Jackie Clews

Let’s talk about sex.

While recent movies such as “Knocked Up” and “Juno” take comical punches at unwanted pregnancy, it’s hardly a laughing matter for those who face it.

In a nation that prides itself on high health standards, it is alarming to find out the U.S. has the highest rate of pregnancies, abortions, births and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in comparison to four other developed nations: Great Britain, Canada, France and Sweden, according to Planned Parenthood.

So, who is to blame? The teenagers who do not use contraceptives or the society that does not address the issue or educate them enough? Teenagers in other developed nations are having sex too, but they do not have as many pregnancies or STDs.

So, what are they doing differently? For starters, birth control costs much less in many other developed countries, according to Planned Parenthood. Also, girls are taught that they should take some responsibility for using contraceptives by buying condoms if they cannot get another form of birth control.

The idea of standing in line to buy condoms at a grocery store or gas station might sound a little embarrassing for teenage girls, but wouldn’t an unwanted pregnancy be worse? You can’t exactly cover up a pregnant stomach, and an abortion is much more emotional and expensive.

Although parents and teenagers need to take some responsibility for discussing safe sex, the most effective way to reach the most people is through schools. However, this is where it gets tricky.

In Oklahoma, no law mandates that schools must teach sexual education. It is up to each school board. Also, according to sexetc.org in Oklahoma, “if sexuality education is taught, then abstinence must be covered and stressed as the only completely effective protection against unplanned pregnancy, STDs, and HIV/AIDS.” Also, “teaching about contraceptives is not required.”

Abstinence may be the most common sense way to avoid these problems, but life and history has taught us that if people want to have sex they are going too.

Therefore, schools should educate students about safe sex in order to prevent pregnancies and STDs. Maybe if our schools educated about safe sex instead of solely promoting abstinence, our teenagers might have a fighting chance in avoiding unwanted pregnancies.

Colleges should offer a sexual education course as a science without a lab. There are many non-science majors who need a science without a lab as a general requirement, and this class could be just as beneficial to students as something like a general nutrition course, if not more. Students would be shocked to find out just how much they do not know.

The only class I found at OU that mentioned sexuality education at all was sophomore-level Health and Exercise Science course, Personal Health. Sexual education was included in a long list of other topics, such as mental health, stress management and drug education. My guess is that not much time is spent on sexual education. I attempted to contact the class instructor, but they never responded about what is taught and how much time is allotted.

So why should teens get tested? Why not? If they discover early enough, they have a sexually transmitted infection (STI) or an STD, many can be treated with antibiotics. Also, then they will not pass anything onto someone else.

If you thought you might have a cold or strep throat, you would go to the doctor. Why then wouldn’t you go get checked for an STD?

Many sexual transmitted infections do not have symptoms, which not only means that you could pass an STI to someone without even knowing it, but also the infection could worsen if not diagnosed and treated. According to the American Social Health Association, “At least 15 percent of all American women who are infertile can attribute it to tubule damage caused by pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), the result of an untreated STD.” Also, “women who reported regular use of condoms in one study were 60 percent less likely to become infertile.”

Planned Parenthood offers many services, such as tests and treatments for sexually transmitted infections, emergency contraception, and birth control.

Planned Parenthood of Central Oklahoma in Norman is located on 2100 B.W. Lindsey or can be found online at www.ppcok.org.

For a list of hotlines and their phone numbers regarding abortions, birth control, emergency contraception, sexual assault, HIV testing, hate crimes and confidential pregnancy tests, those interested may visit sexetc.org, a Web site by teens for teens.

It’s your body so take care of it.

Jackie Clews is a journalism and mass communication sophomore. Her column appears every other Friday.