Sex Sells, Just Not at School

The only birth control that is 100 percent effective is abstinence. Abstinence is the belief system that one should wait to partake in sexual actions until marriage. 

Whether or not someone chooses to commit to abstinence is completely up to them. It is a personal choice, however many states continue to push abstinence. Even though it is pushed by states, the pressure to adhere to abstinence is incredibly ineffective.

Studies show that abstinence-only sex education fails at reducing rates of STDs and teen pregnancies. This is due to the lack of teaching of ways to practice safe sex.  According to KFF.org, abstinence-only programs “teach that abstinence from sex is the only morally acceptable option for youth, and the only safe and effective way to prevent unintended pregnancy and STIs. They generally do not discuss contraceptive methods or condoms unless to emphasize their failure rates.”

Research scientist Laura Lindberg said, “[abstinence is] not just unrealistic, but it leaves our young people without the information and skills that they need, we fail our young people when we don’t provide them with complete and medically accurate information.”

States, such as Indiana, use abstinence as a major teaching platform during the sex education course at school. Indiana requires schools to teach abstinence-only education, which can prevent teachers from including topics such as STDs and other forms of birth control like condoms or the pill, however some teachers personally opt to include topics revolving around those topics.

A local teacher in Edinburgh, Ginger Hixson-Kahl, said, “…if you don’t teach about it the students won’t know about it. Therefore, there’s going to be more STDs, more unwanted pregnancies and I do believe sex education makes a difference. The number of STDs and the number of pregnancies are the two main features that sex education needs to work on. Actual sex education.”

It seems that abstinence is pushed so much that the act of sex is shamed. This tactic is used to guilt students into “preserving” themselves until marriage. Sex should not be shamed but rather it should be supported in safe and healthy ways. Sex is not only a way to conceive a child, but it is also a pleasurable act that is commonly practiced.

Students live in a sex driven society where the media profits over sexualization and the market of sex is only growing. As a nation Americans cannot expect young members of society to not become curious about sex, and they certaintly cannot expect them to not act upon it. 

If, as a society, sex plays such a huge role, then why are schools hiding it from students who are already immerged into this society of sex driven media? Shame and fear should not be the goal of sex education, but instead it should be helpful and supportive.