Red Sex + Blue Sex = A New Sexual Morality

[Ian David]

Red Sex + Blue Sex = A New Sexual Morality
October 29th, 2008
By JOE WINDISH, Technology Editor

The highest divorce and teen pregnancy rates are in Red States, the lowest in Blue States. Margaret Talbot digs beneath the numbers to wonder, Why do so many evangelical teen-agers become pregnant?

{T}he red-state {abstinence} model is clearly failing on its own terms—producing high rates of teen pregnancy, divorce, sexually transmitted disease, and other dysfunctional outcomes that social conservatives say they abhor.

For too long, the conventional wisdom has been that social conservatives are the upholders of family values, whereas liberals are the proponents of a polymorphous selfishness. This isn’t true, and, every once in a while, liberals might point that out.

America’s dominant political divide:

Social liberals in the country’s “blue states” tend to support sex education and are not particularly troubled by the idea that many teen-agers have sex before marriage, but would regard a teen-age daughter’s pregnancy as devastating news. And the social conservatives in “red states” generally advocate abstinence-only education and denounce sex before marriage, but are relatively unruffled if a teen-ager becomes pregnant, as long as she doesn’t choose to have an abortion.



More:
http://themoderatevoice.com/politics/social-conservatives/23846/red-sex-blue-sex-a-new-sexual-morality/


From the "Comments" section:

<snip>

2. On masturbation - The Margaret Talbot piece points out that evangelicals discourage masturbation. On the other hand, Dr. James Dobson of Focus on the Family, the foremost name in Christian family advice, published a book in the late 1970s called Preparing for Adolescence. In that book, he said that there was nothing wrong with masturbation, that when done privately, it was a normal expression of nascent sexuality. I don't know if the book has been reprinted or revised on that score. I do know that several years ago I visited the Focus on the Family website and was surprised - in-light of Dobson's previously published position - that they were now saying that masturbation was unhealthy.

More:
http://themoderatevoice.com/politics/social-conservatives/23846/red-sex-blue-sex-a-new-sexual-morality/#comment-3362203

[Quantess]

1. Article comparing teen pregnancy rates in USA vs Europe:

http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/PUBLICATIONS/factsheet/fsest.htm

I posted this in yesterday's thread, too.

[AlCzervik]

3. i sent that link and the one from the new yorker to my sister yesterday

needless to say she was horrified, we're both mother's of daughters.

[Quantess]

5. Yes, it is a sobering article.

I'm pleased that you emailed it to her. Our public schools won't tell us the truth, and neither will our media. :hi:

[AlCzervik]

6. having your link was a helpful accompaniment to that story.

so thanks again, i know she's sent it out to some of her friends as well.

[tigereye]

11. damn - look at those terrible rates for use of contraception!

It's so ridiculous to champion ignorance and repression when those stats are the result. :(

[LaurenG]

2. Repression of the people by big red gods and red politicians

isn't this is the perfect season for fear mongers.

I'll take the blue sex.

[Fumesucker]

4. Not to mention

The more fundamentalist the church, the higher the divorce rate.. The single exception being Jews, they have the highest divorce rate of all.

The lowest divorce rate? Atheists.

[Turbineguy]

7. When Dobson first published

he didn't need to wear glasses.:evilgrin:

[Ian David]

8. ROFL!!!

"I used to masturbate, but I stopped when I needed glasses."

[Ian David]

9. Going Dobson

1. Going Dobson 16 up, 10 down

When a grown man showers with a young boy, as encouraged by masturbation enthusiast Dr. James Dobson of Focus on the Family. According to Dobson, seeing a grown man's penis can keep boys from "becoming" gay.

We're running late for school, so if you want to be ready in time I guess we'll be Going Dobson this morning.

by Iandb1 Dec 28, 2005
http://going-dobson.urbanup.com/1520779

[TahitiNut]

10. It's good for the prostate.

:dunce:

[MonteLukast]

12. Social conservatives are the upholders of rigid gender roles

And of non-thinking, black-or-white approaches to life.

[ihavenobias]

13. K & R. Put this together with the fact that blue states pay more federal taxes than they get back...

and we've got a killer combo.

[Captiosus]

14. My experience with two high school friends who were in True Love Waits:

The year was 1992 and we were in high school. These two friends of mine were also fellow "drama geeks", and I had known both of them since sixth grade. Liz and James had been in a steady relationship since 8th grade.

We were all good friends, and I used to go to their church functions to hang out with them, and other fellow drama folks, who were openly evangelical even though they knew I wasn't. I think they figured they could convert me. Too bad for them I only went to hang out with my friends and the pot luck dinners were awesome. Yeah, I guess I was selfish like that.

Anyway, it was at one of these functions in fall of 1992 that their youth minister started heavily promoting True Love Waits. Most of the drama geeks just shrugged it off, but not Liz and James. They were the most evangelical of the entire group. They gladly signed, bought some shirts that proudly proclaimed they were waiting and even had some colorful plastic rings with "TLW" on them that they wore.

Fast forward two years. We were all seniors and were preparing for one of our three drama productions. During "Hell Saturday", the day we all had to show up and ran through multiple dress rehearsals the weekend prior to the opening date, several of us noticed that Liz and James were missing. This was troublesome because they were both Production Assistants and were supposed to be in the wings to assist the stage manager.

Our stage had two built lofts for storage above the wings. During dress rehearsals, only the Stage Manager, Production Assistants, Set Crew Manager and Set Crew Assistants were allowed in the lofts. Becoming increasingly concerned about Liz and James' disappearance, myself (the Set Crew Manager) and Gordon (the Stage Manager) started trying to find them. Having not found them outside the auditorium or in the green room, we ventured up into the lofts...

Where we found Liz and James having just a fine old time, pants down and rolling around like they owned the place. Until they heard Gordon bust out laughing, which promptly ended that. It might have been harsh, but neither Gordon nor I would let them live that down. We even put a sign on the loft rope gate during the next two plays: No admittance for Liz or James. Needless to say, I wasn't invited to any more of their church functions after this episode.

Yet, despite being absolutely busted in their moment of hypocrisy, they continued to wear their shirts and rings and continued to preach the salvation of True Love Waits and how abstinence brought them closer to God.

[Ian David]

17. Abstinence Pledges make kids horny. If you want "Rock Star Sex" join an Abstinence Cult. n/t

[FKA MNChimpH8R]

15. Ignorance never leads to good outcomes

It is just that simple.

[LeftHander]

16. Everybody Whack!....Yeaaaa Whack whack....

grab that chicken and smack....

lol