Summary: This level two episode of Six Minute Sex Ed is all about abstinence. Kim Cavill talks about abstinence, what it is, what is isn't, and why it's confusing. Abstinence is freely choosing not having oral, anal, vaginal sex or genital skin-to-skin contact, all behaviors that carry some degree of risk, either of unplanned pregnancy and/or STI infection. That means if a person has oral and anal sex, but not vaginal sex, that person is not abstinent. If a person has oral sex and engages in genital skin to skin contact, but nothing else, that person is not abstinent. So abstinence is choosing not to have oral, anal, vaginal sex, or genital skin-to-skin contact. Abstinence is not the same as virginity. Virginity is a social construct, abstinence is a choice not to engage in oral, anal, vaginal sex, or genital skin to skin contact. A person can choose to be abstinent at any time, for any reason, in any context, including romantic relationships. Practicing abstinence is a great strategy to avoid pregnancy and STIs: practiced perfectly, it’s 100% safe. However, it can be hard to practice perfectly, which is why its still important to learn about birth control, contraception, STI prevention, and STI testing. Perfectly practicing abstinence until marriage only works as an STI prevention strategy if the spouse was also perfectly practicing abstinence, too. Conversation starters: What do you think abstinence is? What behaviors are included? In addition to abstinence, what are other strategies for avoiding pregnancy and STIs?
