Just say no to Dorries

Written by Sarah Graham | 16 January 2012
Posted in Blogs - Blogs

Photography: white ribbons

On Friday 20^th January, Nadine Dorries’ abstinence education bill will go to its second reading. The bill, which was first voted on in May 2010, proposes that girls should be taught about abstinence as a compulsory part of their sex education. Yes, that’s right: just the girls.

Conservative MP Nadine Dorries is best known for her repeated (failed) attempts to restrict women’s reproductive rights but turned her attention to sex education out of concern about underage sex and teenage pregnancy. According to Dorries, better education about the benefits of abstinence would reduce these by “empowering” girls to just say “no.”

Dorries is right about one thing: sex education as it currently stands is inadequate. In October 2011, a study by sexual advice service Brook found that only 6% of young people believe sex and relationship education (SRE) provides the information they need. SRE needs a drastic overhaul, but this bill is not the answer.

The problem with the bill is glaringly obvious: sex takes two. Only teaching abstinence to girls would play into the out-dated belief that women have no sexual desires of their own while men are unable to control theirs. It’s not only sexist and incorrect, but it places the onus on women to resist men’s desires rather than emphasising the importance of mutual responsibility and consent.

Most offensively, Dorries even claimed that teaching girls to say “no” would reduce child sexual abuse. This kind of victim-blaming attitude is part of the problem, not the solution.

Young people need more information, not moral judgements. There is significant evidence from the US that abstinence education alone does not reduce rates of pregnancy or STIs; what actually reduces these things is fact-based, comprehensive sex education. It is currently compulsory for UK schools to teach the biology of sexual reproduction but they are not obliged to teach other elements of SRE. Schools are provided with government guidance for sex and relationship education, but many young people still do not receive all the information they need to make informed choices.

A demonstration against Dorries’ bill will take place outside the Houses of Parliament from 10.30am on 20^th January, organised by Beth Granter and supported by Youth Fight For Jobs, The British Humanist Association, Feminist Fightback, Abortion Rights UK, Queers Against The Cuts and Parents & Carers for Sex & Relationships Education.

If Nadine Dorries’ proposed amendment goes through on Friday, it would be a real backwards step for progressive sex education. It’s very simple: if you’re going to teach abstinence, teach it to everyone – and then make sure they also know about consent, contraception and relationships, covering all sexual orientations. Responsibility for sex should not be gendered.

You can find more information about the campaign and how to contact your MP on Facebook.