People should be given the chance to make the decision whether to parent without judgment or stigma. Abortion is (or should be) an option. Women should not feel ashamed for doing what is best for them.
There are reproductive rights and justice advocates who are having abortion conversations that do not involve scare tactics. They are having these conversations on their campuses, in their homes, and in their communities, and they are doing it the right way.
If we can’t even talk about abortion, we can’t ever hope to change the stigma.
By sharing their stories, young people are creating spaces where we as a society can think about issues in terms of people’s realities and not political debates. Stories dispel myths, break down stereotypes, humanize issues, and invoke empathy and urgency, inspiring people who heard them to take action.
To coincide with the 40th anniversary of Roe V. Wade, Advocates for Youth has published a book compiled from 40 stories submitted to the 1 in 3 Campaign. This article is the introduction to 1 in 3: These Are Our Stories.
To say that Millennials are less “committed” or “present” in the fight to ensure safe and legal access to abortion for all women in America is simply false. We are out there. Because we have to be.
The movement on marriage equality is an example of how quickly change can now occur in our society when propelled by a generation that is technologically savvy and willing to challenge preconceived norms of older generations.
We must seize this opportunity to promote a truly science-based, holistic, HIV prevention strategy for young people in the U.S. and abroad. In the end, it is young people who hold the key to ending this epidemic. That’s why they should be at the center, not the periphery, of our programs and policies.
The newly released sexuality education standards set a minimum for school-based sexuality education. Yet even these leave out essential terms, information, and values. Because so many schools are still so far from adopting even minimal standards, I increasingly feel technology and social media will replace schools as the major source of sexuality education for children and young people.
This week, a coalition of education organizations released a new document designed to help states and school districts across the country create or evaluate sexuality education curriculum.
