We reported in June that April Flores, a 21 year old UTB student, attended a conference on reproductive rights and sex education at the Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence, R.I. on June 7-10.  Ms. Flores was a panelist in the program Youth and the Politics of Reproductive Rights. The topics included parental notification laws, access to Plan B contraception, birth control and sexuality. 
More recently, Ms. Flores attended a weekend conference of the National Council of La Raza in Las Vegas, Nevada, dealing with similar issues.  A report on the conference and an interview with April was published in the Spanish language version of the Huffington Post as posted below.
(Ms. Flores established the Texas Freedom Network Student Chapter at UTB. She has organized several events to bring awareness for the need of comprehensive sex education. She is a member of the School Health Advisory Council.) 


This article was published in the July 8, 2012 edition of Huffpost Voces, the Spanish language edition of the Huffington Post.  The article was written by Zuania Ramos.  This is a Google Chrome English translation.  (PLEASE NOTE:  The grammar, word choice and speech pattern is a bit odd, due to using a computer translator, but I think we can still get the gist of what was said.)





Youth say no to abstinence, yes to sex education

As opening weekend of conferenceNational Council of La Raza , presented the organization Advocates for Youth , who told a group of young, engaged in a broad and provocative conversation on adolescent sexuality. His proposal: it is time to open sex education, leaving behind the traditional myth of sexual abstinence as the most effective method of pregnancy prevention and urging young people turn to dare to open channels of communication for a more healthy on this practice.


According to information provided by the organization , "there is no scientific evidence to prove that the programs of abstinence until marriage, those that censor information about contraception, are effective ... Meanwhile, researchers continue to show that comprehensive sex education, that teaches both abstinence and contraception is more effective for young people. Young people who receive this type of education are more likely to initiate sexual activity later in life and use protection correctly and consistently when they become sexually active. Evaluations of sex education programs show that these programs can delay the onset of sexual activity, reduce the frequency of sexual activity, reduce the number of sexual partners and increasing condom use and contraception. "


In addition, statistics released by the agency shows the findings of a report of Public Health conducted in 2007, which revealed that most Americans have sex before marriage. Data argue that the average age of sexual initiation is 17 years, and the average age for marriage is 25.8 for women and 27.4 for men, which means that the length of time between sexual debut and marriage is between eight and 10 years on average. At 20 years, 75 percent of Americans have had sex before marriage.


The big problem comes when these teenagers find they have already done that step, are being sexually active, but can not find the resources in their schools or homes to make educated decisions as the information they receive is only focused on abstinence .


This was the case of Ana Rivera, a student at the University of Texas at Austin and a member of Advocates for Youth, a teenager who found little direction in your school regarding this issue, causing confusion and restlessness. "In my personal experience attending a public school, and try to approach my teachers and counselors to discuss sex education, they remained silent and looked around. I remember once when I was in middle school that a friend had a condom and gave it to me. I did not know what it was, and then one of the teachers saw that we had a condom and got into trouble. They sat with me and I began to mourn. I asked what was wrong, what was wrong, why he had a condom ... rather than take the opportunity to educate. And that is an example of how important it is to have comprehensive sex education, so we can learn at an early age how to protect ourselves. "


Since these young people do not have that support system for talks on these issues, the organization seeks leaders within the community and universities around the country to provide those tools through helping other kids like them, to make correct decisions and studied. Ana says about it: "Having a comprehensive sex education, youth have the power to raise its voice and become engaged citizens in their communities ... will be aware of what is happening by raising awareness and taking action."


Meanwhile, April Flores, a student at Texas and also an active member of the organization, personally went through the same situation that led to an early pregnancy. "I'ma single mother, I had a daughter, [as was] regarded as teenage pregnancy ... I have fought against many obstacles and barriers and stigma that makes me people are terrible ... I want people to be aware and informed so they can make decisions responsible, if you provide information, make responsible (for their actions). "


In addition, two further understands the Latino culture can become a very censored moments, full of taboos, sometimes caused by the great respect for the church and religious dogmas. Regarding this, Ana said: "My dad was a pastor ... It was hard for me at first when I became very active in teaching sex education (their peers), I wanted to tell my parents, but was afraid because I thought that I would support ...But then slowly I began to see change, we begin to have conversations about healthy sexuality. It can be difficult if you have a very conservative Christian family, but in my case it was proven that it works. "


Both young women also agree that this problem can be fixed, and is in the hands of both young people and parents. Education is the key to being successful. Education gives us the power to create change in our communities and be the change you want to see in the world ... The role of parents is very important because in them is to provide a safe environment for their children, lest have to be afraid to ask questions. "


Also, in April said that "the most important thing is to ignite a movement by talking about them, you have to break that barrier with parents and their teens have to sit and have an honest and open conversation, and sex education, not to omit information, not to deny young people information by using tactics of fear or guilt. "


To conclude, April says: "There is a need for national education, we inspire and motivate young people so that they can be motivation to others in an attempt to make a change." Meanwhile, Ana explains, "especially within the Latino community, to have comprehensive sex education in public schools not only empower young people, but also motivate them to pursue higher education, instead of finishing high school only and will be a big influence on his brothers and sisters, and when that happens, Latino communities are educated and sexually transmitted diseases, teen pregnancy be reduced ... education is the key. "