Abstinence

From RationalWiki
(Difference between revisions)
Jump to: navigation, search
Line 1: Line 1:
 
{{sex}}
 
{{sex}}
'''Abstinence''' is the practice of refraining (voluntarily or involuntarily) from having [[sex|sexual]] relations with other people, usually until a predetermined event, such as [[marriage]] or [[death]]. In stricter cases, abstinence also refers to not even [[masturbation|masturbating]]. For some odd reason, sex with [[Goat|animals]] is ''right out!''  As a form of [[birth control]], it is highly effective when used properly, but notoriously difficult to get the hang of. Despite its effectiveness abstinence is highly unpopular in the United States and has been so since at least the 1940’s. <ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2006-12-19-premarital-sex_x.htm Most Americans have had premarital sex, study finds]</ref>
+
'''Abstinence''' is the practice of refraining (voluntarily or involuntarily) from having [[sex|sexual]] relations with other people, usually until a predetermined event, such as [[marriage]] or [[death]]. In stricter cases, abstinence also refers to not even [[masturbation|masturbating]]. For some odd reason, sex with [[Goat|animals]] is ''right out!''  Abstinence can be a choice for people with naturally low sex drive, also temporary abstinence can be a choice for people needing time to get over a failed relationship, the death of a partner etc.  
  
Sexual repression can lead to aggression and violence as well as preoccupation with sex. <ref>[http://newgon.com/prd/repr/aggression.html Sexual Repression and Aggression]</ref> and efforts to control sexuality can lead to unhealthy sex rather than abstinence. <ref>[http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/sex-dawn/201004/sexual-repression-the-malady-considers-itself-the-remedy Sexual Repression: The Malady That Considers Itself the Remedy]</ref>  
+
==Sexual repression==
 +
Abstinence can lead to sexual repression which in turn can cause aggression and violence as well as preoccupation with sex.  Then people struggling to suppress their own sex drives and preoccupied with sex seek to impose abstinence onto other people, the unhealthy abstinence [[meme]] perpetuates and spreads that way. <ref>[http://newgon.com/prd/repr/aggression.html Sexual Repression and Aggression]</ref> and efforts to control sexuality can lead to unhealthy sex rather than abstinence. <ref>[http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/sex-dawn/201004/sexual-repression-the-malady-considers-itself-the-remedy Sexual Repression: The Malady That Considers Itself the Remedy]</ref>
 +
 
 +
==Birth control==
 +
As a form of [[birth control]], it is highly effective when used properly, but notoriously difficult to get the hang of.  When people attempting abstinence as birth control find their sex drive is too strong this can result in unprotected sex.  Despite its possible effectiveness abstinence is highly unpopular in the United States and has been so since at least the 1940’s. <ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2006-12-19-premarital-sex_x.htm Most Americans have had premarital sex, study finds]</ref>  
  
 
==Abstinence programs==
 
==Abstinence programs==

Revision as of 18:51, 16 August 2012

Part of the series on

Sexuality

Icon sex.svg
A baker's dozen on sex
Double Venus-color.svg

Abstinence is the practice of refraining (voluntarily or involuntarily) from having sexual relations with other people, usually until a predetermined event, such as marriage or death. In stricter cases, abstinence also refers to not even masturbating. For some odd reason, sex with animals is right out! Abstinence can be a choice for people with naturally low sex drive, also temporary abstinence can be a choice for people needing time to get over a failed relationship, the death of a partner etc.

Contents

Sexual repression

Abstinence can lead to sexual repression which in turn can cause aggression and violence as well as preoccupation with sex. Then people struggling to suppress their own sex drives and preoccupied with sex seek to impose abstinence onto other people, the unhealthy abstinence meme perpetuates and spreads that way. [1] and efforts to control sexuality can lead to unhealthy sex rather than abstinence. [2]

Birth control

As a form of birth control, it is highly effective when used properly, but notoriously difficult to get the hang of. When people attempting abstinence as birth control find their sex drive is too strong this can result in unprotected sex. Despite its possible effectiveness abstinence is highly unpopular in the United States and has been so since at least the 1940’s. [3]

Abstinence programs

See the main article on this topic: Abstinence programs

These programs are government mandates requiring the teaching of sexual abstinence in preference to proven sex education techniques. There are also (US) mandates affecting international HIV/AIDS funding programs. However, there is no statistical proof that these abstinence-only programs are any better than conventional birth control-based sex education, or even as effective in preventing unwanted pregnancy[4]

According to the Bible, abstinence is only 99.999999999% effective.

See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. Sexual Repression and Aggression
  2. Sexual Repression: The Malady That Considers Itself the Remedy
  3. Most Americans have had premarital sex, study finds
  4. Kristen Underhill, Paul Montgomery, Don OperarioSexual abstinence only programmes to prevent HIV infection in high income countries: systematic review.BMJ 2007;335:248, (published 26 July 2007)
Personal tools
Namespaces

Variants
Actions
Navigation
Community
Tools
support