Anyone seen this poster??

[BMW]

I was reading about the commercials. Just yesterday I was at a public health office and was in a waiting area. There was a poster with a woman flexing her muscle with a tattoo of: EC. The main words on the poster were something about knowing you can get Emergency Contraception. What got me, though, was the number of children and pre-teens that would go through that room and read the poster. It flew right over my sons head - he isn't a good reader and isn't very interested in asking questions about what he sees, necessarily. But my other boys would have read it all and started asking away... The poster had darted statements, like: If you forgot to take your pill.... If your condom broke while in use... AAAAH!

 

Bee

[VaKim]

Haven't see that (thankfully), but I think we are living in Sodom and Gomorrah now. :sad:

 

Thankfully, we live in a backwoods "Mayberry" type town, and don't often see such trash. As long as we don't go too far from home, anyway.

[riada]

In our town there is a gigantic billboard that is all black and in HUGE white writing reads "1+1=3, Talk to your kids about S*X". Nice. I avoided driving by it with my children but occasionally would forget. My 9 year old understood it and it wasn't too bad. My 5 year old didn't get it and sparked all kinds of questions as to why 1+1 would equal 3 and not 2. I understand that they think they are doing the community a service by bringing it up but then it also makes younger children more aware of things than they need to be, imo.

 

(sigh) what is it all coming to?:glare:

[Mom-ninja.]

I do not have a problem with it. I also don't have a problem with the herpes commercials on TV.

[Jennifer3141]

I'd rather have that poster than one of the so called "pro life" posters stuck in there.

 

Jen

[asta]

The town I just moved from had +/- 13 year olds pushing strollers carrying their own children. (and no, they're not part of a happy family unit)

 

Ergo, I don't have a problem with those types of public service announcements / posters (1+1=3, condoms, etc.). I find them to be much easier to explain than the "pro-life" advertisements with aborted fetuses on them.

 

 

asta

[dawn of ns]

 

Ergo, I don't have a problem with those types of public service announcements / posters (1+1=3, condoms, etc.). I find them to be much easier to explain than the "pro-life" advertisements with aborted fetuses on them.

asta

 

Ditto. The public service stuff I just see as an opportunity to have a discussion with the kids...If they even notice it. I'd be upset with the pro-life stuff you described though. Thankfully the pro-life posters I've seen around here are pretty restrained so they're discussion-fodder too.

[Pink Fairy]

I saw that at my doctor's office, right above the kids' books and toys. I guess for those who think an 8 year old needs to know what to do "if the condom breaks," or the best way to treat herpes, feel free to have that discussion with your own kid. Don't make me have it with mine by placing inappropriate ads in inappropriate places.

 

I switched doctors, btw.

[camibami]

I don't think they are bad- its a public health clinic, after all. Not a pediatrician.

 

And for us, one of the benefits to hsing is discussing sex with our kids, not them getting it at school from their friends on the playground. This means that in our family, my DD knew her 9 year old buddy was wrong when she said Zoey 101 got pregnant from kissing a boy for more than 30 seconds, LOL. So the posters aren't telling my kids anything they don't know, LOL.

[Jenny in Atl]

Haven't see that (thankfully), but I think we are living in Sodom and Gomorrah now. :sad:

 

Thankfully, we live in a backwoods "Mayberry" type town, and don't often see such trash. As long as we don't go too far from home, anyway.

 

 

 

West Virginia Teenage Birth Rate Increases For First Time In Eight Years

 

Main Category: Pregnancy / Obstetrics

Also Included In: Pediatrics / Children's Health

Article Date: 18 Jul 2008 - 7:00 PDT

 

 

Similar to a national trend, the teenage birth rate in West Virginia has increased for the first time in eight years, the Charleston Daily Mail reports. According to the Daily Mail, 2,602 teenagers gave birth in 2006, compared with 2,472 in 2005 (Anderson, Charleston Daily Mail, 7/15).

 

Denise Smith, director of the state Department of Health and Human Resources' family planning program, said that recent studies have found an increase in the rate of teen pregnancies and a leveling off of condom use -- serving as reminders for public health officials. "It kind of warns us not to get complacent and there's still a big job to be done," Smith said (AP/Huntington Herald-Dispatch, 7/16).

 

West Virginia provides educational resources about teen pregnancy to young people beginning in middle school through the state Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Initiative program. From Jan. 1, 2007, to June 30, 2007, the program conducted 296 presentations on teen pregnancy to more than 13,169 students. Smith said that with only four coordinators, the program's outreach is limited. She added that increased media attention to celebrity pregnancies have somewhat "glamorized" pregnancy and hurt efforts to reduce the rate among teens.

 

Bill Albert, chief program officer for the National Campaign To Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, said that as the influence of the media increases, the influence of parents is fading. Smith said she also is witnessing less protective influences in teens' lives, with fewer family and community members teaching them how to avoid getting pregnant by encouraging responsible behaviors. Albert pointed to federal funding for abstinence-only education and strict rules banning discussion of contraception in schools as factors for the increasing teen pregnancy rate (Charleston Daily Mail, 7/15).

 

Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.nationalpartnership.org. You can view the entire Daily Women's Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery here. The Daily Women's Health Policy Report is a free service of the National Partnership for Women & Families, published by The Advisory Board Company.

 

© 2008 The Advisory Board Company. All rights reserved.

[Carrie12345]

I'm completely torn in half on the subject.

 

In our house, even with our children being young, we touch on a lot of sex/pregnancy topics. We also support spreading knowledge to preteens and young adults.

 

Still, I know how much I oppose our local nudey bar billboard, so I understand how it feels to run into exposures I don't approve of.

 

I will say that our local billboard doesn't *help* anyone, and that does make a difference in my opinion.

[VaKim]

West Virginia Teenage Birth Rate Increases For First Time In Eight Years

 

Main Category: Pregnancy / Obstetrics

Also Included In: Pediatrics / Children's Health

Article Date: 18 Jul 2008 - 7:00 PDT

 

 

Similar to a national trend, the teenage birth rate in West Virginia has increased for the first time in eight years, the Charleston Daily Mail reports. According to the Daily Mail, 2,602 teenagers gave birth in 2006, compared with 2,472 in 2005 (Anderson, Charleston Daily Mail, 7/15).

 

Denise Smith, director of the state Department of Health and Human Resources' family planning program, said that recent studies have found an increase in the rate of teen pregnancies and a leveling off of condom use -- serving as reminders for public health officials. "It kind of warns us not to get complacent and there's still a big job to be done," Smith said (AP/Huntington Herald-Dispatch, 7/16).

 

West Virginia provides educational resources about teen pregnancy to young people beginning in middle school through the state Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Initiative program. From Jan. 1, 2007, to June 30, 2007, the program conducted 296 presentations on teen pregnancy to more than 13,169 students. Smith said that with only four coordinators, the program's outreach is limited. She added that increased media attention to celebrity pregnancies have somewhat "glamorized" pregnancy and hurt efforts to reduce the rate among teens.

 

Bill Albert, chief program officer for the National Campaign To Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, said that as the influence of the media increases, the influence of parents is fading. Smith said she also is witnessing less protective influences in teens' lives, with fewer family and community members teaching them how to avoid getting pregnant by encouraging responsible behaviors. Albert pointed to federal funding for abstinence-only education and strict rules banning discussion of contraception in schools as factors for the increasing teen pregnancy rate (Charleston Daily Mail, 7/15).

 

Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.nationalpartnership.org. You can view the entire Daily Women's Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery here. The Daily Women's Health Policy Report is a free service of the National Partnership for Women & Families, published by The Advisory Board Company.

 

© 2008 The Advisory Board Company. All rights reserved.

 

Not sure what that has to do with me. I live in VA. Also, not sure what it has to do with anything. Especially not borderline pornographic posters in public.

[Laura Corin]

Also, not sure what it has to do with anything. Especially not borderline pornographic posters in public.

 

I don't see anything in the description of the poster by the OP that is 'borderline pornographic'. It sounds anything but titillating.

 

Laura

[VaKim]

I don't see anything in the description of the poster by the OP that is 'borderline pornographic'. It sounds anything but titillating.

 

Laura

 

I think it all comes down to a difference in worldview. :)

[Jenny in Atl]

Not sure what that has to do with me. I live in VA. Also, not sure what it has to do with anything. Especially not borderline pornographic posters in public.

 

No, not pointing at you but at the mindset that talking about contraception is some how akin to Sodom and Gomorrah. Rates of pregnancy go up when folks stop talking to their teens. You can stick your head in the sand all you wish and think sex before marriage is a sin, but most kids, even well raise kids of faith at some point become sexually active. I have met very few adults that made it to their marriage bed a virgin. Do you know many? I'm no fan of most US TV, magazines, and such, but to call this ad pornographic is sad at best.

[VaKim]

No, not pointing at you but at the mindset that talking about contraception is some how akin to Sodom and Gomorrah. Rates of pregnancy go up when folks stop talking to their teens. You can stick your head in the sand all you wish and think sex before marriage is a sin, but most kids, even well raise kids of faith at some point become sexually active. I have met very few adults that made it to their marriage bed a virgin. Do you know many? I'm no fan of most US TV, magazines, and such, but to call this ad pornographic is sad at best.

 

Well, as someone above stated, one of the benefits of homeschooling is that we, the parents, get to decide when and how to present such things to our children. If this kind of stuff is posted all over the place where kids can see it, we are forced to talk about stuff our children are not old enough to have any need to know about. Again, it all comes down to worldview. We are extremely conservative Christians, and doing what we feel the Lord would have us do. If you are not coming from the same viewpoint, you cannot possibly understand. (That is "you" in general.)

 

It is no different than all the trashy magazines displayed in grocery checkout lines. I don't even like to see that stuff myself, let alone expose my children to it. Those not blessed enough to be sheltered from it have no choice anymore though, unfortunately.

[VaKim]

Why exactly is it that there is such an increase in teen pregnancy, if indeed all this information is such a good deterrent? Seems to me that back before all this kind of "public service" information was allowed, there were a whole lot fewer pregnancies. Same goes for "sex ed" in ps. The rate of teen pregnancy has increased as the amount of information has increased.

[Jenny in Atl]

Why exactly is it that there is such an increase in teen pregnancy, if indeed all this information is such a good deterrent? Seems to me that back before all this kind of "public service" information was allowed, there were a whole lot fewer pregnancies. Same goes for "sex ed" in ps. The rate of teen pregnancy has increased as the amount of information has increased.

 

Actually rates were going down until the early 00's. Then funding for many of these programs were either cut or abstinence only programs replaced them. Then the rates started going back up. If a child does not understand how their body really works, how can they know to say no!

[genie]

Why exactly is it that there is such an increase in teen pregnancy, if indeed all this information is such a good deterrent? Seems to me that back before all this kind of "public service" information was allowed, there were a whole lot fewer pregnancies. Same goes for "sex ed" in ps. The rate of teen pregnancy has increased as the amount of information has increased.

 

I couldn't tell you why "exactly", but it would only be fair to note that all types of information have increased in the same time period, including teens' access to material of a sexual nature. I can only imagine how much worse it would be if there weren't public service information available to teens.

[Cheryl in NM]

Unfortunately, sex ed happened earlier than I wanted for ds. Dh has 2 older kids and they came to live with us when they were 13 & 14. It was amazing the stuff they'd say and not think twice that I, an adult and their step-mom, and ds (5) were right there. Some stuff I just flat didn't explain and told the step-kids to watch what they say and that they shouldn't be thinking about that stuff anyway. Their mother is VERY permissive so they had access to all kinds of inappropriate tv. Thank God she didn't have the internet!

 

Besides that, though, we had to have some form of sex-type talk before that due to Dh's kids coming and going from the house and having a different mother. I would not have wanted that for my child if I could have chosen it (of course, I didn't want it for DH's kids either if I could have controlled that!). Anyway, I digress. Life gets in the way sometimes we, as parents, have to decide whether to say "you're not old enough to understand yet" or "Here's what that means...". I hate when that decision is forced on me, especially when it's somehting as ucky as abortion! How do you explain that to your kids?! All 3 kids have found it horribly disgusting even in instances of rape and incest. Dh and I don't talk about it usually and when we first explained it to each child in turn we were very clinical in what we said and the reasons given for women getting abortions. What I'm trying to say is that we didn't put our viewpoints into the discussion until the kids reacted. Kids are pretty smart sometimes, KWIM?

 

Anyway, I digress again. I don't like those kinds of posters. I think each family should decide when and how to educate their children. If children fall through the cracks and end up in the system then of course they should be informed but not in a public place.

[VaKim]

I couldn't tell you why "exactly", but it would only be fair to note that all types of information have increased in the same time period, including teens' access to material of a sexual nature. I can only imagine how much worse it would be if there weren't public service information available to teens.

 

That can only be speculation.

[VaKim]

Actually rates were going down until the early 00's. Then funding for many of these programs were either cut or abstinence only programs replaced them. Then the rates started going back up. If a child does not understand how their body really works, how can they know to say no!

 

Well, my kids definitely know how such things work by the time such things actually do work. They don't, however, need to know such things at the age of 5 or 6 (depending on how soon they can read).

 

Again, I just think it should be up to parents to decide when and how to present the information.

[Mom to Aly]

Well, as someone above stated, one of the benefits of homeschooling is that we, the parents, get to decide when and how to present such things to our children. If this kind of stuff is posted all over the place where kids can see it, we are forced to talk about stuff our children are not old enough to have any need to know about. Again, it all comes down to worldview. We are extremely conservative Christians, and doing what we feel the Lord would have us do. If you are not coming from the same viewpoint, you cannot possibly understand. (That is "you" in general.)

 

It is no different than all the trashy magazines displayed in grocery checkout lines. I don't even like to see that stuff myself, let alone expose my children to it. Those not blessed enough to be sheltered from it have no choice anymore though, unfortunately.

 

Well, although I am neither conservative, nor Christian, I certainly would prefer not to have a lot of conversations with my daughter, but have had to, partly because she does see the trashy magazines at B&N, at grocery stores (I am a single, homeschooling mom--divorced--and she goes everywhere with me), news stands, etc.), and partly because some subjects you can't hide them from unless you keep them locked in the house, away from everything, at least in my opinion (predators, etc.). My daughter has a natural curiosity about some things, & I feel to put her off would allow her imagination to run wild, which, about some things, could be worse than the truth, as horrible as it may be. Just because I do not "shelter" my child from those "truths" does not mean she is any less "blessed", or I love her any less.

 

And this was not posted "anywhere"--it was posted in a place where a lot of teens go for information, where a lot of teenage mothers go, and a lot of teens would not know what to do if their condom broke. I think this was a very useful, and helpful, public service ad! I am very impressed, not only that it was there, but with the way the ad was done--it would probably catch the eye of many teenagers!

 

Also, as many studies have shown, not teaching children about birth control (which does include abstinance) does not help them not to get pregnant. If they are determined to have sex, they usually will. If you feel you have raised your child "correctly", no school teaching them about birth control, or an ad talking about what to do if their condom breaks, or an ad about planned parenthood, is going to lead them "into temptation". It can only, hopefully, help someone who is already going down that path not to end up in a situation they are not ready to handle.

 

I have to add to this, it has been a few years since I've been there, but it always stunned me that, I believe it was in SC (maybe GA, please don't jump on me if I have them mixed up, a nice correct would be fine) they would not allow planned parenthood or pro-choice billboards, but allowed very close to pornographic billboards for strip clubs up and down the highways--so close that this very liberal mom was terribly embarrassed to have my daughter see them at all! I'm wondering if that law has changed at all?

[genie]

That can only be speculation.

 

The increase in access to material of a sexual nature is far from speculation. As to the other part, that's precisely why I said "I can only imagine".

[VaKim]

I'm bowing out of this one now, because it can only go in circles. I should have learned that a long time ago. People coming from such differing world views cannot help but to disagree. It would be like me arguing with a Hindu about whose religion is right. Serves no purpose. Goes nowhere. :)

[Jenny in Atl]

Well, my kids definitely know how such things work by the time such things actually do work. They don't, however, need to know such things at the age of 5 or 6 (depending on how soon they can read).

 

Again, I just think it should be up to parents to decide when and how to present the information.

 

So I gather you don't live near animals. Hard not to see where babies come from all around you in the natural world.

[Michelle T]

I was reading about the commercials. Just yesterday I was at a public health office and was in a waiting area. There was a poster with a woman flexing her muscle with a tattoo of: EC. The main words on the poster were something about knowing you can get Emergency Contraception. What got me, though, was the number of children and pre-teens that would go through that room and read the poster. It flew right over my sons head - he isn't a good reader and isn't very interested in asking questions about what he sees, necessarily. But my other boys would have read it all and started asking away... The poster had darted statements, like: If you forgot to take your pill.... If your condom broke while in use... AAAAH!

 

Bee

 

 

I would imagine there are plenty of clients in a public health office who are young, single women who are pregnant, or have young children. I would consider the poster to be quite relevant to that group of people.

 

Now, I'd think it strange to see it in a pediatrician's office.

Michelle T

[Laura K (NC)]

So I gather you don't live near animals. Hard not to see where babies come from all around you in the natural world.

I've not seen pornography among animals, nor contraception ("emergency" :glare: or otherwise), nor abortions. All those abberations come from homo sapiens, not any other "natural" animal.

[Jenny in Atl]

I've not seen pornography among animals, nor contraception ("emergency" :glare: or otherwise), nor abortions. All those abberations come from homo sapiens, not any other "natural" animal.

 

She was saying her 5 year old does not need to know where babies come from. All I was saying is that there is sex all around us in nature. If you have even a slightly curious child who loves nature, sex is going to come up early. And so far as animal abortions go, well no they are not that advanced, but they will leave their young or eat them (certain species) when food is in short supply or if there is too much competition for space. The aberrations you speak of come from humans having way too much time on their hands. You won't solve it by hiding.

[Mom to Aly]

So I gather you don't live near animals. Hard not to see where babies come from all around you in the natural world.

 

Yes, there is a long period where you must take care at our zoo if you don't want to have a very specific biology lesson with your kids ;).

[BMW]

As the op, what bothered me was that this was a waiting area for all ages and, like another person mentioned, I don't want to have a "what is a condom and why would it break, mom?" discussion... fwiw, I am not a head in the sand kind of gal... I think these posters serve a purpose, perhaps in a general practice room that is not used by children?? I am all for pre-teens and teens being educated about how s*xual choices will affect them and consequences and, what if they did NOT want that experience and found themselves taken advantage of... and although I have passed on my beliefs about these "life experiences" (save it for marriage type stand) to my children, I have covered birth control topics as well as outright discussions of consequences... phew... sure wish I could just stick my head in the sand... well, I wish we lived in a safe society, without diseases... where pre-teens and teens didn't grow up so fast and s*xuality wasn't all over the place...

 

There's so much involved...

[astrid]

I don't see anything in the description of the poster by the OP that is 'borderline pornographic'. It sounds anything but titillating.

 

Laura

 

I agree, Laura.

 

astrid

[Murphy101]

Actually, my biggest gripe about it is the promoting of tattoos. If this is targeted towards minors such as teens, they don't need to encourage the "coolness" of tattoos to do it.

 

If a child does not understand how their body really works, how can they know to say no!

 

3 separate issues in that statement

 

a. knowing when to say no is pretty clear even to a little kid - you say no when what should be private and personal on your body starts to include a 2nd party. IOW, I don't need to know how my body works to know a guy shouldn't put his hand (or anything else) in my pants.

 

b. knowing how one's body works has nothing to do with birth control. I'm VERY aware of EXACTLY how my body works and it works just fine without birth control. Birth control is a chemical or barrier method that changes the normal healthly workings of the body - it does not enhance it.

 

c. knowing how one's body works with or without birth control has nothing to do with one's ability to say "no" - in fact they may very well decide to say yes because of that knowledge and use.

 

If they are determined to have sex, they usually will. If you feel you have raised your child "correctly", no school teaching them about birth control, or an ad talking about what to do if their condom breaks, or an ad about planned parenthood, is going to lead them "into temptation". It can only, hopefully, help someone who is already going down that path not to end up in a situation they are not ready to handle.

 

I really don't get this arguement and I've seen no evidence that it's true either. I grew up in a highschool that had free and unquestioned confidential access to planned parenthood and probably 80% of the girls in my classes were on some form of birth control. The problem? Kids that aren't mature enough to handle grown up relationships and babies and personal medical care and all that comes with having sex like adults - they weren't mature enough to take birth control either. They'd forget a pill have sex and think they could take a couple more pills to make up for it. They'd risk forgetting a condom or forget to go back to the clinic for their bc shot. There was NO exception to these things of all the teen girls I knew in highschool. And many of them ended up pregnant anyways.

 

So I gather you don't live near animals. Hard not to see where babies come from all around you in the natural world.

 

I don't care if my kids know where babies come from. Yes there's the animals and then there's the seems like forever pregnant mom.;)

 

But birth control and abortion and such is NOT about where babies come from. It's about telling people that babies shouldn't come and are to be avoided.

 

Yes, my children know all about abortion, birth control, and more from a very young age. Partly because I am honest with them when they ask questions, but mostly because they are told things by people who feel they have the right to say rude and stupid things about us just because we have a large family.

 

Yes, thank you very much I do know what causes this and that there is a pill for it and I can get rid of it.

 

So yes, my young children are horrified to know some people don't want their babies and the lengths they will go to to get rid of them or prevent them. Just about anything it seems - except not have sex.:glare:

[Mom to Aly]

As the op, what bothered me was that this was a waiting area for all ages and, like another person mentioned, I don't want to have a "what is a condom and why would it break, mom?" discussion... fwiw, I am not a head in the sand kind of gal... I think these posters serve a purpose, perhaps in a general practice room that is not used by children?? I am all for pre-teens and teens being educated about how s*xual choices will affect them and consequences and, what if they did NOT want that experience and found themselves taken advantage of... and although I have passed on my beliefs about these "life experiences" (save it for marriage type stand) to my children, I have covered birth control topics as well as outright discussions of consequences... phew... sure wish I could just stick my head in the sand... well, I wish we lived in a safe society, without diseases... where pre-teens and teens didn't grow up so fast and s*xuality wasn't all over the place...

 

There's so much involved...

 

 

If this were in a general practice office, kids could see it there to. I have always taken my dd with me to the dr., simply because I have no other choice, and I see plenty of other kids there. And I think the point was that there are plenty of teens and others who could use this info.

 

What I don't get, and I really don't mean this in a bad way at all, is, if this really bothered you that much, why you didn't move? I know your kids could have read it, but, in my county's public health office they have info up about AIDS, etc., and other things people may not want their kids to read about, and I do read everything, in case there is something I think I don't want my daughter to see (not AIDS, but alzheimer's, because my mom is going through that, and I think it might be hard on my dd to sit and look at it). I am careful about where we sit because of that, and look before we do. I think that is just being careful.

[Peek a Boo]

Ergo, I don't have a problem with those types of public service announcements / posters (1+1=3, condoms, etc.). I find them to be much easier to explain than the "pro-life" advertisements with aborted fetuses on them.

 

 

since abortion is a hot topic at my house, my guys have a pretty detailed working knowledge about sex and pregnancy. The poster in question doesn't bother me too much --I'd likely use it to launch into a moderately loud discussion about premarital sex and sexual irresponsibility. For as long as I was stuck waiting. but then again, i believe that even teens can be taught to control their actions --they aren't stupid.

 

i do agree that knowledge is imperative. I just find it ironic that witholding/denying what every credible human embryology textbook says about the beginnings of a human life is considered "knowledgeable."

 

and i absolutely agree that aborted fetuses are difficult to explain.

[dragons in the flower bed]

I've not seen pornography among animals, nor contraception ("emergency" or otherwise), nor abortions. All those abberations come from homo sapiens, not any other "natural" animal.

 

No, you're right. The natural route, practiced by animals, is infanticide.

[Pam "SFSOM" in TN]

I've not seen pornography among animals, nor contraception ("emergency" :glare: or otherwise), nor abortions. All those abberations come from homo sapiens, not any other "natural" animal.

 

Panda porn worked for the pandas, right? Probably because they couldn't observe the real thing in the wild.

[Jenny in Atl]

Panda porn worked for the pandas, right? Probably because they couldn't observe the real thing in the wild.

 

I totally forgot about this! :lol:

[BMW]

As the op, this was simply a notice of what is going on in society today... a poster like that several years ago and particularly decades ago, would be shocking... I didn't say that in my op or follow up, I mentioned what the poster was (op) and that it would make me feel uncomfortable having to discuss why or how a condom would break (follow up post) with my 9 yr old child. Looking at it after these responses, my intent was more of pointing out what it is like now... I think it is sad what goes on with the youth of our culture.

 

Bee

[Jenny in Atl]

As the op, this was simply a notice of what is going on in society today... a poster like that several years ago and particularly decades ago, would be shocking... I didn't say that in my op or follow up, I mentioned what the poster was (op) and that it would make me feel uncomfortable having to discuss why or how a condom would break (follow up post) with my 9 yr old child. Looking at it after these responses, my intent was more of pointing out what it is like now... I think it is sad what goes on with the youth of our culture.

 

Bee

 

Yes, and many years ago a pregnant teen would be sent away in shame to give birth hidden away from her family. We have come a long way haven't we.

[beansprouts]

Yes, and many years ago a pregnant teen would be sent away in shame to give birth hidden away from her family. We have come a long way haven't we.

 

We have definitely gone from one extreme to the next. There must be a middle ground here, one where good choices are taught and encouraged, yet compassion is shown to those who make mistakes.

[Cheryl in NM]

Also, as many studies have shown, not teaching children about birth control (which does include abstinance) does not help them not to get pregnant. If they are determined to have sex, they usually will. If you feel you have raised your child "correctly", no school teaching them about birth control, or an ad talking about what to do if their condom breaks, or an ad about planned parenthood, is going to lead them "into temptation". It can only, hopefully, help someone who is already going down that path not to end up in a situation they are not ready to handle.

 

I disagree with this position. Seeing something over and over again desensitizes people. As these teens see ads for contraceptives and abortion, but not abstinence they will begin to forget that abstinence is a viable and the ONLY reliable (beside sterilization) form of birth control.

 

Only you (the proverbial you) know your children and what information will be helpful to them. My mom, OTH, was WAY off. The things she told me made me MORE curious. That, coupled, with good old fashioned rebellion is why I lost my virginity in high school. I sure wish I would have waited until I was more mature and had more self respect. I would have benefited from posters telling me to wait more than where to get the b/c.

 

Also, a public health office is just that. That means that younger children will be exposed to these posters. Not every child is ready for the info portrayed in a public space. I would not want to use those public services because I didn't want my children exposed to those posters. That's why I suggested that those posters could be placed in a more appropriate place to help those that need them.

[Laura K (NC)]

There were maybe 5 girls pregnant in my high school of about 1000. I remember 4 that were obviously and openly pregnant. One girl was pregnant with her 2nd in her senior year. One other girl was trying to hide her pregnancy and was successful until she gave birth at school. Now that was shocking!

 

25 years ago there were shows like Saturday Night Live and TV channels like MTV. There were shocking shows on HBO when HBO (and cable TV) were fairly new. But the shocking stuff was shown after prime time, not before.

 

If you're referring to the 50's, then yeah, there was a stigma about teen pregnancy and babies born out of wedlock and "living in sin." Remember Grease and Stockard Channing's character (can't remember her name at the moment) when she thought she was pregnant. The thing with the stigma was that the stigma itself was a deterrent, and so it was not such a bad thing to have a stigma associated with it. Kids knew exactly what would happen if you slept around, and they knew their parents would go ballistic, their friends would go ballistic, and their lives would change if they had a baby. Girls especially had the stigma, though boys got off fairly scot-free. Now, I happen to think (and I'm in good company) that girls are the ones who naturally must say "no" and even civilize society. If there are no stigmas for a girl to sleep around and get pregnant, if she is showered with gifts and attention when it happens, she might mistakenly get the idea, as some girls do, that being pregnant and having a baby means making a new person who will love her unconditionally, no matter what. But a new baby will change her life, no matter what, and her friends and social life will undoubtedly change, her education will suffer, her chances of finding a husband will be reduced, and her dependency on social services like welfare will be greatly increased. So I'm saying that the stigma is a good and natural thing. Parental disapproval is one thing (which is often eventually overcome once the baby arrives, anyway). AIDS, venereal diseases, abortions, and the interruption (or elimination) of the opportunities of a natural childhood are much worse consequences.

 

I prefer 25 years ago. I even prefer 50 years ago. Give me Hester Prynne with her scarlet A over AIDS, abortion, and unnatural sex in-your-face-everywhere. Do students even read The Scarlet Letter any more? I did 25 years ago.

[Catherine]

magazine covers, and on posters, I question the assumption that misinformation accounts for why teens have sex. This is not directed at anyone, but a general observation-I'm not questioning anyone's own views of their own lives. But...don't people have sex in large part because we have a powerful drive to reproduce? Isn't this drive what has kept humans alive on earth? In and of itself, sex is absolutely necessary-that's why teens throughout history have done it. It's just that in the past, teens were adults-they married, and lived as adults much earlier. Our society asks them to defer adult behaviors longer than is realistic, IMO.

 

What I think we all hope is that our children will make good choices, avoid hurting themselves and others, and exhibit self-control. I guess I worry when I hear people (again please don't take this personally, it's not meant that way) hoping that their teens will not have premarital sex. Believe me, I want that for my own kids, but I also recognize that humans being what they are, flawed creatures that do wrong and make mistakes, this might not happen. I hope we all can still accept and love them even if they stumble-particularly since so many of us stumbled ourselves! Present company included!

[Jenny in Atl]

The statistic don't support the view that the rate of teen pregnancies is worse now than in the 50's or 80's. There is just more media coverage, so you think it's worse.

 

The teenage birth rate in United States is the highest in the developed world, and the teenage abortion rate is also high.[3] The U.S. teenage pregnancy rate was at a high in the 1950s and has decreased since then, although there has been an increase in births out of wedlock. [11] The teenage pregnancy rate decreased significantly in the 1990s; this decline manifested across all racial groups, although teenagers of African-American and Hispanic descent retain a higher rate, in comparison to that of European-Americans and Asian-Americans. The Guttmacher Institute attributed about 25% of the decline to abstinence and 75% to the effective use of contraceptives.[12] [13] However, as of 2006 the teenage birth rate began to rise once again for the first time in fourteen years.[14] This could imply that teen pregnancy rates are also on the rise, however the rise could also be due to other sources: a possible decrease in the number of abortions or a decrease in the number of miscarraiges, to name a few. The Canadian teenage birth has also trended towards a steady decline for both younger (15-17) and older (18-19) teens in the period between 1992-2002.[15]

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teenage_pregnancy

 

 

 

 

US: Teenage Pregnancy Rate, Birth Rate and Abortion Rate 1972 - 2005

January 30, 2008 at 7:20 am (Statistic, US)

Tags: abortion, Health, Statistic, teenage, US

 

The trend of US teenage (aged 15 - 19) pregnancy rate, birth rate and abortion rate (per 1000 women aged 15 - 19) for year 1972 to 2005:

 

Year Birth Rate Abortion Rate Pregnancy Rate

1972 61.7 19.1 95.1

1973 59.3 22.8 96.1

1974 57.5 27.0 98.8

1975 55.6 31.2 101.1

1976 52.8 34.3 101.1

1977 52.8 37.5 104.6

1978 51.5 39.7 105.4

1979 52.3 42.4 109.4

1980 53.2 42.8 111.0

1981 52.2 42.9 109.9

1982 52.4 42.7 109.8

1983 51.4 43.2 109.3

1984 50.6 42.9 107.9

1985 51.0 43.5 109.0

1986 50.2 42.3 106.7

1988 53.0 43.5 111.4

1989 57.3 42.0 114.9

1990 60.3 40.5 116.9

1991 61.8 37.4 115.3

1992 60.3 35.2 111.0

1993 59.0 33.9 108.0

1994 58.2 31.6 104.6

1995 56.0 29.4 99.6

1996 53.5 28.6 95.6

1997 51.3 27.1 91.4

1998 50.3 25.8 88.7

1999 48.8 24.7 85.7

2000 47.7 24.0 83.6

2001 45.3 22.8 79.5

2002 43.0 21.7 75.4

2003 41.6

2004 41.1

2005 40.5

2006 41.9

Or depicted in the graph:

 

 

Source:

1. Guttmacher Institute: U.S. Teenage Pregnancy Statistics National and State Trends and Trends by Race and Ethnicity (Table 2.1)

2. US CDC: Recent Trends in Teenage Pregnancy in the United States, 1990-2002

[Carrie12345]

I disagree with this position. Seeing something over and over again desensitizes people. As these teens see ads for contraceptives and abortion, but not abstinence they will begin to forget that abstinence is a viable and the ONLY reliable (beside sterilization) form of birth control.

 

Only you (the proverbial you) know your children and what information will be helpful to them. My mom, OTH, was WAY off. The things she told me made me MORE curious. That, coupled, with good old fashioned rebellion is why I lost my virginity in high school. I sure wish I would have waited until I was more mature and had more self respect. I would have benefited from posters telling me to wait more than where to get the b/c.

 

Also, a public health office is just that. That means that younger children will be exposed to these posters. Not every child is ready for the info portrayed in a public space. I would not want to use those public services because I didn't want my children exposed to those posters. That's why I suggested that those posters could be placed in a more appropriate place to help those that need them.

 

I can really only speak of my own experience. My son was conceived when I was 20 and unmarried.

 

Having gone through it, and having 10+ years of hindsight, I can say that the media had no influence on my choices. Neither did sex ed.

 

I was fully aware that abstinence was the only sure way to avoid pregnancy. I knew about (and 99.9% of the time used) contraceptives. I was fully informed of the potential consequences of my actions.

 

However, I was a young adult straight out of an adolescent psychology book. My brain perceived the risk to be incredibly small when doing its calculations under the influence of hormones.

 

I do consider myself lucky. My now-ex and I both worked full time, both had health insurance, and I had years of experience with children. My baby was well taken care of.

 

Had my situation been different, and had my family been even less supportive than they initially were, I may have been grateful for information on ALL potential options. I'm just happy that I didn't feel a need for any of them.

[beansprouts]

Had my situation been different, and had my family been even less supportive than they initially were, I may have been grateful for information on ALL potential options. I'm just happy that I didn't feel a need for any of them.

 

I do not believe that there is a woman alive who wants to have an abortion. But there are so many things influencing that choice. If the family were supportive, if the boyfriend would stick around, if someone only would step up and tell her that she is a smart and capable woman who can support her baby instead of a broken toy who needs to be fixed so she can play again...

 

This is where many pro-lifers have failed. They focus on saving babies while condemning their mothers, but they do not realise that the two are a complete package. We need to start by having love and compassion for both before we can save either.

[Laura K (NC)]

is understandable. Infanticide, practiced by thinking animals, is not.

[Murphy101]

I question the assumption that misinformation accounts for why teens have sex. This is not directed at anyone, but a general observation-I'm not questioning anyone's own views of their own lives. But...don't people have sex in large part because we have a powerful drive to reproduce? Isn't this drive what has kept humans alive on earth? In and of itself, sex is absolutely necessary-that's why teens throughout history have done it. It's just that in the past, teens were adults-they married, and lived as adults much earlier. Our society asks them to defer adult behaviors longer than is realistic, IMO.

 

On this I half way agree with you.

 

I agree society is trying to extend adolesence much further than is biologicly normal or even just rational.

 

Sex is a natural and normal thing. It is my belief God made it to bond a man and woman has husband and wife. It's not the act itself that is wrong, but the wrong use of the act. (outside of a marriage or abusively or otherwise contrary to God's purpose)

 

However, we aren't just wild rabbits without self control either. There's many things that are normal and natural, but we don't think are okay to do, esp. for teens. The excuse that hormones are just going to make them do it is a poor one. I think they are capable of more maturity than society gives them credit for, but because they are forced into an entitlement to extended adolesence, they act without thought to consequences.

 

What I think we all hope is that our children will make good choices, avoid hurting themselves and others, and exhibit self-control. I guess I worry when I hear people (again please don't take this personally, it's not meant that way) hoping that their teens will not have premarital sex. Believe me, I want that for my own kids, but I also recognize that humans being what they are, flawed creatures that do wrong and make mistakes, this might not happen. I hope we all can still accept and love them even if they stumble-particularly since so many of us stumbled ourselves! Present company included!

 

Most certainly! Hating the actions that brought them to where they are is NOT the same as hating the person and it shouldn't be. I'm not sure why you worry when you hear people saying they hope their teens don't have sex though? Esp as you hope the same thing?

 

I do not believe that there is a woman alive who wants to have an abortion. But there are so many things influencing that choice. If the family were supportive, if the boyfriend would stick around, if someone only would step up and tell her that she is a smart and capable woman who can support her baby instead of a broken toy who needs to be fixed so she can play again...

 

This is where many pro-lifers have failed. They focus on saving babies while condemning their mothers, but they do not realise that the two are a complete package. We need to start by having love and compassion for both before we can save either.

 

I'm not sure why you think this of prolifers? I don't know ANY prolifers who fail to understand this. Maybe the occassional nut that gets airtime on tv, but NONE in "real life". Yes, the focus is on saving a life - literally a baby's AND the mother's too. I've never met a prolifer that didn't understand that those mother's need compassion. I can disagree with abortion without thinking that every woman who gets one is pure evil. For the most part, I think they are just ignorant and or very sadly placed in life. For example Catholic Charitities offerrs a place for crisis pregnancy mothers to live, get education, and learn about ways to keep or adopt out their babies. They can stay for up to 2 years after the birth, to save money, finish school, learn how to care for the baby, and have the support of other mothers like themselves and a house mother to help out. If they choose adoption, these services are still available to them afterwards to help them.

 

However, I will say I know for a fact that some women absolutely do just want an abortion. They just don't want the trouble and inconvience a pregnancy, much less a baby, comes with. They knew exactly what was entailed in an abortion and that a fetus is a baby and they just didn't give a flip. Some went on to get sterilized because the reason they got pregnant was failed birth control. Are all women like that? I hope not, but many are.

[NicksMama-Zack's Mama Too]

There were maybe 5 girls pregnant in my high school of about 1000. I remember 4 that were obviously and openly pregnant. One girl was pregnant with her 2nd in her senior year. One other girl was trying to hide her pregnancy and was successful until she gave birth at school. Now that was shocking!

 

25 years ago there were shows like Saturday Night Live and TV channels like MTV. There were shocking shows on HBO when HBO (and cable TV) were fairly new. But the shocking stuff was shown after prime time, not before.

 

If you're referring to the 50's, then yeah, there was a stigma about teen pregnancy and babies born out of wedlock and "living in sin." Remember Grease and Stockard Channing's character (can't remember her name at the moment) when she thought she was pregnant. The thing with the stigma was that the stigma itself was a deterrent, and so it was not such a bad thing to have a stigma associated with it. Kids knew exactly what would happen if you slept around, and they knew their parents would go ballistic, their friends would go ballistic, and their lives would change if they had a baby. Girls especially had the stigma, though boys got off fairly scot-free. Now, I happen to think (and I'm in good company) that girls are the ones who naturally must say "no" and even civilize society. If there are no stigmas for a girl to sleep around and get pregnant, if she is showered with gifts and attention when it happens, she might mistakenly get the idea, as some girls do, that being pregnant and having a baby means making a new person who will love her unconditionally, no matter what. But a new baby will change her life, no matter what, and her friends and social life will undoubtedly change, her education will suffer, her chances of finding a husband will be reduced, and her dependency on social services like welfare will be greatly increased. So I'm saying that the stigma is a good and natural thing. Parental disapproval is one thing (which is often eventually overcome once the baby arrives, anyway). AIDS, venereal diseases, abortions, and the interruption (or elimination) of the opportunities of a natural childhood are much worse consequences.

 

I prefer 25 years ago. I even prefer 50 years ago. Give me Hester Prynne with her scarlet A over AIDS, abortion, and unnatural sex in-your-face-everywhere. Do students even read The Scarlet Letter any more? I did 25 years ago.

 

:iagree::iagree: