Sometimes after a person has sex, whether it’s vaginal, oral or anal, they decide that it was a bad decision and they don’t want to do it again. Some people refer to this decision not to have sex again as having “secondary virginity.” In other cases, a person—guy or girl—might have been raped or abused and since they didn’t consent to that behavior, it doesn’t really count and they consider themselves virgins until they make the choice to have sex with someone. 

This works for a lot of people. And that’s good. But it’s also important to count any sexual experiences you’ve had (consenting or not) as part of your sexual history when you visit a health care provider. Your risk of exposure to sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) depends on whether you’ve had sex. If you have been exposed to STDs, then you need to protect yourself and any future partners from infection by getting tested.

Most clinics and hospitals offer free or low-cost STD testing and free information on sexual health. To find a clinic near you, check out Get Tested page or locate a Planned Parenthood near you at 1-800-230-PLAN (7526). You can also find a confidential testing center near you.