We've all witnessed more than our fair share of the rhetoric surrounding the HPV shot and its fantastic potential to lead young women and girls to sexual promiscuity.... Boo.If, in our ever-puritanical society, sexuality is still considered BAD (dirty, sinful, et al.), one might assume that the same uproar would ensue when it was announced that the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) decided to consider "promoting routine circumcision for all baby boys born in the United States to reduce the spread of HIV...."
Such an uproar has yet to be heard. As blogger KJ Dell'Antonia has noted, "If both procedures might make unprotected sex marginally safer, why is the conversation so different?" I am certainly glad to see the general public in support of taking all measures within our realm to reduce/prevent any STI--my concern lies in the fact that "we" are only ok with it if it directly affects men.
If circumcision can help prevent boys and men from contracting HIV/AIDS by up to 50%, GREAT! If a vaccine can help girls and women reduce the risks of multiple types of HPV that may lead to cancer, PHENOMENAL! Why on earth aren't we doing everything in our power to protect ALL of us?!?
Why do we talk about protecting our daughters and sons from chicken pox, from H1N1, from scraped knees and busted lips...but we refuse to offer equal protection when it comes to one of the most natural inclinations of human nature: SEX!
What do we do about the double standard? How can we get beyond it and actually protect ourselves?
Photo courtesy of flickr.com/Zitona
3 comments:
Amen!
Well, we all know "boys will be boys" and of course boys can have sex, that's all fine and normal. But if GIRLS have sex, well, THE WORLD WILL EXPLODE.
Kinda makes you wonder with whom all these boys are having sex, since they can't have sex with girls, and gay sex is against the law.
Also, how come we are so nonchalant about pushing unnecessary surgery on infants (surgery that is performed without any anesthetic), but can't push condoms on people? We're fine with chopping off part of a baby's body, but we're all up in arms about giving girls a simple shot?
The lack of logic all around is mind-boggling.
Circumcision has been practiced for thousands of years. Negative side effects...none.
The HPV vaccine recently developed is an introduction of foreign substance to the body that has led to VERY negative consequences for otherwise healthy young women (regardless of approval by the FDA).
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