Tell President Obama No More Money for Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Programs

President Obama is preparing to release his first budget on Thursday, February 26, 2009. Now is the time to tell him to stop spending our federal tax dollars on inaccurate and ineffective abstinence-only-until-marriage programs.

At the Center for Women & HIV Advocacy, we understand that comprehensive sexuality education is critical to preventing the transmission of HIV. Yet, since 1996 the United States government has poured more than 1.3 billion dollars into ineffective abstinence-only-until-marriage programs.

Some quick facts:

• Abstinence-only programs have failed to reduce teenage sexuality or increase teenage sexual health;
• A study commissioned by the Department of Health and Human Services found that youth who participated in abstinence-only programs were no more likely than their peers to abstain from sex; and
• What’s worse, many of the most popular federally-funded, abstinence-only curricula are rife with false and misleading information about HIV transmission and prevention that could prove deadly to our youth.

In order to make responsible, healthy decisions, young people need—and society has a moral obligation to provide—medically accurate, age-appropriate information about sexuality and sexual health. President Obama supports medically accurate, age-appropriate sex education. Now is the time for him to put that commitment into action.

The President’s budget must eliminate funding for abstinence-only-until-marriage programs. In addition, we are asking that President Obama create a health policy based on science, and include at least $50 million in his budget directed to fund comprehensive sexuality education.

Tell President Obama: No More Money for Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Programs;
Fund Comprehensive Sexuality Education for Our Youth!

Sign the petition below to send an email to President Obama! (Scroll down to see petition text.)

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Preview the Petition:	Dear President Obama, As you prepare your first budget, I urge you to spend our federal tax dollars on medically accurate, age-appropriate sexuality education programs. Inaccurate and ineffective abstinence-only until marriage programs currently funded by federal dollars are a failure. Comprehensive sexuality education, which is critical to any meaningful HIV prevention strategy, must become federal policy now if we hope to have a next generation of youth living free of HIV infection. Since 1996 the United States government has poured more than 1.3 billion dollars into abstinence-only-until-marriage programs. Yet abstinence-only programs have failed to reduce teen sexuality or increase teen sexual health. A study commissioned by the Department of Health and Human Services found that youth who participated in abstinence-only programs were no more likely than their peers to abstain from sex. What’s worse, many of the most popular federally-funded, abstinence-only curricula are rife with false and misleading information about HIV, including: * Condoms fail to prevent the spread of HIV approximately 31% of the time in heterosexual sex; * HIV is spread through sweat and tears; and * that scientific evidence does not show that condoms help prevent the spread of STDs. These false and misleading "facts" about HIV/AIDS and HIV transmission are not just a waste of tax dollars, but dangerous, even deadly, for our youth. In order to make responsible, healthy decisions, young people need—and society has a moral obligation to provide—medically accurate, age-appropriate information about sexuality and sexual health. President Obama, please support medically accurate, age-appropriate sex education. Now is the time for you to put your commitment into action. I ask that you eliminate all funding for abstinence-only-until-marriage programs. In addition, I ask that you create health policy based on science, and include at least $50 million for comprehensive sexuality education. Thank you very much for your investment in the health and education of our young people.
Sponsored by	Sponsored by: HIV Law Project Center for Women and HIV Advocacy 15 Maiden Ln Suite #18 New York, NY 10038 Phone: (212) 577-3001 Email : info@hivlawproject.org Website: http://www.hivlawproject.org/