Bristol Palin’s Abstinence Campaign a “Flop” in New York City
May 7, 2009 | Filed Under: In the News,Pregnancy | Tags: Bristol Palin, Hayden Panettiere
"Oh, this was a mistake," moans Hayden Panettiere
New York City students were none too impressed with Bristol Palin’s advice to consider abstinence during a town hall meeting today. Which is surprising, considering Bristol is a very credible unwed teen mother who fairly recently said “abstinence isn’t realistic.”
You may have heard of Bristol…? Just maybe? She’s the 18-year-old daughter of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and was selected as an ambassador to The Candie’s Foundation to help create awareness about the pitfalls of teen pregnancy. Well, today, she stumped for her mom, er… I mean, carried her message to about 150 teens at a town meeting forum at The Times Center that included “Heroes” actress Hayden Panettiere and Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Matt Garza, who was a teen father.
“It’s a big flop,” said Jerry Kowal, a high school senior, referring to Bristol’s campaign to get teens to abstain from sex. (In Bristol’s defense, that’s exactly the reaction she is promoting among young men in bed.)
“I don’t think it’s her real opinion,” the 17-year-old told ABCNews.com. “She’s just trying to help her mother. She said it herself that abstinence education doesn’t work. I looked it up.”
Ah, kids and that newfangled Google. Can’t get anything past them these days.
SKR
says:
I hope real journalists don’t use Jerry Kowal, a high school senior, as their main source for accurate quotes. Bristol did not say that abstinence doesn’t work, only that it wasn’t realistic for some teenagers. Of course, the only reason that that is true is because there will always be teenagers who not only don’t abstain but who also won’t use protection every time. Unlike 100% abstinence, 100% use of birth control pills and devices does not result in 100% protection.
May 11th, 2009 at 2:50 am -Jim
says:
I really hope that journalist do not use you as their main source for accurate quotes. How is Bristol saying abstinence sexual education, “unrealistic,” not saying it doesn’t work. What is unrealistic about abstinence education? It is quire realistic. I think the high school senior was trying to point out the irony in saying that Abstinence education is unrealistic. Bristol Palin, a teenager mother, would never state that abstinence education works, because after all she got pregnant on it. However, she needs to argue a certain political view (abstinence education) while appearing credible.
December 24th, 2009 at 4:44 pm -