To Teach, or Not to Teach: That is the Question

One side says that teaching abstinence is the only way, the other says we need to teach our youth about safe sex... but which way is the correct way??? I do know that a report I read this morning cannot be ignored.

TEENAGERS in the United States who pledge to remain virgins until marriage are just as likely to have premarital sex as those who do not promise abstinence and significantly less likely to use condoms and other forms of birth control, a study published yesterday says.

The new analysis of data from a large US survey found that more than half of youths became sexually active before marriage regardless of whether they had taken a "virginity pledge", but that the percentage who took precautions against pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases was 10 points lower for pledgers than for non-pledgers.

"Taking a pledge doesn't seem to make any difference at all in any sexual behaviour," said Janet Rosenbaum of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, whose report appears in the journal Pediatrics. "But it does seem to make a difference in condom use and other forms of birth control that is quite striking."

Condom use was about 10 percentage points lower for people who broke the pledge. They were six points less likely to use any contraception.

The study is the latest in a series raising questions about programs that focus on encouraging abstinence until marriage. The new analysis goes further by focusing on teens who had similar values about sex and other issues before they took a virginity pledge.

The findings come as Congress and the incoming Obama administration are about to reconsider the provision of more than $US176 million ($258 million) in annual funding for abstinence-based programs.

The Sydney Morning Herald

I'll be honest in saying that I was raised a catholic - 12 years of private/catholic school should be enough to prove that. I was never really taught anything about "safe sex" until I reached the college ranks and oftentimes wonder why.

Some might think my opinion is biased because I work for a latex company which manufactures condoms, but the truth of the matter is this job really opened my eyes to the flaws in the educational system (in regards to this subject).

Everyday we are forced to make important decision that can have a huge impact on our lives. People always say "would life have been different if I had done this instead of that"... the whole I should have gone left instead of right scenario. The issue of teens and sex is no different - if we don't teach them the rights and wrongs then how will they ever be able to make the proper decisions.

I'm not saying which way is right and which way is wrong. I truly believe that abstinence is the best way for the younger generation, but I also know that teenagers will be teenagers and their hormones or peer pressure oftentimes get the best of them. I feel it is ignorant to not take notice of these facts and at least give our kids the education to make intelligent decisions. I was in college when I got my first taste of this knowledge - long after my first, second... girlfriend.

My parents were great at giving me "the talk" and they didn't hold anything back when it came to the subject. All I wish is that the school systems would also take some initiative and give kids/teens/young adults the proper knowledge to fight this battle.

To Teach, or Not to Teach... I say we teach!

Embarassing moments when buying condoms

I'm pretty sure we've all had a moment in our lives when we felt completely embarrassed buying condoms. For me it was a beautiful September day when I was 16 - a Senior from my high school had taken a liking to my younger, Sophomore blood and I had a feeling that I was going to do the "home run trot" around the bases later in the evening. I figured I might as well be prepared for the moment so I ran down to the local convenience store to grab some rubbers.

Having no idea what the proper procedures were when buying condoms I strolled around that store for what seemed like hours (I'm sure the owner thought I was scoping the place out to rob him or something). Eventually I grabbed a 3pack of condoms along with a Snickers Bar (like that was going to hide it or something) and went up to the counter. I could have sworn the whole place was vacant when I was in there but right as I get up to the counter, yup, so does my neighbor. I'm pretty sure my Snickers Bar trick didn't work because the look on his face told the whole story.

Looking back on that now I kind of laugh because I can't believe I was so embarrassed. It seems that society has made condoms such a taboo subject that even I, when I was younger, felt embarrassed in my decision to have SAFE SEX. I'm not saying my decision to have sex was the right or wrong one (that's a whole different discussion for a whole different time) but at least I was being responsible and protecting myself.

What was your embarrassing moment???

Burger King creates a body spray that smells like meat...no pun intended

I couldn't believe it either when I first read about it. I normally wouldn't touch on a topic like this but I couldn't help myself with this one. If you don't believe me check out their website firemeetsdesire.com and tell me if you could keep yourself from laughing. If you spray the bottle while online it scrolls through different pictures - this one of "The King" was one of my favorites and I really hope nobody gets any weird ideas come next Halloween with this outfit.

Watch out ladies - looks like there's going to be a bunch of men running around smelling like meat (giving a whole new meaning to the term "meat head"). Now whether or not that puts you in the mood, always be sure to wear a condom when you're acting on your animal instincts.