Thursday, 14 April 2011
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Three Steps For Reducing the Number of Abortions
Step 1: Proper sex education. How many of you had a PROPER sexual education course? I know I did. I still have nightmares about the slideshow. If you had a proper course, you know what I'm talking about. The extreme closeups on ravaged genitalia.
"What is that? Is that a hippo with gout?"
"That's gonorrhea."
"Oh. I'm never touching a woman. Ever."
Those slideshows always reminded me of what could happen if I had unprotected sex. Even ten years later those images are burned to the backs of my retinas. And for the record, a proper sex education still teaches that abstinence is the best way to prevent pregnancy and STDs. But it should not be the only thing taught.
Studies show that in the parts of America teaching abstinence only education the average age of first sexual encounter was later and number of sexual partners was lower, but the STD rate stayed the same and pregnancy actually went up, because kids used oral or anal sex as an alternative, and when they had traditional sex it was much more likely to be unprotected.
Expecting teenagers to just "say no to sex" is incredibly naive. This is when hormones are flowing and every single facet of society tells you to have sex. It's fun and popular. So just saying "abstain" and washing your hands of it is not a solution.
Teaching kids about condoms, the pill, and other options are what works. Kids that don't get sex education don't know that you can get STDs from oral sex, or that you can get pregnant even if you do "pull out." So obviously their education is incomplete.
Part of this sex education will be teaching that pregnancies are a purely biological function, not a horrible stigma upon whatever woman has it. My hypothesis is that part of the reason for getting an abortion is the fear of the shame of being an unwed teenage mother.
Step 2: Access to contraceptives. All this teaching doesn't do any good if they can't get the things they need for safe sex. This seems fairly self-explanatory. Expecting kids not to have sex because they have no access to condoms is like expecting to reduce the number of fires by removing fire extinguishers.
Step 3: Financial support for women who DO become pregnant. One of the determining factors in getting an abortion is "can I afford this baby?" If they get help with things like medical attention, maternity clothes, leave of absence from their job, a legitimate way to get affordable care for the child while the mother works her job. They just might not get an abortion! Far too often the "pro-life" crowd seems to cease caring about the life once it is outside the womb.
Now of course, there will be some concern over people abusing this, and saying "I'm pregnant, give me money." There's a really simple way around that. Give them funding in a way that can only be used towards legitimate enterprises. I obviously don't know the most fool-proof method yet, but some thoughts I've had include:
- Something like food stamps, but used only towards things like maternity clothes, cribs, diapers, etc.
- "Pregnancy counselors" or something of the sort that you must go through to buy all these things. You must check in with them every so often for medical checkups and help planning and purchasing.
- Medical checkups would be required for proof of pregnancy.
No plan will ever make either side truly, 100% happy, but I truly think this is about as good as it can get. It pries too much into the social life of the prospective mother for liberals, and it's too socially-conscious for conservatives. But progress often requires compromise, so figure out what's more important to you.
Liberals need to realize that government assistance requires some invasion to operate properly, and conservatives need to realize that "just say no" may be fine on a bumper sticker, but effective laws need more thought and money backing them.
What do you think of this three step program for reducing the number of abortions? Do you think it would be effective? Is there anything you would add?
- Something like food stamps, but used only towards things like maternity clothes, cribs, diapers, etc.
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- From: GodlessLiberal@xanga
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Comments (72)
1) Close your legs 2) Don't chop up unborn babies 3) Make abortion illegal.
Instant success.
Whoever wrote this is obviously a genius.
Who's paying for it?
Also, how is the last part any different from this?
http://www.americanpregnancy.org/planningandpreparing/wic.html
Finally, someone who has some common sense. No one wants to INCREASE the number of abortions, but at this stage its impossible to get the number of abortions to 0. These are all very valuable strategies to reduce the number of unprepared pregnancies, and thus reduce the number of abortions. Knowledge IS power. Oh...and yeah, those sex-ed STD pictures are horrifying..not to mention the giant stretched out vagina you get to see as a baby is coming out. I'll never forget that...(oh, and I never want children EVER).
@ShimmerBodyCream@xanga - Not a good plan, because illegality doesn't stop anything, and those who don't abide by the law endanger themselves more. Also, scare strategies such as "chopping up unborn babies" only divide the population further between abortion and anti-abortion peoples. Not to mention religion doesn't cause people to stop having pre-marital sex, education about having a baby at 14 doesn't stop it, and the threat of STDs doesn't stop it...so "close your legs" isn't as effective as you might think.
@Grtt@xanga - WIC doesn't** cover necessities like diapers, clothing for children, etc.
But there are Local groups who do. The issue is getting the support out there. It exists, but sadly only the more educated have access to it.
I know someone who has managed to pop out two kids without even knowing how to use an internet browser...and sadly most things are done online now days.
(** I think this is in the process of being changed)
@wildchildofthebluemoon@xanga - @GodlessLiberal@xanga - i'm 41. I only tell you that, because when I was 15 and 16, access to free birth control was as easy as walking to the school nurse who would in turn either give you condoms or take you to planned parenthood for the pill. Thats how long FREE birth control has been around. I also--THAT long ago took sex education in high school. It wasn't an elective. It was gross, but it didn't detour those of us who wanted to have sex from having it. Lastly, if the things you outlined reduced abortions, then abortions would be at an all time low since plenty of programs were implemented across the country long before you were even born. Instead, abortions increase steadily. The bottom line imo is this : More unmarried people are having sex because society says that it's normal when in times past, it would have brought shame. Teens are inherently irresponsible--just because it's part of the job requirements of being a teen. People inherently think they are invincible and when the moment is at hand...the question of "to get laid or not to get laid, because the consequences are a,b,and c," is rarely considered, because it's not prudent thinking when hormones are raging. Lastly, we live in a society that places little to no sanctity on life at all. So abortions are easier to obtain on every front...and it's much easier when people excuse the murdering of infants in the womb as a matter of convenience. It's not hard. Society is effed up. It's also incredibly sexualized. And our kids pay the price when there is no standard, no rules and healthy doses of shame are thought of as "abusive"
@RainDropPixie@xanga - In that case, this plan actually seems like something that would happen. Waste more money recreating programs that already exist instead of using less money to help get the word out about those already existing programs. Hm.
@Grtt@xanga - Yeah, I think the biggest issue is other than WIC all the existing programs are extremely local, and privately/donation funded. Which is fine, but it makes it harder to "network" them. There needs to be more awareness about pre-existing programs.
I agree with 1 a lot. It wasn't till college where I took a human sexuality class did I see the true horrors of unprotected sex. After the STD/STI part of the lesson was over the teacher took an anonymous poll pretty much asking those who had had sex before taking the class if they would been more hesitant to have sex the first time if we knew the other dangers besides pregnancy and AIDS. I think it was like 80% yes lol. I know in middle and high school we didn't get much education as far as sex goes. My school took the abstinence only stance. I believe my senior year of high school there were about 20 or so girls pregnant.
As somone who is pro-life, I agree with all 3 points!
and what about people who abuse the system and get pregnant solely for the money/materials they get for it? ie a person could buy baby stuff with their special money but then return the stuff and buy whatever they want.
#2 is stupid. People of ALL AGES have access to condoms. They are available in all drugstores and legally must be sold to all ages. The reason kids dont have condoms? a) they dont have the money for it or b) they are too embarrassed. The idea that they are too uninformed/stupid to not use a condom falls under #1.
As a Christian parent I knew that no matter what I said my daughter would more than likely have sex and it would be just plan dumb of me to think it wouldn't happen I told her the pro's and con's and I also told her that I would rather she wait but that I was a kid once too and knew that might not happen I provided condoms...I still remember how red her face got... but I still feel like I handled the subject well
Until all of you preaching about how much you hate abortion offer to pay for the medical care, cost of labor and delivery, and adopt that little unwanted baby;
nothing will reduce the amount of abortions performed.
All talk and no action gets you nowhere.
@ShimmerBodyCream@xanga - If we don't chop up babies, who will? Won't anyone think of the babies?
@ShimmerBodyCream@xanga - Yeah let's make abortion illegal! Remember when that dictator in Romania pulled that shit in the 60's and then all of those women who had back-alley abortions died? Many of them, over the years? Yeah! Make it illegal, what an awesome idea! Because desperate women are going to stop being desperate, shrug, and say "Well it's illegal, I guess I won't try to stop it!"
In the 18-20 years following Roe vs. Wade the crime rate in all major cities trended downward significantly. You can put it down to "good police work" all you want, but what is interesting to factor in is that 18-20 years old is just about the average age of a would be criminal. A child who was born unwanted, probably raised in poverty, and had one parent and little family structure is more likely to commit crime. Since more young, unprepared mothers started having abortions, they weren't bringing these children that they couldn't care for into the world.
YEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH ILLEGALIZE IT
I have never had a sex ed class! I went to a christian high school, where there was one or two days we talked about abstinence, but nothing else was discussed. And that "lesson" was pulled from bible verses and very vanilla. And I can honestly say, 85% of my graduating class had sex in highschool, at least. Two girls got pregnant. (Not me.) Two girls got an abortion. I took my happy self to planned parenthood when all that went down, though, and got on the pill (but I'm smart like that). I'm personally very split on the matter of abortion. As a christian, I believe killing is wrong. But as a woman, I believe it's each woman's right to decide what to do with her body and perhaps the body inside her's. I do not, however, think abortion should be made illegal! If they make abortion illegal, then there will be more babies abandoned in dumpsters or killed after birth, which I think is even worse than abortion, honestly. Making abortions illegal also pushes women in such situations to do dire things (wire hangers, suicide??!!). And I think the last thing you want to do to a hormonal, puking, pregnant lady is take away her options. But that's all my opinions.
@ShimmerBodyCream@xanga - Like, like, like! =) Immensely.
@ShamelesslyRed@xanga - You know, you're right, scaring kids into having sex doesn't work. You can't put all the blame on "irresponsible teenagers." Abstinence-only sex education does nothing but say "Hey kids, don't have sex! Okay? Cool. now sign this pledge saying you won't" and they send them on their way. Maybe if we actually taught these kids how to be responsible and how to take care of themselves then, I don't know, unwanted pregnancy rates would go down. You can't just expect kids and teens to make the right decisions if we never give them adequate information and tools to do so.
"the murdering of infants in the womb"
Just in case you didn't know, the child has to be born and living for at least a month to be considered an infant.. Infants are not in the womb.. It actually goes in this order: Zygote, Blastocyst, Embryo, Fetus {labor, birth} Newborn, Infant, Toddler Etc.
@Saridactyl@xanga - Did you read my reply in totality? Kids have been educated about sex. I was fully educated in school. My kids also had sex ed. What's your point exactly??
and you may use your terminology all you want. A human is a human whether in the womb or out of it. Killing human life is what it is whether you like called that it or not, it's truth. Swallow it
@Saridactyl@xanga - Listen, how many teens do you know that drink on the weekends even they know it's illegal, and they are aware of the consequences? I've raised 4 kids of my own, have 3 step children and two small ones at home. And all of my kids are great kids. Reality is though, kids DO NOT make good decisions when they think they can get away with something. Not always--but usually. It's part of growing up. Kids do not use the birth control they are given--many times. Abstinence doesn't always work either- you're right about that. But teaching a young woman that her body is sacred and not a item to be tossing around by spreading her legs for a young man is right. She may not always listen, but regardless it's right. Young women need one thing...and that is NOT to be equipped to have hopefully safer sex. It's to be taught that she is priceless in comparison to the finest of jewels and she should save that which is precious to her, her life, and her future. Women are robbed of dignity because they have been brain washed that somehow her vagina and the ability she has to share it makes her powerful. It's a lie that we let perpetuate. That's how so many abortions happen
@ShimmerBodyCream@xanga - More like instant back alley abortions that leave both the fetus and woman dead. Making abortion illegal will only rob women of authority over THEIR own bodies and force them to seek them elsewhere. Anyone who thinks otherwise is delusional
I would rather them have abortions than have to pay welfare for their kids. I'm willing to let them sort out the morality of their choice by themselves.
@ShamelesslyRed@xanga - Yes, I read your comment in it's entirety. The sex ed these kids have is abstinence only sex education, not comprehensive sex education. There's a big difference.. For one, abstinence-only sex education lies, tricks and misleads children. I know this for a fact because I went through it.
It's not my terminology, it's medical terminology. And it is very important when having this discussion that all people use the correct terminology, or it's completely useless. I'm sorry for being politically correct.
Also, I think the worst thing we could do is teach these girls that they're nothing but the sum of their private parts. They are much much more than their vagina. If you were truly concerned with the number of abortions you would support comprehensive sex education. That's teaching kids about sex. Sex is a huge part of life, whether you want to admit it or not, and unleashing these kids out there ill-equipped as they are is wrong. It may be enough for your kids, but it's certainly not good enough for my future children. I think it's absolutely ridiculous and neglectful that you believe that we shouldn't be teaching these kids about something that's obviously a part of life.
"Young women need one thing...and that is NOT to be equipped to have hopefully safer sex."
You would rather these kids get std's and have unwanted pregnancies instead of teaching them about sex? That's exactly why there are so many abortions, people with the frame of mind just like this. These kids deserve much more than this, after all, it was not long ago that our culture was marrying off girls as young as 11 to go on soon after to have children.
@ShimmerBodyCream@xanga - ha