Amplify Issues - Unintendedpregnancy

Planned Parenthoods Funding Demystified

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 15:06:00 -0500

Recently, people have had a lot to say about Planned Parenthood, specifically their government funding. During debates at the federal government and state government levels, there has been a lot of misinformation spread about Planned Parenthood and how public funding is used. This misinformation has come from various organizations which have publicly stated their goal is to “defunding Planned Parenthood.” The Expose Planned Parenthood Coalition includes many of these organization, such as Live Action, the Susan B. Anthony List, Concerned Women for America and LifeNews.com.

To help clear the air I have responded to several statements made about Planned Parenthood and its use of government funding.

”Are we really supposed to believe that a billion dollar organization that takes nearly half a billion dollars from taxpayers doesn’t use that money to support the 332,278 abortions it performs?” Source

Yes, Planned Parenthood does receive federal funding
It is true that a large portion of Planned Parenthood’s budget comes from government health services grants and reimbursements from federally funded health insurance programs, mainly Medicaid. This makes up 46% of Planned Parenthood’s revenues. Keeping in mind, over 80% of expenses go directly to providing programs and services to clients.

There are strict rules on public funding and abortion
There are strict government regulations on public funds and abortion care
Those who oppose Planned Parenthood half-answered their own question in another article by stating “federal law prevents tax dollars from directly funding abortions.” This is because of the Hyde Amendment.

The Hyde Amendment was first introduced shortly after the legalization of abortion, and has been added every year following to different appropriation bills (bills that define government spending). The Hyde Amendment mainly impacts Medicaid, a joint program between the federal and state governments to offer health insurance for low-income people. Each state’s Medicaid program is different. I was once told if you have seen one Medicaid program, you have seen one Medicaid program.

Under the Hyde Amendment, Medicaid recipients only have coverage for abortion care in cases of rape, incest and life of the mother. Because of these regulations, low income women have much less access to abortion than women with private insurance. The original sponsor of the Hyde amendment was not coy about this effort, and even stated in 1977, "I certainly would like to prevent, if I could legally, anybody having an abortion, a rich woman, a middle-class woman, or a poor woman. Unfortunately, the only vehicle available is the…Medicaid bill."

In addition to Medicaid, Planned Parenthood also receives funding under the federal Title X Family Planning Program. This program is dedicated to “solely providing individuals with comprehensive family planning and related preventive health services. The Title X program is designed to provide access to contraceptive services, supplies and information to all who want and need them. By law, priority is given to persons from low-income families.” Essentially, it helps low-income women access family planning services. This funding cannot be used for abortion, but can be used to provide non-directive information about abortion, and abortion referrals.

In conclusions, there are some rare cases where federal funding can be used for abortion care or to provide information about abortion.

“I believe my Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee should review the findings of this report and possibly hold a hearing on why taxpayers are funding Planned Parenthood with its record of abuse and violations of state laws.” Rep. Cliff Stearns

Planned Parenthood has a track record of abiding by funding rules and regulations
Ok, so now that we know there are strict regulations related to public funding, the question should be asked: Does Planned Parenthood follow those rules? Representative Cliff Stearns sure doesn’t think so.

Rep. Stearns is the Chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee Oversight and Investigation Subcommittee. He is on the record opposing the allocation of any federal funds to Planned Parenthood He is stanchly anti-choice, and his current attack on Planned Parenthood is a politically motivated investigation of billing and referral practices. He has requested an audit of Planned Parenthood’s documents covering a 20-year period of time, and demanded detailed information about billing and referral practices.

The reality is that the federal government and state governments already regularly audit Planned Parenthood. These audits are publicly available and have never identified misuse of funds. Representative Henry Waxman has stated, “We are committed to strong congressional oversight. But we are opposed to investigations that appear to be designed to harass and shut down an organization simply because Republicans disagree with the work that it does.”

“There is nothing that prevents Planned Parenthood from using these hundreds of millions of tax dollars to free up other funds for abortions” source

Public funding does not “free up” money for abortion care
The reality is that Planned Parenthood is a safety net provider, like free clinics and public health department clinics. Planned Parenthood health centers ensure that all people have access to services, regardless of their ability to pay. Planned Parenthood’s commitment to serving all people is the reason why they receive federal funds. It has nothing to do with “freeing up funds” to pay for abortion.

“It is time to defund Planned Parenthood. In a time of economic crisis with debt spiraling out of control, nearly half a billion dollars of taxpayer funds could be put to better use. The abortion industry doesn’t need our money, and the American people are tired of their tax dollars being used to subsidize the abortion industry.” Source

During an economic crisis is the most essential time to invest in organizations like Planned Parenthood
It is true that during difficult economic times for our country, government agencies as well as individuals should review their spending practices and look for ways to save. This does not mean cutting all programs, regardless of their economic impact. Instead, the government needs to continue to fund programs that have positive social and economic impacts in the long run. For example, as more and more women become uninsured or underinsured, the need for an organization like Planned Parenthood increases. In addition, programs that ensure women have access to birth control save the federal government money in the long run. For every 1 dollar spent on family planning services, 4 dollars is saved in Medicaid (source).

Accordingly, some states have expanded their family planning programs as a cost-savings initiative. Last June legislators in Washington State did just this, and it is estimated that this expansion will save their state 3.85 million dollars by preventing unintended pregnancy. Washington State Senator Karen Keiser stated that, “this is a commonsense bill that saves our state money during these tough economic times by reducing the number of unintended pregnancies Washington pays for. This bill not only helps women plan their families, it’s one of the smartest fiscal decisions we could make.”

Target Card Calls Pregnant Girls Whores

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 21:20:00 -0500

At a Target store in California, a shopper browsing the greeting card aisle was intrigued by a card that read, “Heard you’re pregnant,” but was shocked when inside the card all it said was, “Whore.”

In the handful of articles I found on this story, I couldn’t believe that the consensus was that either the card was funny or that it didn’t matter and anyone who was offended should chill out and get a sense of humor. Really? Shaming and bullying young, sexually active girls and young women about an unplanned pregnancy is funny? It’s no big deal that a girl was called a whore? Do you think she deserves it because she dared to make a choice of having sex without your approval?

Because let’s be clear here: this is targeting young, unmarried women and girls. Who would even think to call a married woman a whore for getting pregnant? Who assumes that a married woman getting pregnant is automatically a bad thing that she should be called names for? And who would call an older, single woman a whore for getting pregnant? Married women and older, single women are socially allowed to have sex. The fact that they have sexual desires and act upon those desires is understood and accepted. The same respect for female sexuality is unfortunately not nearly as common for young women.

When a young woman becomes pregnant, it’s as if she has done something horribly wrong. Calling her a whore signifies the stereotypes that she has slept with several men (which is also seen as something horribly wrong for a young woman) and that she must have low self-esteem because it is presumed that she lets men use her (which, though it hardly stops anyone from slinging this insult, also unfairly makes men out to be animals who only want instant-gratification sex and then discard the girl without further thought).

Calling a girl a whore for the fact that she had sex and accidentally got pregnant devalues the choice that girl made to have sex and devalues her ability to make a positive sexual decision. When someone is called a whore, they are being told that the way they have chosen to express and practice their sexuality is wrong. Teenage sexuality is not inherently wrong. But when we have a culture that believes that it is, then the girls who get outed for having sex by becoming pregnant face much harsher torment and ridicule than all the other sexually active girls. They somehow get more blame and are more publicly shunned.
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Weekly Round-Up: 12/25- 12/31

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 16:02:00 -0500

December 25- December 31

Stats this week: 9 posts by 8 writers

Being An Activist- by abril_flowers

Inside this post:

An activist with the Texas Freedom Network at the University of Texas at Brownsville talks about her work educating her fellow students about the state’s current sex ed policies and what they can do to make sure their peers have the information they need to stay safe.

Mobilizing 4,000 for LGBT Rights- by AFY_Nikki

Inside this post:

Ernesto shares his experience organizing a solidarity event after an LGBT hate crime in his city with the skills he learned from training sessions with Advocates for Youth.

Trans* People in Philly Hold Clothing Bank- by Jordan

Inside this post:

Jordan talks about donating old clothes to a transgender-focused clothing drive.

807,615 Voter Signatures- by rikkiyouthresource

Inside this post:

Rikki talks about an initiative in California to gather signatures around the state to get a proposition on the 2012 ballot to repeal Prop 8.

Thank you to everyone who posted a blog this week! You are part of what makes this community great!

~ Samantha
Community Editor

Weekly Round-Up: 12/18- 12/24

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 18:55:00 -0500

Each week, I’ll be posting a list of the most news-worthy and/or inspirational, informative, well-written, thought-provoking, and/or unique posts of the week. While every post and every contributor is valuable to our community, these are the blogs that I feel are must-reads.

December 18- December 24

Stats this week: 15 posts by 11 writers

Sexual identity and preferences- by srijanna1

Inside this post:

Insight on the meaning of sexual identity.

The EC Decision: Dismissing the Concerns of Latinas and Low-Income Women- by Amplify_Staff

Inside this post:

Commentary on how Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius’ decision to block free access to birth control disproportionately effects poor women and women of color.

“Personhood” and Medical Emergencies Demystified- by ashthom

Inside this post:

Ashley discusses how “personhood” laws, in enacted, would endanger the health and life of pregnant women and restrict doctors from providing appropriate medical care

Thank you to everyone who posted a blog this week! You are part of what makes this community great!

~ Samantha
Community Editor

Testifying Against the Heartbeat Bill

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 19:25:00 -0500

...someday I will learn to come up with catchy, creative titles for my blog posts. But not today.

I don't know what you've heard about the Heartbeat Bill in the state of Ohio, but it is quite crazy and needs to be stopped. The bill states that abortion will not be legal after a heartbeat is detected, even in the cases of rape, incest, health of the mother and viability of the fetus (whether or not it can live outside of the womb). There are a whole host of issues with this bill, a few of them being:
- Most women don't even know they're pregnant until they are at least 6 weeks along; a heartbeat is typically detected for the first time around 4-6 weeks. Therefore, this law essentially outlaws abortion for everyone who is not expecting a pregnancy.
- It forces women to carry an unhealthy fetus to term knowing that within hours after birth the baby will die.
- It forces survivors of rape to carry the child of their rapist for 9 months.
- It is UNCONSTITUTIONAL! The ACLU has already declared that it will file a lawsuit against the state if this piece of legislation is passed.
- There are hundreds of other reasons as to why this whole thing is terrible, but I won't spend all of my time telling listing them...

The bill was passed in the Ohio House of Representatives, and was then passed on to the Senate Committee on Health, Human Services and Aging. Last week, supporters of the bill testified in front of the committee; some of these individuals speaking about how they had at least one, if not two abortions and now regret their decision after seeking help from extremely religious organizations that have shamed them into believing that they are murderers. Other supporters of the bill testified this week with thousands of Bible verses and incorrect "facts" about abortion. I also testified on Tuesday (after about 7 hours of being at the statehouse and 4 hours into the committee hearing)... but I was testifying against the bill. Some main points that I made were:
- I am a female of childbearing age & this legislation that directly impacts me & my peers (I had to point this out as the majority, if not all of the pro-lifers were white, male, and (of the women) post-childbearing age.)
- Until the state government was willing to fully fund education and social programs (including adoption services), they should not be passing a bill that requires families to bring another child into this world that they are unable to care for.
- This piece of legislation tells me that my state government does not respect me as an individual or trust me to make the best decision for my life and my body. Therefore, it makes me want to take my Master's degree & income tax from my well paying job to another state where I am respected and trusted.
- There must be a separation of church and state. While I don't know if I would ever have an abortion, I do know that it's not my right to make that choice for someone else. We are all entitled to worship or not worship in whatever way we choose; we should not be subjected to follow the rules of someone else's religious beliefs. If your faith tells you that abortion is not a good choice, then you should take that into consideration for your own life; you cannot make someone else abide of the rules of your religion. (I wish I would have articulated this point better after hearing all of the other testimonies...)
- We need to stop wasting time trying to pass unconstitutional legislation and start investing in prevention that works, ie: comprehensive sex education.

Other interesting points made at the hearings on Tuesday and Wednesday were:
- How many individuals on the pro-life movement are adopting children? Specifically children born right here in Ohio, not from third world countries. Realistic answer: not enough.
- What is the pro-life movement doing to support other issues such as education, Medicaid and social programs to support children outside of the womb? Realistic answer: nothing.
- Is Faith to Action (the pro-life group sponsoring this legislation) going to pay the state's legal fees when this is taken to the Supreme Court for being unconstitutional? Given answer: Only through tax dollars.
- Will current and future physicians choose to practice medicine in Ohio knowing that they could be arrested if they felt the best medical decision to save a patient's life was to abort their fetus? Answer: Yes, with absolute certainty.

Testifying was a great experience! The room was definitely full of tension, and it certainly was a longggg day - but we made it out alive! I felt very respected by the committee, and occasionally individuals on the othe rside of the debate were semi-cordial. After the hearing was over, I spoke to my senator (who happened to be the vice chair of the committee). He thanked me for coming down and stating my views on the bill; he then went on to express how even though there are very strong beliefs on both sides, he has the highest respect for individuals (especially young people) who come to Columbus to make their voice heard (meaning he didn't agree with me, but he was glad I was there).

The only downfall to all of this was that there were VERY few young people there testifying. While the pro-choice-ers had a few young people testify, the majority of all people who spoke were 40+.... It made me realize even more how important it is for young people to get involved & make their voice heard. No matter where you stand on an issue, if you feel passionately about it and have done your research to develop an opinion, let the legislators know how you feel!! You are the future of this country and the decisions made today are about YOUR life - they will impact you & generations to come. Voting is huge, but advocating for something can make an incredible difference. Get involved, folks! Stop letting the baby boomers make all of the decisions - this is YOUR country, too!

If you're wondering what happened with the heartbeat bill - it is going to continue to sit in the committee until further notice. The Senate president told the committee chair to suspend all hearings on the Heartbeat Bill until further notice (which is good news for us because their goal was to pass it by Christmas) .... So who knows when hearings will come about again, but thankfully Ohioans maintain their right to choose.... for now. :-/

Oh, and here is the link to the news clip with my testimony!
http://www.10tv.com/content/sections/video/index.html?video=/videos/2011/12/14/heartbeat-bill-.xml

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

Weekly Round-Up: 11/6- 11/12

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 00:29:00 -0500

Each week, I’ll be posting a list of the most news-worthy and/or inspirational, informative, well-written, thought-provoking, and/or unique posts of the week. While every post and every contributor is valuable to our community, these are the blogs that I feel are must-reads.

November 6- November 12

Stats this week: 13 posts by 11 writers

Proud to be Polish- by Jordan

Inside this post:

Jordan writes about the election of Anna Grodzka, Poland’s first transgender member of parliament.

Election Roundp: GREAT Night for Progressives- by AFY_Will

Inside this post:

Will summarizes some progressive victories from the recent election, including the election to town council of one of Advocates for Youth’s former youth activists, Lee Storrow.

What if Justin Bieber Has A Baby- by Media_Justice

Inside this post:

Bianca uses the scandal around Justin Bieber allegedly getting a young woman pregnant to discuss condom use, consent, and how society treats young mothers.

Thank you to everyone who posted a blog this week! You are part of what makes this community great!

~ Samantha
Community Editor

-----------------------------------------------
My post this week:
Myths about Virginity in Glee's "First Time"

Contraception drives down teen pregnancies

Sun, 31 Jul 2011 19:50:00 -0500

The number of American teenage girls who are becoming pregnant has dropped dramatically since 1990, and researchers say an increase in the use of condoms among teens may be the reason why.

The finding suggests that teens are increasingly turning to contraception as a means of avoiding early pregnancy, even as conservative groups point to abstinence as the only sure means of doing so.

It is remarkable that teens are becoming better contraceptors even as there are efforts afoot to reduce the information and skill-building that they receive about contraception. Federal statistics show that pregnancy rates among U.S. girls aged 15 to 19 have dropped by 27 percent between 1991 and 2000, and birth rates for this group fell by 33 percent between 1991 and 2003.

However, the exact reasons for this trend have remained unclear. Looking at trends in sexual behavior and contraceptive use for nearly 2,600 U.S. girls, aged 15 to 19, who were interviewed as part of the survey. The researchers' hoped to determine the roles of abstinence and contraception in the ongoing decline in teen pregnancy. Research found that 86 percent of the decline in pregnancy was associated with increased use of contraception. There was increasing use of both birth control pills and condoms, or the use of dual methods such as the pill and a condom combined.

Only 14 percent of the decline in pregnancy was attributed to reductions in teens' sexual activity, the researchers noted. Among teens 15 to 17 years old, 77 percent of the drop in pregnancy was due to more contraceptive use and 23 percent to reduced sexual activity. Researchers believe that contraception may be the best way to further reduce the number of teens getting pregnant.
"Abstinence promotion is a worthwhile goal, particularly among younger teenagers; however, the scientific evidence shows that, in itself, it is insufficient to help adolescents prevent unintended pregnancies. "Thus, prevention efforts should emphasize both the need to reduce sexual activity and to use contraception when activity occurs."

Op-Ed: "Getting the word out about teen pregnancy prevention"

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 15:32:00 -0500

In an effort to get the word out about teen pregnancy prevention, we cannot help but to acknowledge the fact that abstaining until marriage seems to be beyond rare these days, especially considering the fact that tteen pregnancy is paramount for young men and women under the age of 18. Teenage pregnancies are associated with many social issues, including lower educational levels, higher rates of poverty, and other poorer "life outcomes" in children of teenage mothers. However, in a Kaiser Family Foundation study of US teenagers, 29% of teens reported feeling pressure to have sex, 33% of sexually active teens reported "being in a relationship where they felt things were moving too fast sexually", and 24% had "done something sexual they didn’t really want to do.” It is important that teens never allow peer pressures to be a contributing factor to engage in sexual acts that they do not want to do. The issue of teens having unplanned pregnancies in our country is often a serious subject matter which causes a lot of debate, and a lot of shock for those who may be confronted with the facts of teen pregnancy for the first time. The reality that some adults fail to realize is that teens are sexually active, period, yet many adults are still too frightened to provide information on pregnancy prevention, other than the preaching abstinence. One would think that it should come as no surprise that for tteens who are sexually active and do not use contraception, or do not use contraception consistently and correctly, have a greater chance of getting pregnant, but with the lack of knowledge about contraception, pregnancy is inevitable. What everyone must always remember first and foremost is that teen pregnancy is 100% preventable! Adolescents may lack knowledge of, or access to, conventional methods of preventing pregnancy, but it is the work of parents and peer educators, like me, to educate them on contraceptive options and their rights to access. Adults must also remember, while youth ARE sexually active, many are often too embarrassed or frightened to seek contraceptive information. The South Carolina Contraceptive Access Campaign has developed efforts to enlighten and empower young people by providing a resource tool which allows them to receive confidential, accurate information through our SEXT text messaging line. Young people can use this resource to find information about various topics such as birth control, STI’s, HIV, rape, clinics and resources in South Carolina, by texting the word SEXT to 74574. It is everyone’s responsibility to provide young people with accurate sexual health information… are you committed to doing your part to prevent teen pregnancies?

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.

Santorum and Romney Against Contraception

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 23:13:00 -0500

I’m watching the Rachel Maddow Show and they just showed a clip of Republican Presidential candidate Rick Santorum doing an informal interview. What he said made me jump up and run for my laptop.

One of the things I will talk about that no President has talked about before is, I think, the dangers of contraception- the whole sexual libertine idea. Many of Christian faith have said, “Well, that’s okay. I mean, you know, contraception’s okay.” It’s not okay. Cause it’s a license to -uh- to do things in a sexual- in a sexual realm that is, that is counter to what- how things are supposed to be.

And then it got worse. Rachel next showed a clip of front-runner Mitt Romney speaking with Mike Huckabee on his Fox News show.

Huckabee: Would you have supported a constitutional amendment that would have established the definition of life at conception?

Romeny: Absolutely.

Personhood amendments ban most methods of contraception (including the pill and the IUD), make abortion illegal at any time during a pregnancy, and criminalize women who have had a miscarriage.

Are these really the choices that we have in choosing a Republican nominee for President?

Information from the Guttmacher Institute finds that the women of America would be severely and negatively impacted by not having access to contraception.

There are 62 million U.S. women in their childbearing years (15–44).

Virtually all women (more than 99%) aged 15–44 who have ever had sexual intercourse have used at least one contraceptive method.

Overall, 62% of the 62 million women aged 15–44 are currently using a method.

Almost one-third (31%) of these 62 million women do not need a method because they are infertile; are pregnant, postpartum or trying to become pregnant; have never had intercourse; or are not sexually active.

Thus, only 7% of women aged 15–44 are at risk for unintended pregnancy but are not using contraceptives.

Among the 43 million fertile, sexually active women who do not want to become pregnant, 89% are practicing contraception.

[More]

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.

With Newest Bill, GOP Ramps Up Its Deficit Hypocrisy

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:31:00 -0500

Earlier today Congressional Republicans on the House Appropriations Committee released the details of their annual funding bill covering both health and education programs. The GOP is already trumpeting the measure loudly and proudly: Representative Denny Rehberg, Chair of the House Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, calls it a "common-sense plan" that "invest[s] in people and creat[es] the jobs they need."

But this bill contains zero job creation programs. In reality, it's simply the latest catch-all product of the House Republicans' slash-and-burn strategy, which operates via the axiom that it's o.k. to selectively devastate women and young people if it means that you can provide that much more greasy patronage and taxpayer money to your ideological backers.

Putting it another way, it's deficit hypocrisy at its finest.

Take for example, the bill's gutting of the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiative (TPPI), a program enacted in 2010 under President Obama's budget. TPPI provides funding for community-based and science-based education to reduce teen pregnancy. It is, through and through, an economically sensible initiative, given that teen pregnancy currently costs U.S. taxpayers $9 billion each year.

House Republicans, though, are seeking to cut TPPI funding from $105 to $40 million. What's more, they've mandated that 50% of this new funding — $20 million — go towards further disseminating abstinence-only-until-marriage programs in schools across the U.S., despite a definitive 10-year Congressionally mandated evaluation which emphasized that these programs have no impact on teen behavior whatsoever. In real terms, then, what we actually see proposed here is a drastic $85 million cut to TPPI alongside $20 million in new careless spending.

These politicians — whose leadership earlier today bragged that they are yet again "taking decisive action to cut duplicative, inefficient, and wasteful spending" — are the current standard-bearers for an ideology that has so far pumped $1.5 billion of taxpayer money into a veritable abstinence-only-until-marriage boondoggle.

Instead of supporting fiscally responsible comprehensive sex education, Congressional right-wingers have repeatedly bankrolled a false pedagogy which has involved, among other lessons of moral upbuilding, forcing young students to drink their own spit in front of their classmates (literally and we kid you not — see the video below for a transcript from an actual abstinence-only lesson plan):

And that's only one thing. If passed, the GOP's health and education funding bill would also zero out Title X completely. Title X grantees provide crucial services (including STD testing; pelvic exams; HIV testing; pregnancy testing; screenings for cervical and breast cancer; and screenings for high blood pressure, anemia, and diabetes) to more than five million individuals across the country.

The House spending bill also specifically goes after the largest Title X provider, Planned Parenthood, eliminating all funding to any Planned Parenthood affiliate unless the organization "certifies it will not provide abortions." Such a move represents a replay of the GOP's brinksmanship from this Spring, when Congressional Republicans tried to kill off Planned Parenthood and marginalize the millions of women, men, and families that it serves.

Finally, the bill extends the Hyde Amendment (which all but forbids the use of federal funds for abortion, therefore blocking needy women in particular from accessing affordable care) to cover the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. President Obama already issued an Executive Order in March 2010 asserting that the federal government would not allow federal funds to be used for abortion services, but the above-mentioned proposal would further cement this prohibition as the legal status quo.

While one can doubt that Congress will approve any of the above — i.e., assuming that anything above reaches the firebreak of the Democratic-controlled Senate — it's not difficult to imagine a scenario in which House Republicans successfully undermine at least some of these comprehensive health programs (either through procedural stealth or else a fake appeal to shared economic sacrifice). Yes, millions of people told truth to power when Planned Parenthood's life was at stake earlier this year, but the same kind of nationwide awareness just isn't there yet in regards to vital and unsung programs like the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiative. Those who care about their reproductive rights and their right to basic health care must pay all due vigilance to the entire horizon of attack. And we must do everything we can to bring attention to the GOP's deficit deceptions.