Abstinence Only

I bet you've been wondering about my under-informed opinion on sex education. You're in luck, reader, because you're about to get it. (The opinion, not the education... or the sex.)

Okay, here we go. On the one side, we have Abstinence-Only programs. These programs teach that the only safe way to express sexuality is within the bounds of marriage. Specific information about disease and pregnancy prevention is not included. The reasoning for this: if you teach kids about sex, they will be more likely to have it.

On the other side, we have Comprehensive sex education programs. Most of you probably had this growing up. Remember the day you walked in late to health class and the teacher was putting a condom on a banana? Of course you do -- the memory arouses you to this day. That's what we're talking about here. These programs teach kids about contraception and disease prevention. The reasoning behind this method: kids are curious and talkative; better for them to get helpful, accurate information from a teacher than be dangerously misinformed by a friend.

Abstinence-Only programs are normally supported by religious conservatives, while Comprehensive programs are favored by every prominent American health organization. Which one do you think received $170 million in federal funding in 2005? Ostensibly, both programs have the same goal -- keeping teenage bodies STD-less and-baby-free -- so you'd think that federal funding would go to the one that DOCTORS approve of. You'd be wrong, though. The money goes to the Abstinence-Only programs.

You've probably noticed the slight bitterness in my tone, so I'll just go ahead and voice a few of my problems with the Abstinence-Only programs.

1) Statistics show that kids are going to explore their sexuality no matter what adults tell them. Virginity pledges may delay intercourse, but usually do not prevent it. We should give kids the information they need to keep themselves safe and knowledgeable.

2) Promoting abstinence-until-marriage is a slap to the face of homosexuals in the U.S., seeing as how, in most states, they are prevented from being married.

3) Keeping children from learning about their sexuality propagates the taboo on human sexuality. Our sexuality is a powerful, meaningful part of our identities; it seems to me to be a huge disservice to teens to attempt to keep them in the dark about such matters.

Teaching kids about the wonders and dangers of sexuality will not turn them into raging nymphomaniacs. Using Abstinence-Only programs to avoid teen pregnancy and STDs is the rough equivalent of teaching kids that the only appropriate way to avoid a broken leg is to avoid any activity that involves walking and running... until marriage.