City Offers Free Condoms for Kids? Why Not?
Well, the Philadelphia Health Department has gone and done it. They're making condoms available to teens and tweens who want them. So how are parents responding? With joy that their kids are actually thinking to wrap it up before they turn Mom into Grandma? Oh, don't be silly.
Of course Philadelphians are freaking. Because everyone knows that suddenly making condoms available to kids who ask for them is just like saying "go forth and get freak nasty!" Right? Well, actually, not at all.
Studies have shown that access to condoms does not actually increase the rate of teens having sex. What it does do is ensure that more of the kids engaging in sexual activities are safe from STDs and pregnancy because more of them actually USE a condom.
The Take Control Philly program is open to kids from 11 to 19, and that lower number is worrying parents and the media who are again trotting out the myth that condom access = promotion of sex. They're just 11! True, but what's scarier? An 11-year-old having sex or an 11-year-old having unprotected sex? That's what I thought.
An 11-year-old, in a perfect world, would not be sexually active. But if they are, I'd prefer to think it's with protection, and they have some education about the consequences of their decision. And that's makes this particular program in Philly so necessary.
It's set up focuses on what kids really need if they're engaging in sexual activity. Condoms aren't being handed out willy nilly to kids on the street corner like candy. Kids have to actually go online to a website for the Take Control Philly program and request the prophylactics be mailed to them. That means these are all kids who were -- wait for it -- going to have sex anyway! And they're actually doing the smart thing. They're trying to be safe about it.
The site includes a host of other important things for sexually active kids -- from information about STDs to videos on how to actually use a condom (including female condoms!). Of course, that's got people up in arms too. As Daily News columnist Ronnie Polaneczky warns parents: "Be warned: The site contains very straightforward info, including explicit animations illustrating the proper way to don or insert a condom."
Can you imagine? Telling kids HOW to use a condom? So that they don't just "think" they're protected, but KNOW they're protected? Scandalous, I know, but I'm going to come out and say it. I'd rather have a kid wrapping it up than ending up with herpes and a new baby.
What about you?
Image via celebdu/Flickr
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Anon
JustCantWait88
This is awesome! I wish every STATE had programs like this...I started young, and I sure didn't know shit about what I was doing. When my DD starts having sex, I'd rather she be young and smart than young and pregnant. Well, I'd rather she not have sex, but...that's just ridiculous. Again, great!!
MamabearC
we'd all like to think that our innocent lil angels are going to stay innocent but unfortunately that's not the real world anymore;I've read studies that tell of middle school kids engaging in all types of sex-acts. I won't claim to know the cause of this trend of younger kids being sexually active,sad as it its, and as a mother to 3 girls it scares the crap outta me because you can teach them what's right all you want but in the end,when you're not constantly by their side 24-7, they make their own choices,good or bad.You just never know what choices your kids will make until they are actually faced with that situation and though we'd all like to say, "my daughter would NEVER...." there are far too many times when the daughters DO...so it is my belief that it's much better to educate them, not pretend nothings ever going to happen.In ANY situation, the more you are educated the better choices can be made...and if/when my daughters decide to become sexually active I want them to know what the options are that will keep them safe from STD's and pregnancy.I will by no means be letting them have their boyfriends stay the night(I'm not THAT progressive) but they will know how to protect themselves.
KelliansMom
they need the knowladge to go along with this. if they they are going to doit let it aleast be safe, and majority of the teens that know the whole story about sex often dont do it early ..teaching just abstaining from sex doesnt work they need to know the risk and how to have safe sex also ..
san3
I love this site! Wish all states would have something like this. Sure we provide condoms for our boys (and I would for girls if I had them also) but not all parents feel comfortable talking about or providing protection. We all know that just because we aren't comfortable with it doesn't mean our kids aren't going to have sex. I like the map they include also. The fact that they can get them through the mail is odd seeing most kids would worry their parents would pick up the mail before they could. The only thing I think they could have done better is to make it clear that condoms are to be used for ANY sexual contact (sex, oral sex, or anal sex)!
knfisch
butterflymkm
Shannon LC Cate
Heck yeah. Go for it. Kids will have sex or not have sex, regardless of the presence of a condom. I would have ordered them just to raise eyebrows for fun and I was sweet eighteen and never been kissed.
Having a condom is not the same thing as having sex. Meanwhile, if you are having sex, you sure as heck need a source of affordable condoms. And it doesn't get more affordable than free.
MemphisSuzi
Keep in mind that these are inner city teens/tweens and the majority of them have little/no parental guidance. This program is wonderful and might just help "stop the cycle" of STDs and/or unwanted pregnancy in some of these girls. I live in a city where we made national news for having an alarming # of pregnant girls at one high school and something like this here would be great.
StephenieBryant