ABSTINENCE VS CONDOMS

With yesterday (December 1) being WORLD AIDS DAY, the usual message of protecting yourself from HIV/AIDS, being responsible, and making the healthy choice, constantly reverberates in the minds of young people. The age-old battle between abstinence versus condoms continues to be a never ending saga. Certain religious groups would not even hear of condoms, but would rather condemn the nation’s youths for engaging in premarital sex. A group would promote the use of condoms, which some people argue encourages  youths to believe that sex is acceptable. I totally support the whole abstinence choice being that it is the safest way to go, but in reality, can you really tell someone to refrain from all sexual contact? Can you keep a vigilant watch on teenagers, adolescents, young men and women today, and pray that good sense would prevail?

Abstinence means plainly and simply, not having sex at all. Many are of the view that it is a good choice since it is the best protection against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). However, in a leaflet I was reading about abstinence, it says it is normal to be curious about sex, sexual feelings and thoughts. With that being fairly realistic, the leaflet quickly defends its own words by saying, “But you don’t have to act on your curiosity or feelings.” So in other words, dream on all you want people, but do not even think about being naughty. Do not get me wrong here. I am not encouraging young people to be promiscuous. Realistically I am saying that emotions can get in the way of sense, and if all you have done as a parent is say, “If I catch you in them thing, I will kill you,” then you are left with no alternatives where if the act happens, at least he or she can remember you saying, “Use condoms for protection if you must have sex.”

Now I am not attacking the religious beliefs of people, take no offence to my boldness, but certain religious aspects aim at suppressing society. One woman whom I met on the street told me her religion taught that sex before marriage is a sin. Not only did she say it gave a person the feeling of being used, but it also showed that you had no respect for your body or God. If this means that eternal damnation to all those that engage in sex before marriage, then hell better start issuing numbers, because the human race will be holding one huge party down under. Try telling a bunch of curious, sexually conscious college students that the best thing to do is wait until they are married. Does this make any sense to you, the reader? Come on now, this is no time to be hypocritical, what if a person decides he or she does not want to get married? Then that person should check himself into a monastery because everywhere you turn there are sexual messages. Frankly speaking, today’s youths are being raised in a time where society is sex driven. 

Sex sells as they say, so why not include it in advertisements. Music videos portray the pimp and his bevy of harlots, singing about sex and making the promiscuous life seem a normal thing. In most cinemas where the movie is 18 years and over, anyone can get in and see a “Rated R” flick that was not meant for all audiences. Some songs playing on the radio are actually porno in disguise, both local and foreign; there is no need to name them. Well I cannot even touch Carnival, this is the time where everyone is sexy, and unconcerned mothers let their 13-year-old daughters attend every wet fete there is, then wonder if she is behaving herself. This is the society we live in and we should only blame ourselves for letting things get so out of hand. No one can just say, “There is too much sex on the brain,” look around, sex is being fed to young people whether we want to admit it or not.

However, it is important to remind youths of the danger in contracting the HIV/AIDS virus. With an estimated 17,000 people infected with the virus, and 50 percent falling in the age group between 15-24, young people need to be taught different ways of protecting themselves, and that should include promoting the use of condoms. According to some facts issued by the National AIDS Coordinating Committee of TT (NACC), you can contract HIV by having sex without a condom. If you are not sexually active then continue to choose abstinence. However, if by some divine force of nature, the instinctual self to satisfy all its needs and desires comes in the way of abstinence, then a condom should be used once a person becomes sexually active. What we need to get straight is that abstinence can never be worn as an iron clad suit. Parents never know what happens when their daughter and boyfriend are together alone. So, instead of banishing the idea of a teenager engaging in sex, the reality is these things happen and we need to educate teenagers about practising safe sex.