(no subject)

[wildestranger]

An amusing thing on the radio this morning. On the BBC Radio 2's Jeremy Wine show, they were discussing whether parents should be informed about an under aged child having an abortion, or asking for information about it. An interesting question by itself, but two of the people who called in, both men I might add, were particularly entertaining in their views. One suggested that they should stop giving information about sex in schools, since this is the cause of promiscuity in the land, and is resulting in the breakdown of the family. Another demanded that under sixteen-year-olds who engaged in sex shuld be prosecuted since it was against the law. This would stop teenagers having sex since they wouldn't want to go to prison.

A most delightful instance of what ignorance about history, sociology, and common sense can produce when combined with narrowmindedness, such as the following examples of faulty thinking:

Young people didn't have sex until the state began to provide sex education.

Information produces promiscuity: if you are told about the many diseases and other unpleasant results of sex, this will create an unsurmountable desire to have sex, which would not exist otherwise.

Making something prohibited by the law will stop teenagers wanting to do it.

The law exists to guard itself. not, say, to protect people from arbitrary powers.

Penalising pregnant teenagers for having had sex serves any kind of purpose.

Well, this has amused me muchly today.

Also, I haven't had a poll in three days. Something should be done. If you have an idea about what kind of a poll you think I should do, let me know in comments.

Comments

[liadlaith.livejournal.com]

Young people didn't have sex until the state began to provide sex education.

They did, but only lower class kids. Respectabibble middle class kids didn't even look sideways at at each other.

Information produces promiscuity: if you are told about the many diseases and other unpleasant results of sex, this will create an unsurmountable desire to have sex, which would not exist otherwise.

But they're not teaching them that!! They're teaching them about condoms and positions and how to have orgasms!! They're telling them it's okay to masturbate!!!

Making something prohibited by the law will stop teenagers wanting to do it.

Of course - look how well that works for underage drinking.

The law exists to guard itself. not, say, to protect people from arbitrary powers.

Are you questioning this fine country? Sedition!!

Penalising pregnant teenagers for having had sex serves any kind of purpose.

Just like the death penalty has kept down murder rates.

[wildestranger.livejournal.com]

They did, but only lower class kids. Respectabibble middle class kids didn't even look sideways at at each other.

Of course not. The history of English literature teaches us that no middle class ever had sex before marriage, and her parents never worried that she might do so, as it was inconceivable. :)

But they're not teaching them that!! They're teaching them about condoms and positions and how to have orgasms!! They're telling them it's okay to masturbate!!!

Oh indeed. And it's not okay for teenages to know how to have orgasms if middle-aged people who call the BBC don't.

Of course - look how well that works for underage drinking.

Exactly. No fields filled with people guzzling cheap cider anywhere near me.

Are you questioning this fine country? Sedition!!

You have caught on my plan. Gunpowder, treason and plot!

[liadlaith.livejournal.com]

And it's not okay for teenages to know how to have orgasms if middle-aged people who call the BBC don't.

If we all started having orgasms, we'd start enjoying ourselves (oooh, puntastic) and then where would we be?

You have caught on my plan. Gunpowder, treason and plot!

Remember, remember, the eighth of November . . .

[kabeyk.livejournal.com]

Don't start me on this.

All the people I've known that have needed abortions/emergency contraception got themselves in that situation because of the lack of freely available contraception. And a lot more education can only help, surely.

Yeah, making joyriding and shoplifting illegal really stops kids doing it. I mean, that's what the sort of people who are voicing these opinions about sex education think all young people are like, isn't it?

Ugh, makes me angry.

Poll! I should have one too, but I have no ideas. Rec more porn instead.

kxx

[wildestranger.livejournal.com]

Yes, exactly. Some people have such strange ideas of what constitutues sex education, and how it works. Most infuriating.

Yes, porn. I will. Soon.

As soon as you've read everything else I've recced. ;)

[wildestranger.livejournal.com]

And where have you been hiding, young lady? It has been verily a long time since I spoke with thee. So get to the net! *prods*

[sasha-davidovna.livejournal.com]

Hahahaha!

Sometimes I wonder if these people are actually human. Honestly, could anyone who has ever personally been a teenager be so stupid?

Sadly, the answer seems to be yes, unless they are in fact Martians, in which case we should send them back. Or alternately to some place like Iran, so they can see how truly fun it is to live in a theocracy of the sort they want to build here. :p

[wildestranger.livejournal.com]

It's kind of funny but also rather sad and disturbing. One can only hope that most people in Britain would consider such things to be the ravings of a lunatic.

Hopefully. :)

[fleshdress.livejournal.com]

Making something prohibited by the law will stop teenagers wanting to do it.
And never a truer word has been spoken. *g*

[wildestranger.livejournal.com]

Indeed. Makes you wonder what kind of people actually think that. Well, what kind of people think that and then call BBC radio 2. :)

Also, that icon? So cool. Love little ferret Draco. *g*

[fleshdress.livejournal.com]

I've always thought that the people who ring in to shows are the highly opinionated people who can't get people to listen to their opinions for obvious reasons.

And it is adorable isn't it? Have you seen the ferret clip yet? It makes my heart explode with glee and gives me all kind of porny Mad-Eye Moody/Draco bunnies.

[wildestranger.livejournal.com]

OH yes. Have watched the scene many times. It's what I'm waiting for most. I'm only disappointed Tom Felton didn't get to run around naked afterwards. :)

Must see if I can add a ferret mention into the H/D fic I'm writing at the moment. Perhaps too cliched. But you know, the ferret is a sleek, beautiful creature....;)

[fleshdress.livejournal.com]

Tom Felton is not really my thing but he does manage to be quite loveable as Draco, loveable and hostile and useless. It's the chasing round the tree that I adore.

And... more H/D? Yay! I'm a bit swamped with Draco/Blaise, Snape/Lucius, Snape/Harry and Sirius/Lucius/Draco currently, but eventually I will get round to writing bunnies rather than challenges again.

[wildestranger.livejournal.com]

Yes, that's the thing. He's far too young to be fanciable (see, showing my age here :)), but he does a good whiny Draco.

Argh, the H/D is for a challenge, due by midnight tonight. Don't know when I'll have th chance to due something just for fun as I've signed up for too many challenges, shackin up sesa, getting harry laid, minerva in detention, hp valens smut. Argh.

Anyway. Blaise/Draco. Can't wait to read that.

[shaggydogstail.livejournal.com]

Fucktards seem to be overlooking the other major contributing factor in promiscuity--it's not just the government, teen magazines are to blame as well! If it hadn't been for Just Seventeen printing the phone number of the Brook Advisory Service, I'd never have found out what an orgasm was! Ahem.

Another demanded that under sixteen-year-olds who engaged in sex shuld be prosecuted since it was against the law.

A lawyer writes: no, it isn't. Under-16's can't legally consent to sex, but it is not illegal for them to do it. It is, however, unlawful to have sex with someone under 16. If you're going to talk about sending people to prison, at least have the courtesy to know what the law is. *growls*

Well, in keeping with all this, I think you should have a poll on Who Is To Blame For Slutty Teens? or similar. For example:

Who do you blame for your perversity?

* The Government
* The media
* The metropolitan liberal elite/the chattering classes
* My mother
* wildestranger

[wildestranger.livejournal.com]

Heh. Reason doesn't seem to be a concept these people are familiar with. As fleshdress pointed out, they call the BBC cause no one else will listen to them.

As for the poll...good idea. Might do that one tomorrow. ;)

[http://users.livejournal.com/_emeraldgreen/]

Uh, I was listening to that too.

if you are told about the many diseases and other unpleasant results of sex, this will create an unsurmountable desire to have sex, which would not exist otherwise.

Of course. Oh, don't get me started. I think they should just give out the medical microbiology textbook I own at schools. The pictures are almost enough to put you off for life.

And POLL! I don't mind what, because I'm a shameless poll-slut.

[wildestranger.livejournal.com]

Heh. Exactly. See the disgusting girl and boy bits? Never want to touch them in your life? Good, we're done here. *g*

But a poll about what? Gimme ideas, you shameless poll-slut!

[http://users.livejournal.com/_emeraldgreen/]

Yes, it would so work. I don't know why it hasn't been done sooner!

Ack, I don't know! Ooh, you should have a poll about it...

it's on the ballot

[tesseract-5.livejournal.com]

in California.. today.

bleh, A conservative "pro-life" group managed to get enough signatures to put an initiative on the ballot that would require a clinic to notify the parents before giving a girl under 18 an abortion.

OKAY! think about this, WHY would a girl HAVE to sneak off to have as major and life changing as an abortion? Uh, her parents are abusive and disfunctional?
no way! abortion is just expensive birth control right?

*flails* I seriously doubt it'll pass

Re: it's on the ballot

[wildestranger.livejournal.com]

This is the problem exactly. If a girl gets on with her parents and can expect them to be supportive, then there is less chance of her not telling them anyway. However, if she can expected to, say, be called a filthy slut and thrown out of the house, then she might be less inclined to share this information with her parents.

What annoys me about this is that the girl is not treated as an individual before the law. Her decisions, concerning her body and her future, must be dictated by somebody else. This bothers me a lot.

Re: it's on the ballot

[tesseract-5.livejournal.com]

exactly, just like our current nominee up for Supreme Court Justice backed a court decision that a woman had to get her husband's permission before getting an abortion. Uh, there's OBVIOUSLY something horribly wrong with a marriage if you can't tell the other person. Uh, and you want to enforce this kind of fucked up relationship?

*flails some more and runs off to vote*