Stop swiping for a moment, we need to talk about something. It’s something that I have been meaning to talk about for a while but felt well, I am sure people are knowledgeable in this area. I mean, hello…Sex ED! After reading a recent article on CNN about the rise of STDs that are although treatable, well some of them. I am shocked at the amount of people who are playing sex roulette. So it’s time, let’s talk about sex.
If I hear one more person say that it’s unlikely for them to catch an STD I am going to be sick. Like…who you? Listen, don’t play with your health. One day it might be you who wakes up with something that they could have prevented. Yes, there are cases of people who have contracted an STD and they were safe but at least in their minds, they know they did everything they could. I am talking to you, you know who you are. My concern isn’t just for your well-being, it’s for the people who will encounter you sexually and the people who take sexual health advice from you.
Safe Sex Is COOL
With all the variety of condoms these days, I don’t get why you have an issue using them. I am not sure why you assume a complete stranger has been tested. Have you been tested lately? I don’t care if you are on birth control, it doesn’t do the job when it comes to STD prevention. I won’t drill you on my views on monogamy because it’s your life do what you want. But if you have decided to be with multiple partners, you need to use protection. I know being in a monogamous relationship doesn’t guarantee safety either, cheating is another shitty thing that has resulted in people getting STDs from a person they trusted. If the latter is you, I feel for you, sorry the person you are with is shitty!
For the singles who are mingling, open relationship lovers or the free spirit who doesn’t want to be anchored to anyone other than themselves. Maybe you are knee-deep in all things hook-up culture? Do whatever you want but just don’t throw caution to the wind when it comes to your sexual health. Safe sex is so cool. Honestly, make it trendy in your life.
Yeah The Rise of STDs Should Alarm You
- In both the US and Canada, rates of chlamydia and gonorrhea and syphilis has risen.
- Just last year in the US, 2.4 million infections. Please note this is reported cases!
- In Canada, “126,700 chlamydia infections and 28,300 cases of gonorrhea diagnosed in 2017” (source: CBC.ca)
- Although cases of syphilis had dropped in Canada, there is concern due to reported cases in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
- In July, “Alberta declared a provincewide outbreak of syphilis” (Source: CBC.ca)
- Untreated chlamydial infections put women at risk for infertility
There are some of you who are thinking, well I will just take a pill. Then back to business as usual. Did you know that there is a threat of antibiotic-resistant gonorrhea? Don’t put on all your reckless hopes in a pill. We can argue that the rise may be due to the fact that more people are getting tested, hence more reported cases, but we can’t be certain. Also, what about the people who don’t get tested who are currently walking around unaware that they have an STD? You can’t put the certainty of your health into someone else hands. Once again, get tested. Safe sex is cool.
We can blame this increase of STDs on a number of things from online dating apps, the promotion of hookup culture on social media or multiple partners. I am concerned about teens and young adults who I feel will be impacted the most. The generations past they lived during a time where safe sex was far more important than a good time. We are doing the younger generation a disservice when we don’t have these conversations. In my opinion Sex ED needs to about the nitty-gritty details, particularly STDs and prevention. It has been reported that “rates of reported cases tended to be highest among adolescents and young adults” (source: CNN).
I am not sure why identity has been looped into Sex ED courses or why this is a controversial discussion. This should be reserved for a humanities course, which just like taking history in high school should be mandatory. Why? Because people need to understand why people have the right to be who they are and love who they choose to. This is about humanity, it’s about human rights and creating harmony, unity and understanding. Further, I don’t think most Sex-ED teachers have enough knowledge or time to dive into the complexities of identity and sexuality and how this impacts that way someone sees themselves or how they find meaning in society. In addition, creating space where students can ask questions and gain understanding shouldn’t be a footnote in the syllabus. It should be discussed at length.
I am also surprised by the number of parents who assume their kid, who is most likely engaging in some form of sexual activity, isn’t having sex, doesn’t need to learn about this stuff in school. Well, if you don’t have the talk, then who is?
We see how social media is these days, and it should concern you that the glorification of sex has left out sexual health. There are no filters when it comes to health. It’s definitely time to have this conversation – let’s talk about sex.
