Facebook
Last month, the Arizona State Senate passed SB 1305 with a vote of 16-13. This bill would make it illegal for a minor to attend a sex ed class, get a prescription for birth control, or be treated for an STI/STD if they don’t have parental permission.
As Roxann MtJoy from Change.org states:
Opponents of this legislation point to the incredibly obvious fact that not every teenager has supportive parents. Are we really going to deny young people in the throws of puberty access to comprehensive sex education because their mom is uncomfortable with it? Or medical treatment if they contract a sexually transmitted disease?
And how about a teen dead-set on having sex: Are we going to withhold birth control because her dad is Catholic and doesn't believe in it?
And, from YumaSun.com:
But Sen. Paula Aboud, D-Tucson, said the measure will violate the privacy of minors.
"I recognize that we want all minors, whenever possible, when their safety is involved particularly, to be able to have the discussions they need with parents," she said. But Aboud said there are many teens whose parents don't know they are sexually active.
How is it that a majority of members of the Arizona State Senate don’t understand that denying teens a comprehensive education, denying them access to ways of preventing pregnancy and STIs/STDs, and denying them medical care when they are sick are BAD IDEAS?! How can they not realize that their actions, instead of preventing teens from having sex, will only prevent teens from being educated, safe, and healthy? Don’t they understand that if this bill passes the House and becomes law that they will be hurting people instead of helping? Do they just not care? Do they not care how dangerous it is to do this, just for the sake of attempting to reassure parents that the reality of teen sexuality can be overlooked?
As Senator Aboud said, I wish that more parents would talk with their kids about sex, sexual health, how to have safer sex, how to know when you’re ready for sex, how to know when you’re not ready for sex, how to talk to your partner about sex, etc. But until I don’t have to wish for that to happen, until that’s the reality, until parents aren’t so afraid of having honest dialogues with their children about issues of sex and sexuality…laws like this do more harm than good.
Seriously, what’s up with Arizona lately?
~ Samantha
No Comments.
[Add New Comment]