CATEGORIES: Abstinence Only Bloggers Sexuality Education Television
October 21, 2007
Portland, Maine, Birth Control, & Me
So by now you’ve probably heard that the King County school district in Portland, Maine has decided to allow its student health center to provide reproductive health services (including contraceptives, exams, and condoms) to its middle school students. I say, if middle schoolers are having sex, at least someone is taking care of the sexual health of our youth.
Now, this is by no means an endorsement for middle school sexual activity. If this isn’t clear enough, let me make it clear to the numerous bloggers who have incorrectly quoted me recently - I do NOT believe that 11 year olds should be having sex. And at no point during my appearance on Good Morning America last Wednesday did I suggest otherwise. However, I do believe that if there are middle schoolers having sex, they desperately need to be protected. I for one would rather schools provide those reproductive and sexual health services than sacrifice our youth because we are too squeamish to deal with issues pertaining to sex.
Let us not forget that the King County school health center is NOT passing around birth control like candy. For those students who may be sexually active, the health center will conduct a gynecological exam, counsel, and educate them about the responsibilities of sex. It is not a free for all. Nor it is encouragement for kids to have sex. If you’ve ever worked with children (which I do all the time), you know that the idea of sex is inconceivable (and sometimes “gross") for many their age; just because condoms and contraceptives are available hardly makes it more appealing. When are we going to realize that demonizing sex only makes it more titillating? It’s education (specifically, comprehensive sexuality education) that ensures we raise sexually healthy individuals (and by sexually healthy, I don’t mean that they are simply having protected sex - I mean that they feel good about themselves, feel empowered by information, know how and when to make decisions about sex, and of course, know how to protect themselves both emotionally and physically, when they are ready).
In the end, if we were all better sexuality educators, then we wouldn’t be in this position. It is evident that the current means of handling sexuality (abstinence only education and scare tactics) has not worked. Let’s do better for our future generations! The time is now.
