Contemporary Sexuality - October 2008 - (Page 8) Quick Hits: Sex in the News Bristol Palin’s pregancy prompts ab-only discussion “The message that every family should take from Bristol Palin’s pregnancy is: It can happen here.” — Ruth Marcus The pregnancy of Bristol Palin, 17-year-old daughter of Sarah Palin, Republican vice presidential candidate, ignited a series of stories on abstinence-only sex education. In the days after the story emerged during the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn., Google News found 542 articles on the topic, including these excerpts: • USA Today editorial: “In an ideal world, abstinence education and purity balls would be sufficient. In the real world, the one of raging hormones and a highly sexualized pop culture, they dissuade woefully few teens.” • Ruth Marcus, Washington Post: “Talking about abstinence turns out to be easier than abstaining. More than 60 percent of high school seniors report having had sex at least once. The message that every family should take from Bristol Palin’s pregnancy is: It can happen here.” • Ronnie Polanecky, Philadelphia Daily News: “My thoughts, today, are for all those girls who aren’t as blessed [with Bristol Palin’s supportive family] — the ones learning, in sex-ed class, that abstinence is the only way to deal with their exploding sexuality.” • Charles Blow of the New York Times created a graphic that compared teen birthrates, abortions and sexual intercourse worldwide. (www.nytimes.com/2008/09/06/opinion/06blow. html) In November 2007, a journalist asked Sen. John McCain, Republican presidential candidate, whether he supports federal funding for abstinence-only sex education. His response: “Ahhh, I think I support the president’s policy.” The Associated Press reports that McCain voted against sexuality education bills in 2005 and 2006 that would have included discussions about condoms. (Associated Press, USA Today, Washington Post, Philadelphia Daily News, New York Times and Google News, Sept. 2–6) The Houston Chronicle reports that Texas high school students are more sexually active than their peers in other states (52.9 percent to 47.8 percent) and are less likely to use condoms (according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). Texas spends more money on abstinence-only programs — $17 million — than any other state. Meanwhile, in Indiana, comprehensive sexuality education advocates are attempting to end that state’s reliance on $2 million in federal abstinence-only aid. Planned Parenthood of Indiana and the American Academy of Pediatrics are among the groups that have joined Get Real Indiana, a coalition of organizations opposed to abstinence-only education. Despite the trend toward opting out of federal funding for abstinence-only sexuality education, Pennsylvania has chosen to begin accepting the money again. For the past five years, the state had refused the “just say no” funds. Gov. Ed Rendell, a Democrat, reversed course in August. (Philadelphia Inquirer, Aug. 29, Houston Chronicle, July 14, The Journal Gazette in Fort Wayne, Ind., July 31 and San Francisco Chronicle, June 25) Sildenafil may improve sexual function in depressed women Women with sexual disorders caused by the use of antidepressants experienced a reduction in adverse sexual effects with use of sildenafil, commonly known as the erectile dysfunction medication Viagra, according to a study in the July 23 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). Treatment-related sexual disorders are a frequent adverse effect occurring with medication use and is a major influence for early discontinuation of antidepressant treatment. Sexual disorders, such as orgasm delay, low libido or lack of arousal lubcrication, are recognized as being associated with selective and nonselective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SRI) antidepressants, which are the most frequently prescribed medications for outpatients age 18 to 65 years and represent 90 percent of the 180 million antidepressant prescriptions filled in the United States, according to background information in the article. “Antidepressant treatment-associated sexual [disorders are] estimated to occur in 30 percent to 70 percent of men and women treated for major depression with first- or second-generation www.aasect.org | October 2008 Vol. 42, No. 10 And then there were fewer than 30… As the new federal fiscal year begins this month, fewer than 30 states are slated to receive abstinence-only sexuality education funds. Iowa and Arizona are the latest states to reject the money. Texas and Indiana are among the states still teaching abstinence-only to teenagers attending public schools. 8 Contemporary Sexuality http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/06/opinion/06blow.html http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/06/opinion/06blow.html http://www.aasect.org
Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Contemporary Sexuality - October 2008 Contemporary Sexuality - October 2008 Contents President's Column Member Profile Quick Hits: Sex in the News News of Members Contemporary Sexuality - October 2008 Contemporary Sexuality - October 2008 - Contents (Page 1) Contemporary Sexuality - October 2008 - Contents (Page 2) Contemporary Sexuality - October 2008 - President's Column (Page 3) Contemporary Sexuality - October 2008 - President's Column (Page 4) Contemporary Sexuality - October 2008 - President's Column (Page 5) Contemporary Sexuality - October 2008 - Member Profile (Page 6) Contemporary Sexuality - October 2008 - Member Profile (Page 7) Contemporary Sexuality - October 2008 - Quick Hits: Sex in the News (Page 8) Contemporary Sexuality - October 2008 - Quick Hits: Sex in the News (Page 9) Contemporary Sexuality - October 2008 - News of Members (Page 10) Contemporary Sexuality - October 2008 - News of Members (Page 11) Contemporary Sexuality - October 2008 - News of Members (Page 12)
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