Boys get less sex education

Two-thirds of 15-19-year-olds have had formal instruction in methods of birth control. Seems like we should do better, but anyways.

I never noticed this before, but boys get less sex education, at least regarding methods of birth control — which, because that lesson includes (hopefully) information about how condoms prevent the spread of sexually transmitted infections, seems like the most important lesson.

Interestingly, boys are much less likely to have sex talks with their parents.

This is disheartening, evidence of the persistence of the sexual double-standard, in which sex is more policed and restricted for women than for men. You might think that, if men are going to be rewarded culturally for promiscuity while women are punished, the least we could do is train men better for how to minimize its negative health consequences.

Check out Motherlode for a discussion of how Europeans and Americans talk differently to kids about sex.

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