the teenage years , whether they are sexting or not . But sexting is not without problems . Because laws have not yet caught up with the realities of technology use , in some states , a minor could potentially be charged under child pornography laws for sexting . There are a few , rare instances when this has happened . In these cases , there is usually quite a bit of backlash against prosecutors attempting to indict minors under child pornography laws . Seventeen states have created legislation that either decriminalizes sexting or makes it a misdemeanor . States like Florida and Vermont make the creation , possession , or sending of a nude image of a minor by a minor a non-criminal violation for the first offense . That being said , there is nothing stopping an overzealous prosecutor in another state from making an example of a teenager and charging him with the most severe penalty possible . The social consequences of sexting are more troubling . Messages shared in confidence can be shared with other people or broadcast to a wider audience . Luckily , this does n't happen often . One study found only 2 % of sexters had their photo shared with someone they did n't want to see it . Although it 's unlikely , imagine how future employers might evaluate your daughter if they Google her and find a sexually explicit image . What is more likely is that your teenage daughter 's peers will share and shame her for the image . In the worst cases , sexting can lead to tragedy . Thirteen-year-old Hope Witsell sexted a photo to her boyfriend . Somehow , a classmate got hold of the photo and passed it around . Before you know it , the photo went viral . Witsell committed suicide reportedly after repeated bullying and taunts from other students who called her names like `` slut '' or `` whore . '' Eighteen-year-old Jessica Logan also committed suicide reportedly after her boyfriend circulated a nude picture of her that was meant to be seen in confidence . These cases are heartbreaking . They show that we must educate young people , especially young men , about how harmful such acts can be . And as a society , we must do more to raise awareness and combat bullying and cyberbullying . If sexting is not abused and done discretely , it is an acceptable form of exploration of sexual identity , especially for adolescents . You can talk about sexting as a way to talk with your teenage son or daughter about safe sex . Once you have established a good rapport , explain the pitfalls of sexting — that if they 're not careful , nude images of them can be shared with the whole world and used to harm their reputations . Adolescents are naturally impulsive because the teenage brain is still developing the ability to self-regulate . Try to be understanding and keep your cool . Remember : Sexting is the ultimate form of safe sex — the sender and receiver are not even in the same room .
Rey Junco : American society has a double standard when it comes to sexuality . Junco : Sexting , if not abused or exploited , is not a social evil . Comment: I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that the reason why people are so outraged about this issue ( especially in America ) is because they have been conditioned by their parents Junco : But sexting presents legal and social ramifications , including bullying .