(crossposted from Amplify)
Yesterday, President Obama struck a blow to the abstinence-only community, cutting ALL of their funding streams in his new 2010 budget. Obama made it clear that our government should no longer fund these failed programs that promote misinformation, misogyny, discrimination and, of course, juggling and cinder block wielding abstinence clowns.
And the response from these abstinence-only organizations has ranged from angry to completely unhinged.
The National Abstinence Education Association was the first to weigh in. From their press release:
Today's release of the 2010 Budget by the White House disregards the growing body of evidence supporting the effectiveness of abstinence education. Unfortunately, the president's budget ignores research that documents a 50% decrease in sexual onset among teens that are enrolled in abstinence programs.
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"With seemingly plausible intentions, this budget places rhetoric over reality by ignoring clear and compelling evidence that abstinence education does work", adds Huber.
I’m sure you’re asking yourself, "what evidence"? The independent government-funded Mathematic study revealing the failure of abstinence-only programs? Rigorous reviews from both Advocates for Youth, and the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, have identified which sex education programs are effective – and not one abstinence-only program made the cut. So the NAEA has been in panic mode.
Their strategy has been two-fold: (1) rebrand themselves as something other than abstinence-only (they’re now "holistic" and comprehensive), and (2) ignore and dismiss all independent studies showing their failure and pretend that research shows that abstinence-only works. This is what the NAEA has been selling in a desperate attempt to save their funding, most recently last week on Capitol Hill at a Congressional briefing fittingly titled "Sex, Lies and Abstinence". Check out our video of NAEA President Valerie Huber spinning like a top at the briefing:
Fortunately, President Obama didn’t buy the spin. But this isn’t stopping the NAEA, as they immediately sent out an action alert to contact Congress and force them to sneak funding for abstinence-only programs back into the budget, using the same rhetoric. They even had the nerve to ask the question:
"Does ideology trump science-based evidence in the president's request?"
Pot, meet kettle....
But the reaction of the Abstinence Clearinghouse was the real fun from yesterday. And this unhinged response of the Abstinence Clearinghouse isn’t at all surprising, as they usually tend to make the NAEA look calm and rational in comparison. Here’s part of their press release:
President Obama released his FY 2010 Proposed Budget today and called for at least $164 million in funding for contraceptive-only education. This includes competitive grants, research, evaluation and authorization for $50 million in new mandatory condom grants to states, tribes and territories.
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President Obama's new budget is a Hollywood-failed old approach that only increases teen pregnancy and damages America's greatest resource, our children.
Leslee Unruh, President and Founder of the Abstinence Clearinghouse, said "I believe there will be a political backlash for those who oppose these life saving abstinence programs. The enemies of sexual integrity programs will feel the heat from the army of youth who have seen the light through these programs as they approach voting age."
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The Abstinence Clearinghouse agrees with Margaret Thatcher: Defeat? We don't know the meaning of the word.
Oh, Leslee. We at Advocates for Youth have a special place in our hearts for Mrs. Unruh. Why? Oh, just watch the videos below. Trust me, she’s a very special person.
In related news, the Abstinence Clearinghouse is busily promoting their big convention in Puerto Rico next month, where all of the who’s who in the abstinence-only movement will converge and strategize. But considering the latest news? I think they might be better off saving their money.... Uncle Sam won’t be paying them much longer, so they’ll need it.
But the important point of showing you this reaction by the abstinence-only crowd to Obama’s budget is that these people are not giving up. And considering that our fight to end funding for abstinence-only programs is long from over, considering that congress must pass this budget without sneaking funding for ab-only back in, neither should we. So let’s make it clear to Congress that Obama’s call for realistic and science-based sex education must not be ignored due to pressure from social conservatives like Leslee Unruh.
Tell your Congressperson to support Obama’s decision to end abstinence-only funding!
UPDATE:
Thanks for the recs! Be sure to send this letter to your Congressperson to drown out all the abstinence clowns! We need Congress to back up Obama on keeping their funding at ZERO.
Also, here's one bonus video of Leslee Unruh, for your viewing (and comedy) pleasure!!! :)
