Abstinence-only sex education is characterized by “the withholding of information and is ethically flawed” (source 3). This method relies on emotional appeals, enforcing “traditional” values and norms, inflicting fear of STDs, and utilizing what the author of the article Teen Pregnancy and Parenting considers “scientifically incorrect information.” Abstinence-only sex education teaches only three main concepts: 1) waiting until marriage to partake in sexual activity as the expected standard, 2) abstinence is the only certain way to avoid unwanted pregnancy and STDs, and 3) sexual activity outside the context of a committed marriage will have harmful psychological and/or physical effects (source 3).
Though this is the predominant method used in the United States, there is still a controversy surrounding that decision. The major controversy is whether schools/programs should do everything in their power to prevent teen sexual behavior or take a different approach by recognizing that many teens in high school are sexually active and need to be prepared …show more content…
The media is most often a form of entertainment: television shows, movies, magazines, music, etc., so it therefore has the intent to entertain, not necessarily to accurately inform. The media tends to glamorize teen pregnancy, neglect to mention the use of contraceptives, ignore the realistic threat of sexually transmitted diseases, and rarely depict any negative consequences (source 1). Even the movies and television shows that acknowledge the possible negative consequences of unprotected sex somehow find a way to make light of the situation and lead to a happy ending. Rarely or even never at all does an audience see characters that end up with health-threatening STDs, are faced with the decision of whether or not to have an abortion, or lose all of their
Though this is the predominant method used in the United States, there is still a controversy surrounding that decision. The major controversy is whether schools/programs should do everything in their power to prevent teen sexual behavior or take a different approach by recognizing that many teens in high school are sexually active and need to be prepared …show more content…
The media is most often a form of entertainment: television shows, movies, magazines, music, etc., so it therefore has the intent to entertain, not necessarily to accurately inform. The media tends to glamorize teen pregnancy, neglect to mention the use of contraceptives, ignore the realistic threat of sexually transmitted diseases, and rarely depict any negative consequences (source 1). Even the movies and television shows that acknowledge the possible negative consequences of unprotected sex somehow find a way to make light of the situation and lead to a happy ending. Rarely or even never at all does an audience see characters that end up with health-threatening STDs, are faced with the decision of whether or not to have an abortion, or lose all of their