Sex Among Teens in America: Do Abstinence Programs Work?

It is no secret that sex sells in America and is a particularly influential subject among adolescents and teens. The United States is not a rarity in this regard. Sex is just as prevalent in European advertising. However, teen sex seems to have much more of a negative social impact in the United States. Contrary to most developed nations, the U.S. beings teaching sexual education much later. The taboo regarding open sexual discourse persists. This is likely due to the archaic Puritan ideology that seems to linger over American culture which as of yet has not been able to fully separate religious ideology from politics and education. Indeed, this same concept is axiomatic in the United State’s Drug War as well contemporary gay marriage and abortion debates. Harbor no delusions; American teens are having sex and will continue to do so. It is the duty of us “grown-ups” to educate our country’s youth and guide them on this crazy journey called life to keep them safe in the process. Unfortunately, up to this point we have failed in stunning fashion.

Abstinence-Only Programs have been a popular pedagogy in American schools; so popular in fact that, to date, the U.S. government has spent over $1.5 Billion on them since 1996. This staggering amount of money has had little effect on the problem as 95% of Americans become sexually active prior to marriage in spite of millions of signatures on “abstinence cards.” It occurs to me that abstinence is not a reasonable option in the hormone-driven minds of today’s young people.Several falsehoods and misrepresented facts are apparent in many of these programs. I will illustrate a few of the more ridiculous and misguided claims being taught to our nation’s youth via abstinence-only programs:

· Condoms fail to prevent HIV transmission as often as 31% of the time.

· Pregnancy can result from mutual masturbation without intercourse .

· 50% of gay teens have AIDS.

· Abortions can lead to sterility and suicide.

· HIV can be transmitted though tears.

Much like the “marijuana gateway drug” sermon, youths generally realize that the information presented is either misguided or wholly untrue. Ergo, teen sex discussion, much like drug education, is disregarded by young Americans upon the revelation of their inaccuracies. Moreover, a linguistics research group, Real Reason, concluded that the hidden meanings and subtleties within these sex education programs effectively convey to children that sex is a dangerous contaminant, much like drugs or alcohol, or an addiction which should be controlled or defeated. Again, we find that this pedagogical method is diametrically contradictory to those taught in other industrialized nations which have taken a more liberal and practical approach. America prides itself on educating its young people in math, reading, and the social sciences while utterly ignoring the need to provide information concerning their own bodies and sexual development. Critics argue that children should not be taught the “How-Tos” of sex, lest we breach the “firewall of innocence.” In reality, ignorance of the issue only accelerates the escape from innocence.

Teen pregnancy is rampant throughout the United States. At last count, 1 of every 3 American females will become pregnant in their teens; the highest ratio in the industrialized world. This translates to approximately 2,400 teen pregnancies occurring every day in the U.S. Shockingly, 17% of females who become pregnant before age 18 will conceive a second child within one year and over 50% will not graduate from high school. In numerous school districts, such as in Los Angeles County, California, special high schools have been established solely for pregnant teenagers. Yet, even in these specialized schools, teachers are expected to teach abstinence to the student body of expecting mothers. Bear in mind that us grown-up taxpayers are shelling out a total of $9 Billion per year to combat the teen pregnancy epidemic to no avail. Some argue that religious “virginity pledges” are a viable method for waging the battle against teen pregnancy. In fact, teens who pledge to remain virgins until marriage are just as likely to have sex and are actually less likely to practice safe sex.

Sexually-Transmitted Diseases are another of the plethora of effects on under-informed sexually active teens. Upwards of 10,000 American youths contract an STD every day. The African-American community (15% of the U.S. population) has suffered the greatest impact and accounts for over half of all Americans infected with HIV/AIDS. It should come as no surprise that over 1/3 of the 50,000 annual new cases of AIDS in America occur in impoverished inner-city communities. In fact, the per capita AIDS rate in Washington, D.C. of 1:20 rivals those of Uganda and Nigeria. Again, a lack of knowledge translates to an exacerbation of social problems inherent to teen sex. Though European teens are fed a much more liberal diet of sex education compared to those in the U.S., the American STD rate among teens is exponentially higher; over 500 times greater for diseases like gonorrhea when compared to the Netherlands.

Obviously, on paper abstinence is the only sure-fire method for preventing pregnancy and reducing the transmission of STDs. In practice, this type of morality-regulating education only inspires rebellion against obsolete ideologies. We must understand that human beings are one of only a handful of species which engage in sexual intercourse for pleasure (as well as procreation). Without guidance and knowledge, teens are at the mercy of their hormones and baser desires. The United States continues to remain culturally disabled to the topic of sex.

Reference:

Houston, J. (Director). 2009. Let’s Talk About Sex (Documentary Motion Picture).

This is an excellent documentary if you are interested in how sex education and discussion is handled in America and European countries.