badstar

But hey, there's an empty soapbox and hey, I got a thing or two to say that doesn't seem to get addressed very much otherwise.

edit: I wrote this on a lunch break. It is imperfect, it is flawed. It in no way constitutes my entire body of thought on the matter. There may be some less than perfectly coherent spots. Some specific aspects of the issue I haven't addressed. If anyhting I say doesn't make sense to you or seems incomplete, please feel free to ask me to clarify or give more complete thought.

With all this talk about abortions being banned....why does not one even bother to discuss the prevention of getting pregnant in the first place? It seems like no one wants to even discuss what causes and prevents pregnancy to begin with

(Please note: the following does not in any way have anyhting to do with cases of rape, incest, life in danger, baby going to be born massively incapacitated, etc...I am talking about girls/women getting pregant and just...not wanting a baby. But please, do read everything before you bitch me out for not being 100% gung-ho abortions for all on demand all the time all the way.)

Birth control folks! No it's not 100% but damned if it doesn't decrease your chances of getting pregnant significantly. And you know what? If you use multiple methods...it cuts those remaining chances! The pill and a condom. Topical spermicide. Diaphragm. Whatever. There are options. If something happens...you forgot the pill, the condom breaks...whatever...go to your doctor. Get the fricken morning after pill. (Yes, I know about issues with its availability in certain areas, not everyon has the money for it, etc. That's another rant for another time. My lunch break is only so long.) but do something. don't have sex without at LEAST one form of birth control. guys, wear a condom. Every time. Girls, pick your method.

Oh yeah and there's the other one, the one that always works. Don't have sex. People seem to lose sight of the fact that one of the primary functions of sex is...drumroll please...TO MAKE BABIES. So yeah, There's always that risk that the mission will be accomplished. If you can't or are not willing to take the risks...give it some serious thought before you go home with that hot guy from the club and drop trou. Girls, you HAVE the final say, you HAVE control over your bodies. If someone forces you to have sex...it's a crime.

Abstinence-only sex ed has got to be one of the most irresponsible ideas I've ever heard of. No matter what you tell them, threaten them with facts, statistics, risks etc...it's gonna happen. If people are going to do what people are going to do, lets make sure the right information on how to effectively minimize pregnancy and disease gets out. Preach abstinence all you want in schools- I have no problem with that as long as it's fact based (i.e. "Abstinence WILL keep you from getting pregnant." not "Having sex before marriage is evil so don't have sex.") Emphasize it all you want, but give the correct information on risk reduction. It's not safe sex. It is safer but nothing is absolutely foolproof. ('Cept abstinence, y'know?)

And abortion is not a means of birth control. Well, okay if you want to argue literalisms it is. But it should not be used along the lines of condoms and the pill.

I have mixed thoughts on abortion in general. Yes, it is killing a living being. I'm not arguing that it can survive independently, or does life begin at conception or birth...but you cannot refute that the baby is *alive* What I think needs to be done though...is as some people put it, make it safe and RARE. Reduce the number of unwanted/unplanned pregnancies before they happen...take some "control over your body" already.