Abstinence or Condoms

Abstinence simply means to go without something or to abstain from something. Having sex is basically having sexual intercourse with someone of the opposite sex. Sexual abstinence is abstaining or staying away from sex until marriage. Another way of saying sexual abstinence is celibacy or chastity (Moe 22-23). Sexual abstinence means not just staying away from sex but staying away from all sexual activity (Ayer 10). Many people do not believe abstinence alone cannot protect teens or young adults from sexual transmitted diseases (STDs) and pregnancy. In addition, with the society we live in now, we need face facts that teens will eventually have sex (The American Civil Liberties Union 2). However, many people believe abstinence alone can work to protect teens and young adults from STDs and pregnancy. Moreover, society needs to finds ways of encouraging abstinence instead of discouraging (Rector 3). While society believes condoms are promised to protect them from death threatening diseases and unwanted pregnancies, people’s lives are still at risk with the use of a condom. Condoms do not give a one hundred percent guarantee only abstinence. Choosing abstinence only is the only grantee protection from sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies.

A wide percentage of society does not believe in abstinence only. In addition, they also disagree with the way an abstinence program encourages abstinence only to teens and young adults. Abstinence only programs are used to inform teens of sexual transmitted diseases, pregnancies, condoms failures, and encourages teens to wait for sex until marriage. According society’s viewpoint, abstinence programs may inform teens about the dangers of having premarital sex but they do not inform ways of protection from STDs and unwanted pregnancies. Furthermore, abstinence programs often provide misguided information; therefore, making abstinence education to be more of an attempt to scare teens into choosing abstinence rather than encouraging them (Young 27). According to Deborah Kotz, in the year 2004 a congressional report showed over two thirds of the abstinence programs providing inaccurate information about sexual transmitted diseases and condom failures. In addition, Kotz stated, “In order to be effective, through, a program must convince teens that avoiding sex or using condoms is the right thing to do, as opposed to just laying out the risk and benefit” (1). In other words, the abstinence only program do not help decrease teen pregnancy and sexual transmitted disease rates, and can hurt the teens and young adults that receives an abstinence program’s false information (Reyes 1). However, according to the released data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, teens who take on abstinence are less likely to experience teen pregnancy and are less likely to engage in risky unprotected sex. In addition, abstinence programs inform teens of accurate information of STDs and condom failures to keep teens away from sex (Rector 1-2).

Condoms are made to convince society that sex is acceptable and can be safe; therefore leaving no place for abstinence only. According to Kevin J. Armington, MD, abstinence has a place in prevention, but cannot be a standalone strategy of protection from sexual transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies. Furthermore Armington mentions, “Condoms can help. Consistently and properly used, latex condoms profoundly decreased the risk of HIV transmission”(55). However, the message from abstinence is simply AIDs kills and condoms or contraceptives do not help in preventing STDs or unwanted pregnancies. Abstinence programs are believed to be delivering the wrong message about condoms to teens. Abstinence programs mislead information and promote a negative view about condoms and contraceptives. While concentrating more on the overly exaggerated failures of condom use, the abstinence only program ignores the evidential fact that condoms can prevent sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies. On the other hand, according to a test issued on condoms done by the Mariposa Foundation, eight teen out of seventy named brand condoms leaked the AIDs virus. In addition, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) discovered that ten percent of the production of condoms did not meet the FDA requirements (Dowling 3). According to my own personal observations, there have been numerous of parents and teens that believe in safe sex and preach about condoms religiously. However, once they become involved in an intimate relationship, the practice of safe sex starts then eventually dies out; therefore, unwanted pregnancies are born and STDs begin to spread. The American Pregnancy Association states, “Abstinence prevents unwanted pregnancies because sexual intercourse does not take place.” There are no risks of being abstinent only, but there is a high risk of practicing safe sex. The point of abstinence is refraining from sex. The talk of condoms will only contradict the principles of abstinence. In other words, people who commit to abstinence often attend the abstinence only programs. Within the abstinence only programs, teens or young adults take virginity pledges (a committed oath to wait until marriage for sex). Therefore, if the message is no sex until marriage, why include the teaching of protected sex? Giving out condoms or teaching about condoms is just like saying it is ok to have sex before marriage (Schaefer 1).

Society also believes abstinence only jeopardizes teens or young adult’s health. In addition, society also stands on the fact that abstinence only gives inaccurate information and over exaggerates the failures of condoms (The American Civil Liberties Union 2). However, health care professionals realized that condoms do not provide full protection from AIDs. The Center of Disease Control reported in a recent study of women who say their sexual partners use condoms; twenty one percent of those women still caught a sexually transmitted disease (Dowling 2). According the American Pregnancy Association, there is one major requirement of abstinence and that is willpower and discipline (3). Living in a sex fanatic society is the only blame of why people believe abstinence can not work. If media was to advertise more positive shows, movies, music, and commercials the influence will increase more than what it is today. The choice of peers will help reduce the pressures of pre-marital sex. To fully practice abstinence teens must resist the pressures from peers and media by making a stand and remain headstrong in this crazy society (Rector 3).

Along with sexual transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies there are other side effects in having sex with or without condoms. There are numerous of emotional consequences that have to be tolerated. There is a majority of people dealing with fear of commitment, despair, guilt, low self-esteem, past regrets, and most of all conflict within future marriages all just from having premarital sex. Most people have premarital sex just for the excitement of it. Then there are those who have premarital sex as a tool to express their emotional committed feelings towards the one they love. Once those types of relationship come to a breaking point, the ability to trust, love, and commit will eventually fade; therefore, the fear of commitment is on a rise. In addition, if someone that has premarital gets AIDS, gets STDs, gets pregnant, gets an abortion, gets a adoption, or gets a bad reputation the emotional consequences are over bearing and can cause a wide range of regrets. Many women have fallen into a deep depression or even committed suicide because of these emotions along with the guilt of giving up their virginity has given them a false image of themselves (James 54-58). According to my personal observations, teens often get involved with premarital sex because of their low-self esteem. Rebecca St. James stated, “…Adding insult to injury, many of these people begin to seek any kind of attention, even if it’s in other harmful sexual relationships – all in a search for love and acceptance”(56-57).

Consequently, there are teens having premarital sex and aren’t receiving the abstinence message. Drugs and alcohol have a major influence on teens and people in general having premarital sex. A study showed eighty percent of teenage pregnancies have been the cause of having premarital sex while under the influence of drugs and alcohol. Another study discovered that teens that are sexually active, consume alcohol, and use drugs uses condoms sixteen percent less often while under the influence of alcohol and twenty-five percent less after drug usage (Kreiner 48). Media plays another role in the blame of society not getting the abstinence message. Television shows has change dramatically over the years. Television shows during the 1950s and 60s, such as “I Love Lucy” and “The Honeymooners” showed married couples sleeping in separate beds and touching wasn’t even displayed. As for teens, the thought let alone the presentation of them having sex, was not even implied in television shows during the 1950s and 60s. Teens on television shows during that time were viewed as innocent children who concentrated on education, honored family values as well as their bodies, and practiced abstinence. However, those beliefs and teachings in the media have died and immorality has taken over (Friedman 11). According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, there are two thirds of television shows that have sexual content, except for children’s programming, news and sports. Out of the top twenty television shows for teens eight out of ten of those shows displays sex. Televisions are not alone; commercials are also sending messages of premarital sex. A commercial for Carl’s Jr. Hamburgers had sex icon Paris Hilton dressed in a slinky, black bathing suit, and covered in suds while slobbering over a huge burger. The ad first appeared on the Internet and gained forty thousand hits the first day. Movies are also fall into the category of preaching premarital sex to teens. A study found that more sex is displayed in PG and PG-13 movies now than it was in the 90s. According to a 2004 Rand Corporation study, exposure of sexual content in media is the conclusion to the early development of sexual behavior in teens. The media is bluntly addicted to sex and never give out positive images to teenage boys and girls on what real relationships are all about (Friedman 12).

Abstinence is the surest way of keeping away from STDs and unwanted pregnancies. Waiting for marriage shows great honor in personal and moral beliefs. Opportunities of pursuing education, career, and other activities will be available, which is side of abstinence media and society will not proclaim to the public. Media and society will preach that using condom is the safest form of premarital sex and proclaim that there are no risks given or taken. Society is hiding the fact that abstinence protects lives and using a condom can place lives at a deadly risk.




Work Cited

“Abstinence.” American Pregnancy Association: Promoting Reproductive and Pregnancy Wellness. 200-2008. 27 March 2008 .

American Civil Liberties Union. “Abstinence-Only Programs Do Not Work.” Teen Sexuality. Ed. Tamara L. Roleff. Contemporary Issues Companion Series. Greenhaven Press, 2004. MELO. Opposing Viewpoints. NWCC Lib., Senatobia, MS. 4 March 2008

Armington, Kevin J. MD. “Halting Infection and AIDS: What You Can Do.” Courtland Forum July 2007: Proquest. NWCC Lib., Senatobia, MS. 27 March 2008

Ayer, Eleanor. It’s Okay to Say No: Choosing Sexual Abstinence. New York: Rosen, 1997.

Dowling, Katherine. “Condoms Do Not Provide Adequate Protection from Sexually Transmitted Diseases.” Sexual Transmitted Diseases. Ed. Bryan J. Grapes. Contemporary Issues Companion Series. Greenhaven Press. 2001. MELO. Opposing Viewpoints. NWCC Lib., Senatobia, MS 8 April 2008

Friedman, Jane. “Teen Sex: Do Abstinence-Only Programs Discourage Teen Sex?” CQ Researcher. 16 September 2005. CQ Researcher Online. 27 March 2008