Ignorance and the HPV vaccine
Sometimes the utter ignorance of ultra-conservative types is so astonishing that I can only shake my head in disbelief. They've always insisted on stuffing their noses into other peoples' gotchees in the name of the lord, but now it's gone from stupid to dangerous.
The state of Texas recently mandated that girls be vaccinated with the HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccine in grade school. HPV, a sexually-transmitted virus, causes cervical cancer, and the vaccine is most effective on younger people. Parents have the option to refuse the vaccine, but bible-whomping conservatives are still outraged that the it's available at all, indignantly claiming it will encourage *gasp* pre-marital sex. The choice of opting out isn't enough; they don't want the vaccine to be available at at. They claim it promotes sexual activity (and contributes to society's shredding moral fibre zzzzzz). Naturally, the Focus on the Family cretins have been all over this for months, getting parents all choked and stoked about a vaccine which could potentially save their kids' lives.
"Some conservatives and parents' rights groups worry that requiring girls to get vaccinated against the sexually transmitted virus that causes cervical cancer would condone premarital sex and interfere with the way they raise their children."
The truth is, the nitwits that are against the vaccine don't want to admit that there's a chance the "abstinence-only" sex education won't work, or face the fact that they'd rather see their daughters get cervical cancer than admit that they might have sex. Can't say I blame them.
The state of Texas recently mandated that girls be vaccinated with the HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccine in grade school. HPV, a sexually-transmitted virus, causes cervical cancer, and the vaccine is most effective on younger people. Parents have the option to refuse the vaccine, but bible-whomping conservatives are still outraged that the it's available at all, indignantly claiming it will encourage *gasp* pre-marital sex. The choice of opting out isn't enough; they don't want the vaccine to be available at at. They claim it promotes sexual activity (and contributes to society's shredding moral fibre zzzzzz). Naturally, the Focus on the Family cretins have been all over this for months, getting parents all choked and stoked about a vaccine which could potentially save their kids' lives.
"Some conservatives and parents' rights groups worry that requiring girls to get vaccinated against the sexually transmitted virus that causes cervical cancer would condone premarital sex and interfere with the way they raise their children."
The truth is, the nitwits that are against the vaccine don't want to admit that there's a chance the "abstinence-only" sex education won't work, or face the fact that they'd rather see their daughters get cervical cancer than admit that they might have sex. Can't say I blame them.
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