There’s an amazing article today in the American-Statesman today about how Texas is now leading the country in abstinence-only spending. Apparently, the move to teaching abstinence-only in high schools, and thereby leaving out things like contraceptives and healthy relationships, is a step backwards from the past:

Twenty years ago, Texas teachers had more freedom to talk about condoms and birth control methods as part of health courses that covered a broad range of sexual, reproductive and family issues. That is now considered “comprehensive” sex education. With few exceptions, it is a thing of the past in Texas public schools.

And this is happening even despite the fact that parents overwhelmingly support comprehensive sex ed:

A 2006 national survey reported that 82 percent of parents want sex education that teaches students about not only abstinence but other methods of preventing sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy, such as condoms and birth control methods.

The thing that continues to be so sad to me about these programs - aside from the obvious fact that they completely disregard science and research - is the amount of shame that they wind up teaching young people to feel about sex. And, of course, young women bear the brunt of it. Sexuality is normal, it’s natural, and around puberty, it’s kind of all you can think about.

It’s a shame that people are still being taught at such a young age that their sexuality is wrong, instead of learning how to approach it in a healthy, responsible way.