Sunday, July 25, 2010

Devil's Advocate #1


I have decided to attempt intelligent discussion; occasioning the trivial and absurd. I call this attempt the Devil's Advocate series!

This is where I play devil's advocate and take points of view and challenge them.

I hope it won't be a one way thing. Just comment and we can continue the discussion!

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If you've been watching Astro, you would have come across a lame attempt at a PSA regarding the abandonment of babies, or the throwing away of infants to be more blunt.

The attempt is one of a karoke style, let's get all the celebs we can find and have them sing this emo-ish it's going to crescendo at the end with a strong solo by a woman in the middle type tune.

Now, I am against the throwing away of babies. Hell yes. I think people who do this are murderers and should be locked up (or if they are suffering from post natal depression, a shorter sentence with psychological help).

That aside, just days after I watched the PSA for the n-th time, I heard on the radio that a local government does not agree that sex education shou
ld be taught in schools. Their reasoning behind this: It may encourage underage, pre-marital sex which may lead to a proliferation of infanticide. (not ad verbatim)

So!

Devil's Advocate #1: Sex education in schools

It must be taught! It's illogical to say that by NOT telling teenagers about the effectiveness of contraceptives and propagate the notion of "abstinence is the ONLY way" - that the number of teen pregnancies will drop. There is actually research that proves the contrary:

"Experts from the American Public Health Associatio
n and U.S. Institute of Medicine testified that scientific studies have not found that abstinence-only teaching works to cut pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases or the age when sexual activity begins." (Reuters)

However, there IS research that shows CONDOMS FUCKING WORK.

We're not really taught sex education here, and that whole chart on contraceptives in the bio text books is hardly counted as sex education.

Funnily enough, contraception is taught in NS. When I went, they showed us how to put on a condom on a banana, or a cucumber, I forget.

I say teach both. Contraception AND abstinence. Show us research, give us proof. Then let US decide. Stop shoving dogma down students' throats (haha double entendre).

People are going to have sex. And when they do, equipped with the knowledge that contraceptives can prevent pregnancies and STDs, maybe THEN, infanticide rates will fall.

Don't just sing it with "peshen" and think you're going to enlighten hormone pumped sexual beings.

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I welcome feedback for further discussion!

Short ones, long ones (haha double entendre. again!), feedback of any kind is appreciated.

2 comments:

arobotnamedlisa said...

hell yeah sex ed should be taught in school. i mean, if kids are gonna go around doing it, they might as well know what they're doing and do it safely. because kids are doing it anyway, sex ed or none.

as a matter of fact, teaching sex ed should be extended beyond a school-age audience. adults everywhere are practicing unsafe sex.

but you can't blame the people who think sex ed shouldn't be taught. because they realise how sensitive and er easily influenced some malaysians can be (why else would they keep censoring words like beer and drugs in songs)? which is underestimating the mindset of malaysians, really.

but then you know us kids. you tell us not to do something, we get curious as to why it shouldn't be done in the first place, and go do it to find out for ourselves.

and anyway, it's as much the parents job to educate the kids as it is the government's. because, hello, if you can't talk to your own kids about sex, how on earth do you expect other people to do it and make it stick? so maybe they should be giving the sex ed pamphlets to the parents and ask them to talk to their kids. at least then the kids will be able to explore the topic more freely with the proper understanding and principles given by their parents.

or something. humm. such a touchy topic, this is. i'm sorry i don't have a fantastico conclusion. HAHA. oh wells. don't let this thing drive you round the bend, jits. :) although, thanks for giving us something to get our minds cranking (mine's getting rusty from all the unproductive things i've been doing during my holiday). :O

Jal said...

YAY! A reply!

Agreed. I learnt about sex from my parents. Rather awkwardly I have to admit.

But funnily I don't recall any discussion regarding contraceptives.

I just found it rather hypocritical in trying to espouse DONT THROW AWAY BABIES when the lesson of HOW TO NOT GET PREGNANT is not taught.

Thanks for replying!