waking jonas is dealing with that outfit.

texas governor can’t push vaccine regulation

texas governor perry decides against veto for anti-hpv vaccination requirement legislation, saying he figured they would override him anyway. the fear is that if the vaccine were to become a requirement for girls entering the sixth grade it would encourage them to have promiscuous sex.

sex is a natural human urge and it is nearly impossible to muzzle without the individual’s consent. these girls need to be educated about sex, they need to know how to protect themselves if they choose or choose not to have sex. they can learn the social, spiritual, and biological implications of their choices but it remains their choice. hpv is the primary cause of cervical cancer, and yet somehow it is less important than a mumps vaccine.

but this isn’t about logic. it isn’t about “protecting” daughters. it is about keeping them pure. it’s clear that abstinence-only education does not work, and hpv is far from the only reason that sex with multiple partners (or sex with one partner) is a risk some teens might not be ready for. but why turn down a vaccine that could provide a little insurance just in case they don’t (gasp) turn out to be the abstinent angels their parents are hoping they’ll be?

i suppose it wouldn’t hurt to provide an out for the parents who’s feet are so absolutely down on the matter with an option to not vaccinate their teen like they did with scoliosis testing at my school growing up. there’s no point in fabricating a devil out of nothing, and all it does is perpetrate a lack of respect for the young women who according to their parents, are not capable of controlling themselves or handling information about their own organs.