In 2009, a reporter asked NFL football player Tim Tebow, “Are you saving yourself for marriage?” Tebow’s face began to blush, he laughed, and nonchalantly answered, “Yes, I am.”
A dating service that provides married people to have affairs has recently offered a $1 million reward to any woman who can come forward and prove that she’s had sex with Tebow.
As a response to this bounty on Tebow’s virginity, a movement by the name of “We Will Wait” has begun. Young people around America are taking part in this rebellion, expressing the fact that they, too, are waiting until marriage to have sex, that being one of their personal morals.
“We Will Wait” has caught fire, spreading around the Sacramento area and slowly reaching out to the entire nation. Their Facebook page has already received over 17,000 hits since May 1, their website, WeWillWait.org, has received 7,000 hits, and the movement has been reported by several websites and blogs, including Yahoo News.
A growing handful of teenagers and young adults have been putting up videos on Facebook, YouTube, and other websites, stating they will wait to have sex until marriage. According to the multiple videos, the students are not making this decision for their lives because of Tebow, but rather are inspired by his choice and want to express they feel the same way.
“We believe that there is a large group of the young adult population that are choosing to make abstinence a lifestyle. Regardless of if they are virgins, have been sexually active, or are somewhere in the middle, many are choosing to wait starting today,” said Sacramento Youth Pastor Cole Zick, from Capital Christian Center.
The overall idea behind “We Will Wait” is to bring together young adults to make their own, personal decision to wait until marriage, despite whether or not they have been sexually active in the past. People who have stayed abstinent and those who have not have posted videos, making it a point that they are making that choice as of today.
“There are many who have not made their values known to anyone until now,” said senior Megan Macha. “Opening up and showing everyone just how many people are involved in this, I think that it makes others more comfortable to realize that casual sex does not have to be the norm.”
Many of the videos and posts to “We Will Wait” have brought forth the idea that casual sex is not something that has to be normal, or has to be something that society should expect.
“‘We Will Wait’ is an incredible organization that has sparked something amazing. It is a way to let everyone know that it’s still acceptable to wait for sex until marriage,” said senior Trent Ellerman. “It’s also a great way to unite everyone under one roof for a common goal. And that’s to change what’s acceptable in today’s society.”
The movement hopes to shift something in society that will change what is expected from young people when it comes to being sexually active. The media, according to “We Will Wait,” has created a societal demand to have sex before marriage as a normal activity, rather than a deep profession of love.
“When students see someone like Tim Tebow, who has stood up for something he believes, I have faith that it will impact the lives of our generation,” said sophomore Lindsey Eilering.
This movement is on the rise, but the expression of positive and negative feedback on it is still low, other than the video responses by the supporting young people.
“There should be something inside of us that rebels against the very thought and concept of this bounty on Tim Tebow’s virginity because regardless of our religious beliefs, our backgrounds, or our thoughts to believe that we can all respect someone with values,” the “We Will Wait” video said.
No matter how a student has been living out their life, or no matter their religious or other moral afflictions, any young person can take part in this movement and choose to making the commitment to stay abstinent until marriage.