Abstinence-only ed: Let’s get real

Is it possible to promote abstinence-only education, which research shows contributes significantly to increasing teen pregnancy rates, and be anti-abortion?

As the bizarre Bristol-Palin-got-knocked-up mishap in 2008 strikingly demonstrated, holding these seemingly contradictory beliefs is not only possible, but is in fact widespread among conservative politicians. This combination even holds strong in the face of teen pregnancies galore — almost 1 million per year in the United States, the highest rate of any industrialized nation. 

As a direct result of abstinence-only education, Rick Santorum, Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich are all staunchly pro-abstinence-only education and anti-choice.

So what’s the problem here?

Let’s start with the basics. Research has proven abstinence-only education is not only ineffective but detrimental because it puts teens who decide to become sexually active at a much higher risk of becoming pregnant and contracting STIs.

And according to the National Abortion Federation, four out of five Americans have sexual intercourse before age 20, so the “wait until marriage” camp is the stark minority.

It is important to note that abstinence-only education is not “sex education,” but rather a promotion of one subjective view of “morality.”

In my middle school’s abstinence-only program, the teacher showed us a glass of water that had an Oreo soaking in it for about an hour next to a nice, clear glass of water and asked us which one we would rather give to our future spouse. How lovely, to be compared to a glass of soggy-Oreo water.

Sex is portrayed as dangerous and dirty. Our teacher told us that even if you had a condom that covered your entire body, you could still get your partner pregnant and/or get an STI.

Just don’t have sex. It’s that simple. Really.

Nearly 20 percent of abortions in the U.S. are for women between the ages of 15 and 19. It’s obvious that in the U.S., because of cultural norms and governmental policy, young people have the most difficulty accessing contraception and other reproductive healthcare. Abstinence-only education only aggravates this crisis and contributes to a higher abortion rate.

The mentality of current conservative politicians regarding sex, education and reproductive rights completely denies people — women especially — any power in their own sexual and reproductive decisions. Subjective views of “morality” and politics should have no place in dictating what people can and can’t do with their bodies. Only individuals should make those decisions.

Sex education needs to be comprehensive. This means presenting abstinence as a legitimate and viable option but still explaining all types of contraception and STI-prevention, along with their relative efficacy.

Moreover, a young woman should not be condemned for choosing to carry a pregnancy to term — and labeled a teen mom — instead of choosing not to do so. This is especially true when that woman was never given access to resources to learn about birth control in the first place.

­— ccleahy@indiana.edu