Government
Site Promoting Abstinence Only
An
array of advocacy groups are calling on the U.S. government
to take down one of its new Web sites, saying it presents biased
and inaccurate advice to parents on how to talk to their children
about sex. The site -- 4parents.gov -- stresses the promotion
of abstinence. Emphasizing abstinence is fine, said the groups,
but the government, under the conservative Bush administration,
also should stress the need for contraception if sexual relations
do occur.
The
site does give inflated failure rates of birth control methods
suggesting that birth control pills have a 8% failure rate when
they actually have a 2% failure rate.
The site advises parents to tell their teens why they should
not have sex: "Tell them abstinence is the healthiest choice.
They will not have to worry about getting pregnant or getting
someone pregnant. They will not have to worry about sexually
transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS. Nor will they have
to worry that the person they are dating is only interested
in them because of sex."
The
Human Rights Campaign said it was particularly concerned about
sections of the Web site that focus on sexual orientation. The
group works for equal rights for gays, lesbians and bisexuals.
The site says: "If you believe your adolescent may be gay, or
is experiencing difficulties with gender identity or sexual
orientation issues, consider seeing a family therapist who shares
your values to clarify and work through these issues."
Joe
Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign, said in a
separate letter to Leavitt, that describing sexual orientation
as an "alternative lifestyle" is outdated and inaccurate language
that can alienate youth at a time when they are particularly
vulnerable.
The
Holistic Wisdom Corporation