Alex's Answer
Me and my friend have gotten extremely close recently
Your Question
me and my friend have gotten extremely close over the last few months. When I was his house last night we started touching each other between our legs and we both really enjoyed it. We both said next time we would like to be naked and kiss and rub our penises on each other are we normal for wanting and doing this?Â
Answer
Hi there,Â
Thanks for getting in touch with us today.Â
From reading your question you are wondering if its normal for you and your friend to touch each other and enjoy it. Yes, it is very normal to want to explore sex and sexuality as you grow and develop. It’s about how you both feel about your bodies, make decisions about your bodies, understand and express feelings of attraction and affection. It is also about developing respectful relationships. Having happy positive relationships is important; this goes for all relationships like those with your parents, family, friends, boy/girlfriends or partners. Â
Respectful relationships are very important. The age of consent in Ireland is 17 so you need to ensure that you are both respectful and safe. It’s also important to find out about contraception and how to protect yourself against sexually transmitted infections. The website  b4udecide.ie/ has many articles around these topics and can be a great resource to help you make the decision to take your relationship to the next level.Â
It sounds also that you might be questioning your sexuality. It is very natural for children and young people to reflect on their identity as they develop and learn more about who they are. It can take some time to figure out what feels right for you and your identity. There are lots of places where you can get further information. If you would like more support, BeLonG To offers guidance for LGBTQ+ young people aged 13 – 24 and their parents, carers, teachers, youth workers, etc. The organisation runs several youth groups for LGBTI+ young people across Ireland. See BelongTo.org.Â
You can also access Childline through webchat at www.childline.ie to talk some more, just click on the orange Live Chat tab and send ‘hello’. Or if you prefer to talk to us, our freephone number is 1800 66 66 66. The Childline team is here to listen 24 hours a day, every day all through the year. Our services are completely free, confidential, and non-judgmental.Â
We hope this helps you some. Take care of yourself.Â
All the best, AlexÂ