Doesn’t GOP presidential candidate sound confident when he says “Abstinence works.”? I wish I knew what year this interview occured. The reporter says Texas ranked third in teen pregnancies at the time of the interview. According to the Guttmacher Institute, Texas ranked #4 nationwide for pregnancy among women ages 15 to 19, and #1 among the actual birthrate (live births per 1000 women ages 15 to 19) in 2005.
Yes, Mr. Perry. Your own “personal life” of abstinence is proof that it works, and “is the best form to teach our children.” We shouldn’t tell “ya’ll to go have sex and whatever is going on and we’ll worry with that and here’s the ways to have safe sex.” (He really has quite the way with words.) Let’s blame abstinence’s failure on the way it’s being taught and applied (because educators are always to blame). You’re right, comprehensive sex education is just as costly and ineffective as steroid testing for children.
Yeah, I really don’t understand the basis or validity of his argument either.
“We know that Ms. Palin’s work has had a positive effect on creating awareness about teen pregnancy,” Ali Tyrangel, a spokeswoman for the Candie’s Foundation, said in a statement.
How much are people paying my good friend Christine at It’s-Just-Sex.net? Sigh. It’s not about the money, folks. Friend Christine is fighting the good battle.
Texas teens and young adults descended on the Texas Capitol on Tuesday with an unusual message for public schools: Let’s talk about sex. By Corrie MacLaggan
If this bill passes, I’ll be proud of its author and my city representative, Joaquin Castro. It also means I’ll have a better chance getting a job whenever I’m done with this thing called grad school. Come one, legislators. Do the right thing.
Pregnancy Pack 2.0? Ninety teenagers have become pregnant at a Memphis, TN high school. This new piece makes me sad, but the expert commentary at the end is insightful and actually quite intelligent (something you often don’t find in mainstream media).
One of the moms featured on MTV’s hit show “16 and Pregnant” took to Facebook in advance of one of the most controversial episodes in the history of the series.
Markai Durham, who appeared on the show with an adorable baby girl, will be shown making the excruciating decision to have an abortion on a show set to air Tuesday night, ew.com reported.
Well, it’s about time. I’ve never seen this show, but I think I’ll make it a point to watch this special episode.
Above is a map depicting the rates of teenage pregnancy by state. See how dark Texas and the entire South is? This map represents all I want to change in the world of sex education.
Despite parents’ allowing romantic sleepovers, the Netherlands has one of the lowest youth pregnancy rates
…”In 2007, births to American teens (ages fifteen to nineteen) were eight times as high as in the Netherlands,” reports Schalet, and the Netherlands generally whoops on the states in terms of STD rates, too.
The half-Dutchie in me is so proud of my people. And this study is also one of the reasons why I love being a sociology graduate student.
“Connecticut is showing signs that sex education is working, as more teens who are having sex are using condoms, according to a recent health survey. Although two thirds of all high school seniors report having had sex, the good news is that nearly 60 percent of those surveyed did use condoms to protect from pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections.”
“Last year the Kaiser Family Foundation worked with MTV, which produces and airs both shows, and the D.C.-based National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy to make copies of the first season of “16 and Pregnant” and discussion guides available for use in teaching teenagers and young adults about the perils of teen pregnancy.”
I admit it, I’ve never seen 16 and Pregnant, and I don’t know if I would have the patience to watch it. Maybe I’m just being cynical and judgmental because two of the “stars” are featured on supermarket rag covers, but if this show can create a healthy dialogue in classrooms about teen pregnancy, then I’m all for it.
The following is a comment I received in regards to this post on a study regarding abstinence-only education in February of 2010.
this article is pathetic and childish…are you really calling her by name…like you know her…and singling out the Pallins for having a lengthy committed marriage? You dont know these people and you dont know what they really taught their daughter.
Maybe you could kick up a stink about something that matters, like all of the kids that are starting sex so young that they end up parents by 17 or the masses of abused and abandoned children that their irresponsible sex ” too young” leaves in its wake.
Two years is a long time to mature…it is the difference between not quite 16 and almost 18 and the difference between 14 and 16 year olds. Big difference! It is no longer an issue of morality, it is an issue of teaching people of all ages to be sensitive and protective of their health and their bodies. You are ending up with 18 year olds that have slept with 15 partners already, greatly increasing their chances of all types of illness, physically, mentally, and emotionally. Not even mentioned yet, the apparent inability of young adults(that were sexually active much too young)…to have deep intimate lasting relationships with a lover. :( This is a critical social phenomenon that is happening in our liberal and irresponsible sexual society. Long lasting intimate relationships are the foundation of our species. When we lose the ability to stay with a partner and join to raise our children…we lose our humanity. It is great that you had four devoted parents…but how many devoted parents do you think the child of a 15 year old has to depend on??? Let me clue you in…none! Not even the 15 year old can raise a child effectively by themselves.
I am sick and tired of you people who think abstinence is about being prude or chaining children to a toilet in the basement. It is about teaching them not to be a dumbass with their body and their life.
The truth of the matter is….your type of person disagrees with abstinence because they think it somehow passes judgement on them and their young sexual decisions. How stupid! Get over yourself and think about what is best for the majority of young teens in our schools and society. They need to be told to use restraint, to wait, to “do no harm” to their peers.
Let me ask you this, you seem like you will be teaching your child to be aware and responsible when it comes to sex…..but what about that young person that has not been taught…that one that your child chooses to sleep with…..and catches hiv from…or gets pregnant?? Do you want that child that was raised by God knows who??? to give your sexually enlightened and sexually educated child…herpies or worse? WAKE UP,
Quit worrying about who is judging your decisions or your kids decisions. You are not the main issue…mainstream teenagers…they are the issue! They are the target audience and they need to hear about waiting and using their brain when it comes to sex. Quit pointing fingers, get off you butt to help these kids learn about healthy sexual development and waiting until they are there and have the maturity to make good choices with their sex life.
While I appreciate and respect your opinion, Mr. Jo Davis, I just cannot help but to respond in my own defense. I am “get[ting] off [my] butt to help these kids learn about healthy sexual development and waiting until they are there and have the maturity to make good choices with their sex life.” I run this site on sex education all on my own. I am also devoting my entire graduate studies career to sex education and reducing the teenage pregnancy rate in Texas. I realize I can do much more, but there are only 189 hours in one week.
I also agree it is great I have four devoted parents, but I realize now I failed to mention a small detail. Two of my parents are lesbians. I know I’m generalizing here, but many conservatives do not condone and often feel gay couples are unfit parents and raise sexually-confused children. Trust me, I’ve had nearly 20 years of criticism and judgment thrown at me from those that disagree with my upbringing. I might be a bit jaded when it comes to my opinion, but imagine being a repeatedly tormented and criticized adolescent in the mid-90s simply because her family is “unconventional”. See how you feel when all is said and done.
Now let’s get to the more important topic at hand. I really feel our opinions are more alike than different. I agree and feel I’ve already made my point clear that this “is an issue of teaching people of all ages to be sensitive and protective of their health and their bodies.” I want to reduce the rates of pregnancy and STDs/STIs. I see the best method of doing so involves comprehensive and informative sex education that includes contraceptive use and abstinence. I’ve written in defense of those choosing to remain abstinent and know this is their choice. I have no reason to judge or belittle them.
I also agree teenagers “need to hear about waiting and using their brain when it comes to sex.” Why else would I want to educate them? Take this defense as you will, Mr. Jo Davis. I’ve made my point.
“Teenage pregnancy isn’t the epidemic. The lack of information and support for people to make healthy decisions about their lives is the true epidemic. The culture of shame and scapegoating around sex is the real problem. And this epidemic crosses generations, with young people feeling the brunt of it.
Teens need access to the information to make informed decisions regarding sex and the resources and support to handle the outcomes of having sex. They need comprehensive sexuality education, access to affordable maternal and child care and contraceptive services, to name a few. They need nurturing environments where they aren’t judged or made to feel shameful about having sex or being young parents. That’s all anyone needs, really, regardless of age.”
This comes from a great editorial by Kierra Johnson. I really like her idea of looking at the bigger the picture and realizing the true problem of teen pregnancy stemming from a lack of basic sex education and contraceptive resources.
“Forget tradition. Forget privacy. In our celebrity-drenched culture, Bristol and Levi quickly figured out what Sarah and I both failed to understand: Bristol’s out-of-wedlock pregnancy was not an embarrassment. It was a marketing opportunity.
Think about it. A teenage single mom with a high school diploma. A father who dropped out of high school in his junior year. These are not the makings of a stable economic path.”
Need a pick me up? Read Ruth Marcus’ hilarious Washington Post editorial all about our favorite newly-engaged couple. One can only hope Levi uses part the alleged $100,000 the couple was paid for their Us Weekly interview towards earning his GED.
