Want to Reduce Abortion, Teen Pregnancy, and STDs?

In light of the controversial Supreme Court decision upholding the ban on the procedure that is commonly (and misleadingly called) "partial birth abortion", I thought it might be interesting to look at some ways we can reduce the incidence of abortion and other sexually-related problems. And it turns out the answer is a "radical" one:

TALK TO KIDS ABOUT HUMAN SEXUALITY OPENLY AND HONESTLY, AND GIVE THEM COMPREHENSIVE EDUCATION ABOUT REPRODUCTION AND BIRTH CONTROL.

I swear to God, the attitudes about sex in this country are so utterly screwed up that it sometimes drives me to despair. "Cultural conservatives" have done epic damage to this country in many ways, but none worse than in the pervasive hypocrisy about sex that plagues our culture. (And I'm not just talking about conservatives who spew a line of self-righteous crap and then roll around in bed with male hookers while high on meth.) A lot of people seem to think--idiotically--that if we preach "abstinence only" to our kids that we'll magically convince them not to engage in sexual activity. If it weren't for the human tragedies that result from this nonsense, "abstinence only" sex education would be funny. Folks, let's face it--kids are going to be interested in masturbation, oral sex, and intercourse no matter how much we tell them not to be. The results of our kids' sexual ignorance have grown too serious to ignore. We need a better way, and I think I've found it:

Follow the Dutch and German examples.

This article here lays it out beyond dispute: Sex education and sexual attitudes in Europe have a lot to teach us in this country. To wit:

Pregnancy

In the United States, the teen pregnancy rate is more than nine times higher than that in the Netherlands, nearly four times higher than the rate in France, and nearly five times higher than that in Germany.

Birth

In the United States, the teen birth rate is nearly 11 times higher than that of the Netherlands, nearly five times higher than the rate in France, and nearly four times higher than that in Germany.

Abortion

In the United States, the teen abortion rate is nearly eight times higher than the rate in Germany, nearly seven times higher than that in the Netherlands, and nearly three times higher than the rate in France.

HIV in Young Women and Men

In the United States, the estimated HIV prevalence rate in young men ages 15 to 24 is over five times higher than the rate in Germany, nearly three times higher than the rate in the Netherlands, and about 1 ½ times higher than that in France.

In the United States, the estimated HIV prevalence rate in young women ages 15 to 24 is six times higher than the rate in Germany, nearly three times higher than the rate in the Netherlands, and is the same as that in France.

Syphilis

In the United States, the teen syphilis rate is over six times higher than that of the Netherlands, over five times higher than the rate in former West Germany, and nearly three times higher than that in former East Germany. Data are not available for France.

Gonorrhea

In the United States, the teen gonorrhea rate is over 74 times higher than that in the Netherlands and France, over 66 times higher than the rate in former West Germany, and over 38 times higher than that in former East Germany.

Chlamydia

In the United States, the teen chlamydia rate is over 20 times higher than that in France. Data are not available for Germany or the Netherlands.

Despite what George Bush and his fanatical right-wing idiot supporters believe, it is KNOWLEDGE that fights the very things they are supposedly most opposed to, not the SUPPRESSION of knowledge. Don't want your kid to get pregnant, get someone pregnant, have an abortion, or get an STD? Then TELL THEM THE TRUTH--and show the boys how to strap on a condom and explain the pill to girls. Tell the kids something else as well--that they don't need to have sex to prove themselves adults, and they don't have to have sex to live up to other people's expectations. But above all, acknowledge their sexual natures--and show them how to handle their sexuality like real adults do--openly, candidly, and honestly.