The Book Harmful On Minors By Judith Levine - 966 Words

In the book Harmful to Minors , the author Judith Levine asserts that the consensus regarding children’s sexual experiences arose out of a growing fear during the 1970s and 80s. In a time of increasing social and economic anxiety, feminist concerns about pornography and child abuse meshed with the anti-sexual leanings of the Right. With scare-mongering stories about satanic sex-rings, a frequent occurrence in the media, these two groups caused a move away from liberal sex education and towards unrealistic abstinence-only programs. The conservatives push their agenda by funding programs and public policies that would teach children that, their only way to protection is to go from chastity to abstinence. They take control of the law, the language, and the cultural consensus; the acknowledgment of children s sexual desires and experiences become unrecognized -- that it does not happen, and if it does happen, then it should be stopped -- causes more harm to minors than good. Levi ne s claim still holds true today. The idea that sex is a normal and positive part of child and adolescent life is unspeakable in the American public forum. Chastity and abstinence education is evidence of such idea, and it is impractical, useless, negative, and ideological. Sex education in this country abandons children (teens in particular) to learn about their sexuality on their own by trial and error. Rather than treat intimate sexual relationships as a positive component of healthyShow MoreRelatedEssay on An Inside Look at Moral Panics1008 Words   |  5 Pagesinitiated by simple facts about a certain taboo, and as generations change, so do the norms of that society, creating a flux of opinions that can generate violent reactions. Judith Levine, the controversial author of â€Å"Harmful to Minors† believed there was an argument against the public addressing the sexual habits of minors as corrupt. One of many moral panics, the moral issue of teenagers and children learn ing about sex caused controversy because the current lack of information provided to youthRead MoreGender Is On Men, Woman, And The Rest Of Us By Kate Bornstein1377 Words   |  6 PagesIn her book â€Å"Gender Outlaw: On Men, Woman, and the Rest of us,† Kate Bornstein goes over a lot of the major issues regarding gender awareness and identity politics. She talks about the ideas of labeling ones self, understanding gender differences, how people view laws, behaviors, and the medical and scientific privilege that make transitioning challenging for a lot of people. Bornstein touches on many of the issues today that affect trans people. She includes poetry, pictures, quotes, essays, andRead MoreSocio- Cultural Issue and Education1249 Words   |  5 PagesFinal Paper Socio- Cultural issue and education Education gives us knowledge of the world around us. Education is not only about what we learn in our textbook as students but about the lessons we learn from those text books. It helps students develop a perspective on how to look at life. Education is the basic foundation for every one. It is instrumental in the development of our values and virtues. The future of our nation is safe in the hands of educated individuals, which is whyRead MoreHomosexuality and University Press5666 Words   |  23 Pageshow unreliable such data often are. Hirschfeld also came with the first urban geography, â€Å"Berlin’s Third Gender† (1904) in which he described the city’s gay subculture of bars and parks and the elaborate world of male prostitution. Mainly German books on the history of sexual morality (â€Å"Sittengeschichte†) that often included chapters on homosexuality, preceded and influenced the work of later sociologists and historians, like Norbert Elias and Michel Foucault. The work of these psychiatrists whoRead MoreSt. John s Wort Essay11098 Words   |  45 Pagesfor most of us to avoid a certain amount of stress, anxiety, depression, and fatigue these days. The pace of modern life, and all its excessive stimulation, takes a toll on our bodies and minds. When we can t escape from it, many of us resort to harmful addictions or medications to help us through. In the last couple of decades, though, certain natural (plant-derived) substances have begun to garner reputations for helping to give p eople an overall feeling of well being. St John s Wort is one notable