Abstinence-only education does not work. In fact, it has never worked. Abstinence-only programs tend to rely on lectures as the main educational strategy, substitute slogans for discussion, and exaggerate the consequences of sexual behavior to scare young people into abstaining. Proponents these fear-based programs make broad claims that are completely unproven. They argue that if you tell young people to abstain from sexual intercourse, they will. They promise that these “just say no” programs will keep teenagers from developing “too serious” relationships, from being emotionally hurt, from experimenting with intimacy and sexual behaviors, and, of course, from getting pregnant and contracting a sexually transmitted diseases. There is no reason to believe that these claims are true. Charles Morrison, family living and sexuality educator for Portland schools states, “To preach pure abstinence and nothing else is irresponsible?the research is clear, abstinence programs don’t work. If they did, we wouldn’t have to invent the birth control pill?” (Ferriss) Research on abstinence-only education would probably disturb most of its supporters. Not only is the method completely ineffective, it actually increases STD rates and teen pregnancy. “About 50% of school districts in the South have abstinence-only policies when some of the highest rates of STDs and teen pregnancy occur in the South” (Shelton). And, astoundingly, the results of some abstinence-based programs have actually boomeranged in the opposite direction of the
Trinchieri 12
program’s goal of celibacy. “A recent $5 million abstinence-only initiative in California not only did not increase the number of young people who abstained, but? actually resulted in more students having sexual intercourse after having participated in the course.” (McIlhaney) The explanation for this is unclear, but perhaps the students discredited educator’s message from the lack of believability in their claims.
Abstinence education relies more on scare tactics to frighten young people away from sex, rather than helping them come to their personal feelings on sexuality. These scare tactics, are not merely limited to exaggerations of the truth, but often consist of complete, unqualified lies. For example, the Guttmacher Institute revealed, “Some abstinence-only programs? have distributed information stating that HIV can pass through latex condoms. Even though they’ve been told that this is absolutely false, they continue to disseminate it,” (Shelton). Students, viewing this information as coming from a definitive authority source, would never think to check up on the information, and so will forever walk through life fearing their next sexual encounter. Facing Reality, an abstinence-only program, includes a litany of the consequences of premarital sex, including: “inability to concentrate on school, shotgun weddings, selfishness, poverty, loss of faith, fewer friendships formed, loss of self-mastery, difficulty with long-term commitments, aggression toward women, loss of honesty, depression, and death” (McIlhaney). Considering that four out of five Americans have had their first intercourse as teenagers (Teen) the country must be a pretty bleak place to the average abstinence proponent. So bleak that new federally endorsed abstinence-only sexuality education
Trinchieri 13
guidelines have just been released. These guidelines assert the following warped statements, “*The only way to prevent out-of-wedlock pregnancy and STDs is by sexual abstinence *Monogamy within the context of marriage is the socially expected standard for sexual conduct *Sexual expression outside of marriage will probably have detrimental mental and physical effects” (Elia). It is troubling that this program requires adults to tell young people that a mutually faithful monogamous relationship in the context of marriage is the standard of human sexual activity in the United States. This “information” clearly is not true. The vast majority of Americans begin having sexual relationships before marriage. 74 million American adults are classified as single because they have delayed marriage, decided to remain single, are divorced, or have entered into gay partnerships (McIlhaney). The majority of these adults are involved in sexual behavior and most of them would take offense at students learning this new federal “standard.” The claims of abstinence-only programs are based on neither science nor human experience. “Most young people engage in sexual relationships without negative physical, social, or emotional consequences, and most teen-agers who have intercourse do so responsibly” (Haffner). It is time for those afraid of their own and other’s sexuality to stay out of young adult’s beds.
Teenagers are sexually adults and are not to be “protected” from their own desires. Some abstinence-only supporters say that teens are not ready for sexual intercourse. How can they make one-size-fits-all decisions for so varied a population on such an incredibly personal matter? Perhaps the only reason some feel that teens are
Trinchieri 14
unprepared for the natural advent of their sexuality is that we simply do not prepare them for it.
“Much of the current curricula give students the impression that sexual expression is reserved for adults; minors engaging in sexual activities are “playing with fire.” Fluidity of sexual expression, the language of sexual intimacy, and the creativity of human sexual response are sorely missing in traditional sexuality education programs” (Elia).
This projection of sexuality, as something that is very, very bad for adolescents, will only lead to future sexual dysfunction. Because adolescents are only told “No, no, no!” whether they are 12 or 18 from these abstinence-only groups, sexuality becomes viewed as dirty, unwanted, and unnatural. It is not healthy for a human being to think their inherent sexual feelings are scourge to be wiped out. The psychological damage caused by this is so detrimental to a person, that some members of religions with particularly severe beliefs about sexuality have been known to commit suicide out of self-disgust. Although this is an extreme, “without sexuality education, many people will likely continue to feel badly about their own sexuality and about sexuality in general” (Elia). These negative feelings will stay with them even after marriage, when they are finally “allowed” to have sex. Secretly, this may be the goal of some abstinence programs where many of the lecturers have had terrible, horrifying, and painful sexual experiences, forever perverting their view of sex. Sex is not a tragedy within the majority of persons’ lives. Sexuality is not a pollutant, and people are not to be cleansed of it as such.
Trinchieri 15
Most people are sexual. It is wrong for abstinence proponents to tell people, regardless of their age, to expulse these feelings. For many people abstinence is simply not a reasonable request, like the family doctor requesting you remove cheese from your diet. Sexuality is inborn. People say that adolescents are not or should not be sexual, but holding hands, hugging, kissing, and even being attracted to (having a “crush” on) somebody are all sexual behaviors and are all behaviors common to adolescents, and even children. Influential child behaviorist B.D. Schmitt explains that, “By age 4, most children develop a healthy sexual curiosity. In normal sexual development between ages 3 and 5, children commonly undress together and look at each other’s genitals”. With such child sex play prevalent and expected, why do we demand that upon reaching puberty, the most sexually preoccupied time of a person’s life, all sexuality should cease? It is mystifying that there are those who would support this backward principle, which throughout the whole of human experience, there is so much evidence against. The fact is, that most American young people have their first sexual intercourse during their teenage years (Haffner). Commonly, “40 percent of ninth-graders and 45 percent of tenth-graders have engaged in sexual intercourse” (Elia), an activity they are likely to repeat, regardless of abstinence training. These youth need education on contraception and STD prevention, to stop their sexual experiences from becoming negative ones. Abstinence is just not relevant to sexually active students’ lives. Furthermore, says Charles Morrison, sexuality education specialist, “the message would alienate students already engaged in sex.” (Ferriss). Stressing that abstinence is the only certain way to
Trinchieri 16
avoid pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases may even cause greater harm by indirectly encouraging teens who are sexually active to dismiss condoms and other forms of protection as useless. As said by Dr. Jocelyn Elders, former Surgeon General of the United States “Abstinence is a good thing, and it works for many of our youth?However, I am not willing to just throw away those other youths for which it does not work for one reason or another.” (Stryker) And for these same youths, for whom abstinence will not work, an abstinence until marriage policy means life long celibacy. As with many right wing, religiously inspired programs, abstinence only education completely ignores those who do not travel down the beaten path. Students often are taught with the assumption that they will eventually settle down into a heterosexually based, monogamous, nuclear family and produce children. Homosexuals, estimated to be somewhere between 3 to 10 percent of the population, will never be married. In an abstinence-only sexuality education class these persons aren’t even recognized. Essentially, this approach conveys the message that bisexuals, gays, and lesbians are not fully sexual human beings. Also caused by the strong emphasis on marriage in these programs, those heterosexuals who choose not to marry are made to feel like social misfits and failures. Sexually active homosexuals and unmarried heterosexuals are not failures; it is the abstinence-only program supporters, refusing to acknowledge individualism and alternate lifestyles that have failed them.
The adolescents of this generation have all been failed, regardless of sexual activity. Educators and politicians have refused to enlighten them about one of the
Trinchieri 17
greatest elements of being human and have instead sheltered them from the very information that could literally save their lives. These are crimes without punishment, but crimes that can be rectified. Comprehensive sexuality education can better both the sexual and nonsexual aspects of future students lives, without dictating how they should see their sexual lives. There is a way to protect without oppressing.
Bibliography
American Health Consultants, Inc. “Many Teens Not Getting Comprehensive Sex Ed.” Contraceptive Technology Update May 2000: 58
Clark, Liana R., et al. “Beyond The Birds & The Bees: Talking To Teens About Sex.” Patient Care 15 April 1997:102
De Leon, Ferdinand M. “Sex, Teenagers, And Diseases” Sun-Sentinel [Ft. Lauderdale, Fl] 9 July 1991: 6E
Elia, John P. “The Necessity of Comprehensive Sexuality Education In The Schools.” The Educational Forum v. 64 no4 Summer 2000: 340-7
Ferriss, Lloyd. “The Case For Abstinence.” Maine Telegram 2 Feb.1992: 1G
Haffner, Debra W. “Sexual Health For America’s Adolescents” Journal of School Health, April 1996:151
Hellerstedt, Wendy L. et al. “Perceived Knowledge And Training Needs In Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention: Results From A Multidisciplinary Survey.” Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine July 2000: 679
Henderson, Charles W. “Sexuality Education And Young People’s Sexual Behavior: A Review Of Studies.” AIDS Weekly Plus 24 Nov 1997: 45
McIlhaney Jr., Joe S. and Haffner, Debra W. “Q: Are Abstinence-Only Sex-Education Programs Good For Teenagers? (Opposing Views)” Insight On The News 29 Sept. 1997: 24
Motamed, Susan. “Condom Availability and Responsible Sexuality Education” PPFA Web Site (2000): Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc. 20 Nov 2000
“Parents Want More Sex Ed For Kids.” The Arizona Republic [Arizona] 12 Nov. 2000 sec. KidNews
Schmitt, B.D. “Sex Education for Preschoolers.” Clinical Reference Systems 1 Nov. 1999: 1313
Shelton, Deborah L. “Does Sex Ed Focused On Abstinence Work?” American Medical News 17 Jan 2000: 21
Stryker, Jeff. “Abstinence Or Else! The Just-Say-No Approach In Sex Ed Lacks One Detail: Evidence That It Works.” The Nation 16 June 1997: 19
“Teen Sex and Pregnancy” The Alan Guttmacher Institute Nov1999: The Alan Guttmacher Institute. 20 Nov 2000
Valk, Guss. “The Dutch Model.” UNESCO Courier July 2000:19
321