Abstinence is not the only option!

Being raised in a religious household, sexual education was never a topic of discussion at the dinner table. Turning to my teachers to inform me proved to be just as pointless. My public school decided that it would be a good idea to have a program called "Teen Talk." A supposed comprehensive sexual education program for girls only. The underlying implication was that young boys do not need to be concerned about these issues. Teen Talk turned out to be a smear campaign towards sex and definitely instilled fear into all girls involved. While we certainly learned about STIs and pregnancy, we did not learn how to prevent it.. should we decide that abstinence is not for us.

Abstinence is definitely a choice, but it is not the only choice. Kids and teens enrolled in school have the right to know all of their options when it comes to sex and reproductive health.

The supporters of abstinence argue that it is the best way to prevent young people from contracting a sexually transmitted infection or falling pregnant. However, statistics show that this is absolutely not the case. It is reported by the Guttmacher institute that over half of 17 year olds are sexually active in some form. In addition to this, a sexual active teenage girl having sex without contraception has a 90% chance of getting pregnant within the year. So, even if you want your daughter to abstain, statistics show she probably won't.. and if she is not informed about her choice than chances are good she will either fall pregant or contract an STI.

Parents.. your child's abstinence is not your choice!

Kids.. if you're not being informed about sexual health, inform yourself!

You can start by getting our brand new zine! The first issue is on birth control options. Available for reading at the zine library at Brunswick and Bloor (Toronto.) As well as Heartbeat 960 (960 Queen Street West)

Until our international "Give-A-Kid-A-Condom Day!" becomes a reality.. keep reading here! Yaaaay!

-Stef