Adam writes:
> I realize you're simply addressing the issue of abortion, but I
> was reminded
> of how often education is left out of the discussion by both sides here in
> the US. To me, that is the most critical portion of *any* discussion of
> reproductive rights. I advocate sex education starting at around age 10,
> free access to birth control starting around age 14 or 15, and *rational*
> counseling for children with questions and problems starting at 10 or 11.
> Jocelyn Elders, former Surgeon General of the US, had some damn sensible
> ideas regarding this, but was shouted down by the Anti-sex, anti-birth
> control crowd here in the states. One of her most sensible suggestions,
> encouraging teens to masturbate, was widely ridiculed, and was one of the
> primary causes of her being asked to step down, but was both the cheapest
> and simplest to implement.
Absolutely. Education is vitally important. I would suggest sex eduction
even earlier, although not directly. If an 8 y.o. can understand how
'animals do it', then the conceptual leap to human sex ed is smaller.
Not forgetting that people can become fertile as young as 10, even though
13-14 is more usual.
Charlie
