Preview

Sex Education: Sweden vs. United States Essay Example

Powerful Essays
Open Document
Open Document
2407 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Sex Education: Sweden vs. United States Essay Example
Sex Education: Sweden vs. United States

Federal Law in the United States mandates that “Abstinence-only-until-marriage education” teach that any sexual activity among unmarried individuals is detrimental and wrong. Along with this, it specifically prohibits instruction regarding any contraceptive unless to emphasize their failure rates. Regardless of these multimillion-dollar efforts within the United States to stress abstinence, teen pregnancy and STD rates continue to substantially exceed those within the developed countries, such as Sweden, where comprehensive sex education is deemed imperative. Sweden’s inclusive sex education programs throughout compulsory schools serves as an exemplary model for what should be the modern scientific and intellectual view on effective sexual education for today’s youth. The politicians within the United States remain blind to the realities of their nations sexually active youth and ignore actions regarding this issue that have been internationally successful. The United States’ policy is flawed in its governmental funding of abstinence – only sex education, and should instead mimic a policy that demonstrates actual results, that is, the United States should mimic Sweden’s comprehensive sex education policy. Though sex education does exist in the United States, that which teaches anything other than the “abstinence – only – until – marriage” program deems zero government funding. The government funding for this program actually has grown exponentially since 1996 despite the insufficient scientific evidence that these programs work. The government has spent over an estimated $1.5 billion dollars of tax-payers money on these “abstinence-only” programs without any proven results. There are numerous flaws in the program including whom it involves, the way the information is taught and the validity of the facts. Not only does this program exclude the gay ad lesbian youth, but it also discounts those who have been sexually

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Better Essays

    Birds and the Bees

    • 1431 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Recently North Dakota, Texas and Arkansas, who are states with the most restrictive abortion laws, are currently pushing a bill that would defund both Planned Parenthood and sex education programs for at risk teenagers (Bassett par. 1). While these few states preventing education, many other sates are moving the other direction with comprehensive sex programs at the start of schooling. The Comprehensive Sexuality Education is a program that brings up age appropriate sex topics and covers many categories, from safe sex,…

    • 1431 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Despite living in a society that is saturated with sexual media and conscious of the wide prevalence of premarital sex, there is still an unspoken insecurity that comes with addressing human sexuality. This is demonstrated by national policies that fund abstinence education instead of comprehensive sex education, laws that specifically outlaw sexual pleasure such as a ban on vibrators in 6 states, and continued queasiness about the topics of homosexuality and sexual identities beyond the established “norm”.…

    • 292 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Orgasm, Inc. Summary

    • 871 Words
    • 4 Pages

    changed the definition of women’s bodies, health, desire, and orgasm, ultimately at a cost to…

    • 871 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    If children and adolescents are educated about sex practices at too young of an age it can encourage them to partake in sexual activities prematurely. This can result in teen pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases and negative mental health or low self-esteem. If students are educated about sex with abstinence based program it can reduce the amount of teen pregnancies that occur. For example, Project IMPPACT in New York City “focuses on the importance of abstaining from sexual intercourse” (Lieberman, Gray, Wier, Fiorention, & Maloney, 2000). This program discovered that “Lower rates of adolescent sexual activity are associated with having parents who demonstrate a combination of traditional attitudes toward sexual behavior and effective communication practices” (Lieberman et al, 2000).…

    • 1261 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Sex Education Dbq

    • 916 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Gaining no education on how to have safe sex before marriage, these teens are left unguided, sometimes resulting in teen pregnancy. In source B, "Abstinence-Only Education and Teen Pregnancy Rates: Why We Need Comprehensive Sex Education in the U.S.", the graphs depict an uneasily high amount of teen pregnancies in regions where abstinence-only programs are practiced, in 2002-2005 72.2% of teenagers reported to have been pregnant due to not being taught about safe sex. These numbers are in normally high as compared to other countries such as France, Germany, and the Netherlands never going above 30%, and the U.S has done over twice that much. It shows the downfall of only being educated of only having sex until you are married. Not educating children on safe sex practices could lead to far more damaging outcomes than parents could think of such as teen pregnancies and the spread of sexually transmitted…

    • 916 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Carnal knowledge

    • 1245 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Soaring rates of sexually transmitted diseases among teens are adding urgency to the debate over sex education. Conservatives claim the alarming statistics illustrate why abstinence should be the single mantra when it comes to sex ed. Liberals counter that the increase in disease is the strongest case for more detailed information. Caught in the middle are America’s kids, who are more vulnerable than ever to potentially deadly diseases.…

    • 1245 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Abstinence-Only Education

    • 1464 Words
    • 6 Pages

    In recent years, the question of whether schools should teach abstinence only programs or comprehensive sex education has been debated rigorously. Through his 2013 published piece, “Educating for Character in the Sexual Domain”, author Thomas Lickona focuses on the benefits of abstinence only programs. He uses the argument that abstinence creates character in today’s youth and cites multiple sources that support his viewpoint. On the other side of the discussion, authors of the article “Abstinence-Only Education and Teen Pregnancy Rates: Why We Need Comprehensive Sex Education in the U.S.”, David Hall and Kathrin Stanger-Hall address the lack of efficiency abstinence only programs provide. Published in 2011, their article relies heavily on…

    • 1464 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the average teenager engages in sexual intercourse by the age of seventeen, but do not marry until the mid-twenties (citation). This means that young adults are at an increased risk for unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections for nearly ten years or longer. The numbers of students engaging in sexual activity of ages thirteen to twenty-four continues to grow each year, as does the number of unplanned pregnancies and HIV infections due to not being fully educated about the risks. Today, the duty of educating students and teenagers about sexual intercourse and the risks involved is left to the government and public school system. Abstinence education programs in public…

    • 637 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Essay About Sex Education

    • 1321 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Should schools teach more about sex education? Would it help boys and girls be safer? Would there be less Sexually Transmitted Diseases or more? “The truth is if teens learned more about sex then there would be less teen pregnancies and less STDs.” ("5 Reasons Schools Should Adopt LGBTQ-inclusive Sex Ed.") I think teen pregnancies are unfortunate and teens should really think more about the consequence and how it can affect your life. “Most students, however, do not receive any instruction until 9th or 10th grade, by which time many have already became sexually active.” ("Implementing Sex Education.") “Ages 15 to 24 makeup 25 percent of the sexually active population, but acquire half of all new Sexually Transmitted Infections which is about 9.8 million new cases a year.” (“FACTS ABOUT SEX EDUCATION.")…

    • 1321 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Secretary

    • 626 Words
    • 3 Pages

    According to an article in the New York Times, “The birth rate among teenagers 15 to 19 in the United States rose 3 percent in 2006, according to a report issued, the first such increase since 1991. The finding surprised scholars and fueled a debate about whether the Bush administrations abstinence-only sexual education efforts are working” (Harris, 2007).…

    • 626 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Comprehensive Sexual Education What has happened to today’s society that we are opposed to condoms because they might entice sex? When has allowing our youth to practice unsafe sex over safe sex been okay? We often think because we supply kids with condoms, birth control, and talks, that we are giving them permission to have sex, when in fact we are merely trying to protect them from STDs and pregnancy. We do not need to scare kids, but we do need to provide them with information about safe sex practices and what can happen if they do plan to explore their sexual urge. Facts are the most important thing we can offer those select few of youth who wish to engage in sex. Since when has providing information been a bad thing? Shouldn’t the youth know what they are doing and what can happen before they do it? Most schools and education environments that do encourage any sort of sexual education, teach kids to “just say no”. The one main problem with this “abstinence only” education is that it denies those who do say “yes” information, instead of providing other acceptable options other than abstinence. Throughout time, ratings have shown that teaching the abstinence only education doesn’t affect the rates at which teenagers decide to have sex. Though comprehensive sex education doesn’t stop kids from having sex, it does however teach them how to participate in safe sex. Teenagers in today’s society are not stupid. When they are told by teachers that abstinence is the only way that they will not get a STD, they know they are being lied to or misled. Giving teenagers’ information about the risks of different types of sexual behavior can help them make informed decisions about sex. The most effective programs are not the ones that try to divert teens from sex completely but rather the ones that try to steer teens away from dangerous sexual behaviors. Most teens who do not have the correct information on risky sexual behaviors veer away from vaginal intercourse, and…

    • 456 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    There are two broad techniques used to provide sex education, comprehensive sex education and abstinence based sex education (Mezey, 2011). The abstinence-based avenue explains to children that it is morally wrong to have sex prior to a heterosexual marriage, which leads to many problems such as higher rates of unplanned pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and a lack of knowledge on all subjects related to sex and healthy relationships (2011). This is especially true amongst LGBTQIA+ and people with disabilities because they are left to find out sex and sexually related experiences through trial and error, and the Internet. Comprehensive sex education on the other hand, is when students are presented with every possible contraceptive option, their benefits and risks, statistical safety from preventing pregnancy and STDs/STIs (2011). Students also learn about what a healthy relationship is and how to effectively communicate their wants, needs, and limits in a sexual relationship. Comprehensive sex education is essential for students to grow into functioning adults, and thus participating members of a democracy (2011). Historically, sex education was not viewed as a necessary aspect for students until the 1960s and the demand for evidence-based education began in 1964. During this time period, Planned Parenthood established the Sexuality Information Education Council of the United States (SIECUS) to effectively education the younger population on sex and sexuality (2011). SIECUS founded the National Guidelines Task Force in 1990 who’s mission was to make sex education a promotion of sexual health and providing a positive view on sex, in comparison to the immoral view that abstinence-based sex education provided…

    • 1641 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    LeClai, Danielle. "Let 's Talk About Sex Honestly: Why Federal Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Education Programs Discriminate Against Girls, Are Bad Public Policy, And Should Be Overturned." Wisconsin Women 's Law Journal 21.2 (2006): 291-322. OmniFile Full Text Mega (H.W. Wilson). Web. 27 Mar. 2014.…

    • 1086 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    The government and schools must now step in and place more effective abstinence programs to ensure that students are bombarded by information on the negative effects of sex. As Timken High shows us, many states have pitiful curriculums that are currently set. It does not make any logical sense to keep inadequate courses in the schools if they do not work! I thought schools and the government were responsible for teaching students information that would help them succeed in modern society and make smart decisions. By keeping these ineffective programs, it sends an implied message that the educational bodies simply do not care. Instead of working to ensure the achievement of a goal, they are, in some respect, condoning premarital sex. Currently in the state of California, there is a required sexual education class that all high school students must take before graduating. The program in California as well as that in Ohio is relatively similar in many respects. While not yet proven to be ineffective, the situation in Ohio and Timken High should be enough to compel education directors to alter the current curriculum. With schools being such an integral part in students' lives, schools must become a front runner in the battle against high school pregnancies. It is definitely a bold charge, yet essential, for schools' are held accountable for doing what is best for their…

    • 734 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    An End to Ignorance

    • 2748 Words
    • 11 Pages

    The United States has the highest rates of sexually transmitted diseases and teen pregnancy of any developed country. Each year, unprotected sex results in almost four million teenagers contracting an STD. The HIV/AIDS epidemic is also a serious health concern for young people. Of the 40,000 new HIV infections in the US every year, about 20,000 occur in people under the age of 25, unprotected sex being to blame. (1) The National Abortion Rights Advocacy League says, “By denying teens the full range of information regarding human sexuality, abstinence-only education fails to provide young people with the information they need to protect their health and well-being.” (2) Surveys done by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that “students who have sex education know more and feel better prepared to handle different situations and decisions than those who have not.” (3) If the abstinence-only approach continues, it is expected have serious consequences by denying young people access to the information they need to protect themselves. These…

    • 2748 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Powerful Essays