Amidst all of the current suffering of trials and tribulations that Americanism is heir to, one item of interest seems to have fallen to the wayside that even I found of little interest.
Until now.
To bring forth the argument, abstinence education is a rather large push from conservatives today. The belief is that teaching abstaining from sexual intercourse is more beneficial in the long run than teaching proper contraceptive use coupled with abstinence.
According to the Web site teenpregnancy.org, there’s no evidence to support that abstinence-only education reduces teen pregnancy.
Instead, there is significant evidence to support that providing information on how to properly select and use contraceptives does help.
In addition to unplanned pregnancies, the Center for Disease Control and the World Health Organization have both come out in support of using condoms to help prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, a mind-set that proponents of abstinence education dislike.
Of course, the statistics conservatives use tend to be based off of improperly conducted research, but hey, who needs the scientific method?
The ultimate argument against contraceptive education is that it actually promotes early intercourse, but let’s face facts — when the human mind becomes drunk with its own chemicals in the face of wanton lust, would you rather your teenage son or daughter know how to properly use a condom, or be completely unaware in lieu of a plea for promises that are, truthfully, difficult to keep in the literal heat of the moment?
One site that appears to be legit and has been around since 2000 is www.divine-interventions.com, a site that sells … let’s call them “marital aids,” that are in the shape of prominent religious figures.
I recommend discretion while visiting this site, as it’s not safe for work, nor for anyone under the age of 18, anyone without a sense of humor, or anyone easily offended.
The three of you who are left, feel free to read their testimonials and even haikus written by actual users of said products, typically either idiots with a keyboard and a mission, or individuals who have the completely wrong idea about sexuality as a whole.
That is probably the purpose of this site anyway.
I can only imagine that people who have been repressed by the false belief that sex is evil and disgusting would pervert religion as an outlet for satisfying their baser desires when they find that they simply can’t stifle or remove them.
Don’t believe me? Then where did these priests in the Catholic church practicing impropriety with altar boys come from?
Ultimately, all of this pools together to further prove to me that abstinence-only education isn’t the right answer, and that balance is.
When people are taught that human intimacy is wrong, when they are taught that a nude figure is ugly or disgusting, instead of respecting it and all of its possible consequences, good and bad, then the rate of Sexual Arousal Disorder rises.
According to “Psychology Today,” “Open, informative and accurate communication regarding sexual issues … may prevent children from developing anxiety or guilt about sex … into their adulthood.”
For example, up until I was about 10 years old, I was scared to death of sex, thinking it was wrong and dangerous.
I honestly do not believe that I’m alone.
So, as always, here’s to balance between abstinence education and proper contraceptive use education.
Originally printed in The Daily O’Collegian, April 11th, 2005
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