Blue Mass Group

Reality-based commentary on politics.

Abstinence-only birth control “not realistic”

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In a recent CNN interview, Bristol Palin spoke out for the first time since giving birth, and admits that for young people, abstinence as a form of birth control “is not realistic at all.”

Check out the interview below:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITI…

Abstinence-only-until-marriage programming promotes abstinence from sexual activity without teaching young people basic facts about contraception and other measures that can help them to protect themselves against unintended pregnancy and the transmission of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV/AIDS once they become sexually active.

Comprehensive health education is essential in allowing students to protect themselves when making decisions they may already face: In a 2005 Massachusetts Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 45% of high school students reported having had sexual intercourse.  Young people today need age appropriate, medically accurate information that reflects the range of health issues they are faced with.

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  2. Personally, I think whatever is taught should be, as we like to say around here, “reality-based” rather than ideologically driven.  However, it IS also accurate to say that abstinence is the only 100% absolutely certain way to neither get pregnant nor contract a disease that is exclusively transmitted sexually.  What I like to say regarding abstinence is teach it, don’t preach it.  In other words, explain why this is the case, honestly answer kids’ questions about birth control and STDs, teach the workings of the reproductive system as openly as you would the digestive system, cardio-vascular system, etc. rather than “Don’t do it because God says so – end of discussion.”  I contend that it is absolutely realistic to think that kids need not and should not engage in sexual activity; plenty of us got through high school without doing so and lived to tell about it.

    • We taught comprehensive sexual health. It includes abstinence, but also answers everything else. Many of our participants asked questions because they heard it in the media, on the bus, in the school, etc., but didn’t know any thing about the truth or fact.

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      p>By knowing more, young people (and everyone) can make a more informed decision about their bodies and understand the choices they have when it comes to decision-making in a relationship and about their body.

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      p>Additionally, by developing a relationship with an adult, they are more comfortable asking personal questions without feeling judged. They can ask for assistance without fear of getting in trouble.  

      • This sounds like something I could be comfortable with.  I just don’t like it when people rationalize with a premise like, “Kids are going to have sex anyway.”, which strikes me as such a cop-out.

        • I get where you’re coming from, but it’s important to note that it is only a cop out for a non-existent policy preference.  That is, it would be a cop out for some hypothetical policy or preference toward “total-non-abstinence” education, but this is a straw man as nobody seriously advocates such a thing.  Toward a policy of “make sure the non-abstinence stuff gets taught”, the notion that “kids will have sex” is a perfectly legitimate supporting reason.  

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          p>If “kids will have sex” then you’d better take that into account when designing your policy.  As such, the notion’s consideration is hardly a cop-out.

          • This statement may apply to SOME, but certainly not ALL kids.  The abstinence only crowd seems to say just say no -end of discussion; the other side sometimes comes across as saying sex is natural even at that age, so we’ll do our best to protect them.  I’m kind of in the middle.  My philosophy is just say no, but explain why.

            • … that it doesn’t apply to ‘all’, but I don’t think it changes anything.  That is, it is still the case that “If ‘kids will have sex’ then you’d better take that into account when designing your policy.” even if that doesn’t mean ‘all’ kids.  But more to the point, even if you buy that most kids don’t have sex, certainly the vast vast majority of them will at some point when they are adults and certainly what we taught them as kids was at least as much to help them in adulthood as through childhood.

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              p>Your last point on explaining why is certainly desirable, but stopping there would be ill-advised if ‘(some or many) kids will have sex’, as real tools on how to protect yourself are separate issues from ‘why stay abstinent’.

        • We assume that most high school kids will have sex someday, even if it is years later. But if you don’t teach kids about sex when you have the chance in school, when are they going to learn?

  3. I’m surprised a bigger deal hasn’t been made of this.

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    p>

    “They thought that, like, my mom was going to make me have the baby, and it was my choice to have the baby,” she said. “And it’s just — that kind of stuff just bothered me.”

    Van Susteren asked, “But this is your issue? This is your decision?”

    Bristol answered yes. “(It) doesn’t matter what my mom’s views are on it. It was my decision, and I wish people would realize that, too,” she said.

    • The deal is that she apparently was raised to think for herself.  That is a compliment to her parents.

    • The fact that Bristol Palin is pro-choice, pro-life, hell she could be pro-dog fighting and it wouldn’t matter in any substantive manner.  

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      p>It does, however, lead one to think that Sarah Palin didn’t run her household like a Jesus Camp-style thought-control dictatorship, which is a good thing.

    • if she had had an abortion, the name palin wouldn’t even be known to non-alaskans, because sarah palin would have been seen as unfit to lead god’s own party and never considered by mccain.

      • … appears to be able to think for herself is laudable, and that her Mother may be able to take some credit for it as well.  That being said, your point is absolutely salient.  The dissonance is more about Bristol and the right wing stance on the issue, and that dissonance certainly could have played a huge role in the campaign had it taken a slightly different tack.

        • that bristol palin can think for herself.  but the sad fact is that her mother ran, in part, on a platform of abstainence-only education, womb control and heterosexism.  i’m never impressed by politicians who make exceptions for their family but continue to try to grind the public into submission.  for me, the importance of bristol palin’s story to the public is that it is one more piece of evidence that sarah palin is a hypocrite of the highest order.

          • That’s news to me.  In fact, I remember you rationalizing Joe Biden’s position on gay marriage and prop 8 in California.  Hey, what’s good for the goose is supposed to be good for the gander.  By the way, are there many politicians, democrats or republicans, who don’t make exceptions for themselves but still try to grind the public into submission?  (Al Gore’s mega-sized boat just commissioned this past summer comes to mind.)  

            • I have a hard time imagining Laurel of all people rationalizing a gay marriage position that’s anything less than full top priority support!:)

              • “He is perfect for defeating prop 8”. I think that Laurel will weigh in on this tomorrow, in any event.

                • Help me out here.  I do not know how to link previous comments into existing ones. I was able to find the original statements by going back in the “comments” section.

                • … of the original comment.  You should now be on a page that shows only the original comment and the thread of replies to that comment.  Grab the address and put it on your clipboard (right click and choose ‘copy’ or hit Ctrl-C).  Then come back to this thread and in your reply paste the address (right click and choose ‘paste’ or hit Ctrl-V).

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                  p>Optionally, to add the link to a piece of text, use the example below:

                  <

                  p>&#60a href=”address”>text with link&#60/a>

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                  p>For ‘address’ use the address you put on the clipboard from the first procedure.  For ‘text with link’ use whatever text you want.

                • http://wHe is perfect for defeating Prop 8. (0.00 / 0)
                  Saying that he personally opposes gay marriage but would vote against wrong-headed constitutional amendments gives voters who are themselves uncertain about gay marriage the “permission” to take the high road and vote to defeat discrimination without having to change their minds about gay marriage.  It is perfect positioning for this election cycle.

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                  p>R.I.P. Liberty?

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                  p>——————————————————————————–

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                  p>by: Laurel @ Wed Oct 22, 2008 at 23:22:31 PM EDT
                  [ Parent | | Reply |   none0: Delete comment3: Worthless4: Needs work5: Good6: Excellent ]

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                  p>——————————————————————————–

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                  p>by: you @ soon
                  To post this comment click here:  

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                  p>Otherwise click cancel.

                  <

                  p>You must enter a subject for your comment
                  ww.bluemassgroup.com/showComment.do?commentId=158675

                • i can’t comment until i understand the context of the remark by reviewing the diary and the related comments.  i don’t remember everything i wrote or why i wrote it.  thus, it is imprudent to comment until you provide a working link.

            • palin did not hide her stand on abortion (forbidden, even in cases of rape) and gays (love the ‘sinner’ in theory, but in reality punish the ‘sinner’ by withholding vital access to legal protections all citizens should enjoy).  like civil marriage, for example.  

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              p>go ahead, try to find campaign-era statements from palin saying she was pro-choice for people other than her daughter, and supported access to civil marriage for same-sex couples.  and be sure to provide working links! đŸ™‚

              • Can we find the place where Governor Palin makes an exception for her daughter?

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                p>Or are you just assuming that she agrees with her daughter?

                • that Palin said her daughter “had chosen” to have the baby.  She didn’t elaborate.  We of course can never know what really happened, but in public both gramma and babymomma say that the choice to see the pregnancy through was made by bristol.  take from that what you will.

              • http://vps28478.inmotionhosting.com/~bluema24/s…
                I don’t disagree with your analysis of Palin’s views.  But you should apply the same thinking to both Biden and Obama, neither of whom approve of same-sex marriage.  Don’t you see that you are using a double standard?  And for the record, you will find no homophobic statements from me; I happen to share your core philosophy in regard to equal rights for all.  

                • but i really don’t see the parallel with the current palin discussion.  i interpreted biden’s position on marriage to be “pro-choice”, as in, make no laws to prevent others from marrying, even in you yourself don’t like the thought of same-sex marriage.  palin is decidedly the opposite with regards to abortion:  she is a hard line forced-birther for everyone except, it seems, her daughter.

                • Both sides play to their “core” constituencies by talking in codes.  I will say that Sarah’s born-agains are the nastiest of the groups, but all of these special interests on both sides of the spectrum have their darker moments.

              • In a widely quoted 2006 survey she answered during her gubernatorial campaign, Palin said she supported abstinence-until-marriage programs. But weeks later, she proclaimed herself “pro-contraception” and said condoms ought to be discussed in schools alongside abstinence.

                “I’m pro-contraception, and I think kids who may not hear about it at home should hear about it in other avenues,” she said during a debate in Juneau.

                • did she maintain an unclear position on purpose, or was it the accidental result of her non-linear speaking style (to put it kindly?).

                • Because under her governorship, Alaska maintained a comprehensive sex education program in high schools, including PP coming into schools to teach about contraceptives.  

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                  p>What does it matter what she is in theory when what she is in practice is already determined?

                • she runs again for federal office.  then it becomes very important to know what she will advocate for if she has the opportunity.  she may not have the power (or ability) to make the changes she wants in AK, but could be in a better position to press for this nonsense in a different office.

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                  p>personally, i think bible spice’s day in the political spotlight is over, and this is all just mental gymnastics.  but we’ll see.

                • What about JoeBS Spice who will tell you that he is against Prop 8 in order to get your vote but tells the rest of us that he is opposed to gay marriage?

                • Alaska’s “comprehensive” sex ed is not universal and is not comprehensive.  In fact, there is continued debate about this very issue.:

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                  p>

                  Now Sawyer, a junior at the University of Alaska Anchorage, wants to do something about it. She, with other politically minded Anchorage college students and even some local high schoolers, are banding together to reform the way sex education is taught around the state. They’re reversing roles and telling their parents and school administrators that kids need more safety talk, not less. Their goal: mandatory comprehensive sex ed in high school.

                  It would be a radical shift from the hands-off approach Alaska takes, which leaves sex ed to individual school districts. The result of the way it is now, Sawyer argues, is hit or miss teaching on the sensitive subject. “I met one girl from the Bush who didn’t even know what a condom was,” she said.

                  ….

                  Nobody is keeping track of what is being taught where in Alaska on the topic. The variance appears to be wide. But it seems most public schools in the state teach some form of “abstinence-plus.” Some invite outside groups to present either side of the controversial topic, like an abstinence-only advocate one day followed by a member of Planned Parenthood on another.

                  Doug Dye, a counselor at Akiachak high school 20 miles northeast of Bethel, said literature and pamphlets are available for his students. But teachers don’t go into detail in the classrooms. “We basically just make sure they are aware of what the options are,” he said.

                  Rick Luthi, superintendent of the Nome Public Schools, said students learn the biology of reproduction. “Contraceptives is not part of our curriculum nor is it stressed or talked about.”

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