Summer Intern Series: Sex & Politics in the Capital City

By Brooke

This summer, Advocates for Youth, the Center for Health and Gender Equity, Choice USA and the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the US (SIECUS), along with partner organizations are holding a series of lunchtime talks for DC-area interns working for organizations with similar goals.

The first in this series of lunches was called, “Reproductive Justice 101 & Effective Reproductive Justice Activism on Campus” and NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia interns Marissa and I were on the scene to find out more.

Representatives from Choice USA led the first segment, in which we discussed the fundamental importance of the term “reproductive justice.” Reproductive justice is more than just the right to choose, it is having the ability to choose without economic, social, racial, or geographic “oppressions.” It also encompasses the universal right of access to accurate and comprehensive sex education.

Next, representatives from The Feminist Majority Foundation gave us some tips on how to further causes related to reproductive justice on campuses. They showed us how a small group can eventually create a larger movement with the right type of strategy. Grassroots activism gives supporters the opportunity to feel a part of the movement and eventually spark change in their communities. At the grassroots level, it’s best to sponsor campus-wide events that could attract people who would not normally come to one of your meetings. This can be done by focusing on a current policy issue or inviting a well-known speaker to lead a discussion on your topic.

NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia Foundation has been active on campuses throughout Virginia, raising awareness about the shaming and harassment of crisis pregnancy centers. Our Support Without Shame campaign has been to University of Mary Washington, James Madison University, University of Virginia and Virginia Tech. If you want to help support reproductive justice on your campus, we are looking for leaders in your school community. Please contact Joey for more information on applying.

And if you’re in the Richmond area, be sure to RSVP for our screening of “12^th  & Delaware” this Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. on the VCU campus.

What Are We Learning in Sex Ed? Part 5, Part 6 and the Finale

This past Sunday concluded our week-long Tumblr series sharing sex ed stories from around the U.S. Be sure to check out Part 5, Part 6 and the finale to get a taste of what is happening in sex ed classrooms across the country.

What Are We Learning in Sex Ed? Part 4

What time is it? It’s time for Part 4 of our week-long Tumblr series sharing sex ed stories from around the U.S. Be sure to check it out and submit your own story.

And check back with us later today to hear about last night’s Choice Legislative Debriefing.

NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia Statement on Governor McDonnell Rejecting Funding for Comprehensive Sex Ed Programs



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                September 1, 2010

GOVERNOR MCDONNELL PLACES IDEOLOGY ABOVE TEEN HEALTH

NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia issued the following statement in response to Gov. Bob McDonnell’s decision to reject federal funding for comprehensive sex education programs and instead apply for abstinence-only funding.

“It is disappointing that Governor McDonnell has put political ideology before our teens’ health,” said Tarina Keene, executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia. “It is perplexing that the governor chooses to show his disregard for the health of Virginia teens on the same day we learn about a survey of Roanoke parents showing solid support for teaching comprehensive sex education in schools. It is unconscionable that, at a time when rates of teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections are on the rise the governor chooses to favor programs that do not work. The governor’s opposition to teaching teens about abstinence and contraception defies common sense that creates a lose-lose situation. The state loses money and young people lose out on learning ways to stay safe and healthy.”

Background Information: Support for comprehensive sex education programs

A survey of parents in Roanoke city shows that 80% believe comprehensive sex education should be taught to students. http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/258761

Former Virginia Governor Tim Kaine rejected abstinence-only funding on the basis that such programs were not successful. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/20/AR2007112001794.html

A report for Representative Henry A. Waxman shows that abstinence-only curricula are fraught with medically inaccurate and misleading information about contraception and sexually transmitted infections. http://www.csulb.edu/~nmatza/powerpoint/HSc411BAssign/Course%20Docs/Abstinence%20Only/abstin.only.wax2007.pdf

After years of Bush administration support for abstinence-only programs, teen pregnancy rates are on the rise. http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1487&Itemid=177#ref

Governor McDonnell Chooses Ideology Over Teen Health

Yesterday, we let you know that Governor Bob McDonnell had the chance to accept federal funding for comprehensive sex education through the Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP). As we mentioned, the Obama Administration offered the funding for this program for states with no state match (meaning states would not have to put up their own money for the program). Additionally, accepting this funding would not prevent the state from also accepting Title V abstinence-only-until-marriage curricula funding (programs that do require that the state match funding). McDonnell could have applied for both.

So did he opt for commonsense programs that would protect the health of Virginia’s youth and save the Commonwealth money? Nope.

Did he at least compromise and apply for abstinence-only-until-marriage funding and the no-cost funding for proven effective comprehensive sex education funding? Not even close.

McDonnell, in his quest to uphold his and Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli’s medieval views on reproductive health, decided to forego the federal grant for the PREP curriculum in favor of ab-only funding that the state of Virginia will have to match. Worth pointing out is the fact that Virginia’s previous governor declined “abstinence-only” funds in the past because the programs were such a failure. McDonnell chooses to let ideology trump teen health.

He announces his decision on the same day that the Roanoke Times reports that parents in Roanoke city support school-based comprehensive sex education programs! If our governor is not even listening to his constituents, to whom is he listening?

We have to put ideology behind us and focus on promoting age-appropriate comprehensive medically accurate sex education for our youth. After years of Bush-administration deference to abstinence-only-until-marriage programs teen birth rates are again on the rise, which has serious consequences, including the fact that teen mothers are more likely to drop out of high school than teens who delay childbearing. We should not continue funneling money into these ineffective programs.

Time and again, studies show that abstinence-only curricula are fraught with misinformation, including inaccuracies about condoms and stereotypes of girls as gatekeepers and boys as aggressors. Additionally, these programs fail to have any appreciable effect whatsoever on knowledge or behavior.

We are highly disappointed that Governor McDonnell has chosen to put the welfare of our youth in jeopardy just so he can adhere to an ideology espoused by like-minded anti-choice Virginia elected officials like out-of-touch Attorney General Cuccinelli.

Yours in choice!

The Huffington Post writes about McDonnell’s folly.

Also, be sure to check out NARAL Pro-Choice America’s Blog For Choice post on McDonnell and his Minnesota counterpart rejecting common sense.

[Thanks to our intern Kripa for her work on this post.]

Governor McDonnell Has The Chance to Protect The Health of Virginia’s Youth

It’s hardly news that abstinence-only sex education doesn’t work. Many states, including Virginia, have recognized the failures of abstinence-only education, and in 2009, chose not to apply for Title V abstinence-only funding. Now Virginia faces a choice: Governor McDonnell can apply for Title V funding, for new funding for comprehensive sex ed or for both.

The funding for comprehensive sex education comes in the form of $55 million a year, for five years, through the Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP). The Obama administration has made this funding available for states to implement sex ed programs that have been proven effective. And unlike funding for abstinence-only, PREP does not require matching funds that come from the state. All Governor McDonnell has to do is request it.

What difference could comprehensive sex ed make for Virginia’s youth? A significant one. In Virginia, 60,000 unintended pregnancies occur every year, 13,000 teen pregnancies occur every year, and in 2008, 43,000 Virginians reported having gonorrhea, Chlamydia, or syphilis. Approximately one in four sexually active teens contracts an STD, and half of all new HIV infections are estimated to occur in people under age 25. Comprehensive sex ed can combat these trends. Studies have shown that medically accurate, age-appropriate comprehensive sex ed successfully delays first intercourse, reduces the frequency of sex, and reduces the number of sexual partners, all of which may reduce the risk of unintended pregnancy or STIs.

Abstinence-only-until-marriage education, on the other hand, does not effectively decrease sexual activity and may even put teens at higher risk of unintended pregnancy and STIs. This increased risk is due to misinformation (or lack of information) about contraception, combined with the unrealistic representation of abstinence as the only possibility for teens to protect themselves. Denying teens information that can protect their health is a dangerous move.

Requesting funding for the PREP program is a logical move, supported by evidence. It costs the commonwealth of Virginia nothing, unlike the matching funds required for abstinence-only-until marriage programs, and can help reverse the disturbing trends observed among Virginia’s teens.

Today is the deadline for Governor McDonnell to request these funds. Let’s be sure to email him and ask that he support education that works for Virginia’s youth!

Yours in choice!

For more reading, our good friends at Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia have a letter to the editor in the Richmond Times-Dispatch outlining the benefits of PREP funding.

Additionally, WTVR in Richmond covered the story.

[Thanks to our intern Julia for her work on this post.]