What happened to birth control?

ihartgonzo

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#41
And that's probably why I'm a 21 year old virgin. That probably makes me a prude to most, but I think it's the responsible thing to do and I'm not ashamed of it one bit.
Woot! I'm a 19 year-old virgin. *highfive* ; D

If being a prude equals being smart, than I'm all for it. My friends know I'm not a prude. I have had boyfriends. But sex IS a big deal, to me, and I have seen all of the consequences of taking it lightly.

And as for the smoking thing... I would wayyy rather be a teen addicted to nicotine (I'm not) than a teen who has HIV (or herpes, or chlamydia, etc) FOR LIFE, or a teen that goes through the incredible trauma of abortion, or a teen that brings a baby into the world and not only messes up her own life, but the baby's life as well.
 

sparks19

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#42
That's the major problem i see. I know many many people that have had multiple abortions and i just can't understand that. I don't want abortions to be illegal because I think there are serious cases where it is the best thing for the mother. But abortions should not be used as birth control- that's what condoms and the pill are for! Obviously not everyone is going to be abstinent, so they should at least take precautions. Abortion shouldn't be a substitute for BC.
I couldn't agree more....

YOu NEED a termination of your pregnancy for health reason or what have you? Then it should be covered.

You decide to have one as birth control? YOu should have to pay for it. I bet having to fork out a few hundred dollars or more might persuade people to be a little more careful... and if they aren't... well... that's your problem IMO
 

bubbatd

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#43
Just saw the posts above !! Good ones !! I never had any help as a teenager besides my religious beliefs . Sex was just a no-no ! I even felt guilty taking care of my own needs !
 

sparks19

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#44
It also seems the majority of the responsibility for safe sex is being laid on the girls, even in these posts. I wonder why that is? I have two boys and will do my best to instill in them that safe sex is just as much their responsibility as it is the women they decide to have sex with. I suppose since guys have the luxury of not going through pregnancy and birth they don't feel like they need to worry about that end of it but my boys will have a firm understanding of "you made your bed now you lie in it".
I agree... but there are so many things that could go wrong with a condom... especially with inexperienced users. there needs to be a back up method and unfortunately most of those methods lie with the female.
 

Beanie

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#47
I did go to school in the Midwest, and we had sex ed taught to us every year since 6th grade. And there was always a chapter in the textbook on birth control, which included diaphragms and spermicides and all, and since it was only 5 years ago that I graduated high school, we also spent time discussing the advances towards male birth control pills. It was not a sex ed class but it was part of our health course. The cirriculum is still the same.

I really, honestly, don't think that has anything to do with it. I have NEVER met a teenager who doesn't know what birth control options are out there. It's not an issue of ignorance... it's not. The comparison to smoking is actually a good one - they're not stupid, they know how bad smoking is for you, but they make a choice to smoke anyway.
It is the invincibility mentality of teenagers, or the choice not to use them for other reasons. "Birth control pills make you FAT." "Condoms make it not FEEL as good." "I'm too embarrassed to go buy condoms!" Whatever the reason, it's not that they don't know about birth control.


Laurelin and ihartgonzo, rock on with your bad selves! I'm a 23 year old virgin and I couldn't give a flip what other people think. I'm making the decision that is right for me, and nobody else - and certainly not some horny guy who just wants some booty - is going to change my mind.
 
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#48
The thing is I would expect teens to be so much smarter and aware than I was. My sex ed was non existent - went to a Catholic school run by nuns and I didn't even know what a period was until another girl told me. I used to ask my Mom what the box of Kotex was for and she would say "It's a parcel for Mrs. Cordery (a friend of hers).:lol-sign: Sex ed from my Mom was "you're not doing those bad things are you?" I'm not blaming my Mom - I know my parents did the best they could raising 7 children. For me being an unwed mother at 18 ruined my life.
 

bubbatd

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#49
Hopefully if only one teenager sees this and will say " NO"! it's worth it ! Don't be a follower ... be a leader !!!!
 

bubbatd

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#50
Wow ... too many posts in.between !! Will check in tomorrow !!! Just glad that I'm not nor have teenagers !!
 

Zoom

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#51
I'm glad you all know smarter kids than I did then. And you all must seem to have different news reports than we do...I know I've heard the evening news showing reports of groups stating "Abstinence works best, they don't need to know about other forms if they just stay abstinent! They don't work anyway!"

You wouldn't believe the crap I heard from locker room talk, and this was in one of the best districts/wealthy/etc. It made me more determined to wait longer and to be safe about it when I did get to that point and that's just what happened. Even had the talk about "what would we do if I got pregnant?".

So yeah, if you can't be safe about it, if you can't be smart about it and fully understand the risks and consquences involved, KEEP YOUR PANTS ON.
 

sparks19

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#52
Wow ... too many posts in.between !! Will check in tomorrow !!! Just glad that I'm not nor have teenagers !!
HA speak for yourself lol.... Hannah will be a teenager one day.

I like to think that I am prepared to tell her exactly what sex is... but when the time comes how will I really react lol
 

Adrienne

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#53
I agree... but there are so many things that could go wrong with a condom... especially with inexperienced users. there needs to be a back up method and unfortunately most of those methods lie with the female.
For sure. I meant it more in the aspect of teaching my kids about the responsibility of relationships as a whole. Trusting the girl they are with, finding someone that has the same general morals and values. That way they can hopefully be more sure that they are both practicing safe sex.
 

Laurelin

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#54
Laurelin and ihartgonzo, rock on with your bad selves! I'm a 23 year old virgin and I couldn't give a flip what other people think. I'm making the decision that is right for me, and nobody else - and certainly not some horny guy who just wants some booty - is going to change my mind.
Woot! I'm a 19 year-old virgin. *highfive* ; D

If being a prude equals being smart, than I'm all for it. My friends know I'm not a prude. I have had boyfriends. But sex IS a big deal, to me, and I have seen all of the consequences of taking it lightly.
*High fives both of you*

Good to know I'm not the only one out there! Sometimes it feels like it, but I've never had ANY regrets when it comes to that. I'd like to keep it that way.

As for sex ed in my school, we had it. My mom is pretty open about that kind of stuff, too. It talked about abstinence, yes, but it also talked about other methods and how often they worked. It wasn't 'abstinence is the only way'. I think abstinence SHOULD be taught in schools as the only completely effective way to prevent STDs and pregnancies. Everything else should be taught as well, but they do need to make it a point that it's never 100% effective as well. It just simply came down to me weighing the options and deciding that the only safe way was to wait. It's not just a 'religious thing'. It's a viable option for people regardless of religion. To me a lot of the choice is about taking care of yourself.
 

noludoru

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#55
Its like why do people pick up smoking? I understand with people who started a few decades ago, but what is up with teens today smoking?
Same reason as before. It's "cool."
Because the Govt will pay for it. Medical, Formula, Food Stamps, need I go on? Why work?!! You can stay at home and have a little baaaabeeee to love. :rolleyes: What gets me are the ones that do it twice, my little baaaabeee needed a sibling. This is coming from someone that did get pregnant at 16 due to ignorance and irresponsiblity. Let me tell you, it happened ONCE and he's 10. He's an only child and will be so until I feel ready and responsible to have another. I worked hard to pay for what he needed, but a lot of people don't have work ethic and think the tax payers should pay for their kids. The entire subject makes me sick.
:hail:
Psyfalcon it's not just that there not teaching it but what their teaching is wrong. There also not mentioning oral sex at all. My friend works in an STD clinic and has actually had teens yell at her insisting that their was no way they had an STD because in their minds going down on someone doesn't count as sex.
Don't forget abstinence only sex ed.

Our government is actively pushing schools to NOT teach about birth control.
Yep. And I am a teen and have been through these classes - recently - so I know what I'm talking about. In my highschool classes, we were very lucky to have a lady who comes to the schools and talks, rather than having a set curriculum that had to be taught through by the regular teachers, and she talks about a hell of a lot more than they do. In the 'regular' curriculum you're taught the basic mechanics of sex... and not even taught it very well, Maxy has made more informed posts than what I got in class. In middle school masturbation/oral sex/etc was glossed over.. maybe a few words on the topic. Our sex ed classes basically said "while masturbation isn't evil and you wont go blind you SHOULD NOT DO IT" and "oral sex also isn't bad but DON'T DO IT and we're not really sure whether you should consider it sex or not" and "don't have sex" but "while you're busy not having sex, USE A CONDOM." After they were done talking about dating and how we (11-13 year olds.. wtf) weren't too young to date, but shouldn't have premarital sex or even think about it, they had a basket of condoms by the door.. so you could grab one on your way out. Good grief.

In high school, since we had someone the school hired to teach us.. she basically got to pick her own curriculum, within reason. We were taught about birth control (not very well, though - I have learned a lot more on my own, and there were a lot of methods glossed over or not delved into at all), STDs, and why we shouldn't be having premarital sex.... and that oral sex counted as sex.. that sort of thing. It wasn't done as well as it could have.

There's a huge amount of pressure for us to ONLY be taught abstinence-only sex-ed.. and they use good scare tactics like talking about the horrors of STDs.... but not a lot of talking about the other aspects of sex. As I look back I realize there was a monumental amount of effort placed in scaring us off sex.
 

sparks19

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#57
For sure. I meant it more in the aspect of teaching my kids about the responsibility of relationships as a whole. Trusting the girl they are with, finding someone that has the same general morals and values. That way they can hopefully be more sure that they are both practicing safe sex.
OH I definitely agree.. and I commend you for teaching your boys these lessons... if only more parents taught that and more teens listened.

:D good for you. I hope that I can be so open and honest with Hannah when time comes... I Like to think that I can be.
 

sparks19

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#58
There's a huge amount of pressure for us to ONLY be taught abstinence-only sex-ed.. and they use good scare tactics like talking about the horrors of STDs.... but not a lot of talking about the other aspects of sex. As I look back I realize there was a monumental amount of effort placed in scaring us off sex.
Just for the record.... STD's are NOT scare tactics...they happen. Like I mentioned before... my friend is stuck with an STD for the rest of her life. she has had it for about 5+ years now... and since then she hasn't been with anyone.... hasn't dated anyone. She HAS to tell everyone she is in a relationship with or wants to sleep with about it... and that usually results in them leaving her because they could get it too even with protection.

I guess teens just don't realize how one night of fun could really ruin .... in extreme cases even END their life.

IN gym class we had a two week section for health... in that class we covered sex ed... we were even tought with wooded poles how to put a condom on correctly.
 

Lizmo

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#59
Woot! I'm a 19 year-old virgin. *highfive* ; D

If being a prude equals being smart, than I'm all for it. My friends know I'm not a prude. I have had boyfriends. But sex IS a big deal, to me, and I have seen all of the consequences of taking it lightly.

And as for the smoking thing... I would wayyy rather be a teen addicted to nicotine (I'm not) than a teen who has HIV (or herpes, or chlamydia, etc) FOR LIFE, or a teen that goes through the incredible trauma of abortion, or a teen that brings a baby into the world and not only messes up her own life, but the baby's life as well.
Woot, Woot, Erica. Totally agree. Sex is a HUGE thing for me. I don't want to waste my first time on some lousy guy that won't mean anything to me in a few years. And, why risk getting STDs only because you "wanted" to have sex?
 

sparks19

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#60
Woot, Woot, Erica. Totally agree. Sex is a HUGE thing for me. I don't want to waste my first time on some lousy guy that won't mean anything to me in a few years. And, why risk getting STDs only because you "wanted" to have sex?
right... but it FEELS good... well I wish more teens knew that that one night of "feeling good" could ruin their chances of ever "feeling good" again.
 

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