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Why is Abstinence So Reviled?

Jul 13, 2004 11:48 AM
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Karol wonders why some liberals are so adamantly opposed to promoting abstinence as part of the fight against AIDS, and I agree that the opposition to the "A" in "ABC" (Abstinence, Be monogamous, use Condoms) is poorly explained, at best.

I'm not sure what the ideal allocation of funds to different campaigns (abstinence, monogamy, condoms, testing, clean needles, education, etc.) would be.

And I think it would be retarded to take the Jesse Helms stand that, if only we just cease our sodomy, drug use and adultry, new AIDS infections would gradually cease to exist.

But if you get a fatal, contagious disease from fucking — isn't it common sense that we advocate less fucking?

Maybe it's the percieved extremism of it -- that it's ABC and not just BC.

In all fairness, though, I don't think that MBC (Masturbate, Be monogamous, use a Condom) would fly with the right-wing. Nor would handing out free tissues and pornos in high schools.


Comments: Why is Abstinence So Reviled?

The problem is abstinence-only education, which gets rephrased as abstinence education, and the lies abstinence only "educators" tell aren't well covered.

The educational curriculum proposed by liberals doesn't denigrate abstinence, but the curriculum of conservatives slanders any idea of safe sex. It's typical for these curriculum to include false claims about the danger of protected sex.

Posted by: Ian Bicking on July 13, 2004 12:03 PM | permalink

I was in San Francisco for 5th and 6th grade... Very liberal place that had a serious sex education program for both of those grades. And I don't mean medical diagrams, it was pretty intense stuff for kids.

I'm pretty certain that abstinence was mentioned as being the most effective method for avoiding pregnancy or diseases, it just wasn't the main focus.

I believe the fear is that if abstinence is the main focus that other things won't be covered as much or at all, and those who will be having sex won't be properly educated. Abstinence programs will only stop a certain amount of people from having sex.

Posted by: O'dell on July 13, 2004 12:51 PM | permalink

No more comments! Either someone has violated Godwin's Law, I'm tired of the discussion or, most likely, the ten-week window has closed. You can, however, contact me through email.