absitence only
...hat are the emotional risks? Where does the law stand on your beliefs on sex? There are more questions than there are good solid answers. It is normal and healthy to think about the implications of becoming sexually active, whether you are considering having sex, already sexually active or willing to wait. It is best to be informed and prepared before having a sex life. Teens have the right to know all the consequences for their actions and how to take responsibility for them. Sexually transmitted diseases have become a serious health problem in the United States. There are over 20 different diseases classified as STD”s. The Institute of Medicine claims that STDs are prevalent and form a “hidden epidemic” because of the unwillingness of Americans to “address sexual health issues in an open way” (enotes.com). In many cases, these diseases occur without any symptoms for many years while the carrier may infect other sexual partners. Sexually transmitted diseases may also affect the immune system, making the victim more susceptible to Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection, the virus which causes AIDS. Which may be the consequences of unsafe sex (University of Nebraska Medical Center). When you are told as a child not to do something, you want to know the outcomes of doing that certain action. For example, you tell your child that they will be encountering a situation in which they will be tempted to give into their carnal desires. With that in mind the child will want to experience the outcome whether they’re good or bad. But if you let him/her know how to take the proper precautions they will know how to handle the situation when they come to experiencing it. On the other hand the purpose of the “abstinence-only” program is to prevent pregnancy, single parenting, abortion, incest and mainly STD’s. If the “abstinence only” program would make an affect on peoples idea of sex, the world would be as if no one would have sex out of wedlock. This idea is not realistic because it enforces a certain belief about sex in our lives. For the last five years, the government spent $500 million on educational programs pushing sexual abstinence. With the program set to expire, Congress recently debated whether to extend it for another five years. Many Democrats oppose "abstinence only," arguing it unrealistic, while conservative Republicans want the program to continue. President George W. Bush wants to increase federal funding for sex education in schools. More specifically, he wants to put $135 million toward abstinence-only education, telling teenagers that premarital sex is dirty and bad and that there is only one correct approach to human sexuality (Elder). Sex Ed classes are naturally gender-biased. I remember seeing the cartoon images of pretend sexual scenarios in sex ed classes, and it was always the guy who was pressuring the girl to have sex, and it was the girl's responsibility to prevent any sexual advances. The message was made consistently that men enjoy sex, and women don't. Sex-ed always said to me, "Listen up, ladies; men will try to woo you into bed and rob you of your virtue, but you just stand your ground!" The only reason a girl would ever put out is if she had lo...