Contraceptive sex education and 'empowerment' for ten-year-old children

International Planned Parenthood Foundation's recently released report, "Stand and Deliver: Sex, Health and Young People in the 21st Century," advocates policies that jeopardize the well-being of children's health, the importance of parents and the moral values of our society, Family Research Council said today.

The report promotes contraceptive sex education for children as young as ten years old. Most disturbingly, the report advocates that children as young as ten be "empowered" to "develop satisfying and pleasurable sexual lives."

Jeanne Monahan, Director of the Center for Human Dignity at the Family Research Council, made the following comments:

"This report isn't about doing what is right for young people and certainly not about offering them the very best options in life. It is about advancing an ideological agenda that is hostile to traditional families, religious faith and the good of children.

"'Stand and Deliver' dangerously oversexualizes children as young as ten. Not only are the recommendations developmentally inappropriate, but they advocate behaviors in ten-year-olds that can lead to such disturbing problems as pedophilia and statutory rape. Why can't Planned Parenthood let kids be kids?

"Polls show parents overwhelmingly believe that sex education should reflect the values taught at home. However, Planned Parenthood's report downplays the role of parents in transmitting values to their children. It also accuses religious groups of 'deny[ing young people] the pleasurable and positive aspects of sex.' This intrinsically bigoted misapprehension of the Judeo-Christian moral tradition is repulsive.

"Instead, Planned Parenthood seeks to undermine parental and religious influence by advocating for a 'human right' to unlimited contraception and mandating so-called comprehensive sex ed for children as young as ten. Planned Parenthood is fundamentally unconcerned with this age group's most basic needs. Young people, and especially girls, desire to love and be loved, not be reduced to a one-dimensional caricature of pre-teen sexuality.

"If we are really trying to empower young girls, let's teach them the truth that getting sexually involved without a lifelong commitment doesn't fill their desire for intimacy but only exploits it. Moreover, it leads to such problems as a greater risk for depression, substance abuse, STDs, and pregnancy, among others."