Adolescent Sexuality by Dr. Karen Rayne

The American Psychological Association (APA) Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls recently released a report presenting all of the research on the topic. In addition to discussing the influences of sexualization (the media, our culture, girls and boys - all of which really can be traced back to the culture) and the repercussions of sexualization (all negative, and includes girls and boys), the report discusses ways to combat the sexualization of girls. My favorite section discusses sex education. Here is what the APA has to say on the subject:

A central way to help youth counteract distorted views presented by the media and culture about girls, sex, and the sexualization of girls is through comprehensive sexuality education. Although guidelines for comprehensive sexuality education vary, all include the presentation of accurate, evidence-based information about reproduction and contraception, the importance of delaying intercourse initiation for young people, and the building of communication skills. Most relevant to combating sexualization, many also address media, peer, and cultural influences on sexual behaviors and decisions and promote a notion of sexual responsibility that includes respect for oneself and an emphasis on consensual, nonexploitive sexual activity.

This kind of sex education may reverse the negative effects of the sexualization of girls. It is also likely to have other positive effects and unlikely to have adverse consequences. Surgeon General Dr. David Satcher’s (2001) report on sexual health and responsible sexual behavior indicates that the most effective sex education for preventing teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections is comprehensive. Research indicates that comprehensive programs do not increase the frequency of sex or the number of sex partners, nor do such programs lower the age of first intercourse.

Good, solid advice. Perhaps a few choice national and state politicians should read this report, or maybe even just talk to the Surgeon General, and finally get off their high horse about abstinence only education.

You can download the whole report, along with some conversation starters for parents or educators to use with teenagers at this website: APA Report on the Sexualization of Girls

NPR had a piece on Morning Edition this morning which was produced through Youth Radio. Johanna Greenberg from Portland, Maine, presents her and her friends’ experiences (or lack thereof) talking about sex with their parents.

One point I might disagree with her on: The car might be the right place for some parents to bring up sex with their kids. But when you bring it up for the first time, just make it close to the end of the trip, so there’s not the awkward post-talk silence. If there’s more to be said when you arrive at your destination, there are always more car rides to be had.

One point I couldn’t have said better: The worst talk is no talk at all.

Hear what Ms. Greenberg has to say

It seems that each generation of teenagers re-invents sex for themselves. They feel that way, of course, but there may also be some truth to it.

Teenagers today are different from the ones ten, fifteen, twenty years ago in many ways. By and large, research indicates that they’re making far better choices than their previous counterparts did. They’re doing drugs less, drinking alcohol less, going to church more, volunteering more, and telling their parents that they love them more. (Okay, I’m not too sure about that last one…) But they are certainly having sex less.

How many of you immediately asked yourself what I actually mean by sex?

If not, go back and read my first post.

What I mean is that teenagers today, by and large, are delaying first penile-vaginal intercourse when compared to previous generations of teenagers. But they are having their first experiences with other sexual acts (oral and manual for starters) no later, and maybe even earlier, than old folks did. I think this change is primarily because we’ve done a decent job scaring teens away from intercourse through AIDS education and pregnancy scares.

I worry about two things about this change:

1. We’ve neglected to talk about the social/relationship implications inherent to early and intense sexual exploration.

2. We’ve also neglected to talk about the possibility of STD transmission through other ways than intercourse.

Maybe these aren’t topics that are easy for parents to talk about with their teenagers. It doesn’t mean that teenagers don’t need to know about them, and it certainly doesn’t mean that teenagers will get appropriate or accurate information from their peers or the media - which is generally where they will get it if it doesn’t come from parents or schools.

This is such a big deal, and so controversial right now in Austin, Texas, I feel I have to weigh in on it.

Here is what I’ve been able to glean from all of the propaganda that everyone on all sides of the issue has been throwing around:

1. The HPV vaccine protects against 3 or 4 of the most common lines of HPV. There are more than 100 lines all told.
2. It is unclear whether:
a. 50% - 70% of all cervical cancer and 90% of all genital warts are caused by all of the lines of HPV
OR
b. 50% - 70% of all cervical cancer and 90% of all genital warts are caused by the 3 or 4 lines of HPV that this vaccine protects against
3. Texas Governor Rick Perry has taken some amount of money from Merck, who created the vaccine. After taking that money he issued an executive order that all girls in Texas schools be vaccinated with the HPV vaccine.
4. The Texas Legislature is in the processes of over-ruling Perry’s executive order.

I feel pretty torn about the issue, to be honest. I appreciate some people’s outrage, and I appreciate some people’s appreciation.

In general, I am pleased that some one is giving some attention to women’s sexual health issues. It’s been far too long that primarily male doctors have focused on primarily men’s health issues. This vaccine could do some serious work in reducing HPV, which could in turn dramatically reduce the rates of cervical cancer and genital warts. The idea that this vaccine will encourage girls to have sex earlier and more often is preposterous. I have never met a teenage girl who decided not to have sex because she was concerned that she would contract HPV and get cervical cancer in 20 years.

On the other hand, new vaccines are scary, because there isn’t any information available about long-term effects. This one may be particularly scary because it’s about reproduction and cancer, which are both big issues.

But regardless of whether this vaccine is something all young girls should get is irrelevant in the face of Perry’s outrageous use of the executive order. Governor Perry has hardly been known for his interest in keeping adolescents safe sexually, generally much the opposite. His reasons for the executive order are crystal clear, and the fact that my governor can be bought by a pharmaceutical company is very disheartening, to say the least.

If you want to know more about the vaccine, here are some places to start:
CDC Information Page
Wikipedia Information Page

I’ve talked with parents who have told me, “Oh, my teenager isn’t having sex, I know because I ask them.”

One of the problems with parents asking this question and taking the answer at face value is that not everyone defines the word “sex” equally. Many teenagers understand sex the same way Bill Clinton did. There is even a strong contingent of teenagers who define sex so narrowly that it only includes vaginal/penile intercourse. Many parents understand sex to be a much broader term, and would almost certainly include any kind of oral or manual stimulation in their definition.

So if parents really want to know the answer to the question “Are you having sex?,” they will have to get much more specific. But it’s a rare parent who is willing to get much more specific than that. And, let’s be honest, it’s an even rarer teenager who would be willing to hear their parent utter the words “oral sex” and actually answer their question.