"Virgin" teens have the same rate of STDs

[SoCalDem]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3546007.stm


Virgin teens 'have same STD rate'


The Bush administration backs the abstinence movement
Young Americans who pledge to remain virgins until they marry have the same rates of sexually transmitted diseases as those who do not, a new study says.
Teenagers who take a public vow to abstain from sex have fewer partners and get married earlier.

But they are much less likely to use condoms, the research found.

"It's difficult to simultaneously prepare for sex and say you're not going to have sex," the study's author Peter Bearman told the AP news agency.


'Just say no'

The research, which is being presented at the National STD Conference in Philadelphia, examined the sex lives of 12,000 adolescents.

The data was gathered from young people aged 12 to 18 who were questioned again six years later.

...snip

[mike1963]

1. Wolfie on CNN just had a piece about the "abstinence pledge", found that

9 of 10 "broke" it. And also included the STD info.

I have a sneakin' suspicion people are gonna fuck no matter what the bluenose morons say...
:eyes:

[arcane1]

2. in other words, the "abstinence only" plan works PERFECTLY

they DON'T want young people to stop having sex, not for one damned minute. The key in their plan is the "only"

Shore up the fundie base with "sex is evil" lectures, but only those, and not a word on preventing STD's or pregnancy. The result will be kids having sex at the smae rate they always do, but having more babies as a result. Kids who have babies tend to end up with low incomes, thus poor children, ripe for the pickings of cheap labor and "faith"-based scams.

When everyone's kid is running around with herpes and 2 babies, well then just blame the libruls for eroding the morals of society!

[stopthegop]

3. yeah...why exercise self restraint or such?

nothing to be gained by it...

[xchrom]

5. hardly the point

[lolly]

10. Do as we say, not as we do

Well, since so many of the right-wing backers of this sort of nonsense (Bob Barr, Newt Gingrich, Jimmy Swaggart, etc. etc.) have proven themselves entirely incapable of "self-restraint," it seems a bit ridiculous to ask your average 17 year old to.

[RobertSeattle]

4. abstinence pledge: vomit

Why do RW parents practically FORCE their kids to lie to them?

(And of course they are shocked shocke shocked when the truth is found out)

[tigereye]

6. I think it is good to tell kids that there is no rush

but to not give them information that is critical to health and pregnancy prevention is absurd. Kids aren't stupid, they are able to use the information. Actually a recent study cited in the NYT this weekend noted an increase in male condom use and, in abstinence among young males as well, leading to fewer teen pregnancies in general.

[The Blue Knight]

7. I'm 17. All the kids I know that're fucking are using condoms, and BC

[tigereye]

9. good to hear it

[Muddleoftheroad]

11. Too bad that doesn't prevent all STDs

Alas, saying no does.

[Columbia]

13. Quite right

Taking a vow of abstinence until marriage is obviously not the same as actually practicing it.

Prophylatics may decrease the chance of STDs, but abstinence is the only way to absolutely prevent it.

IMO, both should be taught.

And I don't think it is wrong to stress to kids that abstinence is the best way to go to prevent STDs and unwanted pregnancy.

Also, the title of the article is quite misleading since obviously it is not the virgins who have STDs, but the ones who broke their vow who do.

[scottxyz]

14. Yeah, just like seatbelts don't prevent injuries in car accidents

So just don't drive.

[Muddleoftheroad]

16. You misunderstand my meaning entirely

I am for BOTH being taught. But too many teens, in my experience, think the combination of condoms and abortions solves all their problems. It is far from true.

[Mika]

8. Practice makes perfect

.. lying that is.

The shock is feigned too.

[Wonk]

15. mp3 & vp3 video of that here

470k mp3

6 M vp3

[boobooday]

12. Sex is normal

When will these people stop fighting it and be realistic? Why do they see the choice as only virgin/slut? Everything for them is a dichotomy.

It is the violence that I hope is NOT normal.

http://www.wgoeshome.com

[lazarus]

17. dupe

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x409834