Amplify Issues - Sexually Transmitted Diseases

The role of men in preventing HPV related cervical cancer!

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 18:07:00 -0500

(Photo Credit http://www.gardasil.com/hpv)

This blog was originally posted on CHATpdx.org as a program of CHATpdx For more information check out: www.facebook.com/chatpdx

In the US, it’s estimated that a majority (75%-80%) of men and women will be infected with the Human Papillomavirus (HPV). With about 6 million new cases of genital HPV every year (there are over 30 genital HPV types) and a majority of these (about 74%) of them occurring in 15-24 year olds, the need for effective prevention programs directed to youth is crucial. The new HPV vaccines protect against the two types of HPV that cause a majority of cervical cancer and genital warts cases. These vaccines, however, are only effective if they are taken BEFORE someone is infected with HPV. HPV often has no signs or symptoms and partners engaging in sex (or any other kind of genital contact) may be transmitting HPV without even knowing they have it. Recently the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommended HPV vaccination for girls 11-26 and have stated that Gardasil can also be given to boys ages 9-26. In women HPV can cause serious health problems including genital warts, cervical cancer, vaginal cancer and vulvar cancer. These cancers can cause death or infertility in women. Men on the other hand usually only develop genital warts. While this is a small percentage of men that could develop HPV-related cancer of the anus or penis, it is much less common.

Subsequently, I believe that men have a pretty important role to play in the prevention of HPV. Likelihood of developing cervical cancer is greatly reduced if the vaccine is used. Unfortunately, it is too common for women (particularly women of color) to have barriers to screening services or accessing this vaccine because of the stigma around accessing sexual health services. This reality makes it even more important for men to seek the vaccine and to encourage the women in their lives (particularly the ones they are having sex with) to also receive the vaccine. I have encouraged many of the women in my life to get the vaccine whether or not they have been sexually active or think they are at risk. Men have the same responsibility to help prevent HPV even if they do not suffer the same consequences as women. As allies, men can play an important role in helping to reduce HPV transmission. It’s time that men stand in solidarity with our friends, sisters and mothers by encouraging them to seek pap smears as part of a well-women’s annual checkup as well as the HPV vaccine.

(Photo Credit http://www.gardasil.com/hpv)

Speaking of mothers, my own mama had such a hard time talking about her own health growing up. I remember her waiting for us to leave for school before she would call our neighbor to talk about a yeast infection she once had. This kind of taboo, to not even want to say the word “Vagina” like it was some sort of dirty word only reinforced my ideas as a kid that we weren’t supposed to talk about our bits and pieces. I was lucky to even get a pack of condoms on my nightstand when she thought I was having sex with a note that said “no seas guey” (don’t be dumb). Growing up in an undocumented Latino family we never dreamed of going to the hospital unless our arm had actually fallen off, yet alone to receive preventative care. Our fear of getting deported was much worse than the fear of cervical cancer. Growing up I’ve had to learn to talk about sex and sexual health in a way that resonates with my mother and with my siblings. At times it can be hard, but for the women in my family, I knew it would be the only way I could convince them to talk to a doctor and get the care they needed. They may roll their eyes or not want to talk about it, but I care about the health of the vaginas in my family, just like all men should care about the vaginas in theirs.

What do you see as the role of men and boys? How can you advocate for the health of women in your life?

-Ernesto
edominguez@cascadeaids.org

Oral Sex and Oral Cancer: Whats the Link?

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 15:01:00 -0500

Many people believe that the leading cause of oral cancer is tobacco use. Although this may have been true thirty years ago, it’s not the case today. Now, 64% of oropharynx cancers in the United States are caused by human papilloma virus (HPV), a sexually transmitted infection that can be spread during the act of oral sex. Isn’t HPV what causes genital warts and cervical cancer? Yes, but that’s not all! Many people don’t know, but there are over 100 strains of HPV, all of which affect the body in different ways. Of particular concern is HPV16 which has been shown to cause more than half of all oral cancer cases in America.

According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, approximately 37,000 people are diagnosed each year with oral cancer in the United States. Of these people, 25 percent will die because of the disease. However, of all diagnosed cases, 57 percent of oral cancer patients will be alive five years later. The reason for so many deaths is not because it is so virulent but because it is not detected. In America, approximately 100 people will be diagnosed with oral cancer every day, and one person will die every hour. What may be even more shocking is that there has been a 225 percent increase in oral cancer cases in the United States between 1974 and 2007. Quite often, dentists are among the first to notice the signs and symptoms of oral cancer. The symptoms can be visually observed by a 3 to 5 minute visual and tactile exam.

The risk for oral cancer increases with the number of different oral sex partners that a person has, this is due to the fact that it increases the chance that one of their partners is a carrier HPV. If people are looking for ways to protect themselves a few things that they can do is, 1) see a dentist regularly and ask for the BrushTest by your dentist which checks for abnormal cells, 2) discontinue the use of alcohol and tobacco, and 3) always use a condom or dental dam when performing oral sex. Scientists have shown that it is probable that the vaccines Gardasil and Cervarix, used for protection against genital HPV, may be useful in the protection of oral cancer.

Sources:
http://oralcancerfoundation.org/
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/OnCall/story?id=6034244&page=1
http://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/cancer/articles/2008/02/05/oral-sex-a-factor-in-oral-cancer-increase

Lone Star Update: Sex Ed in Texas

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 11:44:00 -0500

Garrett Mize is the Youth Advocacy Coordinator at the Texas Freedom Network and heads up the Texas Student Leadership Council, a part of Advocates for Youth's Cultural Advocacy and Mobilization Initiative.

In just the past few months, comprehensive sex ed has made huge strides in Texas. With the announcement of Texas Freedom Network’s latest report, our Houston Leadership Development Institute and World AIDS Day there is plenty of good news to go around.

Texas Freedom Network Education Fund Report

TFNEF’s latest report on sex ed in Texas is much different than our original 2009 report Just Say Don’t Know. In the first report, we asked each public school district in Texas to tell us what type of sex ed they taught. Of the 1,031 independent school districts in Texas, 990 responded. We found that 94 percent of school districts taught abstinence-only, 3.6 percent taught abstinence-plus and 2.3 percent taught nothing at all. The numbers were startling to say the least.

Our newest report, Sex Education in Texas Public Schools: Progress in the Lone Star State, found that abstinence-only is now taught in 74.6 percent of school districts, and abstinence-plus is taught in 25.4 percent of school districts. This major improvement in the quality of sex ed taught in Texas is thanks in large part to grassroots activists who have served on a local School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) and to organizations like the Texas Freedom Network and Advocates for Youth. While abstinence-only remains the clear majority, it is losing its grip in Texas. The latest report’s findings were featured in The Dallas Morning News.

University of Houston Leadership Development Institute

Recently, the Texas Freedom Network Student Chapter at UH hosted its first-ever Leadership Development Institute. This grassroots training focused on civic engagement and skills to organize students on campus to support comprehensive sex ed in a non-partisan manner during the election cycle. With 50 people in attendance, this training was a popular Saturday event.

James Lee, president of the TFN student chapter at UH, organized the event and introduced the presenters, which included Dr. Susan Tortolero, director of the Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research at the University of Texas Health Science Center; Meryl Cohen, vice president of Education at Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast; Resha Thomas, campaign coordinator for the Texas Organizing Project; and Kathy Miller, president of the Texas Freedom Network.

I’m expecting a lot of great work to come out of this student chapter next semester!

World AIDS Day 2011

Despite the fact that it was finals week, our youth activists managed to put on great events to highlight World AIDS Day on their campuses. In particular, Mackenzie Massey, president of the TFN student chapter at UT, organized the entire World AIDS Day fair at her school. She created a coalition of 13 student organizations, led by the TFN student chapter, to put on this day of action. The coalition had free HIV testing, a T-shirt awareness campaign with 250 t-shirts, an expert discussion panel, a student organization tabling fair, a banner signing campaign and a petition signing effort to support comprehensive sex ed in Texas. Mackenzie worked closely with Ana Laura Rivera, another fantastic Advocates for Youth activist, to put this event on.

Their efforts were featured in numerous media outlets, including Spanish-language Univision, The Daily Texan, Austin NPR affiliate KUT 90.5 FM and other student news sources. Other youth activists also took action by tabling on their campuses to mark World AIDS Day, including Spencer Allers at UT San Antonio and April Flores at UT Brownsville.

There has been a lot of progress in Texas this past semester, but we still have a lot of work to do. We have much to look forward to in 2012!

BCSSH Sex Files #16: The Busy Woman's Guide to Health Care Reform

Sun, 04 Dec 2011 22:44:00 -0500

Boston College Students for Sexual Health is an unofficial student organization that was formed in response to the lack of sexual health education and resources at Boston College. Among other activities, we blog regularly on Her Campus BC in an effort to reach out to the student body and promote thinking about sex-related issues. This particular entry provides a brief overview of the Affordable Care Act, addresses possible changes to the act, and applies these situations to the average woman, specifically at Boston College. Please note that this blog entry was originally posted on Her Campus BC.

Free birth control coverage? Not so fast...

Regardless of your political interest or stance, it’s becoming increasingly hard to ignore the splash caused by the Affordable Care Act passed by Congress this past March. The much debated act has finally gotten the ball rolling on health care reform in the US and has shone a crucial light on the current state of women’s health, which has been in desperate need of some TLC.

Overall, the Affordable Care Act seeks to reform health insurance companies in favor of patients. It would ban lifetime limits that affect people with long-term or chronic illnesses, cover young adults on their parent’s plan until the age of 26 (this provision has recently been put into place), and prohibit discrimination against children with pre-existing conditions – basically, get rid of all the jerky things that insurance companies have been able to get away with. Yeah, we’ve had enough of that, too. The more controversial aspects of the plan are included under the umbrella of women’s preventative care – like covering contraception without co-pays, which we’re pretty excited about. Since all of this legal jargon can be tricky even for the Pre-Law students among us, we’ve broken down the things we think every woman should know about the Affordable Care Act, and possible threats to it.

1. The Facts
The current plan regarding women's preventative care would:

Allow for annual “Well-Woman” visits, covering all age and developmentally appropriate
services
Provide testing for Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and Gestational Diabetes
Provide testing and counseling for HIV and other STIs
Provide screening and counseling for interpersonal and domestic violence
Cover all FDA approved forms of contraception, sterilization procedures, and reproductive education and counseling without co-pay, deductible, or other charges

2. Supporting the Bill
Supporters of the new preventative care measures base their reinforcement of the bill on the following facts:

A 2001 study found that half of all pregnancies in the US were unintended. The largest roadblock to contraception for many women is cost (averaging $10 to $50 per month, which isn’t exactly pocket change). Free access to birth control would allow for family planning and place greater emphasis on healthy families.
The plan would support the status quo on abortion policy (no federal money will be used to fund abortions and health plans cannot be required to fund abortion). All contraceptive measures covered will prevent pregnancy, but will not terminate an existing pregnancy.
Allowing personal beliefs to determine what will or will not be covered by health plans undermines the purpose of health insurance. According to Adam Sconfield of the Guttmacher Institute, “You would have people questioning treating lung cancer for smokers or accident victims of a motorcycle wreck, or objecting to people having too many kids." Well said.

3. The Opposition
Of course, a change as momentous as this is likely to draw a few adversaries. This is especially pronounced in cases where religious institutions provide health insurance to their employees. Major arguments against contraceptive coverage include:

Contraception should not be included under preventative care because pregnancy is not a disease.
People against abortion shouldn’t be asked to subsidize methods they believe can cause abortions (which, they claim, happens through their insurance premiums).
More contraception doesn’t necessarily lead to fewer unplanned pregnancies and abortions.

The plan currently offers a narrow religious refusal clause (often called a conscience clause), which allows certain religious institutions to exclude contraception from the insurance plans that they offer to their employees. This clause would apply to an institution that “has inculcation of religious values as its purpose” and primarily serves and employs people that share its religious beliefs. Basically, it exempts institutions such as churches, but not religiously affiliated hospitals, schools, or universities (such as, ahem, Boston College). The Obama administration is currently under pressure to add a wider refusal clause that would exempt these institutions from having to provide this benefit to their employees and students.

4. So what would change at BC, exactly?
Well, not as much as we may hope, but it’s a start. Massachusetts state law already requires all MA medical insurance plans (including student plans) to offer prescription drug coverage, including contraceptive drug consultations and prescriptions. For the average BC woman, this means that contraception would at least be partially covered under BC’s health insurance either way and the student is charged a co-pay. But the exciting part would come in at the register, when we can put our already-scarce college student funds towards more worthwhile means than co-pays on birth control. These changes would be even more drastic to women in states without state laws that mandate these provisions – say, our friends over at Notre Dame. While BC can still refuse to prescribe or distribute birth control pills in Health Services (boo), their student insurance plans would have to completely cover the entire cost of contraception if a student seeks these services elsewhere (yay!).

But don’t put your wallet away just yet. If the opposition’s refusal clause succeeds, plans like Boston College insurance would no longer be obligated to cover the full cost of contraception. To fight the pending broader refusal clause, and to stand up for the rights the federal government is announcing that all women should have, sign Amplify Your Voice’s “Obama, Don’t Cave” Petition.

Regardless of your personal stance on the issue, we applaud the Obama administration for striving towards loophole-free protection of women’s health, and for finally taking a firm federal stance on women’s reproductive rights. Our health (...and our rights...and our wallets) is thankful.

Peace, love, and lube
BC Students for Sexual Health

Pregnancy & STDs

Sat, 03 Dec 2011 22:29:00 -0500

HPV Vaccination Controversy in California

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 09:52:00 -0500

Having moderate views in today’s political climate can be very confusing. With such polar opposite ideologies always fighting for dominance, it is often difficult to decide if something is too “left” or too “right”. This may sound excessively nerdy, but when I’m faced with this situation I like to engage in debates with my friends. I’m often even the devil’s advocate just for the sake of experiencing and learning the other viewpoint. This semester I found myself often debating the new HPV vaccination law in California. This law, which will go into effect on January 1, 2012, will allow any child aged twelve or older to receive HPV vaccines without parental consent. Below are just two of the responses I made to arguments that I heard. Feel free to respond to this post with your ideas/opinions/arguments!

This idea is too expensive. HPV vaccines are not cheap. This law will cost countless tax dollars since any child without parental consent can receive a ‘free’ HPV vaccine. Numerous people are likely to take advantage of the system and prompt their children to receive the free vaccines when they can actually afford it.
              -Although the vaccine is quite expensive, this law shouldn’t impact costs too
               much. This law isn’t introducing the idea of tax-paid HPV vaccines. Vaccines for
               Children (VFC) is a federal program that already offers vaccines – including the
               HPV  vaccines-at no cost for children under 19 years of age who are Medicaid
               eligible, uninsured, under-insured, or American Indian or Alaska Native. In other
               words, if a person is part of an insurance plan that does not cover a particular
               vaccine, then that person is considered “under-insured” and is eligible to
               receive the vaccination for free by a VFC provider. Therefore, it seems that
               everyone is covered. The only people who are not currently covered are young
               people who have a parent who refuses to allow them to receive the vaccine.
           -Since anyone with or without an insurance plan is already covered to receive the
               vaccine, it doesn’t seem likely that people would “take advantage of the system”.

Children should not be making health decisions without help from their parents.
          -I agree. I think parents should be involved in their children’s health decisions.
           Unfortunately, as much as we would like to believe that all parents are involved
           in  their children’s health, this is not the case. Family life is not always composed
           of caring parents who support their children. Children often raise themselves or
           other children. Furthermore, parents often have the inability or lack of desire to
          address any sexual related topics with their children. No matter what the issue or
         reason, if a person wants to protect his or her health, then shouldn’t he or she have
          the ability and access to do it? If a twelve year old knows about a vaccine, is
          educated about the matter, and requests a vaccination, should she or he not be
           able to receive it? If young men and women of teenage years decide to protect
         themselves from STIs, should we not encourage and foster their responsible health
           practices?

To read more about VFC program, visit
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/programs/vfc/default.htm

Comprehensive Sex Ed Lecture

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 18:06:00 -0500

I am member of Youth First Texas, a GLBT youth center in Dallas and Thursday we had a presentation by a manager from Aids Arms. It's one of the few times I've had a comprehensive sex education lecture.

Darriane started with statistics and in Dallas county the largest age group with newly reported infections was 15 -24. Without fail and for every infection, this age group, my age group had the largest number of documented infections. This isn't just my age group but almost everyone I know is in this age group, most of my best friends, one of my sisters, both of my gaybies.

www.dallascounty.org/department/hhs/documents/DCHHSSTD2010Final.pdf

She then asked us why are condoms not always used. One answer was they don't feel the same. Another was putting on a condom kills the mood and another was condoms weren't always available.

She answered these responses by bringing out a huge box of condoms, lubes, and a prop penis and vagina. She told us that condoms had changed and there were actually fun condoms. She had ribbed condoms and condoms that glowed in the dark, flavored lube and numbing lube, female condoms and dental dams. She challenged us to try them and see if they weren't fun. She showed up condoms with looser plastic around the head that were called "the pleasure dome." She said see if a game of "hide and come get it" kills the mood.

She told us about waiting and how it too is an important aspect of sex. She talked about cases were the age difference was a huge factor and a legal issue. There was a lot of information and a lot of laughs and at the end of the presentation she let us have our picks of the condoms and lube. It was funny seeing parents and volunteers taking some of the equipment too.

"The Secret Life" Gets Us Talking About STIs

Mon, 04 Apr 2011 19:42:00 -0500

It looks like spring is a GREAT time for TV shows to discuss hot topics relevant to young adults. My last 2 blogs were dedicated to Jersey Shore and Glee, and this blog regards the return of one of my favorite shows, ABC Family’s "Secret Life of the American Teenager." The show revolves around a group of high schoolers struggling with the stresses of life, complicated relationships, and intertwined sex lives. The first episode of the new season finds Amy, the teen mom the show centers around, asking Ricky, the baby’s father, to seek STI testing and that she may finally be ready for a sexual relationship. However, Ricky seems pretty reluctant and almost gives up the relationship with Amy to avoid getting testing.

What’s the big deal? Getting screened for sexually transmitted infections and HIV should be a part of routine preventive screening for all sexually-active people. Maybe Ricky was scared of a positive test – but doesn’t knowing your STI status and treating the problem sound better than living in confusion and allowing a problem to wreak havoc in your body? How about the peace of mind that comes with getting tested and seeing negative results?

Most STIs have no obvious symptoms, so the only way to know your status for sure is to seek testing from a professional. Getting tested isn’t taboo. It isn’t embarrassing. It’s smart. Visit the Get Yourself Tested campaign brought to you by MTV. The website has a testing locator, facts on STIs, and videos from celebrities.

April is STD Awareness Month, so check out these tips and get the conversation started. www.itsyoursexlife.com/gyt/articles/talking-tips
For facts at your fingertips, text "SEXT" to 74575

"Do you wanna touch me?"

Sun, 20 Mar 2011 15:19:00 -0500

If you didn’t catch the past episode of “Glee”, it was about celibacy and STD/HIV prevention. Many concerns came up in the episode when teaching about contraception and preventative methods to stop pregnancy and transmission of STD’s. A profound message was stated in this episode, which was that “Knowledge is Power”; in the episode, many of the high school students were lacking information surrounding the intricacies of adult relationships. Holly Holliday, played by Gwyneth Paltrow, performed the song (?) “Do You Wanna Touch Me”? This episode also covered same sex relationships, and tips to help parents feel more comfortable about guiding their kids that are gay or lesbian, to have open dialogue about their relationships and sexual activity.

Does a choice made at birth put you at greater risk for STIs?

Tue, 07 Jun 2011 09:31:00 -0500

I’ve been reading a lot in the news lately about circumcision. For many it is a traditional practice. For others it is a choice made because of previous generations. And for a growing number of others, it is avoided. It has long been believed that circumcision is more hygienic, but more and more people are disagreeing, stating that circumcision is a brutal, unnecessary practice for newborns and men have the right to make that decision as an adult. However, this article from the USA Today brings back the argument that the foreskin can carry bacteria, including the human papillomavirus (HPV). The bottom line is to do the research before you make that decision for a newborn (or yourself as an adult) and, in cases like this, consider the HPV vaccine for males, too.

http://yourlife.usatoday.com/health/medical/cancer/story/2011/05/Foreskin-may-be-reservoir-for-HPV/47388762/1

Just how "aware" are we about STDs and sexual health?

Sat, 30 Apr 2011 18:31:00 -0500

Following on the heels of April being STD Awareness Month, what does it mean to be “aware”? According to Merriem-Webster dictionary, it means “having or showing realization, perception, or knowledge.” But judging by the fact that 1 out of 2 young people will develop an STD by age 25, I don’t quite think we’re there yet. And the scary statistics don’t just apply to sexually transmitted diseases and infections – approximately half of all pregnancies in the United States are unplanned and 3 in 10 girls will be pregnant at least once by age 20. It certainly doesn’t seem like this displays any sense of awareness about preventive behaviors and the costs of STDs and teen pregnancy.

So where are young people getting their information? Are they even getting information? Are they getting the correct information? In a political climate where the government threatens to shut down over Planned Parenthood and abstinence-only programs run rampant through public schools, the answers are questionable. Aside from varying degrees of formal sexual health education within schools, teens cite parents, peers, and media outlets such as television and the internet as sources for information about sex. In case you haven’t surfed the web lately, there are some questionable sites out there, which in turn should make us all question what kind of answers teens are getting to their sexual health questions online.

Speaking of media and technology, it’s no secret that teens are glued to their phones and texting like there’s no tomorrow. A Nielsen report states that teens aged 13-17 send over 3,000 texts per month, which averages about 80 per day. So where am I going with all of this? To create the awareness necessary for responsible behavior, we have to meet teens where they are. We have to tap into their technologically-driven world and give them accurate information they don’t get elsewhere. Enter the South Carolina Contraceptive Access Campaign’s SEXT messaging line: Free, immediate, and confidential information on a smorgasbord of issues related to sexual health. Take out your phone right now, ignore the missed calls and waiting messages, and text the word “SEXT” in the body of a message to 74574. The message you receive gives you key words to respond to. The text messaging system continues to prompt the user until the desired topic is determined, and then sends the appropriate information. This innovative system puts information on STD/HIV transmission, pregnancy prevention, and birth control methods at your fingertips. There is even a zip code locator feature to find local testing clinics and rape crisis centers.

Spread the word, tell your friends about the SEXT line, and promote the South Carolina Contraceptive Access Campaign’s efforts to enlighten and empower young people. Giving them confidential, accurate information allows them to make responsible decisions. Help us bring awareness to young people everywhere!

Summer loving, happened so fast&

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 18:56:00 -0500

So, most of us have probably heard the song from Grease, Summer Lovin’, I was thinking about summer today and this song came into my mind. You are probably thinking…why is she telling me this? Well let me be frank! It is summer time for most of us and we are ready to relax and have a little fun before it all starts over next semester.

Fact: When people drink they are more likely to have unprotected sex!! And what happens when we have unprotected sex? STD’s, HIV and unplanned pregnancy! Not a fun way to spend the summer!

So what can you do to ensure a safe summer?
1) Always use a condom…even if its your first time, or you’re in a hot tub, or you/she is on the pill

2) Don’t forget that you can get STD’s from oral sex

3) Get yourself tested!!! (check with Planned Parenthood and your campus Health Center for confidential and very affordable services

4) Don’t drink/use drugs and drive

5) Wear sunscreen

6) Oh and don’t forget ALWAYS USE A CONDOM (did I say that already)

Next semester we are going to have a lot of stories to tell. Make sure that you have good stories to tell!! Be safe everyone and have a great summer!!!

A Turning Tide in Texas

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 16:45:00 -0500

There is a turning tide in Texas and it’s in the direction of comprehensive sex ed according to The Texas Tribune, a leading news source covering state politics.
Of course, this significant improvement in sex ed policies across the state didn’t happen by accident. These changes are the product of a concerted effort by the Texas Freedom Network, Advocates for Youth and many other dedicated groups and individuals.

Folks like Susan Tortolero, the director of the University of Texas' Prevention Research Center in Houston, have even created comprehensive sex ed curriculum that is being adopted and implemented in some of the most unlikely of places. Better sex ed is beginning to be found in the suburbs of Houston and as far west as Midland, a typically conservative area. According to Tortolero:

“It’s like we’re beyond this argument of abstinence, abstinence plus. Districts want something that works.”

While many people still believe that talking about contraception gives children permission to have sex, or even encourages them to do so, Tortolero says research shows that teaching them about condoms and birth control actually delays sexual initiation.

“The more you know about your body, how to make better decisions and choices, the better decisions that adolescents make,” she said, adding, “The more we demystify it, the more we talk about it, the better.”

The Texas Freedom Network’s School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) initiative has been a significant part of this growing success. TFN is working with local activists across the state who serve on SHACs to advocate for comprehensive sex ed at the district level. As a result, sex education has been dramatically improved for 250,000 public school students in Texas. A number of our Texas CAMI youth participants are also serving on their SHACs and making a difference in places like Brownsville, Houston, Austin and El Paso.

Even the editorial board of The Houston Chronicle has caught on to this recent success to reform sex ed policy in Texas and recommends that the state continue to move in this direction.

There remain obstacles at the statewide level, despite this grassroots success. The Dallas Observer reports that Texas has declined to apply for Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP) funding for the second year in a row. With the 3rd highest rate of teen births, and the 2nd highest percentage of repeat teen births, Texas sorely needs this federal funding for evidence-based programs.

Our expanded network of Texas Freedom Network Student Chapters, led by our CAMI youth members, has been an integral part of this movement for comprehensive sex ed. Some of the things they have accomplished so far include:

•Getting hundreds of Education Works petition signatures at petitions drives
•Hosting "Let’s Talk About Sex" film screenings on their campuses
•Tabling at various health fairs to grow membership and raise awareness
• Successfully lobbying Student Government Association at the University of Houston to pass a resolution in support of equal domestic partner benefits for faculty and staff
• Presenting as the only youth presenter on engaging young people in sex ed advocacy at the Texas Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy 2nd Annual Conference

And they have much more planned for the rest of the semester! I’ll update you again on the progress happening in Texas near the end of the year.

Perry's 16th Century Sex Ed

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 12:44:00 -0500

Garrett Mize is the Youth Advocacy Coordinator at the Texas Freedom Network and heads up the Texas Youth Leadership Council, the Texas portion of Advocates for Youth's Cultural Advocacy and Mobilization Initiative.

Texas Governor Rick Perry has been sliding in the polls and his debate performances have hit a brick wall. It seems that after an initial flurry of excitement when he entered the race, primary voters are becoming increasingly disinterested with the “Texas miracle” governor. Just last night, Perry flubbed again when discussing basic facts about our country’s founding:

“Our Founding Fathers never meant for Washington, D.C. to be the fount of all wisdom. As a matter of fact they were very much afraid of that because they’d just had this experience with this far-away government that had centralized thought process and planning and what have you, and then it was actually the reason that we fought the revolution in the 16th century was to get away from that kind of onerous crown if you will.”

Not only is Perry off by a couple of hundred years when it comes to what century the American Revolutionary War took place but his sex ed policies are also incredibly outdated. His insistence on abstinence-only-until-marriage as the best approach for sex ed is beyond just being old-fashioned; it’s almost medieval!

Sex ed in the 21st-century should be medically-accurate, evidence-based, fully inclusive of LGBTQ youth and comprehensive. A true comprehensive sex ed program should also include information about abstinence as the only 100 percent effective method of birth control and STI prevention, but it should go further to include information about contraceptives and skills on having healthy relationships.

Despite the pleas of medical professionals, educators and public health leaders to shift toward comprehensive sex ed in Texas, Perry seems to prefer the sex ed policies of the 16th-century Puritans over 21st-century science.

The Sex Ed Hall of Shame

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 14:53:00 -0500

In a recent report, Salon created the Sex Ed Hall of Shame, and of course Texas takes it's rightful place on this dreadful list among a number of other states. In particular, Salon points out:

Texas has several claims to sex-shame: It ranks 5th for teen pregnancy, 3rd in young people with AIDS and 4th in terms of syphilis among teens. A whopping 96 percent of Texas school districts teach abstinence only, according to a study by the Texas Freedom Network.

Florida has the sad distinction of ranking 1st in HIV infections and 12th in teen pregnancies.

Alabama has "among the highest rates of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis of any state in the union," according to youth advocate Amplify, and has the 15th highest teen pregnancy rate in the country. Another not-so-fun fact: It bans schools from teaching anything positive about homosexuality.

The shame is really on the lawmakers and abstinence-only activists, who continue to push back against evidence-based, medically-accurate comprehensive sex ed policies that would dramatically lower rates of teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections.

There's no doubt that there is plenty of work to do in these states, but I am positive that some big changes will be made in the coming year with the new crop of Cultural Advocacy Mobilization Initiative (CAMI) youth leaders and their unyielding passion to create meaningful change.

It is also good to see Amplify used as a resource for the opinions of young people on this issue.