Grrr..... this makes me so mad. Like, fuming mad.
Some of you may know that when I was in college, I taught Abstinence Education in the public schools. It was a great program, we covered 5 major reasons to abstain from sex until, at least, you're older (ideally until marriage, but we wanted to be realistic... we learned that if we could delay the decision for a teenager to have sex by only 1 or 2 years, then they were something like 70% less likely to engage in unsafe sex, and most abstained until well into college, some until marriage). HPV was one of the STD's--oh, sorry, STI's (another stupid idea...) that we covered. Funny, though... I don't remember it only affecting girls...
Here are my two beefs with the soon to be law (it's already passed through VA): 1) The vaccine is only being marketed for women, even though HPV affects both men AND women. While men won't develop cervical cancer (probably because they don't have a cervix), it has been known to cause other types of cancer in men, just in a smaller population.
Wait a second... maybe this affects millions of women, and that's why they want to vaccinate them primarily!
Ummm... no, actually, it doesn't. While many women contract HPV, usually from unsafe sex (though really, the only safe sex is abstinence... just had to throw that in there), a very small percentage actually develop into cancer.... Like, 6200 a year. In the country. That's it! Some twenty million or so young women are going to get this miracle vaccine when only 6200 women will actually have their HPV develop into cervical cancer. Good call!
Oh, and they forgot to mention something else.... HPV is entirely preventable. You're not going to get it by being in the same room as someone who has it, more than likely, unless you have SEX with that person! Seriously, I don't understand why lawmakers are so anti-abstinence education, and pro-sex ed/HPV vaccines. "Well, they're gonna do it anyways..." Teenagers are not animals! While yes, they have raging hormones at times, they were wired to be able to control that as much as they can control not going into their classroom and shooting everyone! Many Americans have so little faith in our teenagers anymore, we assume they lack self control. What they lack is support and encouragement from their families to abstain, as many parents nowadays will take their kids to Planned Parenthood to stock up on condemns and birth control. I can't blame the parents completely, though... Even the parents with the best intentions, and kids who know WHY and HOW to abstain will buckle under pressure. The media doesn't help, with shows like Friends, and the OC telling our young people that, "Yeah, have sex with whoever you want, it's okay!" Anyways, I'm off topic...
My 2nd beef is the fact that it's MANDATORY! I applaud DC for at least giving parents an opt out opportunity. VA wasn't so gracious. If I have girls, this will add to my list of reasons to homeschool. I just don't like the fact that the government is mandating what vaccines we have to have. I know other vaccinations have done wonders for practically eliminating diseases, such as whooping cough and measles, but I wouldn't lump HPV into that same category.
One final note, and then I'll hop off my soap box (it's too nice of a day to be inside fuming about such things...) Getting this vaccine will not protect women from cervical cancer... Any women could still get it, they are not 'safe' just because they get this vaccine. HPV IS the leading cause of cerv. cancer in women, but it is just an HPV vaccine, not a cervical cancer vaccine.... I just hope women are educated enough to realize that. Oh, and it's also not a free ticket to have unprotected sex, either... There are better ways to protect yourself without getting a shot.
Just don't have sex until you're married.
**Hops down**
Further info can be found here:
NMA Seminars HPV Page
A Dr's Opinion
HPV Legislation by State
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