Encouraging (Not Mandating) Abstinence: Harmless or Not?

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it isnt excactly extreme precautions that are needed.

when the public mindset is such that it is perfectly acceptable to have and use a condom then generally people will,
sometimes it will slip, for some people that may even be most of the time but it doesnt automatically mean that there is a high std chance(that chance however depends on where in the world you are of course)

there is also a wide range of std's, they arent all aids and you dont hold a cold against someone, even if they got it from snogging their partner.

I think people shoud be encouraged to act, as they feel themself that it fits for them. So if you dont have interest in persons of the opposite sex and have no interest in sex, you should just accept that. And if you have interest, you also shood accept that. And whatver you feel its best for you, always use a condom.

There is no use for an adolescent lifestyle if you feel better with being absitnent, and there is no use for ans abstinent lifestyle if you feel better with being adolescent. Waht use would you have, of doing something that would make another person happy if he/she did it on her/his own, when you are the one doing it?

and all of that should be covered in proper sex ed,
i really do think that anyone that doesnt want to have sex shouldnt but there are teenagers that will and do, biologically speaking it is perfectly normal and in many ways neccesary behavior.

so abstinence should be amongst the topics discussed, also as a way of reassuring people that dont want sex that that is a perfectly acceptable solution as well.
it shouldnt be pushed aggresively nor focused on beyond reason, that wouldnt leave room for all the other and more important issues of sex, this still goes even if you choose to be abstinent since for many there will be a first time at some point.

I'd prefer a "just the facts" approach to sex ed. Something along the lines of, "If you do X, there is a Y% chance of Z happening". No encouragement or discouragement.

There's inevitably going to be a lot of drama and shaming surrounding sex at that age, and I don't think a sex ed teacher could actually affect the personal lives of their students, however well-meaning they might be. Students instinctively feel that certain domains are outside the legitimate role of a teacher.

Your right. That's a good way to put it.

Best Regards,

Jake

Responding to the original post:

It depends on why abstinence is encouraged. I don't like the idea of young people being taught that sex is wrong, sinful, etc. I think they should understand the risks and dangers though, of STDs and pregnancy. It's well-known that the most effective form of birth control is abstinence. All other forms have their failure rates.

I'm also not sure how much it will matter, if someone is taught abstinence without the prudish, repressive attitudes attached. If a young person has a strong sex drive and the opportunity, I think they're going to engage in it, if only to find out what all the fuss is about. We do make a big fuss over sex in our culture.

In the case of a young person who is shy, awkward, or uncertain, or simply not all that interested, I think they need to understand that it's fine to wait until they're in a stable relationship, or to never have sex at all if they don't want it. There shouldn't be any pressure to engage in sex by a certain age, and I think all young people should be taught to not let themselves be coerced into sex when they really don't want it - just to fit in or be accepted or feel loved.

As scared of sex as our society is, there is already a great deal of pressure on young people to have sex. The pressure seems to be greater on young men from my perspective as women seem to be encouraged to defend their honor and such, but as I have never been a young woman I don't know what it's like so there could be some major source of pressure I don't notice.

Ending the encouragement of abstinence will, in my opinion, lead to more people be coerced into sex because if the pressure is so great now, imagine what it would be like after abstinence was no longer encouraged.