CBS host: Why I saved myself for marriage
Faith & Fame: In a world where sex sells, CBS host Megan Alexander's decision to save herself for marriage
NEW YORK – In a world where sex sells, CBS host Megan Alexander's decision to save herself for marriage stands out. The "Inside Edition" correspondent sat down with FOX411 to talk about why marriage still matters and how she stood up for her beliefs and said no to premarital sex.
"Sex is everywhere, it sells," Alexander told FOX411. "It's on magazine covers, it's in television shows, it's in movies and I think its pretty unusual when someone speaks out about waiting for marriage in the entertainment industry."
For Alexander, the decision to abstain from premarital sex was an easy one. Growing up in a Christian home and claiming her faith for herself in the 7th grade, the Seattle native always stood strong in her beliefs.
"I claimed my faith for myself in about junior high," she revealed. Her parents sent her to a Christian summer camp where she was able to explore her faith on her own for the first time. "I think we should never just do what our parents tell us to do. We should find our faith and claim it for ourselves. So I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior in about 7th grade and made that decision myself and that's been the best thing I've ever did."
Alexander wanted to help others find their faith, especially young people who are bombarded with sex every day in the media. That's why she penned an article for WHOAwomen Magazine about dating, relationships and sex.
"I decided to speak out, because I feel like young people today, specifically teenagers and millennials in their 20s and 30s, there's so much pressure to just get involved [physically] and to think that that's normal," she said. "I wanted people to know, hey there's another option. This is the option that I chose and it can work for you too."
While Alexander's decision worked for her, it's not right for everyone, she said. But she wanted to provide an alternative view of sex in a world where sex before marriage is almost expected.
"I certainly wish it was a little better represented in television and movies and they gave us a couple different scenarios instead of just the one of jump into bed immediately," she said. "I want to encourage the next generation to take their time, to value their bodies and to realize that it's okay to wait if you want to. And for me, it worked out great and I believe that other people need to hear that message and know that it's just fine to take their time."
Waiting to have sex isn't easy, said the "Inside Edition" correspondent. She credits good friends, strong family support and her faith with keeping her strong before getting married. Not to mention her busy career.
"I think family is important, family support, good friends are important, obviously my faith, I believe it's God's best design for us," she explained of her decision. "And I had goals and dreams and stayed busy. I tell people I was too busy in my teens and in my twenties chasing my career to get in trouble with boys."
Alexander always knew she would stay a virgin until her wedding night and her husband Brian Cournoyer respected her decision.
"Because we were friends before and [Cournoyer] knew what I stood for, what I was all about, what I believed in and I did of him," said Alexander. "I knew that he was a Christian, I knew that he found his faith later in life, but I knew that that was also important to him."
After friendship turned into romance, Alexander and Cournoyer sat down to discuss the physical boundaries in their budding relationship.
"We really had a good friendship first," she said. "I say that we never really had that awkward first date because we were always really good friends. But I do remember us saying, okay now that we're dating, let's set our boundaries."
Faith & Fame is a regular column exploring how a strong belief system helps some performers navigate the pitfalls of the entertainment industry.
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