The AP reported today on a study that revealed 1 in 4 US teens are infected with sexually transmitted diseases.
At least one in four teenage American girls has a sexually transmitted disease, suggests a first-of-its-kind federal study that startled some adolescent-health experts.
Some doctors said the numbers might be a reflection of both abstinence-only sex education and teens' own sense of invulnerabilty. Because some sexually transmitted infections can cause infertility and cancer, U.S. health officials called for better screening, vaccination and prevention.
Among those who admitted having sex, the rate was even more disturbing — 40 percent had an STD.
"This is pretty shocking," said Dr. Elizabeth Alderman, an adolescent medicine specialist at Montefiore Medical Center's Children's Hospital in New York.
"To talk about abstinence is not a bad thing," but teen girls — and boys too — need to be informed about how to protect themselves if they do have sex, Alderman said.
I find it interesting that the assumption by "some doctors" is that abstinence education is the most likely cause of the high rate of STDs. It's like blaming the person yelling, "Run!" for the tidal wave that's crashing on shore.
When we look back on the 1950s and1960s, a time when shame was heaped on girls who went all the way--especially on the ones who got knocked up--there were relatively few girls who were sexually active. And even fewer still became diseased.
But the Sexual Revolution changed all that. Shame was thrown into the trash alongside saving oneself for marriage. Now "hooking up" and "friends with benefits" are becoming popular in high school and even middle school. Emotion-free sex is the order of the day for students who recognize they aren't old enough to get serious with anyone.
Naturally, though, the shameless sexual culture isn't the reason for the spread of sexual diseases. No, the medical establishment says that STDs are probably spread by the people telling students to wait. Yeah, that makes a lot of sense.
11 comments:
Haha, I had to laugh when I heard about this. Skanks!
But seriously, I think it says a lot about how Americans are so caught between hyper-sexuality and rigid, religious-themed abstinence. So what you have is a bunch of dumb teenagers who look at the situation and think, hmm, I would rather risk it than abstain totally.
Really, what's best is HONEST information about contraceptive and reproductive choices. None of this abstinence bullcrap, which I think studies show doesn't work, but I'm terribly busy and important so don't ask me to look anything up.
Jacob,
I looked up the studies. Planned Parenthood says their comprehensive sex education works and abstinence education doesn't. The abstinence people's studies say abstinence education works and comprehensive sex education doesn't. So that's why I didn't quote any studies on that.
Instead I went back to the days when there were good girls and bad girls, and everyone knew what that meant. Those were the days when society itself reinforced the abstinence message, and for the most part it worked to keep teen pregnancy and STDs down to a small fraction of what they are today.
Today, though, the message from the non-abstinence-ed schools to Hollywood is that sex is a recreational sport that everyone is playing. Why, even The City is having sex, so you can too. Just be sure to use a condom.
But when diseases spread, the only thing the sexual/medical establishment can see is that abstinence education is the problem. Sheesh, some people can be pretty stupid for all the education they have.
The lack of shame in our society has many downfalls. Don't "shame" the welfare folks, give them credit cards so they won't be "shamed" when they're in the check out line using food stamps.
Don't "shame" the pregnant out of wedlock, she may expect the father to own up and share responsibility, making an honest woman out of her, claiming the bastard child.
Don't "shame" those whose son spent time behind bars. Throw him a big graduation like party upon his release.
The bar for the actions of society has reached an all time low, morality is old-fashioned and outdated. Self-respect is non-existent.
Not in my home.
Jacob said:
Oh my god. Can I just clarify something? Sex = good. Sex is not evil. Sex is not evil, not even when it's between umarried people. Sex does not make you dirty, it does not make you shameful, it does not make you immoral. Morals are about how you treat people, not about who you f**k.
Seriously, I had no idea that you were THAT old and carmudgeonly, you guys.
Jacob,
Please watch your language.
Sex = good, when you're married. Sex = wrong (not evil) when you're not married. Sex when you're not married causes problems, like disease for starters.
Call me curmudgeonly if you want. Oh wait, you already did.
I guess I'm "carmudgeonly" too.
Jacob, sex is beautiful, when it's between 2 people who love and respect each other.
I wonder what Peter Griffin has to say on the subject?
Now a woman who kiss on a very first day
is usually a hussie.
And a woman who kiss on a second time out
is anything but fussy.
But a woman who'll wait til the third time around
head in the clouds, feet on the ground
she's the girl he's glad he's found
she's his shipoopi
Shipoopi shipoopi shipoopi (the girl who's hard to get)
Shipoopi shipoopi shipoopi (but you can win her yet)
(Linkage)
Jacob,
I think you're getting it now...
Jacob,
I'm not sure I know who Mr. Griffin is, but I agree. The man who has to wait for a woman is richer for it!
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