Abstinence ed?

[FundyChick]

Sex ed is messed up in my opinion. We're being taught that sex is automatically bad and that we'll get pregnant and have STDs if we engage in sex before marriage, regardless of whether we use birth control or not.

But it isn't true at all, birth control and condoms are actually very effective against pregnancy and STDs.

Are these teachers right, or should we learn more about birth control/condoms?

 

[nvxplorer]

The strongest evidence in support of comprehensive sex education is this study:

Birth control credited with drop in teen pregnancy

NEW YORK (Reuters) -- The dramatic declines in teenage pregnancy rates noted in the United States between 1995 and 2002 were largely due to improved contraceptive use, not to abstinence, a new study shows.

continued...

 

[scraparcs]

The thing is, if you can make kids believe sex is wrong and dangerous, you can get abstinence happening, which is quite effective in preventing unplanned pregnancies and STDs.

The problem is that that doesn't usually work. I get the feeling I was just gullible.

 

[ebia]

The thing is, if you can make kids believe sex is wrong and dangerous, you can get abstinence happening, which is quite effective in preventing unplanned pregnancies and STDs.

The problem is that that doesn't usually work. I get the feeling I was just gullible.

The thing is making teenages think something is dangerous and wrong makes them want to do it even more!

 

[LouTheWicked]

Not necessarily. Teens wantto bang band bang because they hear it feels good, not because they hear it's dangerous and wrong, which it isn't.

Still, it's not like I agree with 12-year-old getting knocked up.

 

[metherion]

Part of the problem is people automtically assume every teenager ever is going to have sex. Teenagers are not sex-crazed animals. If they were, they would be in zoos instead of society.

There are also things that condoms and various other forms of contraception don't protect very well against, like, say, crabs. They can crawl right over the things.

I think that maybe if modern sex ed stopped assuming that teenagers are incapable of any self-control, it might get a bit better.

Okay, perhaps I exaggerate a little. But not too much.


Metherion

 

[nvxplorer]

Part of the problem is people automtically assume every teenager ever is going to have sex. Teenagers are not sex-crazed animals.

Teens are indeed sex crazed animals.

If they were, they would be in zoos instead of society.

Cute.

There are also things that condoms and various other forms of contraception don't protect very well against, like, say, crabs. They can crawl right over the things.

Point?

I think that maybe if modern sex ed stopped assuming that teenagers are incapable of any self-control, it might get a bit better.

The problem is that abstinence-only programs expect teens to ignore their bodies. Procreation is a natural instinct. Teens engage in sex because they are sexually mature. Nature is telling them to have sex. Having sex is what sexually mature teens are supposed to be doing.

 

[Steezie]

Teens are indeed sex crazed animals.

I beg to differ.

I have an active sex life (Maybe not normal but that is neither here nor there) and I certainly know how to take no for an answer.

Even before this point, I would hardly consider myself "sex crazed"

 

[Nathan Poe]

The thing is, if you can make kids believe sex is wrong and dangerous, you can get abstinence happening, which is quite effective in preventing unplanned pregnancies and STDs.

The problem is that that doesn't usually work. I get the feeling I was just gullible.

Trying to scare the kids with made-up stories and exaggerated claims works in the short term, until they realize the truth. Then they don't believe you on abstinence -- or anything else.

 

[nvxplorer]

I beg to differ.

I have an active sex life (Maybe not normal but that is neither here nor there) and I certainly know how to take no for an answer.

Even before this point, I would hardly consider myself "sex crazed"

By "sex crazed" I mean that teens are reacting to the changes in their bodies. I don't mean that they are sexual lunatics.

 

[Trinityness]

The problem is that abstinence-only programs expect teens to ignore their bodies. Procreation is a natural instinct. Teens engage in sex because they are sexually mature. Nature is telling them to have sex. Having sex is what sexually mature teens are supposed to be doing.

It is a natural instinct that must be controlled. God says that sex before marriage is wrong and people do it anyway. Condoms are evil and will in fact spread more disease and pregnancy because they have little tiny holes in them that nobody can see. HIV is much smaller than a sperm- just because sperm can't penetrate a condom doesn't mean that HIV can't either. Nature tells teens to defy God but abstinence tells them to stay abstinent.

 

[Mrs.Sidhe]

The thing is, if you can make kids believe sex is wrong and dangerous, you can get abstinence happening, which is quite effective in preventing unplanned pregnancies and STDs.

The problem is that that doesn't usually work. I get the feeling I was just gullible.

I don't think its really a good idea to lie to your kids about sex. It won't stop them from having sex anyway, and its going to give them serious issues about sex in the future IMHO...

Plus why would you want to lie to your kids?

 

[Trinityness]

I don't think its really a good idea to lie to your kids about sex. It won't stop them from having sex anyway, and its going to give them serious issues about sex in the future IMHO...

Plus why would you want to lie to your kids?

Abstinence classes do not lie to kids. They tell them the truth.

 

[nvxplorer]

It is a natural instinct that must be controlled.

The only reason to control it is in preventing pregnancy. There are ways to prevent pregnancy other than abstinence.

God says that sex before marriage is wrong and people do it anyway.

The Bible says as much. Not everyone follows the Bible.

Condoms are evil and will in fact spread more disease and pregnancy because they have little tiny holes in them that nobody can see. HIV is much smaller than a sperm- just because sperm can't penetrate a condom doesn't mean that HIV can't either.

Is this what they teach in abstinence-only ed?

Nature tells teens to defy God but abstinence tells them to stay abstinent.

Who created nature? Satan?

 

[trunks2k]

Latex and polyurethane condoms are impenetrable to HIV. If used correctly, you only need to worry about breakage, and even then if you are using a condom correctly, breakage is something like less than 1%.

There have been study of couples where one partner had HIV. The couples that reported using condoms correctly and all the time saw NO transmission of HIV. The couples that reported using condoms most of the time and/or not using them correctly saw a transmission rate of something like 10%. [de Vincenzi I. A longitudinal study of human immunodeficiency virus transmission by heterosexual partners. New England Journal of Medicine 1994; 331:341-346.]

Another study showed 12% (16 out of 124) of discordant couples who did not use condoms had the virus transmitted, while only 2% who used condoms consistently had a transmission (3 people out of 171).

Both studies were done over a two year period.

 

[nvxplorer]

Humans become sexually mature in their teen years. Sexual maturity is a product of biology, not sin. If God intended humans to reproduce after their teen years, He would have created us so that we become sexually mature at or after the age of twenty. Having sex at sexual maturity is obviously following God's plan, as it is He who created us so.

 

[united4Peace]

not all unmarried couples who get pg have unwanted pregnancies. Ever hear of Common law?
STD's and unwanted or unplanned rather pg's happen with sexually active married couples also.

Yes Condom manufactures have cut down on diseases, and yes they do protect against pregnancies. No they are not 100% effective.
Children are not unwanted, they are unplanned.
Even if the mother or father doesnt want the baby there is always someone out there that does want that baby, NEVER call a child Unwanted!!

 

[FundyChick]

I can't defy something if I don't believe in it. Our "sinful human nature" isn't perfect, but sex is animal instinct. We can't stay pure forever.

 

[Ramona]

NO, NO, NO, NO, and NO!!

Why do people jump to the false conclusion that a comprehensive sex-ed course will brainwash kids into wanting to have sex? Here are a couple of scenarios:

Scenario A: Out of all my friends at my university, sexually active and not, I received THE best sexual education in high school. I am a virgin and intend to stay that way until I am married. My sex ed courses did not make me want to go out and "do" every boy in my high school, they actually deterred me from it. We were taught about pregnancy, AIDS, and other STIs, which is something that my friend in Scenario B did not receive. I also know how to protect myself and others, which has proven to be a valueable lesson.

Scenario B: Kadi (as mentioned in "Mumbai Jones, sex educator extraordinaire" on NCR) is from India, where she was given NO sex ed whatsoever. They just taught her not to do it. Kadi has a boyfriend now, and wants to sleep with him. I try to talk her out of it, but she will be her own person, so I figure that the next best thing is to have her educated. She knew nothing about AIDS, STIs, or protection (on using a condom: "you just put it on, right?") when I met her. I took her to my uni's indie Planned Parenthood-type place to get condoms and learn how to put them on. There, I was told by the counselor, "You know more than I do," and was offered a job. I do not think that this is a good move on her part, but she is my dear friend, and I will love and support her through whatever decision she makes. I just want her to be safe.

Abstinence only education does not work! We must not poison our children's minds with this false resource!

Love
Mumbai

 

[united4Peace]