Teen Condoms

Started by Noelle, May 22, 2010, 01:32:43 PM

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Torch

Quote from: DarklingAlice on May 24, 2010, 06:29:45 PM
<_< Yeah, should have been a quote there, sorry, scatterbrained today.

Thank you very much for the clarification. I think that everyone is pretty much in agreement, that this is a big risk being taken by a significant portion of people, but it seems like the current sticking point is on the law. I am not sure that it is productive to keep going back and forth on it though, and seems to be drifting off-topic.

Agreed as I'm the guilty party for nudging things off-topic.  :P

QuoteCan we all agree that regardless of the law, the 13% should be taken as a sign that the law is not deterring the behavior?

I have no problem with this. The law is often not a deterrent, but as a society we feel obligated to make the gesture nonetheless.

QuoteAnd if we take that to be the case, it seems like a more profitable line of discussion, that is more in line with the OP, might be:

Do condoms promote the behavior and if so, is that a problem?

IMO, no, the condoms will not promote the behavior.

First, there are the logistical concerns of getting condoms into the hands of those 12-14 year olds, some of which have already been addressed. Second, there will always be a certain percentage of sexually active young teens who will not use any type of contraception, even if the condoms are freely available (although sadly this is true for the population across the board, regardless of age or experience or maturity).
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Serephino

I really think education is key.  Whether parents like it or not, teenagers are going to have sex.  I remember what it was like in high school.  I was a freak for being a virgin.  Of course I didn't care.  It was a decision I made because I was educated.  My mom actually talked to me about it when I became a teen. 

I can remember 3 girls getting pregnant while I was in high school.  I guess that's not really a high number even though I went to a small school that averaged 300-400 students.  Still....  There were also a few scares that I knew about, and overheard stories of what happened at parties. 

One of my female friends had two pregnancy scares.  The sad part is, she had no idea how her own cycle worked.  She still doesn't, she thinks she got pregnant 2 days after she had her period....  I can also remember one of her uncle's girlfriends gave her a month's worth of birth control and she thought she was good for the month and didn't have to use a condom.  I knew better, but it wasn't what she wanted to hear.  I made sure to know these things so that if I ever did decide I was ready then if it was a girl I wouldn't get her pregnant. 

My point is, it isn't wise to let girls like my ex-friend C run around eternally ignorant.  At the very least she knew enough to use a condom, though I wonder if she went without anyway if she couldn't get one.  I'm all for telling young teens that it isn't a good idea because I agree they aren't mature enough to make that decision.  However, I am also not naive enough to bury my head in the sand and believe that teens won't do it just because we tell them not to.  If they decide they want to, they're going to.  And I think it would be an excellent idea to make damn sure that if and when they decide to have sex that one, they know how their own plumbing works, and two, they know about contraceptives and how to use them. 

Oniya

*shakes head*  It may have been more of the hygienic aspects, but at least I knew what was happening inside my plumbing when I was through with 8th grade.  Due to skipping a grade, that would have made me about 12, and not yet at the point where I needed supplies - but I knew how things were working and therefore didn't freak out a couple years later.
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Blitzy

Quote from: Brandon on May 22, 2010, 02:41:45 PM
hmmm, I dont know of a single person that lost their virginity before they were 14, male or female, straight, bi, or gay. However if it is happening then we adults need to make sure they have the ability and education to protect themselves. Not giving them those tools for any reason seems like setting them up for failure in life

*Shrugs.* I was 3 months away from being 14 when I had sex for the first time. Between the ages of 13-15 I had sex three times. Total. There was a will, and a way, to do it and I did. I look at this issue differently than most because I still remember what was going through my head when I was that young and I know that I was fully consenting to sex. I have abuse in my past and perhaps that warped my sense of sexual identity and the desire. I'm well aware that it can cause those long term effects. However I was not coerced, forced, or intimidated into having intercourse then. I would've done it.

I had sexual education in my school, not abstinence training, and guess what? I used a condom. Every time. Yes, it does help. Yes, having them available does help. If they can't get the condoms, they will not use them. Then we only increase the spread of pregnancy in teens and STDs. Think about it this way: Minor children are minors, clearly, and they most often don't have jobs. Therefore they cannot purchase condoms. When I was younger, I couldn't ask my parents to buy them for me. Or money for them. So I had to rely on the health department to give me condoms for free. Thankfully they did. That meant when I did have sex, cuz yes... teens have sex... I had protection handy.

Again, I'm speaking from personal experience. Yes, I do think that my experience was helped because I had the education in school and the intelligence and resolve to follow through with the condom usage (even though there was the 'but they don't feeeeel as good' comments).
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