Talking about it

http://www.teenwire.com/infocus/2008/if-20080617p522-sex.php
Hey everyone!

The link above will take you to another page with important information that might be useful for some, or all of you. Please take your time to read it, there are many questions that you can have and all the answers you need.

Guys, like Mrs.Stoklosa says, this is "a subject that is usually a bit taboo", but it is an important subject that you either talk about, or just think about it by yourself. I want to be helpful and show everyone how important this "taboo subject" is.

Abortion Statistics

The following is a list of useful abortion statistics as well as some facts on abortifacients. All abortion numbers are derived from pro-abortion sources courtesy of The Alan Guttmacher Institute and Planned Parenthood's Family Planning Perspectives.

WORLDWIDE
Number of abortions per year: Approximately 42 Million

Number of abortions per day: Approximately 115,000

Where abortions occur:83% of all abortions are obtained in developing countries and 17% occur in developed countries.

© Copyright 1996-2008, The Alan Guttmacher Institute. (www.agi-usa.org)

UNITED STATES
Number of abortions per year: 1.37 Million (1996)

Number of abortions per day: Approximately 3,700
Who's having abortions (age):52% of women obtaining abortions in the U.S. are younger than 25: Women aged 20-24 obtain 32% of all abortions; Teenagers obtain 20% and girls under 15 account for 1.2%.

Who's having abortions (race):While white women obtain 60% of all abortions, their abortion rate is well below that of minority women. Black women are more than 3 times as likely as white women to have an abortion, and Hispanic women are roughly 2 times as likely.

Who's having abortions (marital status)?64.4% of all abortions are performed on never-married women; Married women account for 18.4% of all abortions and divorced women obtain 9.4%.

Who's having abortions (religion):Women identifying themselves as Protestants obtain 37.4% of all abortions in the U.S.; Catholic women account for 31.3%, Jewish women account for 1.3%, and women with no religious affiliation obtain 23.7% of all abortions. 18% of all abortions are performed on women who identify themselves as "Born-again/Evangelical".

Who's having abortions (income)?Women with family incomes less than $15,000 obtain 28.7% of all abortions; Women with family incomes between $15,000 and $29,999 obtain 19.5%; Women with family incomes between $30,000 and $59,999 obtain 38.0%; Women with family incomes over $60,000 obtain 13.8%.

Why women have abortions1% of all abortions occur because of rape or incest; 6% of abortions occur because of potential health problems regarding either the mother or child, and 93% of all abortions occur for social reasons (i.e. the child is unwanted or inconvenient).

At what gestational ages are abortions performed:52% of all abortions occur before the 9th week of pregnancy, 25% happen between the 9th & 10th week, 12% happen between the 11th and 12th week, 6% happen between the 13th & 15th week, 4% happen between the 16th & 20th week, and 1% of all abortions (16,450/yr.) happen after the 20th week of pregnancy.

Likelihood of abortion:An estimated 43% of all women will have at least 1 abortion by the time they are 45 years old. 47% of all abortions are performed on women who have had at least one previous abortion.

Abortion coverage:48% of all abortion facilities provide services after the 12th week of pregnancy. 9 in 10 managed care plans routinely cover abortion or provide limited coverage. About 14% of all abortions in the United States are paid for with public funds, virtually all of which are state funds. 16 states (CA, CT, HI, ED, IL, MA , MD, MD, MN, MT, NJ, NM, NY, OR, VT, WA and WV) pay for abortions for some poor women.

© Copyright 1998, The Alan Guttmacher Institute. (www.agi-usa.org)© Copyright 1997, The Alan Guttmacher Institute. (www.agi-usa.org)© Copyright 1995, Family Planning Perspectives© Copyright 1988, Family Planning Perspectives

http://www.abortionno.org/Resources/fastfacts.html

About Me

Today I feel like sharing MY own opinions about the subject of this blog, sex.
I believe I am not the right person to tell anyone not to have sexual relationships; I have no control over your decision, and it is a decision that must be analyzed by only yourself and your partner.
Lets speak with the truth, as much as your parents and teachers tell you not to have sex, it only makes you more eager to experience it. This blog is not meant to tell everyone “Sex is a disease, don’t do it!”, because that is definitely not what I believe its right. I started this blog to open your eyes and warn you that sex is not all about pleasure, it has its consequences.

One of the consequences is pregnancy, and then comes abortion. I am 100% against abortion. If a teenager is “responsible enough” to make decisions and be involved in sexual relationships, then aren’t they capable of taking care of a child?
You can disagree with me, but my opinions will never change.

Guys, whatever you do, never regret any decisions. (Except killing a baby, THAT you will regret for the rest of your life)
If after having sexual relationships you feel like it was a wrong decision, do not regret it. Everyone will learn something from his or her experiences, obviously I am not saying that you will learn only about sex, but you will learn something about yourself, and you may grow as a person.

If you have any questions about me, please ask.
Soon I will be posting more frequently asked questions and answers. If there is ANY SUBJECT you want me to talk about, or post information about it, TELL ME! and lastly, I love to hear back from you guys, tell me if you like the blog, and if you think it is missing anything.

Valen.

Hey guys!...
Soon I will be posting about abortion, the statistics, what it is, and what I think about the subject. Here is a video I found in youtube, I should warn you, the images are not "pretty", but it is reality.
Please don't mind leaving a comment and your opinions on you actually think is the right choice.

Did you know?

Did you know that...

Statistics on Teen Sex

• Nationally, more than half of teenagers are virgins until they are at least 17 years of age (Sex and America's Teenagers, The Alan Guttmacher Institute, New York, 1994)
• In the U.S., 7 in 10 women who had sex before age 14, and 6 in 10 of those who had sex before age 15 report having had sex involuntarily. (Facts in Brief: Teen Sex and Pregnancy, The Alan Guttmacher Institute, New York, 1996)
• Nationally, one-quarter of 15 year old females and less than 30% of 15 year old males have had sex, compared with 66% of 18 year old females, and 68% of 18 year old males who have had sexual intercourse. (A Statistical Portrait of Adolescent Sex, Contraception, and Childbearing, National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, Washington, DC, 1998).

Statistics on Teen pregnancy

• Nationally, nearly one million young women under age 20 become pregnant each year. That means close to 2800 teens get pregnant each day.( Facts in Brief: Teen Sex and Pregnancy, The Alan Guttmacher Institute, New York, 1996).
• Approximately 4 in 10 young women in the U.S. become pregnant at least once before turning 20 years old.( Facts in Brief: Teen Sex and Pregnancy, The Alan Guttmacher Institute, New York, 1996).

Sexually Transmitted Diseases Among Teens

• In the U.S., 1 in 4 sexually active teens become infected with an STD every year.2 Some common STDs are chlamydia, gonorrhea, etc.
• 134,000 new cases of syphilis are occurring each year, the highest infection rate in 40 years.
• 1.3 million new gonorrhea cases occur annually.
• 24 million new cases of human papilloma virus (HPV) occur annually, including a high percentage among teens.
• 63% of all sexually transmitted disease (STD) cases occur among people less than 25 years of age.
• Condoms provide virtually no protection against an STD called the human papillloma virus (HPV). HPV is the most common medical problem seen by gynecologists and causes almost all cervical cancer in the U.S. 80% of people who have a sexually transmitted disease experience no noticeable sypmtoms. (Moscicki, B., et al, "The Use and Limitations of Endocervical Gram Stains...," American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 157:1, July, 1987)
• Condoms have a poor record for prevention of pregnancy, with failure rates of up to 13% or more per year. (Jones, E.F., and Forrest, J.D., "Contraceptive Failure in the United States: Revised Estimates...," Family Planning Perspectives, 21:3, May/June 1989)
• A meta-analysis of condom effectiveness from in vivo studies by Dr. Susan Weller suggests a 31% failure rate in preventing HIV transmission. (Weller, Susan, "A Meta-Analysis of Condom Effectiveness in Reducing Sexually Transmitted HIV," Social Science and Medicine, 36:12, 1993)

If it sounds disgusting, imagine having it!

Sex, Lies and HIV

• 34% of men and 10% of women have told lies in order to have sex.
• 68% of men and 59% of women have been involved with more than one person that their current partner doesn¹t know about.
• 47% of men and 42% of women would understate the number of their previous partners in order to convince someone to have sex."Sex, Lies and HIV," The New England Journal of Medicine, (March 15, 1990) -- the results of a study of 665 southern California college students .

Facts on Reproductive Rights, from the National Organization for Women

• The Pill fails 6.2% of the time.
• The condom fails 14.2% of the time.
• The diaphragm fails 15.6% of the time.
• Spermicide fails 26.3% of the time.

More statistics and opinions

• Almost 70% of teens regret having had sex as early as they did.
• Ninety-four percent of teens say they want a strong message to abstain until at least after high school.
• Guys are less and less accepting of casual sex - the proportion of adolescent males aged 17-19 who approve of premarital sex when a couple does not plan to marry decreased from 80% in 1988 to 71% in 1995.
• 60% of college freshmen disagree that hooking up with a casual acquaintance is okay.
• You know drugs and alcohol change your perspective and that they can cause you to make really bad decisions about sex. Using alcohol, cigarettes, and/or illicit drugs significantly increases the likelihood that boys and girls will begin having sexual intercourse before age 16. And teens 15 and older who drink are seven times likelier to have sexual intercourse and twice as likely to have it with four or more partners than non-drinking teens. More than one-half of teens (53%) say the main reason teens do not use protection is because of drinking or using drugs.
• More than one-half of teens (52%) surveyed recently said that one of the main reasons that teens do not use birth control is because their partners don't want to.(www.stayteen.org)

MTV's Its Your (Sex) Life

1. TAKE YOUR TIME

• Abstinence is effective in preventing pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, but only works if you don't have sex of any kind.
• It is impossible for someone to read your mind. Don't expect your partner to magically know what you want.
• Acknowledge that this may be difficult to talk about. Reveal your own level of comfort. For example say, "This isn't easy for me to talk about, but it's something that I've been thinking about a lot."
• Request permission to bring up the topic. Be sensitive to when it may or may not be appropriate to discuss (e.g. not right before an organic chemistry final exam or just as your partner is falling asleep).
• Give your partner permission to say something that might be upsetting to you by allowing him or her to finish talking before you talk. Listen to what your partner is saying before responding.
• Respect your partner's attitudes, values and feelings about sex even though they may be very different from yours.
• Trust your instincts. If you feel unsafe or coerced into doing or saying something, stop and remove yourself from the situation.

2. Talk about it

• It is important to be able to talk about sex with your partner. Direct conversations can be uncomfortable but get easier if you know your facts.
• Choose a time and place for your talk that is relaxed and comfortable, before you are intimate (that means before you take your clothes off!).
• Start off on a positive note. Let your partner know that you really care about him or her and that's why you want to talk.
• Be up front and direct about your feelings and what you feel comfortable doing now. If you are feeling a little embarrassed or shy, take heart - most people feel that way in this kind of situation, so don't let that hold you back.
• If both of you decide you want to have a sexual relationship, start off by getting tested together. You should also discuss with your health care provider what STDs you should be screened for.
• If at anytime, you change your mind it's always okay to hold off. Remember: It's Your (Sex) Life.
• If one of you has an STD, it is important to be honest at the start - both for your partner's well-being as well as yours. Having an STD doesn't mean you can't have a relationship, just that you may need to take precautions.

3. Use protection

• Even if you are using other forms of birth control like the Pill, the Shot and the Patch, the only way to protect yourself against HIV and other STDs.

4. Get tested

• An estimated one in four people who have HIV in the United States do not know they are infected. Getting tested for HIV is confidential and quick!

Sex and teens today

In today's society, sex is being talked about everywhere. From "Juno", a film about "an independent-minded teenager confronting an unplanned pregnancy and the subsequent events that put pressures of adult life onto her", to "The Secret life of the American Teenager", an ABC's series about teen drama, focusing on the "relationships between families and friends dealing with the unexpected teenage pregnancy of character Amy Juergens".
Even though there are many shows and films based on teenage sex life, there are only a few that involves explanations and give teenagers advice on how they should treat their own sex life. One of these shows is "Sex...With mom and dad."

Here are some questions asked by TV Guide and answered directly by Dr.Drew.

TVGuide.com: Sex...with Mom and Dad is based on a British show. How will your version differ from the original?
Dr. Drew Pinksy: My problem with the program overseas is that it was so narrowly focused on the sexuality, it missed the point that sexuality is a piece, a symptom of a much larger dynamic. In this country, the producers gave me a chance to work on the overall dynamic, and then they could then focus in, from an editing standpoint, on the arc of it.

TVGuide.com: That's a good thing, because it sounds like you felt you were rolling the dice with this.
Pinsky: Well, that's sort of what I do in media. The people who create TV create TV, and I don't really know how to do that. I might have some instincts, but one of my instincts is to let the people who create great television do that, and just find a way to insert myself into it in such a way that something good happens.

TVGuide.com: Based on some preliminary scenes of the new series, it seems like everyone involved is authentic and really participating.
Pinksy: We cover tons of territory, so they really have to look at everything. And that's what I like about it. One of the things that really struck me about the families we worked with was, one of the themes that recurred in this little group was a deep fear — I mean a profound fear, sort of a rigid fear, that somehow, by just broaching the topic with their kids, they would create some sort of endorsement of behavior. The parents were so surprised that they could begin to have a conversation about this topic, and maybe for the first time, the kids were listening.

TVGuide.com: Why is talking about sex still so hard for people, and for families?
Pinksy: We don't help parents understand what they can do. But I would tell people, you really need to get the conversation going between eight and 12. And by conversation, I mean conversation. Just offer open-ended questions and opportunities.

TVGuide.com: What would you ask a kid of that age? Call me old-fashioned, but eight is really young.
Pinksy: It is very young, but look at what they're exposed to on television. It's very simple. You go, 'Hey, do you have any questions about this?' And that's it. Present open-ended opportunities. And I would urge against jumping in to some sort of lesson. The kids would freak out.

TVGuide.com: It seems like there's so much information out there for young people, yet, are kids still in the dark about sex?
Pinksy: They're not in the dark, they're in the dark about the implications of all this. They're in the dark about the emotional reality, they're in the dark about the biological reality, they're in denial about this thing that has become a drug in our culture, rather than an expression about intimate relations. It's too far the other way: It's not that they don't know about it, they know everything, but at the same time, they know nothing. And that's the problem. So the human piece is left out, the human reality is taken away, it's all thought of very casually.

TVGuide.com: You work with people on TV all the time, but what does it really take for young people to change behavior, even with all this information?
Pinksy: That is the question. By the way, when you solve that, let's go to Stockholm together and get the Nobel Prize, because this has been the constant struggle in the adolescent age group, because they're wonderfully knowledgeable, and yet we've done little to change their behavior. What my approach has been is to create a relatable source, that is to say, study cases. They don't care what I say, but when they hear a young person going through a heavy experience, and I'm able to make sense of it for them, then they hear what I'm saying.

TVGuide.com: Was having "the talk" any easier for you, because of your training?
Pinsky: Absolutely not. You're still just rendered parent. Maybe it's worse, because there's an imperative behind it and I know when I'm falling short. Nothing makes it easier. Maybe having faith in what needs to happen makes it a little easier — knowing it's the right thing to do, knowing the empiric result — but it doesn’t make it easier.

TVGuide.com: It seems like there's so much of a focus on teen pregnancy right now, both in the media and in politics. Why do you think that is, and what's MTV's relationship to that?
Pinksy: It's a huge issue, it's been a massive issue for decades. What's going to be good for young people? All of us want young people to make better choices, to delay their sexual contact, to make sure that they fully understand the implications of those choices — which of course, they never do — and to be prepared to make those choices if they decide to go into something physical. How to go from point A to point B is what's galvanizing.
I will tell you that the biggest issue in my mind is surviving our destroyed family system. Kids that come from chaos create chaos. They're the ones we can affect the most through media. They're affected most powerfully negatively through media, and I think the most positively affected through media. So it becomes our responsibility to send those messages of consequence to that population, because they don't trust it through the usual sources.

All about Dr.Drew Pinsky

Dr. David Drew Pinsky, better known as Dr. Drew, was born September 4, 1958 in Pasadena, California. Drew used to go on house calls with his father and decided young that he wanted to be a doctor, too. Drew attended Polytechnic High School, a private school in Pasadena, before going to Amherst College in Amherst, Massachusetts.

In his role as a medical doctor, Pinsky is Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the Keck School of Medicine at USC, Medical Director for the Department of Chemical Dependency Services at Las Encinas Hospital in Pasadena, California, staff member at Huntington Memorial Hospital, and a private practitioner.(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Drew_Pinsky).

Dr.Drew started doing the radio version of Loveline in 1983, when he was in his third year of medical school. KROQ was just a small, local station then. Now, Drew does the radio show Sunday through Thursday, 10:00 PM to midnight (Pacific Time).In his little spare time, Drew likes to play with his children, read by the pool, play the piano, and sing opera (he's a baritone & he trained for 12 years).

Mini Biography By: Sara Swihart (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005314/bio)

Sex...With Mom and Dad series

Don't miss any of the series' episodes! Here is a list of the upcoming shows airing on MTV.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 171:30 AM ET/PT on MTV
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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 19

1:30 AM ET/PT on MTV
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MONDAY, OCTOBER 20

7:00 PM ET/PT on MTV
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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21

7:00 PM ET/PT on MTV
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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22

7:00 PM ET/PT on MTV
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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23

7:00 PM ET/PT on MTV
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