Knowledge is power

I still plan on putting up some pictures and videos of the Devo show, but yeah...just haven't gotten around to editing all of that yet! I'm hoping that the videos turned out okay. I got "Smart Patrol/Mr. DNA" for Darren, "Girl U Want" for Deb, and "Uncontrollable Urge" for me, me, ME! It was a fantastic show, and I was so happy to see a band that I've loved for decades (literally). More soon, I promise.

So instead of this entry being about Devo, you'll have to settle for sex. Oh, stop your bellyaching. It'll be fun!

I was quite amazed today to see a post on a forum from a young man who was a little concerned about some things that he and his girlfriend had done. This young man, whose parents have been taking him to church for many years, had engaged in some "rubbing" (I guess that would be what we used to call "dry humping" back in the day) with his girlfriend, and although he pulled away and didn't ejaculate on her, they were both freaking out and worried that she could somehow get pregnant from this.

Oh, and she is on the Pill.

Oh, and this wasn't a sixth-grader or anything like that. This was an 18-year-old. Someone who is allowed to vote. Someone who can join the military and go abroad and shoot people.

Are you freaking kidding me?!

This is pathetic. I don't know the kid's educational background, but if his school wasn't teaching him more than that, that is one stupid school. And if his parents were trying to keep some of these things from him, whether from their religious beliefs or otherwise, those are some stupid parents. Furthermore, if the kid is lame enough that he couldn't do a little research on his own and had to ask such a stupid question on a public forum, then the kid is pretty damn stupid, too. (This wasn't a bogus question, either. You could tell that it was legitimate.)

Okay, people. Let's talk about sex, baby. When it comes to sex, ignorance is not bliss. Ignorance leads to STIs and unwanted pregnancies. Ignorance can lead to infertility from STIs and the infection of numerous others. Ignorance leads to unexpected babies and children starting families before they are even out of high school. There is no excuse for ignorance. If the school isn't teaching kids about the reality of such matters, why aren't the parents? Is it because of their religious convictions? Yeah, that whole religious guilt trip really works. Is it because they think that if they don't give their kid information, the dalliances aren't going to happen? Do any of these people remember how they felt when they were 18? Good grief, it's possibly the horniest time of all.

When I was 18, I was snow white, although like Mae West said, I drifted. I was not doing research in the field, so to speak, but as a curious teenager and a reader, I can assure you that I did plenty of reading on the matter. I somehow knew, even at that tender age, that the more knowledgeable I was about such things, the better off I would be. The healthier I would be, and I would stand a better chance of finishing my college career instead of cutting it short to have an unplanned child.

I was appalled on three levels to read such a thing from that kid. In 2010, there are actually kids wondering if they can get their girlfriend pregnant because they came in her vicinity, even though she was on the Pill? Really? I blame many factors here, including any religion that teaches that sex is a bad and shameful thing; the parents that apparently are so uncomfortable with talking to their kid that they can't give them basic fucking information (pun intended); and I also blame the kid for not being smart enough to do his own research and find things out for himself. I had to work a little harder when I was in high school, because there was no Internet way back then, but I still managed to find information. There is no excuse for anyone today not being better informed about such matters. This is not a trivial matter; this is a matter of public health and a matter of kids being able to be themselves without the worry of a pregnancy or the worry that they are condemned to hell for the natural urges that they have.

I have no problem with anyone—parents, teachers, clergy, friends, what have you—telling a kid that it is okay to wait for a while before they have sex. But please be realistic. Abstinence-only sex education is ludicrous. Hormones run rampant, and things are going to happen. Education is key, and will always help anyone, young or old, make better choices, and possibly keep them from making some bad ones. It might even save their lives. Shame on everyone who dropped the ball for this kid, or any other kid who is so ill-informed.

In the spirit of things, enjoy this video. it's one of my favorite songs from the '80s!