Comments on: Babying Bristol http://www.judithlevine.com/2009/05/babying-bristol/ Sat, 04 Feb 2012 03:57:41 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Heather http://www.judithlevine.com/2009/05/babying-bristol/comment-page-1/#comment-27589 Heather Tue, 11 Aug 2009 20:48:14 +0000 http://judithlevine.com/?p=570#comment-27589 Way to drop the bomb in the last sentence. So, are you saying that an abortion would have made Bristol Palin an adult? Are you saying that young girls should have sex because it helps them grow up and if they get pregnant they can just have an abortion? Abortion isn't something you just randomly do, like getting a tooth pulled. It's a big decision that has repurcussions throughout a woman's life. It's a surgical procedure with all the attendant risks of any surgery. To say that teen girls should just go out and screw around willy-nilly because it helps them break away from their parents is both irresponsible and ridiculous. Sex is more than a physical act. If it wasn't, the discussions about abstinence and birth control would be reduced to nothing more than a multiple choice question. Sex is an expression of deep emotions and needs to be addressed as such. Abstinence does not hold a person back from growing up any more than deciding not to drink alcohol holds a person back from growing up. Deciding to take part in an adult activity, whether it's sex or drinking or even voting, requires an adult understanding of the consequences. Teen pregnancy, alcoholism, jail or bad government are all consequences we wish to avoid. Informed choices and good judgment allow us to make decisions that protect our lives in the present and the future. Abstinence education, teaching that sex is better left until in a committed relationship, and an understanding of what a committed relationship means, can lead to kids growing up as healthy, responsible adults who look forward to marriage, a healthy sex life and parenthood within a stable home. An attitude of "an abortion will take care of it" can lead to kids who think little of their own value and the value of their bodies, who engage in risky behaviors that lead to teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, who think that it's okay to take big risks because there are easy solutions out there. As we're finding out more and more every day, there are few easy solutions out there. The housing crisis and the current economic situation are examples of easy solutions that went awry. Kids growing up without fathers are another example. Obviously, the idea that birth control or abortion are easy fixes to the risks of sexual activity hasn't worked. Perhaps it's time to take another look at abstinence education. Give our kids the opportunity to take control of and responsiblity for their sexual activity. Make it okay to say, "No thanks, I'm waiting." Make it socially acceptable to be a virgin in college. Make it a badge of honor again to only have sex with the person you'll only have sex with for the rest of your life. Way to drop the bomb in the last sentence. So, are you saying that an abortion would have made Bristol Palin an adult? Are you saying that young girls should have sex because it helps them grow up and if they get pregnant they can just have an abortion?

Abortion isn’t something you just randomly do, like getting a tooth pulled. It’s a big decision that has repurcussions throughout a woman’s life. It’s a surgical procedure with all the attendant risks of any surgery. To say that teen girls should just go out and screw around willy-nilly because it helps them break away from their parents is both irresponsible and ridiculous.

Sex is more than a physical act. If it wasn’t, the discussions about abstinence and birth control would be reduced to nothing more than a multiple choice question. Sex is an expression of deep emotions and needs to be addressed as such.

Abstinence does not hold a person back from growing up any more than deciding not to drink alcohol holds a person back from growing up. Deciding to take part in an adult activity, whether it’s sex or drinking or even voting, requires an adult understanding of the consequences. Teen pregnancy, alcoholism, jail or bad government are all consequences we wish to avoid. Informed choices and good judgment allow us to make decisions that protect our lives in the present and the future.

Abstinence education, teaching that sex is better left until in a committed relationship, and an understanding of what a committed relationship means, can lead to kids growing up as healthy, responsible adults who look forward to marriage, a healthy sex life and parenthood within a stable home.

An attitude of “an abortion will take care of it” can lead to kids who think little of their own value and the value of their bodies, who engage in risky behaviors that lead to teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, who think that it’s okay to take big risks because there are easy solutions out there.

As we’re finding out more and more every day, there are few easy solutions out there. The housing crisis and the current economic situation are examples of easy solutions that went awry. Kids growing up without fathers are another example.

Obviously, the idea that birth control or abortion are easy fixes to the risks of sexual activity hasn’t worked. Perhaps it’s time to take another look at abstinence education. Give our kids the opportunity to take control of and responsiblity for their sexual activity. Make it okay to say, “No thanks, I’m waiting.” Make it socially acceptable to be a virgin in college. Make it a badge of honor again to only have sex with the person you’ll only have sex with for the rest of your life.

]]> By: Zac in Davis http://www.judithlevine.com/2009/05/babying-bristol/comment-page-1/#comment-26854 Zac in Davis Sun, 28 Jun 2009 06:18:09 +0000 http://judithlevine.com/?p=570#comment-26854 Judith, this makes me think about how different cultures have different attitudes about letting female children "leave the nest". An Arab friend of mine, for example, who is a lesbian, is not expected to support herself or move out of her parents' home until she is married. She does live outside her parents' home - at her partner's house. Because she is not married (not literally, and not in her parents' eyes, either), they continue to directly financially support her. It's interesting to think about individuality and personal autonomy in this context, and then go and read your (more recent?) article about aging and health-care, which seems to be leaning in the opposite direction, somewhat. That's totally cool, of course - these are very different issues, but it's fascinating to see the patchwork of attitudes about individuality in general that we can hold, depending on the specific issue at hand. Judith, this makes me think about how different cultures have different attitudes about letting female children “leave the nest”.
An Arab friend of mine, for example, who is a lesbian, is not expected to support herself or move out of her parents’ home until she is married. She does live outside her parents’ home – at her partner’s house. Because she is not married (not literally, and not in her parents’ eyes, either), they continue to directly financially support her.
It’s interesting to think about individuality and personal autonomy in this context, and then go and read your (more recent?) article about aging and health-care, which seems to be leaning in the opposite direction, somewhat. That’s totally cool, of course – these are very different issues, but it’s fascinating to see the patchwork of attitudes about individuality in general that we can hold, depending on the specific issue at hand.

]]> By: Judith http://www.judithlevine.com/2009/05/babying-bristol/comment-page-1/#comment-26830 Judith Tue, 23 Jun 2009 11:13:47 +0000 http://judithlevine.com/?p=570#comment-26830 Yes, she could have done it early on. She knew she was pregnant; it was the public that didn't know. My point is, abortion is a solution for any woman who gets pregnant and does not want to have a baby. Yes, she could have done it early on. She knew she was pregnant; it was the public that didn’t know. My point is, abortion is a solution for any woman who gets pregnant and does not want to have a baby.

]]> By: Abortion http://www.judithlevine.com/2009/05/babying-bristol/comment-page-1/#comment-26829 Abortion Tue, 23 Jun 2009 03:39:54 +0000 http://judithlevine.com/?p=570#comment-26829 It was too late for her to have an abortion. Abortion that late is not legal in most states. She could have done it early on. It was too late for her to have an abortion. Abortion that late is not legal in most states. She could have done it early on.

]]> By: marie lapre grabon http://www.judithlevine.com/2009/05/babying-bristol/comment-page-1/#comment-26718 marie lapre grabon Thu, 28 May 2009 14:14:12 +0000 http://judithlevine.com/?p=570#comment-26718 Thanks! Well put...and written. Thanks! Well put…and written.

]]>