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Sunday, July 27, 2003
» A big thank you! «
Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this Blogathon!
Here locally, numerous friends kept me going throughout the event.
My friend Marcy brought me lunch and we got to catch up. She also stopped by later with some Coke to help me through the night.. and then even called in from New York to check up on me. Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture of her.
[Click on the images for larger versions.]
 
Nicole and Alyse came by in the early pm and suggested some topics, which I have addressed earlier.
Laura S. and Melissa dropped by in the afternoon to say hi.
Luda brought me dinner and kept me company during the meal.
  
Steve, Jesse, Nicole and Gabriel came by later and inspired the Top Ten list.
Laura C. brought me hot dogs and ice cream. She also hung out with me in little chunks.
Kati stopped by late evening around 11pm and we had a few laughs.
Then a friendly Public Safety Officer dropped by to say hi around 3am. He wouldn't let me take his picture, but he let me wear his hat for a picture of me. 
Suddenly it was morning, and Cindy came by with breakfast!
In the meantime, I also got calls and emails from others with encouragement. Thanks to Jon and Shawna, Jordan and last but not least my Mom!
Posted by eszter
@ 09:12 am EST
[Link to this item]
Sunday, July 27, 2003
» 1-888-NOT-2-LATE «
Posted by eszter
@ 08:52 am EST
[Link to this item]
Sunday, July 27, 2003
» Avoiding "designer deliveries" «
I have no personal experience with the following but have heard about it from several people who had first-hand experiences. It turns out that natural childbirth is not an obvious option for pregnant women in the United States. ("Natural" here refers to births that are not induced by, say, drugs.) The U.S. has a very high rate of Cesarean sections. The reason for these procedures is often not related to what is in the best interest of the mother or the child. Rather, they are performed to avoid lawsuits, save on medical staff and hospital stays in general. (For my local readers, it may be of interest to note that New Jersey has the second highest C-section rate in the country.)
Even if the parents go through training in natural childbirth, it is very hard for them to be fully composed at the time of the delivery. It can help to have a doulah who can advocate on behalf of the mother in the hospital. However, a doulah is not a medical professional. The full alternative is to use a midwife at delivery.
The following book comes recommended on this topic: The Thinking Woman's Guide to Better Birth.
Thanks to Lorrie Cranor for sharing information for this entry.
UPDATE [08/04/03]
In response to a comment I received from a reader, I would like to note that this is just one perspective to consider regarding delivery. As the reader suggests, best is to be balanced about these things. I would like to repeat that I am not a medical expert and I am posting material as food for thought and as a jumping off point for research. But I have no expertise in these matters so please keep that in mind.
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Posted by eszter
@ 08:33 am EST
[Link to this item]
Sunday, July 27, 2003
» Shouldn't testing for STDs be available easily? «
| This post is based on anecdotal evidence, but I have heard it from enough people that it's worth a comment.
It seems some health care providers are reluctant to give people an HIV/AIDS test if the people say that they have been in a monogomous relationship. This seems extremely unfortunate. Even if a person *thinks* they are in a monogomous relationship their partner may not be. Moreover, there are other ways of contracting diseases. A friend pointed out that a quick look at her with her tattoos and piercings should suggest that a test may be worthwhile.
Shouldn't testing for sexually transmitted diseases be available easily? It is hard enough to get people to take such issues seriously, at least when people are willing to consider testing, they should be allowed to undergo the procedure.
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[UPDATE 1/19/04: I'm closing comments due to spam.]
Posted by eszter
@ 08:11 am EST
[Link to this item]
Sunday, July 27, 2003
» Another perspective «
| The following story comes to me via a friend. A woman went to her OB/GYN. She was asked whether she was in a sexual relationship with anybody. She said yes. She was asked whether she was in a monogomous relationship. She said yes. Finally, she was asked whether she was using birth control. She said no.
At this point, she had to endure a long lecture about how irresponsible it was of her not to engage in some type of birth control. (I guess at some point in the story it became clear that the woman was not interested in having children at this time.)
So what's wrong with this picture? This woman who went to see her OB/GYN is a lesbian. Why should she have to endure a long lecture about not being on the pill?! A bit of sensitivity in such situations on the part of health care providers would go a long way. |
Posted by eszter
@ 07:39 am EST
[Link to this item]
Sunday, July 27, 2003
» More TV ads «
[UPDATE 1/19/04 - I'm closing off comments due to spam.]
Posted by eszter
@ 07:08 am EST
[Link to this item]
Sunday, July 27, 2003
» Birth control pills vs Viagra «
| In Viagra: A Tale of Two Pills, Jennifer L. Pozner discusses the different ways in which birht control pills and Viagra are treated by the insurance industry.
Here are a few short excerpts, but it's worth reading the whole piece.
The hype over Viagra funding proves how poorly the health insurance industry responds to women's medical needs as opposed to those of men, and how little notice the press and the public give to this disparity.
...
Viagra costs roughly $10 per single dose. Oral contraceptives cost women approximately $30 for a full month. Every public dollar spent on contraceptive services prevents $4 in public expenditures on unwanted or unplanned pregnancies. Every dose of Viagra subsidized by private or governmental insurers saves men from sexual frustration and… drumroll, please… the embarrassment of hearing their wives and girlfriends say, "That’s OK, honey, it happens to every guy, once in a while." In short, Viagra is a costly, potentially risky drug which allows impotent men more sexual pleasure in their personal lives, while oral contraception offers a generally safe, cost-effective, socially beneficial solution to America’s unintended pregnancy rate (which, at 60%, doubles that of other developed nations).
...
Compare the erection-in-a-bottle with the basic contraceptive needs of all heterosexually active women who do not wish to become pregnant. While many health insurers are guaranteeing free or low-cost romps to men, they are by and large denying most women the contraceptive coverage that is a fundamental health care necessity for 20 - 30 years of their adult lives (the alternative being, on average, a potential 8 - 15 pregnancies in a woman’s lifetime). According to the Alan Guttmacher Institute, 33 million American women are in need of contraceptive services and supplies, yet most women using birth control pay for it themselves.
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Read the whole piece here.
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Posted by eszter
@ 06:53 am EST
[Link to this item]
Sunday, July 27, 2003
» Contraception counts «
Posted by eszter
@ 06:25 am EST
[Link to this item]
Sunday, July 27, 2003
» E-LIST «
If you have enjoyed the various links featured on this blog, you may also enjoy receiving weekly links lists via Eszter's List. It's an email distribution list that I disseminate approximately once a week. I always feature some news articles and Web sites about communication and information technologies, I often share links on gender issues, more general political questions, arts and culture, and regularly try to include pointers to something funky, bizarre, different or fun.
You can subscribe by clicking here. Or if that's too complicated, just send me an email and I'll sign you up (eszter at princeton.edu).
Posted by eszter
@ 05:55 am EST
[Link to this item]
Sunday, July 27, 2003
» Some stats «
| Here are some statistics about sexual and reproductive health from the Alan Guttmacher Institute.
By their late 30s, 15-20% of men and women rely on vasectomy for contraception. However, female methods continue to provide the greater part of overall protection: 24% of men and 31% of women in this age-group rely on female sterilization, and 21% of men and 14% of women on other female methods.
As adolescents, approximately 1/5 of men and women lack health insurance coverage.
Both men and women are more likely to lack insurance coverage in their 20s than at any other period during the reproductive years (ages 15-49). Nearly 40% of men and nearly 30% of women 20-24 have no health insurance.
Check out the Institute's site for more information and for references on the above.
Thanks to my friend Marcy for pointing me to this site and for all her support throughout this event! |
Posted by eszter
@ 05:24 am EST
[Link to this item]
Sunday, July 27, 2003
» March for Freedom of Choice! «
Posted by eszter
@ 04:54 am EST
[Link to this item]
Sunday, July 27, 2003
» Book recommendation «
| The following book recommendation comes from my friend Laura who has been keeping me company off and on tonight. She says the book Back Rooms: Voices from the Illegal Abortion Era was a very informative and interesting read. I'm going to have to go get a copy myself. |
Posted by eszter
@ 04:26 am EST
[Link to this item]
Sunday, July 27, 2003
» Great cartoons «
Here are some good cartoons:
Another Mom Gets Screwed Over
Compassionate Conservatism At Its Finest
How George Bush Helps The Neediest And Most Vulnerable
Posted by eszter
@ 03:56 am EST
[Link to this item]
Sunday, July 27, 2003
» Visitors return «
One of my visitors just returned with this.
Perfect timing.
So does anyone know when I should stop drinking caffeine if I want to be able to sleep right after the Blogathon?
Posted by eszter
@ 03:38 am EST
[Link to this item]
Sunday, July 27, 2003
» Amusing and informative interactive jigsaw puzzles «
| I have posted about these three jigsaw puzzles separately, but I'm going to put up one more entry about them. For those of you reading this real-time, what better way to stay awake than play around on an interactive online site? For those reading this later, what better way to procrastinate doing whatever it is that you were doing before you decided to visit this site?
Click here for my favorite.
Click here for another funny (and informative!) one.
And another one. (This one is a bit less exciting, but it's a neat image nonetheless.)
Enjoy! | |
Posted by eszter
@ 03:08 am EST
[Link to this item]
Sunday, July 27, 2003
» Visitors «
I'm afraid this is a bit of a filler post. I have a visitor.. one in a line of many this evening. I will post some pictures soon. Until then.. play with some of my puzzles below!
Posted by eszter
@ 02:37 am EST
[Link to this item]
Sunday, July 27, 2003
» Women on Waves «
Women on Waves is an amazing organization. Here's the description from their Web site:
Every 5 minutes somewhere on the world a woman dies needless as a result of illegal, unsafe abortion. In response to this violation of women´s human rights and medical need, Women on Waves operates a mobile clinic on a ship that sails to countries where abortion is illegal. This is done at the invitation of local women's organizations. With the use of a ship, early medical abortions can be provided safely, professionally and legally. Women on Waves aims to prevent unsafe abortions and empower women to exercise their human rights to physical and mental autonomy, by combining healthcare services and sexual education with advocacy.
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Posted by eszter
@ 02:12 am EST
[Link to this item]
Sunday, July 27, 2003
» NARAL TV ad «
Posted by eszter
@ 01:45 am EST
[Link to this item]
Sunday, July 27, 2003
» Mailing lists «
Posted by eszter
@ 01:15 am EST
[Link to this item]
Sunday, July 27, 2003
» Almost a puzzle «
I'm afraid I do not have any more Flash puzzles to share. However, I can point you to an image that looks like a puzzle and you can play a guessing game with it. It is a 3x3 of little square pictures each representing something in my immediate surroundings. You can try to guess what the squares are and then click on them to find out how you did. I'm spending most of my Blogathon time in the featured building.
Posted by eszter
@ 12:43 am EST
[Link to this item]
Sunday, July 27, 2003
» Menstrual taboos «
Posted by eszter
@ 12:16 am EST
[Link to this item]
Saturday, July 26, 2003
» One more puzzle «
Posted by eszter
@ 11:46 pm EST
[Link to this item]
Saturday, July 26, 2003
» ACLU reproductive rights resources «
Posted by eszter
@ 11:21 pm EST
[Link to this item]
Saturday, July 26, 2003
» Lesser-known condition «
Posted by eszter
@ 10:49 pm EST
[Link to this item]
Saturday, July 26, 2003
» Top ten ways people visiting me amuse me «
10. They quietly sit and read.
9. They count my donuts.
8. They forget to bring me the chocolate cake they promised.
7. They clean out a random desk in the lab instead of cleaning up the area around my computer.
6. They will not help with my entries.
5. They talk about their dogs comparing each other.
4. They complain about how low they are on my list of "Top ten ways people visiting me amuse me".
3. They get drunk before they come by.
2. My gluten-intolerant friend eats my donuts.
1. Steve wants to steal my one bottle of Coke.
Posted by eszter
@ 10:17 pm EST
[Link to this item]
Saturday, July 26, 2003
» PP needs funding «
Posted by eszter
@ 09:48 pm EST
[Link to this item]
Saturday, July 26, 2003
» PP in Web lawsuit «
Posted by eszter
@ 09:18 pm EST
[Link to this item]
Saturday, July 26, 2003
» Challenges «
The Blogathon is halfway over. Hundreds of us have now stayed up and blogged for twelve hours straight. We have just another twelve hours to go.
All I have to say is that if I could get to here:
... then I will certainly get to the end of this 'thon just fine.
The picture above was taken yesterday (Friday, Julye 25th) after my friend Melissa's dissertation defense (she on the left). My other friend Erica (in the middle) defended her dissertation two weeks ago and I defended mine five weeks ago. If we could finish our PhDs and smile about it, I can finish this Blogathon just fine.
Posted by eszter
@ 09:06 pm EST
[Link to this item]
Saturday, July 26, 2003
» Food for thought «
One of my sponsors made an interesting observation about the list of suggested charities. None of them have to do with arts and culture. She's right. Why is this?
To understand our interest in this, it may help to know that we are sociologists interested in the sociology of culture and art. Some of my research interests have to do with the production and consumption of culture thus the focus on this particular area. Right now, I am a post-doctoral fellow at the Center for Arts and Cultural Policy Studies of the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton so I probably should have made this observation myself.
Posted by eszter
@ 08:37 pm EST
[Link to this item]
Saturday, July 26, 2003
» Another ad «
| Here's another TV ad, this one from NARAL Pro-Choice America. [The .mov file requires a movie viewer.] I think it's a really good ad, but be sure to have audio on when viewing it. |
Posted by eszter
@ 08:08 pm EST
[Link to this item]
Saturday, July 26, 2003
» A game «
Ready for some fun? Want something to take your mind off of other things? Play my blogger memory game. You will see little pictures of bloggers or blog names and you have to match them. Instructions are available on the blogger game page.
[Those with slow connections please take care, this may be too much as it downloads a bunch of little pictures.]
Posted by eszter
@ 07:39 pm EST
[Link to this item]
Saturday, July 26, 2003
» Tampons and asbestos «
| I was not aware of this question, but one of my friends who stopped by to keep me company brought it up so I thought I'd address it here. She was wondering whether it was true that tampons contain asbestos. Apparently this information was going around.
According to the Web site of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, no, tampons do not contain asbestos.
While we are on the topic of tampons, I want to mention a healthier alternative: soft cups. The site offers samples.
I realize the topic of this post is a bit on the fringes of my main theme, but it is related to women's health, which is a topic not often discussed in enough details so I thought it was appropriate to give it gray shading.
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Posted by eszter
@ 07:11 pm EST
[Link to this item]
Saturday, July 26, 2003
» Another puzzle - Not-2-Late Lady «
Here's another little puzzle I put together using Flash on the theme of this blog. [Use of that page requires a Flash plug-in.] It's less of a puzzle, think of it as an interactive "coloring" exercize. From the Flash programmer's point-of-view, this one is different from the other puzzle because the pieces will snap into their places if placed close enough to the correct location. But don't expect much more excitement than that, I'm afraid.
Posted by eszter
@ 06:43 pm EST
[Link to this item]
Saturday, July 26, 2003
» Not that I offered... «
| Some people participating in Blogathon have offered to answer questions in order to raise funds. That was not part of my plan, but some friends who have stopped by to keep me company brought up some interesting issues. So in the next posts, I will be addressing the following:
Difficulties in getting insurance to cover testing for sexually transmitted diseases
Tampons and asbestos
Some points about birth control versus Viagra
and unrelated but on a Blogathon theme:
Types of organizations we sponsor
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Posted by eszter
@ 06:13 pm EST
[Link to this item]
Saturday, July 26, 2003
» A horrifying story «
Posted by eszter
@ 05:43 pm EST
[Link to this item]
Saturday, July 26, 2003
» Chocolate «
I was excited to see that someone's theme for Blogathon is chocolate. The author is sharing all sorts of information including recipes, the history of chocolate, health and chocolate, interesting related Web sites.
I'm glad I brought some of my favorites with me for later.
Posted by eszter
@ 05:15 pm EST
[Link to this item]
Saturday, July 26, 2003
» What music do you listen to? (or More on You tell me) «
A few hours ago I posted a query wondering how people found the music to which they currently listen.
I have received some interesting responses to which I have posted follow-up questions.
I ask other readers to please consider responding to my questions in that post. I am curious about the processes by which people find new music. Please share. Thanks!
Oh, and in case you're wondering why I'm curious, I am an academic, I get curious about things. I am a sociologist and one of my interests is the sociology of culture. I am interested in both how cultural products are produced and how they are consumed. That's where all this is coming from.
Posted by eszter
@ 04:47 pm EST
[Link to this item]
Saturday, July 26, 2003
» Pleasantly surprised «
When I set out on this Blogathon, I had absolutely no idea I would raise the kinds of funds I have. I am so excited that this many people have pledged so much for Planned Parenthood via this activity. (I keep a record of pledges on the top of the right sidebar of this blog, look there for info.)
In addition to those who pledged dollars, I'm appreciative of those who have linked to my site from theirs, I am grateful to those who have shared information with me that I can pass on via this blog (materials that have taught me things I did not know before), I adore my local friends for stopping by, bringing me food and keeping me company, and I enjoy hearing from out-of-town friends via the phone.
Thanks to Ampersand for his incredibly generous offer, which has had very tangible outcomes! Thanks to all the Blogathon participants for support with various technical glitches and for offering so much amusing commentary. And thanks to frykitty and all other volunteers for thinking up and organizing this exciting event!
Posted by eszter
@ 04:20 pm EST
[Link to this item]
Saturday, July 26, 2003
» Great ad «
| The first half of this TV ad from Planned Parenthood is especially neat. [The link points to a .mov file. You should be able to view it with various viewers like QuickTime and Windows Media.] |
Posted by eszter
@ 03:53 pm EST
[Link to this item]
Saturday, July 26, 2003
» Does the use of emergency contraception cause abortion? «
Emergency contraception is one of those things that not enough people know about. According to a 1997 survey by the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation only 11 percent of women had heard about it. It is more commonly known as "the morning after pill", an unfortunately misleading term.
Given the contraversy surrounding abortion, I think it is helpful to consider the question: Does the use of emergency contraception cause abortion? Here is the answer of the experts. I quote from the Emergency Contraception Web site.
Does Use of Emergency Contraception Cause an Abortion?
No, use of emergency contraception does not cause an abortion. In fact, emergency contraception prevents pregnancy and thereby reduces the need for induced abortion. Medical authorities such as the United States Food and Drug Administration/National Institutes of Health and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists define the beginning of pregnancy as the implantation of a fertilized egg in the lining of a woman's uterus. Implantation begins five to seven days after fertilization (and is completed several days later). Emergency contraceptives work before implantation and not after a woman is already pregnant. Depending on the time during the menstrual cycle that they are taken, ECPs may inhibit or delay ovulation, inhibit tubal transport of the egg or sperm, interfere with fertilization, or alter the endometrium (the lining of the uterus), thereby inhibiting implantation of a fertilized egg. The copper in copper-T IUDs can prevent sperm from fertilizing an egg and can also alter the endometrium, thereby inhibiting implantation of a fertilized egg. When a woman is already pregnant, emergency contraception does not work. Emergency contraception is also harmless to the fetus and the mother.
References:
OPRR Reports: Protection of Human Subjects. Code of Federal Regulations 45CFR 46, March 9, 1983.
Hughes EC (ed), Committee on Terminology, The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Obstetric-Gynecologic Terminology. Philadelphia PA: F.A. Davis Company, 1972. |
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Posted by eszter
@ 03:25 pm EST
[Link to this item]
Saturday, July 26, 2003
» Why we blog & why we should ask questions «
Inspired yet again by a post over on Elayne's blog, I send you to a piece on "Why I blog", which does a good job of summing up some of my own reasons.
One of the reasons the author states is that writing things down especially for a public audience helps organize one's thoughts. I have definitely found this to be true for me.
It reminds me of something my middle school teacher once said: sometimes the only thing you need to get an answer to a question is to ask the question. Well, the connection between the above and this may be a bit of a leap, but it still reminded me of this comment. I have found her observation to be true at times. It is important for teachers to encourage students to ask questions.
Posted by eszter
@ 02:58 pm EST
[Link to this item]
Saturday, July 26, 2003
» AdBusters «
I was a bit close with my last two posts so I'm not going to wait 30 mins with this one.
Elayne reminded me of a great site so I thought I'd put up a pointer to it as well: AdBusters. I have known about them for years and always find something interesting on their site. Especially great are the spoof ads they feature. For example, see these tobacco spoof ads featuring Joe Chemo.
UPDATE 3/15/04: I know longer support AdBusters in general due to some of their recent content, but I'm leaving this up to keep a full record of my Blogathon '03 content.
Posted by eszter
@ 02:30 pm EST
[Link to this item]
Saturday, July 26, 2003
» Another ad about emergency contraception «
Posted by eszter
@ 02:13 pm EST
[Link to this item]
Saturday, July 26, 2003
» Solve this puzzle «
| Let's have some fun!
Here's an interactive jigsaw puzzle I put together on the theme of my blog.
Nothing in particular happens when you solve it, but you will get to see what it says. It's both funny and educational. Try it out! |
Posted by eszter
@ 01:42 pm EST
[Link to this item]
Saturday, July 26, 2003
» Lunch break «
This is a filler post, I'm afraid. I'm having lunch with two friends who were kind enough to stop by with some take-out.
As I said, I'm spoiled. Another friend just emailed me to ask what I'd like to have for dinner.
Posted by eszter
@ 01:15 pm EST
[Link to this item]
Saturday, July 26, 2003
» You tell me «
Now for something completely different from the main theme of today's blog. Here's a question for you: What is the latest music you've been listening to a lot and how did you learn about it? Also, is the music the type you usually listen to or is it a whole new variety?
Here's my response in case anyone is interested, and to give you an idea of the type of response I'm looking for.
My latest CD purchase was Spookie Daly Pride. I know a relative of the main singer. The band was performing here in town and so I went to see them with my friend who knew about them. I enjoyed the performance and bought the CD. This is definitely a different genre from what I usually listen to.
My main interest in all this is less the particular music and more so how you learned about your latest music interest? Thanks for sharing!
Posted by eszter
@ 12:44 pm EST
[Link to this item]
Saturday, July 26, 2003
» Accidents happen «
| Now that I've covered the importance of condom use, it's probably a good idea to acknowledge that accidents do happen. That's where emergency contraception comes into play.
Click here to view a nice little TV ad on this point. [Please note that that link points to a .mov file.] And click here to learn about emergency contraceptive pills including information on why the term "morning after pill" is misleading. (In case you don't want to bother clicking through, the main point is that no, you do not have to wait until the morning after to take the pill, and no, it is not too late to take the pill even a few days after.) |
Posted by eszter
@ 12:16 pm EST
[Link to this item]
Saturday, July 26, 2003
» How to use condoms «
Posted by eszter
@ 11:49 am EST
[Link to this item]
Saturday, July 26, 2003
» So far so good «
I planned to do lots of things today to help the time pass and help keep me awake, but it looks like I will be quite busy without any particular long to-do list. Posting every 30 minutes takes up a lot of time if you want to do more than simply post messages about posting (like this one).
Things are also busy because I'm getting lots of social support from my friends. One of them just called so I went outside (cellphone reception issues) and bumped into two other people. (Thus the advantages of blogging in a public location.) In about an hour a friend will be stopping by with lunch. I'm spoiled.
Posted by eszter
@ 11:23 am EST
[Link to this item]
Saturday, July 26, 2003
» The importance of condom use «
| For those who are anti-abortion, a good strategy would seem to be to disseminate information about how people can prevent unwanted pregnancies. Condom use is one important method. It is also crucial for guarding against sexually transmitted diseases. Planned Parenthood's Web site has a helpful page called The Truth About Condoms.
Here, I quote just a few paragraphs. Be sure to head on over to their site to read the rest.
| The earliest known illustration of a man using a condom during sexual intercourse is painted on the wall of a cave in France. It is 12,000-15,000 years old (Parisot, 1987). We know that condoms have been used to protect against sexually transmitted infection since the sixteenth century and to prevent unwanted pregnancy since the eighteenth century (Himes, 1963). Since the 19th century, American moralists - who have misunderstood or denied its public health benefits - have attacked condom use (Brodie, 1994).
As a result, those who promoted an abstinence-until-marriage agenda stymied public health efforts toward increased condom use in the U.S for most of the 20th century. During World War I, for example, U.S. allies, such as New Zealand, gave their troops condoms to prevent sexually transmitted infection. But social hygienists in the U.S. forced the American Armed Expeditionary Forces to adopt a chastity campaign - they were opposed to any prophylactic prevention of sexually transmitted infection. Consequently, in 1919 alone, U.S. troops reported a yearly admissions rate of 766.55 per 1,000 for sexually transmitted infection (Brandt, 1985).
In the last several years, certain anti-choice radicals have even distorted scientific fact in order to discourage condom use. Three myths propagated in this anti-condom misinformation campaign are particularly dangerous. The first myth purports that talking about condoms or giving people condoms will make them sexually promiscuous (Hartigan, 1997). The second claims that condoms cause AIDS because HIV allegedly passes through microscopic pores in the latex (A.L.L.). The third blames condoms for cervical cancer (Lerner, 1999; Cantu & Farish, 1999). These myths are now so widespread that they are recited in Congress and have been incorporated into the sexuality education programs of more than a third of U.S. schools (Lerner, 1999; Landry et al., 1999). But none of these myths are true.
As this fact sheet will make clear, the effectiveness of condoms against unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infection has long been established (see below). Further, information about and access to condoms clearly do not increase sexual activity among adolescents (Kirby, 1997; Schuster et al., 1998). One World Health Organization review of 19 studies found no evidence that sexuality education programs lead to earlier or increased sexual activity among teens (NCHSTP, 1996). But easy access to condoms does encourage condom use among teens that are already sexually active (Schuster et al., 1998). And teens need protection - at least 60.9 percent of twelfth-graders report having had sexual intercourse (AGI, 1999; Kann et al., 1998).
The truth about condoms is that they offer the best protection for the sexually active (Stone et al., 1999; CDC, 1998).
Nevertheless, in recent months, scientifically-based information about condoms that was available on government health Web sites has been either taken down or replaced with politically driven, censored pages that emphasize abstinence and have an exaggerated focus on the potential risks of condom use. For example, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Web site expunged information showing that education about condoms does not result in increased or earlier sexual activity (Clymer, 2002).
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Click here for more and to see the references cited in this section.
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Posted by eszter
@ 10:59 am EST
[Link to this item]
Saturday, July 26, 2003
» When there is no choice «
| I would like to point to an article that I have reread several times because I find it so disturbing and unbelievable. As its summary states: Last fall, a university student tried to get an abortion. Instead, she says, she was fooled by a man who said he could help. I am not going to attempt to summarize it because I think it is a very engaging read. I hope you find the time to take a look at it. If you are wondering why I am blogging for Planned Parenthood, that story should give you an idea. |
Posted by eszter
@ 10:34 am EST
[Link to this item]
Saturday, July 26, 2003
» Color coding «
I want to have a way to distinguish posts that are specifically about my theme of reproductive rights and reproductive health from other posts. I have decided to add a gray background to posts that are on the central theme of the blog. That way, anybody who wants to stop by and read about reproductive rights and reproductive health without having to read through my other posts can do so easily.
Entries with a gray background feature material on reproductive rights and reproductive health.
Posted by eszter
@ 10:16 am EST
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Saturday, July 26, 2003
» Ms.Magazine Blogs of Note «
Ms.Magazine's own blog ms.musings now has a sidebar Blogs of Note. I'm excited to report that my blog (not this Blogathon section, but my blog in general) made it on the list. The blog list features lots of female and/or feminist bloggers. Reports in the popular media about the blogger phenomenon have often focused mainly on male bloggers and rarely talk about blogs with an explicitly feminist twist. It's nice to have a collection of such blogs on a list.
Posted by eszter
@ 09:54 am EST
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Saturday, July 26, 2003
» The logistics of posting frequently «
I would like to post more than just a sentence or two every time I add an entry to this blog. The rule is that we have to post once every half an hour. This can get a little tricky if you're trying to tear yourself away from the machine even for just a bit (which I will have to do soon to migrate over to the location where I will be blogging for most of the Blogathon hours). Although posting an entry only takes a few seconds once it has been written, writing it can take several minutes. I guess best would be to write one out ahead of time then post immediately before leaving the computer and then hope there is no traffic on my way to the other location. And by traffic in this case I mean too many cars on the road.
Posted by eszter
@ 09:34 am EST
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Saturday, July 26, 2003
» We're live! «
Welcome to Blogathon 2003! Th 24 hour event begins now. All across the world, bloggers are staying up 24 hours to blog for charity.
So what is a blog, you ask? I wrote about it a while back on my Web site. Basically, it is a frequently updated Web site on which software makes it easy to archive and access past posts easily. To see an attempt at classifying blog types, take a look at this entry from my blog archives.
On my Blogathon site, I will devote a considerable number of posts to information on reproductive rights and reproductive health. My choice of charity for the Blogathon is Planned Parenthood and I thought it would make sense to disseminate information related to the organization while I raise funds for it. After all, education is such an important part of what that organization does, it makes sense to devote some attention to the issues here.
THANK YOU to everyone who has contributed to the over $1,000 I have raised for Planned Parenthood!
Posted by eszter
@ 09:08 am EST
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Saturday, July 26, 2003
» Launching my Blogathon 2003 page «
Testing.
Posted by eszter
@ 12:34 am EST
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