In the article, “Why Bristol Palin Really is the Perfect Ambassador for Abstinence Education, (http://www.alternet.org/sex/139912/why_bristol_palin_really_is_the_perfect_ambassador_for_abstinence_education/) it discusses how on May 7, 2009, the former candidate for Vice President’s (Sarah Palin) daughter, Bristol Palin was announced as a new NATIONAL (yes put emphasis on that) ambassador for teenage abstinence. When I first read this, I thought how in the world did that happened! How did Bristol Palin, the 17 year old girl who got pregnant and just recently had a son, become the spokesperson for abstinence education!
Seeing how she was educated in a school system that taught abstinence education and still managed to get knocked up, she is a clear example of how abstinence education does NOT work! On February 18th of this year, Bristol told FOX news that abstinence was "not realistic." So go figure to the people that allowed her to step in this position of being an advocate for abstinence.
Another reason why I do not think that Bristol would make a good ambassador for abstinence is because I do not think Bristol has a clue of what it is truly like to be a “single mother”. It is true that she had this baby out of wedlock, but Bristol has not experienced any downside of having this child. Her mother, Sarah Palin has even gone on to say that the child was a welcomed member of the family. Maybe I am crazy, but I am wondering what advice is Bristol going to share with the girls she tries to advise not to get pregnant. I imagine her talking to the girls she encounters like this: “Yes I had a baby out of wedlock, yes my family supported my decision to have a child at 17, but don’t have sex because it isn’t right!” How is that going to be effective at all? I do not think Bristol’s life draws an accurate picture of what it is like to be a teenage mother and for her to even be considered an ambassador for abstinence education is just another publicity stunt gone wrong for her family.
Another reason why I do not think that Bristol would make a good ambassador for abstinence is because I do not think Bristol has a clue of what it is truly like to be a “single mother”. It is true that she had this baby out of wedlock, but Bristol has not experienced any downside of having this child. Her mother, Sarah Palin has even gone on to say that the child was a welcomed member of the family. Maybe I am crazy, but I am wondering what advice is Bristol going to share with the girls she tries to advise not to get pregnant. I imagine her talking to the girls she encounters like this: “Yes I had a baby out of wedlock, yes my family supported my decision to have a child at 17, but don’t have sex because it isn’t right!” How is that going to be effective at all? I do not think Bristol’s life draws an accurate picture of what it is like to be a teenage mother and for her to even be considered an ambassador for abstinence education is just another publicity stunt gone wrong for her family.
Abstinence in theory is a great idea, but when you live in a world full of sex and the rates of teenagers becoming parents is at a steady incline, I think it is fair to say that it just doesn’t work. Instead of telling these teen not to have sex, I think it is time for everyone to deal with the reality that teens are having sex and getting pregnant, and teach teen how to protect themselves, not only from pregnancy but from all of the STD’s that are out there as well.
So, the moral of the story is that in my opinion, Bristol being selected as the ambassador for abstinence is perfect, because she is proof that abstinence doesn’t work.
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