Questionable Relationships / Question
Published: January 11, 2005
Dear TeenHealthFX,
In your Hot Topic "Dating Age Differences - What's The Big Deal?", I found the sentence "Girls who date older men don't use birth control as consistently which leads to STDs and pregnancy." This implies that birth control prevents STDs, which is absolutely FALSE! While it is true that barrier methods of birth control (condoms) and abstinence do prevent STDs, birth control pills (what teenagers commonly think of as 'birth control') will NOT prevent any STDs. Please make this distinction clear as it is a common misconception!! Thank you!
Signed: Common Misconception
Dear Common Misconception,
TeenHealthFX recognizes that the wording in the Hot Topic “Dating Age Differences - What's The Big Deal?” could have been more precise. However, if you look at the broad range of questions involving safer sex, TeenHealthFX does emphasize the use of barrier methods and abstinence as means of protection against sexually transmitted diseases.
Here is the paragraph you were referring to:
"What does that mean” Girls who date older men are at risk because the men they are with have more power than they do. The relationship is inherently unequal. One risk is unintended pregnancy. According to Michael Males, PhD "Today, about half of the births to teen mothers involve men ages 20-24, and an additional one-sixth are over age 25". Another big risk is getting a sexually transmitted disease. Girls who date older men don't use birth control as consistently which leads to STDs and pregnancy.
The central theme of the passage was to point out that because of the inequity of power; young women are more likely to be intimidated by their older partner and less likely to insist on using a condom. There was an assumption on our part that birth control would also involve the male using a condom. Nonetheless, your comment is valid and TeenHealthFX will change the wording of the question to clear up any confusion.
Signed: TeenHealthFX
Girls are more likely to intentionally abuse prescription drugs than boys.
