Abstinence

[Barihawk]

Well, by sheer definition abstinence is the more successful way to prevent pregnancies and STD's. The only problem is that it only works on people who are willing to practice it.

 

 

 

While I support abstinence, I do not support it as a form of birth control. I fully support the teaching of the use of condoms, as they are the only way to both prevent pregnancies and STDs. There are other forms of birth control, but what you end up getting is one party in the couple relying on the other to control it. This is often a problem as for some reason young teen boys feel like condoms are robbing them of their masculinity, and it is up to the girl to use the pill in order to prevent pregnancy. Asides from this being fairly sexist, it does not prevent diseases.

 

 

 

Abstinence itself? It's great if you want to do it. There's an entire book in the Bible regarding God's vision of ideal sex and to be honest it sounds great. If you don't want to practice it, leave it alone. It's not as if people saving their passions for the person they plan to spend a lifetime with is going to destroy your lifestyle.

[deathdrow]

You don't always have to participate in sexual intercourse to get pregnant, religion aside.

 

I know of a few other ways that a girl can get pregnant, but what ones do you know of?

 

Explain? I can think of a few things but they are pretty out there.

 

There are quite a few, rather vulgar. I probably shouldn't post them, if you wanna know pm me.

[archimage_a]

You don't always have to participate in sexual intercourse to get pregnant, religion aside.

 

I know of a few other ways that a girl can get pregnant, but what ones do you know of?

 

Explain? I can think of a few things but they are pretty out there.

 

There are quite a few, rather vulgar. I probably shouldn't post them, if you wanna know pm me.

 

 

 

Oh say touching near that area on men and then that area on women. Both rubbing against another object, say a towel. Fluid running/leaking down from another point of contact.

 

Not really out there, but unlikely.

 

 

 

On topic:

 

 

 

Statistically one hundred percent of the shots you don't take don't go in.

 

~ Wayne Gretsky

 

 

 

Abstinence should be talked about, just like Hetrosexuality and Homosexuality...If you are telling kids 'Yeah, these are all things that will happen if you have sex' then it is sort of like saying 'When you have sex'.

 

Statistically there are 60 Million(or 1 percent of the population) Asexuals (people not naturally interested in sex), so in a school of 300 people there should be at least 1, if not 3, people who are not physically interested in sex.

 

 

 

Other than that you have two options:

 

Chemical castration: works 100% of the time with no ill side effects, well except maybe frustration.

 

Or controlled sex: Most teenage sex is experimental, so sex in a controlled environment would be highly educational, as well as safer than letting them learn about it on their own. (Obvouisly offends my Asexual beliefs, and would no doubt offend a lot of hetrosexual parents to know that there children were having gay sex.)

[Napalm]

Life story aside, abstinence does not work at all in most cases. And besides, there's one obvious, should I say, "anti-abstinence": rape. That just nullifies the concept entirely should that occur. I really don't wish it upon anyone, but this is pretty much one contradiction to it.

 

 

 

I see what you're trying to say, but it's not like sex education is gonna help you when you're being raped.

 

"Wait, do you have a condom? If not, I'm afraid I'm going to have to decline your rape services."

 

 

 

 

So are you saying that schools should hand out condoms to kids? that they should be free in any store? not neccessarily disagreeing, just interested to hear what you say

 

 

 

In my opinion, yes. This may sound stupid, but I know people who would not get one themselves because of shame/fear/whatever of buying them.

[Barihawk]

Handing out condoms, no. Providing easier access to them with few to no questions asked? Definitely. I'd actually like a program where if you sat down and discussed your liaison privately with a counselor, they would allow you access to free condoms. Hell, require that both parties be there to requisition them :P.

[Kiriyama]

Well, now that you mention that Barihawk, something comes to mind.

 

 

 

I remember, about, must be 5 years now. There is the place we can go to, and basically, they'll give you condoms for free at the age of 13. I had went there with a mate, I was 12/13 at the time. It was simple as going in, showing this card, and you were taken to another room to recieve them.

 

 

 

They basically explained what they were for, "For those who want to take the relationship to the next level" basically, and gave them over no questions asked. Course, my mate just used them to piss around. He tried convincing me to get them for him a few times, but I was too scared of my parents finding them to actually do it.

 

 

 

That system probably still goes on, hell, I hope it does. Tell the kids about it, and if they want to find out more, they can go. Plus, if they are embarrassed, the place is used for a multitude of reasons, so nobody actually will know why you were there unless you tell them.

 

 

 

Of course, just one person actually needed to be there, I went along with my mate cause I was bored as hell waiting for a bus, but looking back, I guess it is a pretty useful thing.

[deathdrow]

I know my school gives out free condoms if you go see the nurse, and you can even get plan B for free from the nurse, so long as you've got a viable reason for getting it, plus they don't tell your parents. Plus buying condoms is easy anyhow. The first time is scary as hell, but after that it's easy.

[Lateralus]

I know my school gives out free condoms if you go see the nurse, and you can even get plan B for free from the nurse, so long as you've got a viable reason for getting it, plus they don't tell your parents. Plus buying condoms is easy anyhow. The first time is scary as hell, but after that it's easy.

 

 

 

I can't stand buying condoms. It's not that I'm immature or embarrased, but the knowing look you get from cashiers just kills me. One of the last times I went to get some all that was left was the extra thick and extra lubricated ones, which are aimed at and popular with gay people. The cashier lady gave me a look that I'll never forget.

[RichieMcD]

Without a doubt I think condoms should be given out to Teens. I'm not sure about other Western countries, but currently in Ireland teen pregnancy is rising hugely, what's also rising? The percentile of unmarried mothers under the age of 24.

 

 

 

So basically, teen pregnancies are rising and so is the rate of single mothers, now when they leave school (which they probably will before graduating) they have the responsibility of a child, the mindset of barely an adult, and the income of minimum wage most likely. Now this could be combated by teaching realistic methods in school and using shock tactics, instead of teaching the unrealistic approach of "Abstinence" teach how much a condom can save you, how a 2 condom can save you a life of unexpected parenthood. To further help this, teach how ones quality of life can be ruined by one STD, whether it's chlamydia, syphilis, genital warts, HIV, AIDS.

 

 

 

I remember what convinced me and the vast majority of the class how useful a condom was, it wasn't a teacher going on about it for 30 minutes, a 5 video "real life" movie of how a young promising man's future is now instead a life of responsibility and child support, it was a picture of a mans genitals leaking a green goo caused by a STD. That image will always insure I keep a condom in my wallet, just in case I need one or a friend needs one.

 

 

 

Like many things, the only thing that will get through to teenagers today is shock images or other shock methods, not 40 minutes of some teacher going on and on about some unrealistic method of Abstinence or why you shouldn't be having intercourse till your married, as for the vast majority that simply isn't going to happen.

[Wisp]

Statistically one hundred percent of the shots you don't take don't go in.

 

~ Wayne Gretsky

 

 

I hate that quote, and all other versions of it. What about shots other people take, you're not taking those and I'm sure some go in? And the shot didn't *not* go in, because you never took it. That's like saying I'm losing money when someone else gets paid. Grr.

[Laura]

You don't always have to participate in sexual intercourse to get pregnant, religion aside.

 

I know of a few other ways that a girl can get pregnant, but what ones do you know of?

Frottage is probably the most predominant.

[magekillr]

I figured this would be a discussion about one's choice for abstinence. Instead it's a discussion about the worst form of birth control advocacy that this planet has ever come to reconcile with.

 

 

 

"Abstinence is the ONLY birth control." Yeah, ok, lunatic right-wing religious zealot, the adults are talking about the real world here.

 

 

 

Funding abstinence education makes as much sense as funding alternative medicines: it's a waste of money and hasn't yielded any results since the funding has been put in place.

 

 

 

Yank the funding, put it into sex-education and distribution of condoms and BC.

 

 

 

"Abortions are terrible! Make them illegal!"

 

 

 

Abstinence advocacy only reveals the real underlying pretense behind making abortion illegal by the right-wing fundies: controlling women, and controlling peoples' sex lives.

[Powman3]

Most teens are not going to listen to the abstinence rule. It's better to teach them about protection and the consequences they may have if they don't use it.

 

 

 

Child support costs more than condoms, I always say. :twss:

 

 

 

edit: I think the parents and the schools should teach them. It's ridiculous having the argument.

[Orpheus]

Of course, abstinence is good, I simply refuse to support it on grounds of it being used as birth control. Which abstinence is some archaic age-old doctrine/mantra that needs a major update.

[Powman3]

Lemme rephrase what I said...

 

 

 

I think we should teach both, just so the ones who aren't so risky stay away from sex and the other ones know what they're doing before they have it. Teach them the consequences of unprotected sex, MAYBE (and this is a big maybe) show them pictures of some of the effects of the diseases and infections you can get.

[warri0r45]

Of course, abstinence is good, I simply refuse to support it on grounds of it being used as birth control. Which abstinence is some archaic age-old doctrine/mantra that needs a major update.

 

 

 

Pretty much my view. I have no problem with abstinence education, but abstinence-only programs are the wrong way to go. One thing that really annoys me is misinformation about the efficacy of contraception that has been found in some abstinence-only programs. [1] Added, they don't seem to work. [2].

[RpgGamer]

Abstinence is useless. It's going to happen eventually - you might as well be prepared.

 

However, sex ed. shouldn't be taught too young, cause then you're just putting ideas into the heads of the children. I say, sex ed. at freshman year in highschool will do fine. That way, it doesn't spread to the little middle schooler's, but the audience isn't too old too late. (Eventually it'll spread to the middle schooler's anyway, so perhaps an intro course is in order, ie. "this is a penis")

[magekillr]

Abstinence is useless. It's going to happen eventually - you might as well be prepared.

 

However, sex ed. shouldn't be taught too young, cause then you're just putting ideas into the heads of the children. I say, sex ed. at freshman year in highschool will do fine. That way, it doesn't spread to the little middle schooler's, but the audience isn't too old too late. (Eventually it'll spread to the middle schooler's anyway, so perhaps an intro course is in order, ie. "this is a penis")

 

 

 

High school? Are you nuts?

 

 

 

No, it needs to start in kindergarten, with "age-appropriate sex education." You can get more graphic as the years go on, but kids should know what a condom is and how to use one by the time they're in middle school.

[PoorLepRecon]

Abstinence is useless. It's going to happen eventually - you might as well be prepared.

 

However, sex ed. shouldn't be taught too young, cause then you're just putting ideas into the heads of the children. I say, sex ed. at freshman year in highschool will do fine. That way, it doesn't spread to the little middle schooler's, but the audience isn't too old too late. (Eventually it'll spread to the middle schooler's anyway, so perhaps an intro course is in order, ie. "this is a penis")

 

 

 

High school? Are you nuts?

 

 

 

No, it needs to start in kindergarten, with "age-appropriate sex education." You can get more graphic as the years go on, but kids should know what a condom is and how to use one by the time they're in middle school.

 

 

 

By teaching them by middle school you are expecting them to have to use the knowledge that you gave them by that time. You have to teach them sex-ed when they can really understand it, not when they are just when they are in elementary/middle school. Heck, I hardly remember anything from those sessions. It was never beneficial to me. Just awkward for everyone.

[ElkNight]

Condoms are bad kids, even the pope says so.

[obfuscator]

I've never stated that abstinence is feasible for all and the be all and end all of birth control. All I'm saying is that if you don't have sex you won't get pregnant, or get std's.

 

 

 

As for the rape argument, are you going to politely ask the rapist to wear a condom? Doubt it.

 

 

 

In terms of abstinence not being birth control, I agree in the traditional sense, seeing as birth control isn't needed if you practice abstinence. Despite my personal beliefs I do support the teaching of all methods of "birth control" and letting people chose for themselves.

[whocares]

It depends on what the level of education is but at certain points I do believe they should teach other methods that are almost just as effective as abstinence (condoms, birth control, etc). I think high school is the right time, but possibly lower because kids are maturing way to fast nowadays.

[Orpheus]

Condoms are bad kids, even the pope says so.

 

 

 

Haha I remember that. But then again, the pope is bat [cabbage] insane. Nothing to listen to him for, move along now.

[Alg]

He would have a point if you don't teach the people how to use the condoms though. They'd be great if the people knew how to use them, if not it's justifying more fairly unsafe sex

[Wisp]

Middle schoolers are 13 and 14. That's more than old enough to learn about sex. Hell, 6th graders are having sex these days. I personally don't think it's too terrible after say, 16 or 15 as long as it's handled safely, but 12 year olds is just ridiculous.