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Many times, when an inquisitive teenager is told not to have sexual intercourse it becomes a subject of curiosity. Abstinence-only education basically provides the learner with as little information as possible, only saying: "Sex is for responsible people, and you are not yet responsible so therefore wait until you are." Through abstinence-only education, the student is constantly and repeatedly told to wait until marriage to prevent pregnancy. The question is: does withholding necessary information lead to responsible decisions? Abstinence-only education is highly ineffective. It leads to uneducated choices, often mingled with the feeling of fear and uncertainty about natural hormonal urges, unprotected sex, and more teenage pregnancies.

Those who teach abstinence-only education often teach through the use of religious ideology and leave out important, necessary information about sex. Often, students are misled. In the United States over $500 million is spent each year advocating abstinence-only education. Meanwhile, there are more than twice as many pregnant teenagers in the United States, than in European countries, where comprehensive sexuality education is taught and there is accessible contraception available for teenagers who are sexually active. Studies show that teaching about the use of contraception does not in any way hasten sexual activity.

Sometimes, in a failed attempt to discontinue the sexual actions of their teenage daughter or son, parents encourage an abstinence-only education. Instead of a comprehensive sex education, wouldn't it be so much easier for parents to say "Don't do it, it's bad" and use the many fear tactics that have been repeatedly used over and over again throughout history than to give the detailed and necessary information and facts? The reality is, although it may be an uncomfortable conversation, it is vital for a teenager to be given all of the facts. Abstinence should of course be encouraged- it is the 100% way to abstain from pregnancy and the contraction of an Sexually transmitted disease- but if a teenager feels that he or she wants to become sexually active then they should be able to understand what they are engaging in.

Advocates of abstinence have misconstrued many facts; some have gone as far as saying that sweat and tears can spread HIV. And if an abstinence-only education is being taught, why is it that marriage becomes the goal? Granted, some abstinence-only education programs sometimes, but not often, say until one is responsible and emotionally mature enough to handle sexual intercourse then they must not have it. In most cases, however, marriage is used as the marking point because the truth is, no one can really tell when one is responsible enough to handle the responsibility and emotions that come with sex. Misconceptions are to be expected with abstinence-only education. Students are being told so little that they're imaginations start to become active. Before you know it, these fallacies are being whispered within peer groups. Students start believing false things. They then become sexually active and in most cases this can lead to pregnancies and Sexually Transmitted Disease's due to their lack of knowledge.
When it comes down to it, abstinence-only education may teach abstinence, but a student may not necessarily follow what he or she is told. Abstinence-only education focuses only on how not to have sex. In the end, it is much more important that a student practices safe sex if he or she is going to have it, rather than be misinformed and end up making a far greater mistake than the emotional consequences of early sexual activity. As Terry Goodkind once said, "Knowledge is a weapon. I intend to be formidably armed."

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