Comments on: Take Care Down There: The New Planned Parenthood Campaign http://karenrayne.com/2008/05/13/take-care-down-there-the-new-planned-parenthood-campaign/ Sat, 11 Feb 2012 04:22:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 By: karenrayne http://karenrayne.com/2008/05/13/take-care-down-there-the-new-planned-parenthood-campaign/comment-page-1/#comment-3608 karenrayne Mon, 08 Sep 2008 14:56:43 +0000 http://karenrayne.com/2008/05/13/take-care-down-there-the-new-planned-parenthood-campaign/#comment-3608 I like what you've said here, martian400. It's clearly stating a problem that is rife in sexuality education. I have a list of things that teenagers need to DO before they have sex that I think ensures that they are talking with their partner, respecting their body, being safe, and getting to know their body if not loving their body - but they're all concrete, clear actions rather than generalizations or a call to be more mature. You can read the list here: http://karenrayne.com/2007/09/28/top-ten-things-to-do-before-you-have-sex-a-list-for-teenagers/ I like what you’ve said here, martian400. It’s clearly stating a problem that is rife in sexuality education. I have a list of things that teenagers need to DO before they have sex that I think ensures that they are talking with their partner, respecting their body, being safe, and getting to know their body if not loving their body - but they’re all concrete, clear actions rather than generalizations or a call to be more mature. You can read the list here: http://karenrayne.com/2007/09/28/top-ten-things-to-do-before-you-have-sex-a-list-for-teenagers/

]]> By: martian400 http://karenrayne.com/2008/05/13/take-care-down-there-the-new-planned-parenthood-campaign/comment-page-1/#comment-3607 martian400 Mon, 08 Sep 2008 14:36:25 +0000 http://karenrayne.com/2008/05/13/take-care-down-there-the-new-planned-parenthood-campaign/#comment-3607 I think PP is expecting teens to act like adults regarding decisions about their sexuality. Telling them to communicate openly with their partner is laughable...most teens can't even articulate their own feelings to themselves let alone to a sexual partner. That requires maturity that teens don't have yet. Ditto for the advice about loving your body. Most teens have a poor body image; it is part of growing up to feel self concious at this age! It's not because their parents made them feel that way or nobody talked to them about sex. Sexual maturity is a process that *begins* when you are a teen. Your hormones rage at this age and you have no wisdom or life experience yet to fully understand the kind of responsibilty you are taking on by engaging in a sexual relationship. There has got to be more involved than just telling them how to use a condom. I don't advocate the "just say No" approach either because that's the other extreme. But kids need to be taught that sex is more than a physical act and when you have sex you are at risk for some major life changes that you are not ready for (and I don't just mean physical changes...a lot of people carry scars from failed relationships where they felt used). That's why it's better to wait. We talk about "monogamy" as though its only purpose it to prevent STDs. But we need to explain to kids why a committed relationship is important, in terms of loving and trusting someone with our bodies and our feelings. That is really huge. I think PP is expecting teens to act like adults regarding decisions about their sexuality. Telling them to communicate openly with their partner is laughable…most teens can’t even articulate their own feelings to themselves let alone to a sexual partner. That requires maturity that teens don’t have yet. Ditto for the advice about loving your body. Most teens have a poor body image; it is part of growing up to feel self concious at this age! It’s not because their parents made them feel that way or nobody talked to them about sex.
Sexual maturity is a process that *begins* when you are a teen. Your hormones rage at this age and you have no wisdom or life experience yet to fully understand the kind of responsibilty you are taking on by engaging in a sexual relationship.
There has got to be more involved than just telling them how to use a condom.
I don’t advocate the “just say No” approach either because that’s the other extreme.
But kids need to be taught that sex is more than a physical act and when you have sex you are at risk for some major life changes that you are not ready for (and I don’t just mean physical changes…a lot of people carry scars from failed relationships where they felt used). That’s why it’s better to wait.
We talk about “monogamy” as though its only purpose it to prevent STDs. But we need to explain to kids why a committed relationship is important, in terms of loving and trusting someone with our bodies and our feelings. That is really huge.

]]> By: Cynthia Rosenthal http://karenrayne.com/2008/05/13/take-care-down-there-the-new-planned-parenthood-campaign/comment-page-1/#comment-3558 Cynthia Rosenthal Tue, 02 Sep 2008 02:25:18 +0000 http://karenrayne.com/2008/05/13/take-care-down-there-the-new-planned-parenthood-campaign/#comment-3558 Loved the website. Its witty and edgy and will connect with its audience, which are the kids (not us adults). Will continue to support Planned Parenthood in any way I can. Loved the website. Its witty and edgy and will connect with its audience, which are the kids (not us adults). Will continue to support Planned Parenthood in any way I can.

]]> By: tspider http://karenrayne.com/2008/05/13/take-care-down-there-the-new-planned-parenthood-campaign/comment-page-1/#comment-3473 tspider Tue, 12 Aug 2008 18:55:38 +0000 http://karenrayne.com/2008/05/13/take-care-down-there-the-new-planned-parenthood-campaign/#comment-3473 Not merely "cheesy", this stuff is creepy and insulting. Is the target pre-teens? (I can't think of any reasonably mature teenager who wouldn't find it off-putting.) Most significantly, the aggressively brain-dead "sex is no big deal" attitude of the site, as evidenced by the use of "cute" and stupid terminology (e.g., "Bumping Uglies", "spew", etc.) is decidedly sex-negative. As such, it plays perfectly to the carnal whims of your average early teen male who really doesn't want to be bothered with anything beyond the head of his dick. Nasty. Not merely “cheesy”, this stuff is creepy and insulting. Is the target pre-teens? (I can’t think of any reasonably mature teenager who wouldn’t find it off-putting.) Most significantly, the aggressively brain-dead “sex is no big deal” attitude of the site, as evidenced by the use of “cute” and stupid terminology (e.g., “Bumping Uglies”, “spew”, etc.) is decidedly sex-negative. As such, it plays perfectly to the carnal whims of your average early teen male who really doesn’t want to be bothered with anything beyond the head of his dick. Nasty.

]]> By: Cadbury http://karenrayne.com/2008/05/13/take-care-down-there-the-new-planned-parenthood-campaign/comment-page-1/#comment-2972 Cadbury Tue, 13 May 2008 19:15:03 +0000 http://karenrayne.com/2008/05/13/take-care-down-there-the-new-planned-parenthood-campaign/#comment-2972 pretty funny stuff i think i'll show it to my kids they'll just scream (with laughter too). the annoying "teacher" guy is a fixture of their worlds and approaches them in the same pseudo-cool fashion most of their teachers do - so they will recognise the archetype immediately but they'll also probably watch all of the videos - because they are the right kind of cheesy funny pretty funny stuff

i think i’ll show it to my kids

they’ll just scream (with laughter too). the annoying “teacher” guy is a fixture of their worlds and approaches them in the same pseudo-cool fashion most of their teachers do - so they will recognise the archetype immediately

but they’ll also probably watch all of the videos - because they are the right kind of cheesy funny

]]> By: Margaret Pevec http://karenrayne.com/2008/05/13/take-care-down-there-the-new-planned-parenthood-campaign/comment-page-1/#comment-2970 Margaret Pevec Tue, 13 May 2008 17:57:11 +0000 http://karenrayne.com/2008/05/13/take-care-down-there-the-new-planned-parenthood-campaign/#comment-2970 I watched all the videos on "Take Care Down There." I agree with Karen that it's simplistic, but direct. I like that there is no judgment coming from the "teacher" character; the impression is "sex is fine, just be safe." I LOVED the song! Reminds me of a masturbation rap song I heard a number of times about 10 years ago, written and performed by two young women. It was great and I wish I knew how to get ahold of them to see if they've published it on the web anywhere. It would be perfect for the new PP site. Thanks, Karen, for letting us know about this new site. I watched all the videos on “Take Care Down There.” I agree with Karen that it’s simplistic, but direct. I like that there is no judgment coming from the “teacher” character; the impression is “sex is fine, just be safe.” I LOVED the song! Reminds me of a masturbation rap song I heard a number of times about 10 years ago, written and performed by two young women. It was great and I wish I knew how to get ahold of them to see if they’ve published it on the web anywhere. It would be perfect for the new PP site. Thanks, Karen, for letting us know about this new site.

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