'It's great that chastity is cool now'
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Maura Garrihy (19) is a theology and arts student from Ennistymon, Co Clare: "I think it's great that films like Twilight are making chastity cool. Nearly everything we see on TV promotes sex -- the message is that if you want to be cool then the way to be 'normal' is to sleep around.
"Young people do feel pressurised to fit in and do take a lot of their cues from the media and their peers, that's why it's amazing to see a film offer a new option.
"I believe that God wants us to wait until we're married to have sex and I also believe that waiting frees couples up to get to know each other before they give themselves to each other 100pc. I'm a normal 19-year-old and I have thoughts and desires like anyone else but I trust that waiting is worth it.
"I get a mixed reaction from people when I say I'm staying chaste until marriage but I do think part of that is because there's not a lot of knowledge and understanding about why chastity is worthwhile.
"Perhaps now that it is appearing in films and books in a normal way that people can relate to, more people might decide it's something they're interested in finding out about.
Irish Independent
