Teens access to birth control (smart, 14 years old, mature, brother)
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I think most 14 year olds won't put any thought process at all on the things they might need to tell the doctor is why. And while i would be a hypocrite of the highest order for saying so, i really don't think 14 year old boys and girls should be having sex to begin with most of the time. However esp at that age they would benefit from some parental insight.
Haha- I chuckled at hypocrite of the highest order! While I do think that situations where a teen wants to be on BC and the parents are not responsive or hostile to the idea is a big problem, it seems like somewhat of a value judgment re: what the age of consent for prescription BC should be.
Yes they should! That is part of being a minor! At age 16 or 17... maybe, but not at 14. No way.
No they shouldn't no one should be subjected to beliefs they feel are wrong.
If you are a religious parent and your kid is atheist they shouldn't have to live by religious standards when it comes to their own body.
I think 14 is the perfect age.
14 is a freshman in high school.
It's 4 years away from being an adult.
It's a few years into puberty for most girls.
You need to come up with a real reason. We've given reasons that parents should have a say (health history, for one). You don't have a real reason except that it is what you would have wanted. That isn't a reason.
Why 15-16?
Well I agree with LK on this one so I will answer too.
15/16 is about the average age guys/girls become sexually active, whether or not their parents agree with it.
If their parents aren't going to take them then they should be able to take themselves and get birth control so THEY can take responsibility for their bodies and not getting pregnant. Their parents are just going to stick their heads in the sand and think if they don't get it their daughter won't have sex which is wrong, she will.
18 is an adult anyways and 17 is too old.
There would be less pregnant 15/16 year olds if they could be on birth control without their parents approval.
Why 15-16?
Well I agree with LK on this one so I will answer too.
15/16 is about the average age guys/girls become sexually active, whether or not their parents agree with it.
If their parents aren't going to take them then they should be able to take themselves and get birth control so THEY can take responsibility for their bodies and not getting pregnant. Their parents are just going to stick their heads in the sand and think if they don't get it their daughter won't have sex which is wrong, she will.
Re: average age of onset for sexual activity - I think that makes a stronger argument, in that one could show with stats that there is a need for teen autonomy re: prescription BC. Otherwise it's easy to get into a contest of value judgments, which IMO are not great ways to be making an argument.
No they shouldn't no one should be subjected to beliefs they feel are wrong.
If you are a religious parent and your kid is atheist they shouldn't have to live by religious standards when it comes to their own body.
At 14 you don't know what you think. A 14 to may rationalize all kinds of things, and try to do things differently than their parents just because they want to be different. A 14 yo is a child, like it or not. At 14 the parents are still in control. There is a huge difference in maturity between a 14 and an 18 yo. That's why 14 yo's are not legal adults.
Re: average age of onset for sexual activity - I think that makes a stronger argument, in that one could show with stats that there is a need for teen autonomy re: prescription BC.
I am not googling stats. Its 9am and I am not awake enough to care right now.
But I still stand by what I have said and IME when I was 15/16 the majority of people I knew were sexually active, my brother and his friends at 15/16 were starting to get sexually active.
At 14 you don't know what you think. A 14 to may rationalize all kinds of things, and try to do things differently than their parents just because they want to be different. A 14 yo is a child, like it or not. At 14 the parents are still in control. There is a huge difference in maturity between a 14 and an 18 yo. That's why 14 yo's are not legal adults.
They aren't incapable of making decisions either.
14 may still be young but at 14 they know a lot more than we think and are capable of making more decisions than they are allowed.
I am not googling stats. Its 9am and I am not awake enough to care right now.
But I still stand by what I have said and IME when I was 15/16 the majority of people I knew were sexually active, my brother and his friends at 15/16 were starting to get sexually active.
No need to google stats- whatever conclusion the thread comes to, it won't change what goes on in the greater world. I was just thinking more in terms of how to advocate for your position from a public health perspective. Anecdotes don't count in that realm, even if you or I agree with them. I'm thinking along the lines of the difference between saying things should be different and working towards making them different.
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While I do think that situations where a teen wants to be on BC and the parents are not responsive or hostile to the idea is a big problem, it seems like somewhat of a value judgment re: what the age of consent for prescription BC should be.
