If You Give a Teen a Condom

One of the hottest debates among school administrators, parents, and politicians is sex education, specifically information about safer sex, in schools. If you give a teenager a condom, are you promoting promiscuity? Are we inviting unplanned pregnancy and STIs into teen’s lives by acknowledging the fact that they might be interested in sex?

Simply put: No. Duh.

Sexual Health: It's Time the U.S. Starts Talking About It

“A cornerstone of the Sexual Health Model is the ability to talk comfortably and explicitly about sexuality, especially one’s own sexual values, preferences, attractions, history and behaviors. We believe that such communication is necessary for one to effectively negotiate safer sex with sexual partners, and is a valuable skill that must be learned and practiced.” –from The Sexual Health Model: application of a sexological approach to HIV prevention, by Beatrice E. Robinson, Walter O. Bockting, B. R. Simon Rosser, Michael Miner and Eli Coleman

In most European nations, sexuality is embraced as a positive, natural part of life.  There is open dialogue and positive social norms associated with sexual health and sexuality. In contrast, talking about sex, in everyday life, remains uncomfortable for most Americans, including parents, teens, and other adults.

Sharp Jabs: The Politics of HPV Vaccines

Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines are back in the news, and this time for reasons not related to research results that show how effective the vaccines are in preventing HPV infections and related diseases.

LGBT Youth at Risk

Recently released data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) highlights the striking health disparities faced by LGBTQ youth. The data from Youth Risk Behavior Surveys, conducted during 2001–2009 in seven states and six large urban school districts, shows that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth are at greater risk than their heterosexual peers for a host of unhealthy behaviors.

Sex education: How young is too young?

A somewhat controversial article was published in the UK last week. According to the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) in London and Manchester, children as young as five years old should be taught about sex—and not just sex but the “value of ‘mutually rewarding sexual relationships’” says Jimmy Kilpatrick from EducationNews.org.