I was going to include more thoughts about sex, but it gets even more complicated. Some sex information has to be taught in a formal setting (as does happen most places, fortunately), and some has to by learned from individual partners, and/or through trial and error. But yes, many taboos and legal restrictions do enforce a certain naivate among many young people.
Ultimately it all comes down to laws that dramatically increase existing divisions within society. Laws meant to prevent the corruption of youth by elders wind up preventing the education of youth by elders. Sounds cheesy to say it that way, as if I'm advocating 13-year-old polygamous brides for 60-year-old men (which I'm not), but it really is a kind of puritanism that would do better to acknowledge and take responsibility for its own vices rather than simply deny them and let them take on additional power and meaning.
I've been in the position of questioning if I should answer a question about sex that one of my son's friends asked me (about 10y/o). He does not have a dad and he was obviously comfortable with me. But if I say ANYTHING about sex to a minor who is not my offspring, I could go to jail. The laws blindly "protect" children without fairness to the situation, the intent, or with a perspective of reason and logic.
If a kid without a dad (or uncles/brothers/etc.) has questions about erections, who is he supposed to ask? The school nurse? There isn't one. His friends? They'll make fun of him. A trusted adult - That poor sap is going to jail if he tries to do the right thing.
I had to say - "You should ask your mom. I'm sure she knows and she'll be happy to talk to you about it." - and I still hate myself for having to do that.
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This is a huge problem in our Puritan society.
Oh - and the same applies for sex and drugs.
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Ultimately it all comes down to laws that dramatically increase existing divisions within society. Laws meant to prevent the corruption of youth by elders wind up preventing the education of youth by elders. Sounds cheesy to say it that way, as if I'm advocating 13-year-old polygamous brides for 60-year-old men (which I'm not), but it really is a kind of puritanism that would do better to acknowledge and take responsibility for its own vices rather than simply deny them and let them take on additional power and meaning.
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If a kid without a dad (or uncles/brothers/etc.) has questions about erections, who is he supposed to ask? The school nurse? There isn't one. His friends? They'll make fun of him. A trusted adult - That poor sap is going to jail if he tries to do the right thing.
I had to say - "You should ask your mom. I'm sure she knows and she'll be happy to talk to you about it." - and I still hate myself for having to do that.
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