syphilis - Jezebel

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Red Alert
"Is It Normal For Straight Girls To Only Like Girl-On-Girl Porn?"
Walt Disney's Educational Cartoon On STDs
"Is It True That You Should Sleep Without Panties On To Air Out?"
Meet Ashley Alexandra Dupre. She Fucked Eliot Spitzer. She Is The Future Of Music!
Study Shows Sex Ed Works For (Some) Teens

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funnyface
01/29/09

In reply to Red Alert
I'm pretty shocked my home state of Arkansas isn't on the top ten lists.
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Jeenzy
01/29/09

In reply to Red Alert
This may seem random, but bear with me:

You know how in the peace corp, they emphasize bringing about positive change in the places you are working with respect for their customs and beliefs? It's an extra challenge, but it certainly is possible, and things are done within the realm of local customs.

I guess what I'm getting at here is that instead of constantly putting down these "red state" beliefs, maybe we can find a way to work with them. Although I suppose that could be hard, seeing how a lot of conservatives don't believe in sex outside of procreation and marriage (Is that an overgeneralization? Sorry, but on to my point) . We need them to acknowledge that yes, it's not what you believe is right, but it does happen.

I don't know. The way I laid it out sounds overly simplistic, and I know the solution would have to be far more complex. These things make me angry, yes, but maybe there are less inflammatory and polarizing ways of approaching these things.
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whynotshesaid
01/29/09

@Jeenzy: I see what you are saying, but I'm not sure how you can really work toward the prevention of STDs with people who are convinced that the only answer is to pretend your sex drive doesn't exist. It's really hard to work with people when they aren't dealing with reality.
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xay
01/29/09

In reply to Red Alert
The $335 million is not just for STD prevention. It also includes HIV, hepatitis, and tuberculosis prevention and I wish the media would stop reporting on this issue using Republican talking point language.

And for those who don't understand how this is economic stimulus, this plan will create jobs. State and local health departments have been hard hit by budget cuts and layoffs and are expected to serve more clients than ever with dwindling staff.
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whynotshesaid
01/29/09

@xay: Yes, thank you. "Economic stimulus" has been so used and misused to the point of becoming a vague non-concept that I think a lot of people forget what it means on a practical level.
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Samanthrax
01/29/09

In reply to Red Alert
Meh... gross generalizations and offensive jokes about STDs and the people who carry them are growing thin.

Or perhaps I am oversensitive, this has happened before.
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whynotshesaid
01/29/09

@Samazon: I don't think people are making fun of people with STDs as much as they are mocking the failed politics of leaders who stump on an anti-sex-ed platform.

I mean, you have to admit, it is pretty fucking sad that the states most attached to the abstinence-only, no-abortion, no-birth control ideals are also the ones with the highest rates of STD and teen pregnancy.
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misspell
01/29/09

@whynotshesaid: Yes, it's surprisingly easy to mock the awful policies of the politicians (because they are ignorant and dangerous), but I completely see Samazon's point - in all the mocking of the STDs, we have to try to remember that a lot of the people contracting these STDs are kids. They can't change policies or go out and hire a new sex ed teacher any more than they could convince their parents to vote for Obama. Maybe the rise in STDs will create a later generation of safe sex supporters? We can only hope.
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NefariousNewt
01/29/09

In reply to Red Alert
Let's see: conservative states, places where they generally don't believe in sex ed or any mention of sex for fear the populace will fall into mass orgies immediately, have higher incidences of STDs. He-he-he-he. If it weren't so atrociously sad and unavoidable, it would be hilarious.
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lilbobbytables
01/29/09

In reply to Red Alert
What have I been saying? The GOP loves the clap!
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swizzlesticks
01/29/09

In reply to Red Alert
It might be pertinent to point out that many Republican members of Congress don't necessarily oppose STD education/prevention, but rather, don't see the importance of including this in a bill that is supposed to be focused solely on STIMULATING the economy...
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lilbobbytables
01/29/09

@swizzlesticks: But I was on a ranting role! Stupid trying to be fair and understand other people's points of view.
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EkaterinaBallerina
01/29/09

@swizzlesticks: Actually those things go hand in hand. This is one of the most vital times for sex education/family planning. Having babies and treating STDs costs a lot of money.

And I'd wager that many of them do oppose sex education in general. There are large swaths of this country that don't even teach it.
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exelizabeth
01/29/09

@swizzlesticks: Well, they didn't vote for the damn thing anyway, so we might as well have had that in there!

I sort of want a re-do. Like, oh hey guys, you're going to ALL vote no? Okay, good to know that. We're just gonna do what we want with this bill now since we know we don't need to give a crap what you think. Thanks for the heads up!
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Samanthrax
01/29/09

In reply to Red Alert
Fuck this study. I got the clap in a blue state.
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Remedios Varo can't see no huevos.
01/29/09

In reply to Red Alert
This is only sort of related, but today I found out that not only can my university's student health center no longer afford to distribute birth control, but also that our local Planned Parenthood, which is the only one for miles around because I go to school in a rural area, is pretty close to shutting down due to a lack of funds and staffing. Glum times.
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yvanehtnioj
01/29/09

@Remedios Varo rides again! (frmrly LateNightQuesadilla): Thank you for that kick in the ass, I've been procrastinating on making a donation to Planned Parenthood for no reason at all. Off to their website!
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EkaterinaBallerina
01/29/09

In reply to Red Alert
Sarah Palin would have you believe that the Red States are the "true America of God values."

In reality, Blue States have lower rates of STDs, teen pregnancy and divorce.

Who's winning the culture war now Repugs!?!?
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Eyebrows McGee (now with more baby!)
01/29/09

@EkaterinaBallerina: IIRC, Will & Grace also had its biggest audience share among red state middle aged women.
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whynotshesaid
01/29/09

@EkaterinaBallerina: Well, haven't you read the Declaration of Independence? It says everyone is entitled to "life, liberty and having your weiner fall off in a syphilitic lump."
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Shamrockette
01/29/09

In reply to Red Alert
Red State ideology:

"Don't have sex, because you will get pregnant. And die."
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Bunny_of_doom
01/29/09

@Shamrockette has to study, study, study!: What a coincidence, thats the same thing my mother tells me.

Wait...
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sarah.of.a.lesser.god (aka Mrs. BrutallyHonestHobbit)
01/29/09

In reply to Red Alert
I wonder if they know that gonorrhea is an STD. They might think it's the next town over from Sodom.
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Bgirl_Hamster
01/29/09

In reply to Red Alert
Take note Coweta County, Georgia: Banning those ribbed- for-her-pleasure condoms will only further your plight!
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Bunny_of_doom
01/29/09

In reply to Red Alert
I can see why they're surprised. All those that live in red states are God fearing non-sexin individuals. it must have been those atheists and their sex having ways that corrupted the youth. Damn democrats.

I'm sure they meant to color that completely opposite.
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Vivi21
01/29/09

@Bunny_of_doom: Oh yeah, and they totally are an example of respecting the sanctity of marriage given the lower divorce rates in their states as opposed to the godless Northeast. Oh, wait...
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Eyebrows McGee (now with more baby!)
01/29/09

@Vivi21: And their lower rates of teen sex. Oh, wait ...
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Vivi21
01/29/09

@Eyebrows McGee: Aha, I forgot about that fact and it's even more pertinent to this discussion :) Generally, they think they have the market cornered on morality, but the statistics suggest that is a load of horse shit.
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Eyebrows McGee (now with more baby!)
01/29/09

@Vivi21: Now I'm going to go wreck the thread by being serious, but I think the reason Red States are so upset about these things are that they're Red State problems. Blue Staters remain kind-of mystified about why Red Staters are so interested in other people's sex lives, because Blue States don't have the same rates of these problems.
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Vivi21
01/30/09

@Eyebrows McGee: Hmm, I never really thought of it that way. I still don't see how caring about what blue staters do and deluding oneself into thinking that people in blue states are somehow more immoral helps you fix the problem--all it does is make you feel a little bit better about yourself.
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Eyebrows McGee (now with more baby!)
01/30/09

@Vivi21: I think it's a category error. *I* have this problem, therefore *EVERYONE* must have this problem, and *I* can solve it in this way, therefore *EVERYONE* must solve it in this way.

Also blaming someone else is always much more convenient. :)
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exelizabeth
01/29/09

In reply to Red Alert
Yes, but it mostly hurts there poor and not-white constituents who shouldn't be getting it on anyway, so they will continue not to care.
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pandorasmittens
01/29/09

@exelizabeth: SKIN COLOR IS IRRELEVANT! IT IS A SIN AND AN UNHOLY ABOMINATION AGAINST THE LORD!!! FORNICATORS SHALL BE LEAD STRAIGHT INTO THE GAPING MAW OF BEELZEBUB!!!
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SylvanSylph
01/29/09

@exelizabeth: @Remedios Varo rides again! (frmrly LateNightQuesadilla): Yes, mine has lost funding and my usual under $60 payment for an exam and birth control ended up being more like $300. Women who couldn't afford this were being turned away. @yvanehtnioj: Thank you!
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