It's a sad headline in the Times today: Sex Infections Found in Quarter of Teenage Girls. And when you break down the numbers, the implications become more serious. Half of all black girls surveyed were infected--as opposed to 20% of white girls.
Why is this happening? One of the biggest reasons is lack of information. In a country where our backwards government will only fund abstinence-only sex education (a better name would be sex misinformation), teenagers are not getting access to information about sex and sexually transmitted infections. They are not told the symptoms of the diseases they are at risk at, not told how to get help if they become infected, nor are they told how to prevent infection (latex condoms are the best protection.)
Telling teenagers not to have sex, particularly in a world where sex is everywhere, is not effective. Teenagers will have sex, they have done so since the beginning of human civilization. The best sex education is one that explains the risks and gives them the knowledge to make the best decisions for themselves and the tools to protect themselves.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Sex Education, Please
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3 responses:
"One of the biggest reasons is lack of information."
Abstinence education is not telling them "DONT HAVE SEX"
It simply tells them the truth,
The only way to know for sure you won't get an STD, a kid, or any other negative that comes from sex when your not mature enough to handle it is ABSTINENCE.
That is a FACT, the indisputable truth.
The lack of information comes from the fact that in an abstinence-only program, there is no information about what happens if you DO have sex, like how to use condoms to prevent STDs and pregnancy, etc. All a teacher can tell students in an abstinence-only program is exactly what you have stated here, which is very unhelpful to a sexually active teen.
As I said above, simply saying "don't do it," is not effective.
Since her White House day count as her experience, Mrs Clinton can take credit for this.
In 1996, former President Clinton signed the Welfare Reform Act, which allocated $250 million over five years to be matched by state dollars — a total of $500 million — for abstinence-only programs. During the first year of the program, 48 states accepted the federal money.
"Lack of information" you also said "sex is everywhere" You can't have your cake and eat it too.
Latex condoms are the BEST protection? Is it better than saying NO?
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