TresSugar

US STD Rate Highest of Developed Countries - and Rising!

TresSugar — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:00:49 -0800

Let's talk about sex . . . or else! According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, reluctance to talk about sex is keeping STD infection rates on the rise in the US, especially among teens. After practically being eradicated, syphilis is resurgent, and chlamydia and gonorrhea are also at "unacceptably high levels." Thanks to our prudishness, the US has the highest rate of STDs of any developed country in the world.

It's no secret that abstinence-only sex education is popular in America. Thankfully, after confronting the fact that abstinence-only education does not effectively reduce STD infection rates, some school districts are moving to abstinence-plus education, which reasonably stresses the importance of using protection if a teen is sexually active.

Of course, parents can also do something to reduce STD risks by providing a little sex education at home. When I asked a while back, more than half of TrèsSugar readers said their parents avoided having an awkward conversation about contraception. Maybe these new statistics will remind parents that reducing health risks are worth a few uncomfortable minutes.

What's Next For Abstinence-Only Sex-Ed Programs?

TresSugar — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:30:00 -0700

When Obama decided not to renew the Title V grant program that funds abstinence-only sex education programs in his 2010 budget, places like McLennan County in Texas found their coffers, already depleted when their $800,000 grant ran out in 2007, dwindle from $1 million to zero.

Since 1997, $1.9 billion in government funding ($1.5 billion of it federal money) has gone to abstinence-only education, turning it into an industry unto itself. Although the Senate Finance Committee voted to restore the funding 12-11 last month, the measure needs to pass the full Congress, which is unlikely. At this point, it looks like private donors will have to cough up the funding if these programs want to survive.

Abstinence ed flourished in the late '90s and early 2000s and federal funding doubled from $80 million in 2001 to $200 million during the Bush years in spite of research that showed sexual behavior didn't change among those who had received the education.

So what's the future of abstinence-only education? Its advocates like Director Tracy Cousins of the McLennan County Collaborative Abstinence Program (MCCAP) in Texas considered tweaking their programs in order to get some funding. But they decided in the end that showing students, for example, how to put a condom on compromised their message of abstinence only. "We believe," says Tracy Cousins,"the best approach [for students] is they should not engage in sexual activity."

Sex-Ed Pamphlets: An Orgasm a Day Keeps Doctor Away

TresSugar — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 12:00:00 -0700

Sex ed in the UK isn't all about STDs and birth control. A leaflet being handed out in schools by Britain's National Health Service hopes to educate students on the pleasures of sex.

With the slogan "an orgasm a day keeps the doctor away," the material reads:

Health promotion experts advocate five portions of fruit and veg a day and 30 minutes physical activity three times a week. What about sex or masturbation twice a week?

One of the officials behind the leaflet says that instead of encouraging teen sex, the message could prompt youth to delay having sex until they're sure they will enjoy it. Maybe with the failure of a teen pregnancy prevention program that actually increased the risk of pregnancy, Britain is ready to try just about anything when it comes to sex ed.

While encouraging daily sex might be a little extreme, I find the positive attitude toward sex refreshing and I hope it will encourage responsible and fulfilling practices among teens. What do you make of it?

Would You Go to an Adult Sex Ed Class?

TresSugar — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 09:33:22 -0700

Some religious people may object to sex education for kids, but churches around the country are increasingly offering such courses for adults.

In fact, a specific group of churches puts sexuality at the heart of their mission. Over 40,000 children and adults have taken at least one of the group's "Our Whole Lives" courses, which emphasize the important role sex plays in our lives. A spokesperson explained: "Your sexuality doesn't end after you stop having babies or get divorced or after you turn 60. It is who we are in our core. We feel it has to be integrated into our spirituality because, for us, spirituality is about wholeness."

Unlike sex therapy or marriage counseling, sex education courses aren't necessarily for people who have serious problems in their relationships. Varied topics covered in the courses include how to enjoy sex after losing a breast to breast cancer, how to manage being a parent and a sexual person, and how to feel sexually satisfied if you're not married.

Would you considering taking one of these courses?

China's Sex Theme Park - Vulgar or Valuable?

TresSugar — Mon, 18 May 2009 11:00:00 -0700

China's Love Land had big dreams. The sex theme park was going to offer sex technique workshops, safe-sex seminars, a museum on the history of sex, and some giant genitalia for good measure.

The owners hoped to further the spread of good sex, while stopping the spread of sexually transmitted disease. Unfortunately, the topic of sex is extremely taboo in China, so the larger-than-life naked bodies were far too much for Chinese officials to handle. Today, officials ordered the "vulgar, ill-minded and misleading" park to be demolished, before it even had a chance to open.

While Love Land would have been China's first sex theme park, exhibits exploring the cultural significance of human sexuality are not new. For example, New York's Museum of Sex offers exhibitions, lecture series, and other events on all things sex.

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Meghan McCain: Republicans Need Some Sex Ed

TresSugar — Fri, 08 May 2009 09:57:32 -0700

It's McCain vs. Palin, round two! Meghan McCain and Bristol Palin, that is. In response to the young Palin's somewhat confusing new role as an ambassador for teen abstinence, McCain has responded with a column arguing that the Republican Party is out of touch when it comes to sex and sexual education.

McCain acknowledges that Palin is her own person and not necessarily representative of her mother's party. But in her column, she asserts that the recent publicity surrounding Bristol only reinforces the GOP's unrealistic attitude toward all things sexual. To read her reasoning, read more.

McCain's main gripe: abstinence shouldn't be the only option offered to teens in place of actual education:

Here’s what I’ve never understood about the party: its resistance to discussing better access to birth control. As a Republican, I am pro-life. But using birth control and having an abortion are not the same at all. Actually, the best way to prevent abortions is to educate people about birth control and make it widely and easily accessible.

She admits that abstinence is the only foolproof way to prevent unwanted pregnancies and STDs, but - and this is a big "but" - it only works if teens practice it. If they choose not to, they may find themselves lacking understanding about "all the issues they face if or when they have sex - physically and emotionally."

So whose side are you on, McCain's or Palin's? Do you wish they'd both just stop talking about it, or, as young women, are they precisely the ones who should be?

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A Do or a Don't: Planned Parenthood Gift Certificates

DearSugar — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 10:00:00 -0800

If you're at a loss as to what to give one of your female friends or family members this holiday, a Planned Parenthood gift certificate could be the perfect present! They are available in $25 increments at 35 clinics statewide and are valid for health services, contraception, and yes, even abortions. According to The Chicago Tribune, about a dozen gift certificates have sold in Indiana since they became available on November 25th, and Illinois plans to follow today.

This new form of gifting comes with its fair share of controversy though, especially from anti-abortion groups, but ladies, tell me, do you think selling Planned Parenthood gift certificates is a do or a don't?

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Who Taught You About Sex?

DearSugar — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 11:00:00 -0700

Have any of you caught the new show Sex. . . With Mom and Dad on MTV yet? I still haven't figured out its permanent time slot, but I caught an episode last night and I couldn't believe my eyes! The premise of the show is actually brilliant; Dr. Drew, of Loveline fame, challenges teenagers and their parents to talk about sex. And when I say talk about sex, I mean asking personal, tough, and awkward questions, taking field trips and accomplishing tasks requested by Dr. Drew, and opening up about your sexual history. The show's all about taking sex ed to the next level.

As we all know, education is the key to staying safe and protected in the bedroom, but unfortunately, not all families are as open about discussing safe sex as the subjects on this show - I know my parents aren't! So to all you sexually active people out there, tell me, where and how did you learn about sex? Was it from your parents? Your siblings? Your friends? Or did you just teach yourself about the birds and the bees?

Photo courtesy of MTV

Why Are STDs Now Called STIs?

DearSugar — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 08:00:00 -0700

I'm sure many of you were taught about STDs in your sex ed class yet you've probably noticed that I refer to them as STIs, so why the change in terms?

STD stands for sexually transmitted disease. STI stands for sexually transmitted infection. STI is a more politically correct term, since the word disease can have negative connotations or social stigmas attached. Plus, when people think of diseases, they think of something you get and have forever, but many STIs are curable, so using the term infection is actually more accurate. The term disease also implies that a person has visual symptoms, which is not always the case with STIs. Many of them such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, herpes, and HPV are asymptomatic. So for all these reasons, the term STD is gradually being replaced with STI. What do you think about the switch?

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What's Up With Sex Ed?

DearSugar — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 10:00:00 -0800

I remember my first encounter with sex ed. It was when I was in the 4th grade - they made the girls go into one classroom and the boys in another while they taught us all about periods and how babies are made. I also remember my sex ed classes a few years later, when the boys and girls were in the same room, and we were taught all there was to know about penises and vaginas.

Though we learned that sex education might make teens hold on to their virginity longer, recently Reuters.com reported on a study that shows a decent sized portion of teachers aren't even teaching the main criteria - "defined as covering the four basic topics of abstinence, birth control, HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases." That's pretty disappointing news, but it kind of rings true. What about you? Is there any one thing in particular that you remember from sex ed that's come in handy today?

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