Hey guys! I found a great video about comprehensive sex ed vs abstinence only!
Yes, it is a bit corny/dorky....but it does a great job expressing the myths that abstinence only supporters make up about comprehensive sex ed, and it gives the facts about why comprehensive sex ed is more effective.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
oh, abstinence only education....
Sorry that I haven't updated lately! I have been so crazy busy this past week, but from now on.. I am going to be posting more frequently. :) Anyways, as you can see, I have posted a picture on here. I think it pretty much sums up everything that I have been trying to point out about abstinence only education. It is not effective because it fails to teach the facts that teenagers these days need to know! This picture also points out some of the scary myths that abstinence only education implies.
I am going to be trying to find more pictures/videos in the next few posts to demonstrate everything that I have covered up until this point, so I hope everyone enjoys them, and I also hope that they convey my points!
Have a great weekend :)
Sex ed in Georgia
Now, since I've lived in Georgia my whole life and go to school in Georgia (very close to Savannah) this video really struck my attention. It is about the fight for comprehensive education in SAVANNAH, GEORGIA. Take a look at it...it's pretty interesting.
Our Reality: A Fight for Comprehensive Sex Education in Savannah, GA from RH Reality Check on Vimeo.
Georgia has received $22.4 million for abstinence only funding over the last couple of years. And yet Georgia is ranked 10th nationally for teen birth rates 54.2 per 1000 girls aged 15-19. We can make a difference by advocating for comprehensive sex education. From this video, you can tell that the young people are ready to step and speak so we should too! We need to make our voices heard so that COMPREHENSIVE SEX EDUCATION will be taught in more counties in Georgia.
Our Reality: A Fight for Comprehensive Sex Education in Savannah, GA from RH Reality Check on Vimeo.
Georgia has received $22.4 million for abstinence only funding over the last couple of years. And yet Georgia is ranked 10th nationally for teen birth rates 54.2 per 1000 girls aged 15-19. We can make a difference by advocating for comprehensive sex education. From this video, you can tell that the young people are ready to step and speak so we should too! We need to make our voices heard so that COMPREHENSIVE SEX EDUCATION will be taught in more counties in Georgia.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
how to get comprehensive sex ed.
Hi everyone!
Sorry I haven't updated in the last few days. I was busy with tests, I still have one for chemistry but I need a break from studying for now! So, I thought I would update this...
Today I would like to talk about implenting comprehensive sex education.
We will start with the basics...
First of all it will need government funding if it is going to be taught in public schools. So basically, if you support this kind of sex education then let your voice be heard. Tell your local school system, email your represenatives, etc.
This year President Obama is shifting the funding from abstinence only education, which has been heavily funded since 2001, to pregnancy prevention programs. According to the Office of Management and Budget, abstinence only programs received $1.3 billion from 2001 to 2009..but this type of sex education has not proven that it actually is effective. This new budget gives $178 million dollars to pregnancy prevention programs, including $110 million for community based programs. 75% is going to programs that have been proven to be effective. 25% will go to new innovative programs, which means the president is open to abstinence only education if it can be proved to be successful.
So, as a country, we are headed in the right direction with more money being put into comprehensive sex education.
In later posts, we will discuss a little bit more on how to implement comprehensive sex education!
Sorry I haven't updated in the last few days. I was busy with tests, I still have one for chemistry but I need a break from studying for now! So, I thought I would update this...
Today I would like to talk about implenting comprehensive sex education.
We will start with the basics...
First of all it will need government funding if it is going to be taught in public schools. So basically, if you support this kind of sex education then let your voice be heard. Tell your local school system, email your represenatives, etc.
This year President Obama is shifting the funding from abstinence only education, which has been heavily funded since 2001, to pregnancy prevention programs. According to the Office of Management and Budget, abstinence only programs received $1.3 billion from 2001 to 2009..but this type of sex education has not proven that it actually is effective. This new budget gives $178 million dollars to pregnancy prevention programs, including $110 million for community based programs. 75% is going to programs that have been proven to be effective. 25% will go to new innovative programs, which means the president is open to abstinence only education if it can be proved to be successful.
So, as a country, we are headed in the right direction with more money being put into comprehensive sex education.
In later posts, we will discuss a little bit more on how to implement comprehensive sex education!
Monday, April 5, 2010
Crazy stuff...
So, I am going to be really quick tonight because unfornately I have statistics homework and who knows how long that is going to take! But I found some interesting stuff about why abstinence only education is not effective. Some abstinence only programs give inaccurate information about contraceptives...
Peggy Papsdorf, who is a coordinator for Plain Truth for Washington (a group that promotes comprehensive sex ed) witnessed a lecture by an abstinence only instructor. She claimed that in this lecture the instructor taught many outrageous ideas. Some of them were that birth control pills make you TEN times more likely to die, condoms are unsafe, boys are unaffected by premarital sex while girls suffer for LIFE, and that noone has premarital sex without paying a price.
Now, I think everyone can agree that these statements are highly exagerrated. But also.. the ones about contraceptives being unsafe and ineffective are untrue and also HARMFUL.
Why?
Because 2/3 of people below the age of 18 are sexually active. And if this is the information they are receiving, then they are probably not going to use birth control or condoms, which is leading to our big increase in teenage pregnancy rates.
Yes, abstinence should be taught.... but it should DEFINITELY be backed up with ACCURATE information on birth control and condoms for the teenagers who do not practice abstinence.
So, yes, comprehensive sex education is the way to go :)
Now.. I know I have talked enough about why comprehensive sex education is the best. So how can be go about implenting this approach? Next time you'll find out.. just hang in there because tonight I have a date with statistics that I am not looking forward to!
Talk to you soon!
Peggy Papsdorf, who is a coordinator for Plain Truth for Washington (a group that promotes comprehensive sex ed) witnessed a lecture by an abstinence only instructor. She claimed that in this lecture the instructor taught many outrageous ideas. Some of them were that birth control pills make you TEN times more likely to die, condoms are unsafe, boys are unaffected by premarital sex while girls suffer for LIFE, and that noone has premarital sex without paying a price.
Now, I think everyone can agree that these statements are highly exagerrated. But also.. the ones about contraceptives being unsafe and ineffective are untrue and also HARMFUL.
Why?
Because 2/3 of people below the age of 18 are sexually active. And if this is the information they are receiving, then they are probably not going to use birth control or condoms, which is leading to our big increase in teenage pregnancy rates.
Yes, abstinence should be taught.... but it should DEFINITELY be backed up with ACCURATE information on birth control and condoms for the teenagers who do not practice abstinence.
So, yes, comprehensive sex education is the way to go :)
Now.. I know I have talked enough about why comprehensive sex education is the best. So how can be go about implenting this approach? Next time you'll find out.. just hang in there because tonight I have a date with statistics that I am not looking forward to!
Talk to you soon!
Abstinence only education= JUST CONFUSING!
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Videos :)
Here are some great videos about sex education and the controversy between abstinence only and comprehensive sex education.
so, which education REALLY works better?
Hey guys! Happy Easter! I hope everyone had a great one :)
Alright so, I have found some pretty awesome information about which sex ed program is really more effective, and I am excited to present to yall!
Abstinence Only:
There are very few actual peer review published studies avaliable about abstinence only education that show a big difference in teenagers sexual activity. So, right off the bat-- not a good sign! Now, abstinence only advocates would disagree and say that there are plenty of studies that show the positive effects of this type of sex education. However, FEW are peer review published studies; therefore, they are not very credible.
For most of the studies done on abstinence only education the outcomes are not so good....one of the most rigorous studies done on abstinence only education measured the effectiveness of a Postponing Sexual Involvement curriculum in California. The students enrolled with this program were actually found to be more likely to become pregnant. Ultimately, the researchers concluded that the program was not a reason for this....but that the program had NO impact on the sexual behavior of adolesecents (Kirby 100-108). Now, we want the sex education programs to have positive effects and lower the rates of teenage pregnancy and STD's... so if most of these abstinence only programs are not having any effects, I would not think they are beneficial.
Comprehensive Sex Education:
In contrast to the few and not-so-good outcomes of the studies done on abstinence only education, the studies on comprehensive sex education are much more promising. Abstinence only supporters say that comprehensive sex education promotes having sex. However, a study done by Emerging Answers claims, “A large body of evaluation research clearly shows that sex and HIV education programs included in this review do not increase sexual activity – they do not hasten the onset of sex, increase the frequency of sex, and do not increase the number of sexual partners. To the contrary, some sex and HIV education programs delay the onset of sex, reduce the frequency of sex, or reduce the number of sexual partners (Kirby).” So basically.... comprehenzive sex ed does not gives teenagers the idea that having sex is OK. It actually makes teenagers delay sex! SEVERAL studies done on comprehensive sex ed show delayed sexual activity, decreased numbers of sexual partners, and increased condom/contraceptive use.
Basically... the studies show that comprehensive sex education is the most effective sex ed for teenagers!
Sources:
Kirby D. Emerging Answers: Research Findings on Programs to Reduce Teen Pregnancy: National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy; May 2001.
Kirby D, Korpi M, Barth RP, Cagampang HH. The Impact of the Postponing Sexual Involvement Curriculum Among Youths in California. Family Planning Perspectives.
1997;29(3):100-108.
Next time, we will explore more about this solution! Have a great night :)
Alright so, I have found some pretty awesome information about which sex ed program is really more effective, and I am excited to present to yall!
Abstinence Only:
There are very few actual peer review published studies avaliable about abstinence only education that show a big difference in teenagers sexual activity. So, right off the bat-- not a good sign! Now, abstinence only advocates would disagree and say that there are plenty of studies that show the positive effects of this type of sex education. However, FEW are peer review published studies; therefore, they are not very credible.
For most of the studies done on abstinence only education the outcomes are not so good....one of the most rigorous studies done on abstinence only education measured the effectiveness of a Postponing Sexual Involvement curriculum in California. The students enrolled with this program were actually found to be more likely to become pregnant. Ultimately, the researchers concluded that the program was not a reason for this....but that the program had NO impact on the sexual behavior of adolesecents (Kirby 100-108). Now, we want the sex education programs to have positive effects and lower the rates of teenage pregnancy and STD's... so if most of these abstinence only programs are not having any effects, I would not think they are beneficial.
Comprehensive Sex Education:
In contrast to the few and not-so-good outcomes of the studies done on abstinence only education, the studies on comprehensive sex education are much more promising. Abstinence only supporters say that comprehensive sex education promotes having sex. However, a study done by Emerging Answers claims, “A large body of evaluation research clearly shows that sex and HIV education programs included in this review do not increase sexual activity – they do not hasten the onset of sex, increase the frequency of sex, and do not increase the number of sexual partners. To the contrary, some sex and HIV education programs delay the onset of sex, reduce the frequency of sex, or reduce the number of sexual partners (Kirby).” So basically.... comprehenzive sex ed does not gives teenagers the idea that having sex is OK. It actually makes teenagers delay sex! SEVERAL studies done on comprehensive sex ed show delayed sexual activity, decreased numbers of sexual partners, and increased condom/contraceptive use.
Basically... the studies show that comprehensive sex education is the most effective sex ed for teenagers!
Sources:
Kirby D. Emerging Answers: Research Findings on Programs to Reduce Teen Pregnancy: National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy; May 2001.
Kirby D, Korpi M, Barth RP, Cagampang HH. The Impact of the Postponing Sexual Involvement Curriculum Among Youths in California. Family Planning Perspectives.
1997;29(3):100-108.
Next time, we will explore more about this solution! Have a great night :)
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