Sexeteria

Warning: I always honor any reader's right to hold different political views than mine, but I'm going to offer mine here strongly, so if that will bother you, now's the time to hoof it.

It's mid-term elections in the US today. I just voted. The turnout was piddling. I visited two polling places (I've moved recently, and wasn't sure which place I now had to go to) and there was no line in either place. I don't just mean there was a short, fast line of a couple of people that I hardly noticed. I mean there was NO line; I didn't have to wait at all to be processed.

Now that's mighty convenient, but it's also really sad.

I know that lately with all the corruption and scandal and backbiting surrounding US elections, it may seem like it's just not worth the effort these days; that we have no power anymore. But that's just not true. Things are at stake here, people, even if it isn't a presidential election.

My friend Ray is has an intense and moving video clip up on his blog that shows you one issue at stake; one that's very close to home for him (and should be important to all of us, even if we don't live in New Orleans).

As a sex blogger, I'm going to focus on another issue at stake: the attempt to control and limit our rights to sexual expression and access to sexual education. Your vote could make a difference in this area.

A number of states have initiatives on the ballot this time attempting to limit the rights of same-sex and cohabitating couples and their dependents. Denying others their legal rights because of their particular sexual or relationship choices is just flat out unacceptable, regardless of whether you personally choose to associate yourself with those choices. So in a very direct way, not voicing your opposition to such measures will create a very dangerous environment for all of us. After all, they can limit "those people's" rights now...but who says it won't be you next. Get out there and vote to eliminate your state's ability to deny ANY fellow citizens' basic civil rights.

And along with that, here's another important point. Even though this is not a presidential election, it doesn't mean we can't use this election to send a very important message to our president and his administration, who are entirely out of touch not only with the reality of human sexuality in general, but also with their own citizens' actual opinions about it and how they'd prefer information about it be disseminated.

Just as one quick example, check out this very interesting article from Scientific American. I'll sum up the main points below. You tell me what's wrong with this picture [emphasis is mine]:

1. A recent survey has revealed that 82 percent of Americans--regardless of political leaning--favored comprehensive sex education in schools over abstinence-only programs. "Even among self-described conservatives, 70 percent supported comprehensive sex ed..."

2. "...studies have failed to show that abstinence-only education delays sex or lowers rates of teen pregnancy."

3. "Many more studies have looked at comprehensive sex ed. and found that some programs do increase condom and contraceptive use, but may also help delay sex..."

4. Currently the federal government gives around $170 million each year of OUR money to states and community groups to teach abstinence-only sex ed. The funding is contingent upon conditions such as disallowing the mention of birth control and condoms, except to talk about their failure rates.

So, comprehensive sex ed has been proven to at least sometimes result in young people delaying sexual activity--supposedly the GOAL of this administration--while abstinence-only education does NOT. And the VAST majority of Americans don't even WANT abstinence-only sex ed. And yet, this administration is spending close to $200 million on abstinence-only initiatives.

We're talking here about people with such twisted ideas about sexuality and morality that they are more concerned with funding the APPEARANCE of morality than in actually using an approach that works, because that approach LOOKS bad (to certain religious conservative voter bases--a MINORITY opinion group in the US, I might add).

That's twisted, people. It's time for a change. I wrote a piece the other day that talked about how those of us with more out-of-the-mainstream sexual tastes and fantasies have an obligation to provide perspective and clear education for our readers about sexual realities. That's certainly true in the other direction, too. Those with more conservative views also have this responsibility to provide perspective. And that perspective is that NO ONE should be forced to believe only one view exists or is "good" or "natural" or "okay"--and even moreso when such propaganda and information suppression methods have been proven to be ineffective and damaging.

It's time to send a clear message that we won't put up with this anymore. Make your vote count--vote against anyone who supports the current administration. Vote against any initiative that limits people's personal freedom to love, live, and express their sexuality freely and STILL maintain their civil rights.

It does matter. Get out there. Bring your friends, co-workers, family members, others in your community that may have difficulty getting there on their own. Make a line. Wait to get in it if you have to. Be a little late for dinner or to meet up with your friends. Temporary inconvenience is a very small price to pay for your sexual freedom.

Whereas, apathy may seem more comfortable in the short-term, but down the line, it'll hurt like hell.