Thursday, April 26, 2007
For a one-syllable word, sex packs a lot of meaning.
For a young person, that one-syllable word can be a life changer, so it's no wonder so much attention -- from parents, teachers, politicians and writers -- gets placed on the choice between having sex and waiting it out.
This weekend, abstinence will be just one of many topics discussed at a convention of 600 young people from around the state. This is the 21st year the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland's youth ministry program has sponsored the event, which is being held at the Holiday Inn by the Bay.
By no means is abstinence the only issue that will be discussed, but it's the one that's drawing newsmakers Justin Murray and Sarah Kinsella.
The Harvard students are the founders of True Love Revolution, a secular campus abstinence group that has been receiving national attention. The couple will make a presentation on Saturday.
Murray said discussions on sex and abstinence can get heated.
"People definitely take disagreements about this issue much more personally than other issues," he said. "It's something that is deeply personal, but that does not mean we should not be talking about it."
On the Harvard campus, where freshman orientation features a talk about practicing safe sex and there are seminars on topics such as the female orgasm, it felt like there was something missing, said Murray, 22.
There are young people who believe, for reasons religious or otherwise, that they should wait until they are married to have sex, Murray said.
He said some in society have gone past just placing a stigma on being "the virgin" and are now marginalizing those who want to wait to have sex.
Murray said the decision to have sex can have such a big impact on a person's life -- physically and emotionally -- that young people should not feel any need to rush into a sexual relationship.
Kinsella said there are shifting ideas about the importance of sex and relationships among young people, making the casual hookup all too common.
"We don't think sex is a bad thing -- we think it's such a wonderful thing it should be saved for something special," she said.
She said their message is that it's OK to demand respect for your body and to not compromise what you believe.
"We're not out to dictate people's behavior," Kinsella said. "Ultimately, this is a personal choice for people."
Though Kinsella and Murray are Catholic, True Love Revolution's stance on abstinence is not based in religion. Sex outside of marriage is seen as a sin in the Catholic church.
Jeanne Bigelow, youth ministry director for the diocese, said the conference's theme and workshops are planned by young people. She said students wanted the opportunity to discuss issues that deal with morality and relationships.
Bigelow said it also helps to have young people, such as Kinsella and Murray, lead the discussion.
Abstinence often comes up in discussions about sex education and just how much young people should learn.
In any discussion about teen sexuality, talking about abstinence is just as important as talking about preventing sexually transmitted diseases or pregnancy, said Lauren Grousd of Planned Parenthood of Northern New England.
Grousd said too often the discussion is politicized, which distracts from the goal of helping young people lead a healthy life.
"It's easy to get caught up in a polarizing argument about it, and that doesn't serve families or teenagers very well," Grousd said.
Staff Writer Justin Ellis can be contacted at 791-6380 See his blog at:
www.pressherald.com
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thats what i'm talking about!! no wonder every kid wants to get into harvard!!report abuse
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