Can we please stop pretending teaching abstinence instead of actual sexual education is good for anyone?

A study by the CDC has shown that the overall rate of teen pregnancies in the U.S. is decreasing.  It also revealed a pretty disturbing trend: rates of teen pregnancy are highest in the religious, conservative states we call the Bible Belt.  These are also the states that tend to push abstinence education instead of actual SexEd.  That should be a wake up call to parents everywhere: denying reality doesn’t make it go away.  The teenage brain is a mess of hormones.  When you teach abstinence instead of safe sex, the only thing (most) teens abstain from is the safe part.   By not teaching your kids about safe sex, or at least allowing their school to do so, you are not only increasing the chances of unintended pregnancy but of serious illness as well.  That’s on you for keeping your child ignorant instead of preparing them for the world.

People are going to do what they’re going to do.  If you care about them, the best thing you can do is encourage safety and good judgment by providing them with all the facts.

Image source and article: U.S. Teen Birthrates Are Down, But Still High in These States – The Atlantic Cities