lies, damned lies, and abstinence-only sex ed
Back in December, Rep. Henry Waxman published a report showing that the content of 11 out of 13 federally funded abstinence-only sex education programs includes considerable untruths. These programs mislead kids about the likely failure rate of condoms, the frequency of HIV infections, and the emotional consequences of sexual activity. They tell them that many women become sterile and have lifelong psychological problems after a legal abortion. Some materials even contain errors in basic science, such as the number of chromosomes in a human sperm or egg cell.
And, just in case anyone was in doubt about how this ties in to the social agenda of the religious right, many of the programs also promote the most retrograde gender stereotypes imaginable.
The following excerpts from course materials are taken from the February 2005 issue of Harper's.
Circle the item(s) that can be totally eliminated through the use of a condom: infertility, isolation, jealousy, poverty, heartbreak, pregnancy, AIDS, substance abuse, genital herpes, unstable long-term commitments, meaningless wedding, distrust of others, sexual violence, cervical cancer, personal disappointment, feelings of being used, pelvic inflammatory disease, loss of reputation, suicide.
Now cross out the item(s) that can be eliminated by being abstinent until marriage.
***
Deep inside every man is a knight in shining armor, ready to rescue a maiden and slay a dragon. When a man feels trusted, he is free to be the strong, protecting man he longs to be.
Imagine a knight traveling through the countryside. He hears a princess in distress and rushes gallantly to slay the dragon. The princess calls out, "I think this noose will work better!" and throws him a rope. As she tells him how to use the noose, the knight obliges her and kills the dragon. Everyone is happy, except the knight, who doesn't feel like a hero. He is depressed and feels unsure of himself. He would have preferred to use his own sword.
The knight goes on another trip. The princess reminds him to take the noose. The knight hears another maiden in distress. He remembers how he used to feel before he met the princess; with a surge of confidence, he slays the dragon with his sword. All the townspeople rejoice, and the knight is a hero. He never returned to the princess. Instead, he lived happily ever after in the village, and eventually married the maiden--but only after making sure she knew nothing about nooses.
Moral of the story: Occasional assistance may be all right, but too much will lessen a man's confidence or even turn him away from his princess.
***
While a man needs little or no preparation for sex, a woman often needs hours of emotional and mental preparation.
5 Major Needs of Women: Affection, Conversation, Honesty and Openness, Financial Support, Family Commitment.
5 Major Needs of Men: Sexual Fulfillment, Recreational Companionship, Physical Attractiveness, Admiration, Domestic Support.
Somehow I missed this story when it first happened, so I'm glad that Harper's included these little excerpts. The magazine notes that the Bush administration is paying $167 million per year to fund abstinence-only programs. My tax dollars, and yours (if you're American), are paying to brainwash vulnerable teenagers.
There are no words for my disgust.
*****
And, just in case anyone was in doubt about how this ties in to the social agenda of the religious right, many of the programs also promote the most retrograde gender stereotypes imaginable.
The following excerpts from course materials are taken from the February 2005 issue of Harper's.
Circle the item(s) that can be totally eliminated through the use of a condom: infertility, isolation, jealousy, poverty, heartbreak, pregnancy, AIDS, substance abuse, genital herpes, unstable long-term commitments, meaningless wedding, distrust of others, sexual violence, cervical cancer, personal disappointment, feelings of being used, pelvic inflammatory disease, loss of reputation, suicide.
Now cross out the item(s) that can be eliminated by being abstinent until marriage.
***
Deep inside every man is a knight in shining armor, ready to rescue a maiden and slay a dragon. When a man feels trusted, he is free to be the strong, protecting man he longs to be.
Imagine a knight traveling through the countryside. He hears a princess in distress and rushes gallantly to slay the dragon. The princess calls out, "I think this noose will work better!" and throws him a rope. As she tells him how to use the noose, the knight obliges her and kills the dragon. Everyone is happy, except the knight, who doesn't feel like a hero. He is depressed and feels unsure of himself. He would have preferred to use his own sword.
The knight goes on another trip. The princess reminds him to take the noose. The knight hears another maiden in distress. He remembers how he used to feel before he met the princess; with a surge of confidence, he slays the dragon with his sword. All the townspeople rejoice, and the knight is a hero. He never returned to the princess. Instead, he lived happily ever after in the village, and eventually married the maiden--but only after making sure she knew nothing about nooses.
Moral of the story: Occasional assistance may be all right, but too much will lessen a man's confidence or even turn him away from his princess.
***
While a man needs little or no preparation for sex, a woman often needs hours of emotional and mental preparation.
5 Major Needs of Women: Affection, Conversation, Honesty and Openness, Financial Support, Family Commitment.
5 Major Needs of Men: Sexual Fulfillment, Recreational Companionship, Physical Attractiveness, Admiration, Domestic Support.
Somehow I missed this story when it first happened, so I'm glad that Harper's included these little excerpts. The magazine notes that the Bush administration is paying $167 million per year to fund abstinence-only programs. My tax dollars, and yours (if you're American), are paying to brainwash vulnerable teenagers.
There are no words for my disgust.
*****