Let's talk about sex.
More specifically, how do we talk about sex with adolescents who are entering a new phase in their lives?
We all joke about how sex education goes in school, and usually, Mean Girls is involved. That iconic line from the movie, "Don't have sex or you will get pregnant and you will die!...Now take some condoms!" However, in high schools like mine, abstinence trumps all and there are definitely no condoms being offered. Birth control and condoms are mentioned briefly, but it's always an after thought. I remember being so dissatisfied with that sort of education. It was the kind that tried to scare you into not having sex, and maybe that would have been okay if there was any evidence that it was a successful tactic.
With hormones running rampant and curiosity peaking, it's foolish to think encouraging abstinence is an effective method for preventing teen pregnancy, STDs, etc. I know many parents are uncomfortable with schools being proactive in sex education when it comes to actually educating kids about sex, but I think it's completely necessary.
Pushing for sex to be a taboo topic that never gets discussed openly just means that they are more likely to turn to their friends for advice on sex or they may just decide to go out and find out for themselves. I'm going to take a wild guess and say that making safe and healthy decisions about sex isn't going to be something they worry too much about on their own.
Sex education is not about encouraging your teenager to go out and have sex. It's about encouraging them to be safe and smart about sex if that's something they choose to do. Parents are still free to encourage abstinence on their own and take whatever measures necessary if they are dead-set on making their teenager keep their pants on.
One of the keys to good sex education is making teens aware of the risks that having unsafe sex entails and how birth control can minimize those risks. There is nothing wrong with encouraging contraception in all the forms it takes, and honestly, it's just smart to make those items available to the students.
This is a service that teenagers who have no other way of getting some form of contraception can utilize for their safety. To all the parents outraged at the thought of the school giving their teenager condoms: do you really think not having the condom would have stopped them? The only thing that school did was lower your child's chances of becoming a parent or contracting an STD.
I want to encourage all of the young people reading this article to make sure that you are properly educated and prepared! The decisions you make are your own, and when it comes to having sex, it's always better to be safe than sorry. I would hope that you all could have an open and sincere conversation with your parents about what that means, but if you can't and are determined to go through with your decision, do not let your health slip through the cracks.
You're reading this article, so you have access to a large database on the subject, but be wary of the sites you trust. Remember that your best bet is always to seek out a doctor who can give you fact-based and unbiased advice on sexual health.
Always be smart and safe!
