Are you a condom worshipper? (Or, When the purity pushers lose their damn minds)

[ccharles000]

Abstinence-only education advocates are not too pleased that their federal funding is pretty much kaput (though I'm still keeping my eye on that "teen pregnancy prevention" money). In fact, they are freaking out.

Leslee Unruh, president of the National Abstinence Clearinghouse and all-around fun person to watch lose their shit, had this to say about losing federal funding:

"We've got news for the condom worshipers, abstinence education is not going away any time soon. Taxpayers will not tolerate their money being used for ideological latex-only programs and the molestation of their children's minds and future.

You know, this is why folks in the virginity movement need to rebrand their image - they can't help but reveal how radical and on the fringe they are. Most American parents want their children taught about contraception; most American women will use contraception at some point in their lives. Calling the majority of the country - who want their kids to learn medically accurate information about sex so they can make healthy decisions - condom worshipers and molesters is simply stupid.

That's why the more media-savvy abstinence-only leaders are now using more mainstream-friendly language and attempting to frame themselves as folks interested in "holisitic approaches" and "healthy lifestyle choices." In fact, last night I was on the Alan Colmes radio show (link forthcoming) debating Valerie Huber of the National Abstinence Education Association (NAEA) - and Huber continued to claim that abstinence-only education did teach kids about contraception and gave them all the information they needed to make healthy decisions. It was bullshit sound bite heaven, and it was desperate. (She also referred to comprehensive sex education as condom-only or condom-centered a couple of times; classy.)

http://www.feministing.com/archives/016739.html

[flvegan]

1. "abstinence education" strikes me as an odd term.

[Mopar151]

7. It's where we abstain

From fully educating our children

[Dr Fate]

2. "Abstinence makes the heart grow fonder"

This was the name of the program they had at my highschool in the 80's- it was not a class but some sort of club with rallies, etc.

All I really remember about it was that their leader was some blonde with perky tits.

[cherokeeprogressive]

3. I always thought it was "Absence Makes the Heart Go Yonder". n/t

[ingac70]

5. Abstinence makes the church grow fondlers. n/t

[MichaelHarris]

4. If I had time

I would have gone with the crucified condom on a cross. Photoshop is a wonderful tool.

[ccharles000]

6. kick

[ColbertWatcher]

8. How sad the world must be for these people. n/t

[armyowalgreens]

9. i'm your mamma, i'm your daddy, i'm that nigga in the alley...

i'm your doctor, when in need
want some coke, have some weed
you know me, i'm your friend
your main boy, thick and thin
i'm your condom pusherman
i'm your condom pusherman

[PA Democrat]

10. Oh no! I bought a box of condoms for my teen-aged son,

What kind of a monster am I?

(maybe a realistic one?)

[Solly Mack]

11. Does that make them latex intolerant?

[ejpoeta]

12. this is just insane!! education is the best way to further abstinence of kids.

Kids are curious. It is a natural thing that kids want to know about things. And "because i said so" has never been a good deterrent for much of anything. If they arent' going to get the information from parents or teachers, they will get it elsewhere. There are plenty of guys out there who would be more than happy to help my kids learn about things, as I tell my husband. He knows... he was a guy once... (lol) I figure the best thing that i can do as a parent is to arm my kids with as much information as I can to ensure that they don't feel that they need to find it from somewhere else. You know, information like how you can get pregnant from kissing. That kind of false stuff that somehow ends up getting passed around as if it is true.

Do I want my girls going around having sex??? Of course not!! Emily is only 10, after all. But she asks questions. And when she asks questions, I answer them as best I can for her age. As hard as it is for me, being someone who was raised in a house where you just don't talk about those things and sex is bad bad bad... It's awkward for me, but I also know that I don't want my kids to grow up with the serious complex I have. I can't even really talk about sex with my own husband!! I don't want my kids to have these issues. So as hard as it is for me, I am going to make sure my kids know that it is a natural thing. It is normal to be curious about it. But I also want them to know that once you give that first time away, it's gone. You can't take it back. It's a special gift that you can share with someone you really love when the time is right.

It's not just about sex itself either. It's about self esteem. I try to raise my kids to foster their curiosity for knowledge in general. To foster their interests and to allow them to see themselves as something more than what they look like. I think this is more important than anything, because those girls that grow up thinking looks are everything are going to be looking externally for those things that they need. And it's something you aren't going to find from outside yourself.

I know I am rambling, but I know what it was like growing up for me. There is nothing worse than not knowing anything about anything. And no one will tell you, either. Did I sleep around? NO. but I could cite instances where I put myself in some precarious positions because I did not know any better. Looking back I realize just how naive and stupid I was. When I was 18 or 19 and I went out with this guy mainly because my family thought there was something wrong with me because I didn't show an interest in boys. Well, I was interested, but I was not really interested in dating or anything at the time because I had things I wanted to do. But I went out with him and found myself at his 'birthday party' where there was no one else. And I still tense up at the thought of that night, where I didn't realize until all of a sudden I got the notion that he was bigger than me and the door was so far away.... and .... somehow I talked him into going back to the living room.... I can't even talk about it anymore.... not sure how I got myself out of that situation, but it still leaves me shaking.

I am not going to have my kids in that situation if I can help it. The only thing that I know to do is to arm them with whatever information they need and try to make sure they know they are more than their body and hope they demand respect from others. I could lock them in their rooms, I guess, but what would that do. LOL!

It's not about condoms and birth control. It's about these kids taking control of their own lives. Having that information to protect them from those influences that are out there that certainly don't have their interests in mind. Information is not condoning... Information is not a green light to do whatever... it is the best chance we have to keep our kids in the drivers seat instead of someone else. Because we can't follow them around everywhere they go for the rest of their lives. At some point we have to be able to let them be responsible.... and how can we do that with incomplete information.