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Author Topic: Fewer Sexually Active Teens Are Using Condoms  (Read 1557 times)

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Offline miskie

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Fewer Sexually Active Teens Are Using Condoms
« on: June 09, 2008, 08:00:04 AM »
Linkage
New data published by Huffington Post describes a fairly bad trend...
Quote from: marmar
marmar  Donating Member  (1000+ posts)
Mon Jun-09-08 08:31 AM

Original message
Fewer Sexually Active Teens Are Using Condoms   Updated at 8:31 AM

via AlterNet:

Fewer Sexually Active Teens Are Using Condoms
By Marissa Miley, Huffington Post. Posted June 3, 2008.

What should we do about this alarming trend? We could rend our garments and cry to the heavens. Or we could talk to teens about safe sex.



Once again, the alarm has sounded. Here's a novel idea for this time around: Let's actually react to the noise.

Yesterday the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released its biannual Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance data and revealed that across the nation, teens' condom use has flat-lined since 2003. This means that just over 60% of sexually active teens use condoms. Teen sexual activity may be on the rise, too. At the same time, fewer teens (89.5% in 2007 vs. 91.5% in 1997) are learning about AIDS or HIV infection in school. No doubt this is in part because of the push for abstinence-only education and the series of school budgetary cuts that have eliminated sex-ed entirely.

Though disturbing, the data shouldn't surprise you. Back in March, the CDC issued data showing that 1 in 4 teenage girls has at least one sexually transmitted disease.

Clearly, these STDs had to come from somewhere.

Still, it may have been easy to dismiss the significance of the March data. That study looked at only 838 girls. Surely those girls with STDs must live in some other neighborhood, some other town, some other state. That's not going on at my local high school. Next story, please.

But this time around, the CDC surveyed over 14,000 teens. How much more data do we need before we're willing to see the reality?

In the 1990s, we saw a decline in risky teenage sexual behavior. More students were using condoms, fewer were having sex. But a countercurrent is threatening the tide of progress, and we need to pay attention.

By this, I do not mean we should freak out for a few days, read every article about teen sex and so-called scandal, and tuck the horror stories in the back of our minds until the next cause for freakout comes along, months later. I do not mean we should throw up our hands in despair and cry out, We give up! I do not mean we should blame pop culture, though I see how easy that could be (just think: Gossip Girl, Jamie Lynn Spears' pregnancy, Juno; hey, even that Today Show Casanova sensation/creep Paul Janka). ......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.alternet.org/sex/87322 /

But its not the post that is interesting.. Its the first response that is.

Quote from: zbdent
zbdent  (1000+ posts)
Mon Jun-09-08 08:42 AM

Response to Original message
1. What's a few STDs among friends when you're constantly told
   
by your fundie religious leaders that electing Barack Obama will bring about Armageddon?

That's Right.. Unsafe sex practices can be directly attributed to 'fundies'...  :thatsright:
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Offline Lord Undies

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Re: Fewer Sexually Active Teens Are Using Condoms
« Reply #1 on: June 09, 2008, 08:12:53 AM »
Quote
At the same time, fewer teens (89.5% in 2007 vs. 91.5% in 1997) are learning about AIDS or HIV infection in school. No doubt this is in part because of the push for abstinence-only education

I find it ridiculous that this statement implies that "abstinence-only education" excludes spreading knowledge about the very diseases which makes abstinence an attractive alternative to wanton sex with everyone and anyone. 

Quote
and the series of school budgetary cuts that have eliminated sex-ed entirely.

Good!  Schools should stay away from our children's sexuality and genitalia.  Schools don't teach the truth about our founding fathers.  How can we trust them to teach honestly about becoming a father?
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Offline DixieBelle

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Re: Fewer Sexually Active Teens Are Using Condoms
« Reply #2 on: June 09, 2008, 09:19:28 AM »
I find it ironic that Liberals are so adamant about people (namely conservatives) staying out of "their bedrooms" but yet turning over something as important as Sex Ed. to the government is just fine and dandy? Cognitive Dissonance much???

I think the govt (specifically our schools) should stay the hell out of the Sex Ed. issue. Period. End of story. Teach them biology. Teach them Science. But do not editorialize or try to instill morals and values. If parents want their kids to learn how to put on condom on a banana, they can do it at home. If parents want their kids to abstain until later in life (up to marriage) then they should be allowed to instill those values. It's not up to the school system. At all. It's akin to sitting down all of the first graders on day one and telling them that Mommy and Daddy are really Santa Claus. That may be a flip analogy, but it's apt. Parents are the ultimate deciders in everyone's view except Liberals. Idjits.
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Offline Chris_

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Re: Fewer Sexually Active Teens Are Using Condoms
« Reply #3 on: June 09, 2008, 11:42:28 AM »
libs want to teach "safe sex" before marriage.  Us "fundies" teach no sex before marriage.  Which one is 100% effective in preventing pregnancy and STD's?   :thatsright:
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Offline mamacags

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Re: Fewer Sexually Active Teens Are Using Condoms
« Reply #4 on: June 09, 2008, 01:12:42 PM »
If I can't to to school to lecture the kids on Jesus, you can't go to school to lecture the kids on butt sex. Deal?
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Offline VivisMom

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Re: Fewer Sexually Active Teens Are Using Condoms
« Reply #5 on: June 09, 2008, 02:15:20 PM »
Quote from: lug-nut on June 09, 2008, 11:42:28 AM
libs want to teach "safe sex" before marriage.  Us "fundies" teach no sex before marriage.  Which one is 100% effective in preventing pregnancy and STD's?   :thatsright:

Don't go muddying up the waters with facts, lug.
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Offline InfamousAndy

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Re: Fewer Sexually Active Teens Are Using Condoms
« Reply #6 on: June 09, 2008, 05:59:51 PM »
I am going to go a bit against the grain here and say that a well-taught sex-ed course is useful.  When I was in high school, we didn't do ridiculous stuff like put condoms on bannanas.  We simply went over the biology, health aspect, the risks, options, and myths.  It didn't encourage sexual activity at all, it was merely informative.  They did stress that abstinance was the only 100% effective method.
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Offline DixieBelle

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Re: Fewer Sexually Active Teens Are Using Condoms
« Reply #7 on: June 09, 2008, 06:01:20 PM »
^that's exactly the curriculum we use in our school system and the one I do not have a problem with.
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Forget change, bring back common sense.
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Offline SemiSpook

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Re: Fewer Sexually Active Teens Are Using Condoms
« Reply #8 on: June 09, 2008, 06:21:40 PM »
But the problem is, you lose some of the feeling if you put on a jimmy hat.

Seriously, though, I don't remember getting a condom lecture when I got sex ed in grade school (at a Catholic parochial ES) or in my 11th grade health class. I think the worst we got was discussing high risk behaviors, but that's about it.
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Offline RedTail

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Re: Fewer Sexually Active Teens Are Using Condoms
« Reply #9 on: June 10, 2008, 05:49:55 PM »
Quote from: InfamousAndy on June 09, 2008, 05:59:51 PM
I am going to go a bit against the grain here and say that a well-taught sex-ed course is useful.  When I was in high school, we didn't do ridiculous stuff like put condoms on bannanas.  We simply went over the biology, health aspect, the risks, options, and myths.  It didn't encourage sexual activity at all, it was merely informative.  They did stress that abstinance was the only 100% effective method.

Same here...I was taught about ALL methods of contraception, but no condoms on the banana thing.

I felt prepared when my time came.

*Red*
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