tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7302245627574027504.post8695137362494635480..comments2019-05-15T23:59:20.159-07:00Comments on Feminist Legal Theory: Sex-Education: Part I - The JokeLisa R. Pruitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16469550950363542801noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7302245627574027504.post-18043128344669010772015-04-07T13:09:20.440-07:002015-04-07T13:09:20.440-07:00I am a product of the abstinence-only sex educatio...I am a product of the abstinence-only sex education and could not agree with this post more. I went to catholic school (both elementary and high school) and the idea of abstinence was the only thing we could discuss. Anyone who brought up birth control or abortion during class was punished (either through discussions with the teacher, detention, or suspension). It was absolutely ridiculous. I am extremely lucky that my parents did not take the same stance on education and we discussed sexual activity / birth control at the appropriate ages. I cannot say the same for other girls in my class though - many of whom became pregnant either in high school or shortly after. Abstinence-only sex ed is so incredibly irresponsible and I've seen it first hand. I truly wish there was a way to encourage change regarding this type of education as it hurts public health and leads to serious consequences. Sophiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14866484331857079348noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7302245627574027504.post-59191328430428837832011-09-16T20:47:21.670-07:002011-09-16T20:47:21.670-07:00Given all that we know now about human sexual beha...Given all that we know now about human sexual behavior and given the fact that there is absolutely zero evidence to support the continuation of abstinence-only sex education, it is remarkable that so many people in this country continue to advocate for and support this, at best, useless program aimed at improving public health. Not only does it clearly not work, but it also diverts funding and attention away from potentially useful programs that stress the use of contraceptives and safe sex. I think anyone who truly cares for the health and well-being of our nation's youth will support such comprehensive sex programs rather than cling to old ideas that have been proven to be ineffective and a tremendous waste of public resources.Alejandrohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06894823831799931755noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7302245627574027504.post-80631003776344799732011-09-15T19:30:24.077-07:002011-09-15T19:30:24.077-07:00I am still shocked when I hear that abstinence-onl...I am still shocked when I hear that abstinence-only education is even considered an option, given both the prevalence of sex in society and the serious health consequences of unsafe sex. I think it's horribly irresponsible to promote a course of action that is proven to lead to HIV/AIDS, STDs, unplanned pregnancy, and so on - especially given the HIV/AIDS pandemic that we've been experiencing over the past 30 years. Most troubling to me is how abstinence-only education has been exported to other parts of the world that really can't afford it (i.e. Africa). At the end of the day, I am greatly saddened that public health is so openly (and ironically) compromised in the name of "morality."AMAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11836813501033181302noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7302245627574027504.post-24629432265821875202011-09-13T10:28:15.806-07:002011-09-13T10:28:15.806-07:00Last night (September 12, 2011) I watched a debate...Last night (September 12, 2011) I watched a debate among the Tea Party-approved Republican presidential candidates. One acronym came up more than I would've expected: HPV. When Rick Perry was governor of Texas in 2007, he signed an executive order requiring Texas girls to receive a vaccine, which prevents the strand of HPV that leads to cervical cancer, before entering the sixth grade. At last night's debate, Michele Bachmann took him to task on the decision: stating, "I’m a mom of three children. And to have innocent little twelve-year-old girls be forced to have a government injection through an executive order is just flat out wrong . . . It’s a violation of a liberty interest." <br /><br />I was shocked that a vaccination that prevents cervical cancer (!) was considered controversial. The friends who I was watching with pointed out that the philosophy behind a resistance to Gardasil (the HPV vaccine) is the same philosophy as that behind abstinence-only education, namely, if youths know how to have safe sex they will be more likely to engage in pre-marital sex. <br /><br />To me, the obvious problem with this argument is: youths will engage in pre-marital sex, period. If anyone could offer any evidence to the contrary, I would consider it, but studies make it "crystal clear" that abstinence-only sex education does not work. [http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/27/us/27teen.html] Accordingly, to discuss strategies to prevent young people having from having sex seems (a) futile and (b) like a sham/distraction. <br /><br />I agree: it is lamentable that we spend our time arguing whether or not young people should have sex while they are off doing so, instead of addressing the health issues that go along with sex. The Perry-Bachmann HPV debate epitomizes the problem with abstinence-only education.Rose Sawyerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03312561091132429675noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7302245627574027504.post-13467391706915769122011-09-09T11:28:30.192-07:002011-09-09T11:28:30.192-07:00My favorite part of the 2008 presidential election...My favorite part of the 2008 presidential election was the part when Bristol Palin, seven or so months pregnant, became a spokesperson for abstinence-only sex-ed. Clearly, it did not work for her. Why make it her cause? Doesn't it perfectly illustrate that abstinence only sex ed <i>doesn't</i> work?Caitlinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16992263462510624604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7302245627574027504.post-70580811116682896552011-09-09T09:15:06.299-07:002011-09-09T09:15:06.299-07:00S, I could not agree with you more. I really don&...S, I could not agree with you more. I really don't have much to say except that, ignoring problems simply do not work. To plainly state that "teens shouldn't be having sex, therefore, we're not going to teach them about it" is perhaps one of the scariest tactics for dealing with teen pregnancy. <br /><br />On top of those ignoring the problem, those groups who are NOT ignoring the problem, are quickly losing funding. How are teens supposed to battle these pressures, and problems, if their parents are ignoring the issue, and those who can help them, are closing their doors?KayZeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18063329076884017073noreply@blogger.com