Teens and Sexuality Education

From: Sharon Hushka (sharynh@earthlink.net)
Date: Tue Mar 09 1999 - 15:51:08 EST


I reviewed NotMeNotNow site (www.notmenotnow.org) recommended by Jane
Sheeran under the topic: Preventing Teen Pregnancy. It is conversational
and not data based. The site advocates an abstinence-only approach to
discussing how to say no to sexuality.

NotMeNotNow message is "Many adolescent pregnancy prevention programs
offer mixed messages: "Don't have sex, but if you become pregnant, our
system will take care of you" or "Don't have sex, but if you do, use a
condom." Monroe County wants to offer practical solutions to
adolescents, parents, and the community. We strive to discourage, not
encourage, sexual intercourse by teenagers. To avoid confusing young
teens with mixed messages, Monroe County promotes a pure, simple
message: practicing abstinence makes sense for your future."

If teens are looking for a site to learn about the facts or to discuss
with other teens sexuality issues, I recommend the following:
 Planned Parenthood's Teenwire site at http://www.teenwire.com/index.asp

The reader can ask the expert, read teen zine, look up facts, and search
articles and quizzes.

 Sex Etc at http://www.sxetc.org/
SexEtc is a website by teens for teens that posts comments by teens,
explores issues from their perspective, has a searchable database, and
suggests web sites for more information.

For the parent, educator, and other interested adults, many fact based
sites are available, these include:

 The Alan Guttmacher Institute at http://www.agi-usa.org/home.html
The mission of the institute is "to promote free, informed and
responsible choices for all men and women with regard to sexual
activity, reproduction and family formation, in the United States and
throughout the world." An excellent source for facts about sexuality
issues.

 Sex Education Coalition at http://www.sexEdCoalition.org/
Sex Education Coalition is comprised of educators, health care
professionals, trainers, and legislators dedicated to providing
information and supporting informed discussion concerning sexuality
education.

 SIECUS Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United
States http://www.siecus.org/ SIECUS is a national, nonprofit
organization which affirms that sexuality is a natural and healthy part
of living. Incorporated in 1964, SIECUS develops, collects, and
disseminates information, promotes comprehensive education about
sexuality, and advocates the right of individuals to make responsible
sexual choices.

 American Social Health Association at http://www.ashastd.org/
ASHA mission is to "Stop sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and their
harmful consequences to individuals, families, and communities"

 National Center for Sexuality Educators at
http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/sexualit.htm The National Center
for Sexuality Educators was established by Advocates for Youth to
support those who strive to implement responsible, relevant, and
realistic adolescent sexuality programs. The Center provides resources,
training, technical assistance, policy analysis, and curriculum review
and development.

The Feminist Majority's (http://www.feminist.org/rrights/contracep.html)
Contraception Links are as follows:
 Ann Rose's Ultimate Birth Control Links Page
http://gynpages.com/ultimate/
Ann Rose's page is dedicated to educating the public about sexual
activity and birth control, and it contains invaluable information on
abstinence, condoms, the pill, emergency contraception, hormone
implants, and more.

 Atlanta Reproductive Health Centre WWW Woman's Guide to Contraception,
Sexually Transmitted Diseases http://www.ivf.com/contrac.html
This site includes information on contraception and sexually transmitted
diseases as well as Barnard College's Student Contraception Guide and
Student STD Guide.

 Condomania http://www.condomania.com/
Condomania provides information on condoms and various contraceptives,
as well as links to information on safer sex, resources and hotlines.

 Emergency Contraception Website http://opr.princeton.edu/ec/ec.html
This site contains general information and answers to many questions
regarding emergency contraception including a directory of providers and
descriptions and dosages of pills and minipills that can be used as
emergency contraception.

 Healthtouch - Sexual & Reproductive Health http://www.healthtouch.com/

Health Information on sexual and reproductive health, with links to
birth control, sexual problems, sexually transmitted diseases, and
HIV/AIDS.

 Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) - Birth Control
http://www.plannedparenthood.org/BIRTH-CONTROL/index.htm
Planned Parenthood Federation of America's site contains general
information on the different barrier contraceptive methods, fertility
awareness methods, long-term contraception, oral contraceptives,
permanent methods of birth control, and emergency contraception.

 Population and Reproductive Health
http://www.pitt.edu/HOME/GHNet/poprepro.htm
This site includes many links on a wide variety of subjects including
population, fertility, and contraception. Also available in Spanish and
Japanese.

 Population Council: Contraceptives and Other Reproductive Health
Products Under Development
http://www.popcouncil.org/rhpdev/contra97.html
This site provides information on reproductive health and the various
methods of birth control for men and women with links to more
information, definitions and descriptions about contraception.

 The Safer Sex Pages http://www.safersex.org/
This site includes an outline of what safer sex consists of, different
forms of contraception, and links to different types of birth control
methods.

Humyns are sexual beings. Sexuality is an issue all of us make decisions
about. In educating our youth, we must be realistic, factual, age &
developmentally relevant, and honest about the complexities of being
sexually confident, respectful, and responsible for choices and actions.
Just saying no doesn't prepare them for adulthood or help them in
instances of incest, rape, or other forms of sexual abuse. A persyn
needs facts and options to deal with those acts of sexual violence.
Waiting until a persyn is mature enough (physically, emotionally, and
intellectually) to handle the joys and consequences is more likely to
occur when they can make an informed choice.

Sharon Hushka
sharynh@earthlink.net



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