Thursday, April 19, 2007

Shag doubt

“Students who took part in sexual abstinence programs were just as likely to have sex as those who did not, according to a study ordered by Congress.”

Shocker. (Hat tip to Andrew.)

Yes, it’s true that not having sex is a pretty failsafe way of avoiding STIs or unwanted pregnancies. But government programmes to persuade teenagers not to have sex are not a good way to stop teenagers having sex.

The only reason for ignoring this distinction (other than wanting an excuse to moralise) would be a faith in the marvellous efficiency of the state. Which would be a pretty odd attitude for a bunch of conservatives to take.
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5 comments:

Matt M said...

Yes, it’s true that not having sex is a pretty failsafe way of avoiding STIs or unwanted pregnancies.

Even abstinence isn't a failsafe way of avoiding pregnancy, at least according to the Bible.

6:04 pm, April 19, 2007
Tom Freeman said...

Immaculately put.

10:09 am, April 20, 2007
Jane Henry said...

This is very true and very funny Tom, but ... ooh, let me stoke some controversy here. It is amazing how suddenly ILLIBERAL one gets about the whole sex and teenage issue when one has four girls the oldest of whom is not yet old enough, but judging by what I hear about sex education in schools these days will be being encouraged in two years time (when she's thirteen) to have oral sex because it's "safe"... OK that might sound like an exaggeration but I do know parents who've told me similar, as well as tales of bestiality etc being promoted as normal.

I am all in favour of an open sex education policy. I went to a catholic school and we did have sex education along the lines of: this is the pill you're never going to have to use it. That didn't work either, there were six pregnancies in my sixth form.

What worries me nowadays though, there is an inherent assumption that all teens are at it, so they need to have safe sex (ok I don't disagree with that), instead of trying to put it in some kind of moral (NOT necessarily religious context). For all sorts of reasons I think it is a bad thing for teens to get entangled in sex too early. They aren't old enough, girls in particular will feel crap if they shag the first bloke they go out with after a date or two. Allowing teenage boys to shag all the time may not give them the best insight/empathy in dealing with women etc.

I think teenagers should be encouraged to think seriously before they enter a sexual relationship and consider whether they need to take that step or not. Do they love/at least have strong feelings for their partner? Will they regret a quick fumble in the bushes later?

I also think kids need to be educated far more into the practical realities of having a baby, and what it really means to give up your freedom at such a young age. I became a mum at 30 and that was tough enough, these girls haven't a clue what they're taking on.

It seems to me we've thrown the baby out with the bathwater in our attempts to be totally non judgemental on this issue. And the result is far more babies to bath...

I think there is a reason why we have the highest teenage pregnancy rate in Europe...

Sorry that was a bit of a rant, but as I said, it's amazing how your viewpoint changes when you think, yikes in a few years my daughter could be having sex...

7:39 pm, April 20, 2007
Tom Freeman said...

If you'd asked me when I was, say, 14 what I thought about teenage sex, I'd probably have said either "I have heard tell of such a thing" or "Yes! Please!" depending on mood.

Nowadays I'd agree that leaping into bed (or more likely leaping into the bushes behind the bus station) at the first opportunity is maybe not the best way to build character.

There are no kids on my personal horizon at the mo, but I can imagine that if I had a 14-year-old daughter I'd want to escort her around town with a baseball bat. I know full well what she'd be up against...

10:47 pm, April 22, 2007
Jane Henry said...

You men...

I can remember laughing like a drain when I was first married and with a group of friends we were discussing the hypothetical (at the time) situation of meeting our daughters' boyfriends. All the men were totally neanderthal, taking the don't you dare darken the doors of my house approach...we know what you're after, harrumph, harrumph...

It took us wise women to point out that we were - er someone's daughters once, and look what they did to us.

EXACTLY! was the response.

If my kids are going to find ways of shagging without me knowing, I'm sure they will, but I'd rather they didn't. And most of all I hope to heaven they don't make me a very young granny!! I've just got over the shock of being a mum...

Interestingly I became a great aunt last year and though my niece isn't a teenager, I still felt she was too young and was (and remain) rather shocked by the strength of my reaction to her choice (which I felt was the wrong one)... Your never at all liberal when your loved ones are involved methinks...

9:59 am, April 23, 2007

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