Mark D. Regnerus: Forbidden Fruit: Sex & Religion in the Lives of American Teenagers

Excerpt

Many have speculated about the influence of religious backgrounds and beliefs on American youths’ sexuality, sexual values, and sexual behaviors. Arguably the most important and comprehensive statement on these issues is offered in Forbidden Fruit, by Mark Regnerus, a professor of sociology at the University of Texas. Regnerus explores previous analyses of teen sexuality and religion, the socialization of teenage sexuality, the development of teenage sexual ethics and norms, alternative forms of sex practiced by youth, as well as the unspoken relationship between religious discourse and sexual behaviors. To do so, he draws from several outstanding national data sets. Given the strength of the data being used, Forbidden Fruit provides a factual and impressive empirical background for understanding the complexity of teenage sexual decision-making. By using laymen’s terms and personal accounts from teens themselves, the text tackles often confusing social science topics in ways understandable to a broad audience. …