Sex-education: A series of lectures concerning knowledge of sex in its relation to human lifeBigelow, Maurice A. (Maurice Alpheus)
Science
Sex-education: A series of lectures concerning knowledge of sex in its relation to human life
Bigelow, Maurice A. (Maurice Alpheus)
Sex instruction
Even if we refuse to believe that social-hygienic teaching will protect
many young men from sexual diseases, there is the woman's need of
information to be considered. As said before, women more than men
suffer the consequences of venereal infections. Therefore, every young
woman who considers marriage should know the possibility of danger to
herself and her children, and be able to decide accordingly. Of course,
even with much knowledge she may marry the wrong man, for correct
diagnosis of social disease is not always easy; but if her confidence
is betrayed and she becomes infected, she ought to know the importance
of immediate and radical medical treatment. Let me illustrate these
statements that women should know the danger of venereal disease. One
of my college friends neglected an important legal case to travel seven
hundred miles in order to tell face to face another college friend that
she was about to marry a dangerous man. Being utterly ignorant of the
existence of sexual diseases, the girl and her mother characterized my
friend's statement by a short and ugly word, and ordered him to leave
their home instantly. The marriage occurred and some months later the
young woman went to her grave, a victim of gonorrheal salpingitis and
peritonitis.
Another case which illustrates the danger of a woman's ignorance: One
of my students of many years ago married a minister who infected her
with syphilis and kept her from medical attention until the disease
was in a highly developed stage, and even then conspired with an
inefficient doctor to keep her ignorant of the nature of the disease.
[Sidenote: The right to knowledge.]
These are not extreme cases, for any physician with large experience
knows that such things are common. Medical literature is full of such
painful recitals of venereal tragedies. It is not desirable that all
young women should know the details of such tragedies, but they should
know that dangers exist. Parents and educators will not have done their
duty until they cooperate to give all young women the protective
knowledge they have a right to demand.[4]
[Sidenote: Best people must lead.]
There is another way of looking at the possible effect of the social
side of sex-hygienic instruction. It is sure to make a decided
impression upon many young people of the type that we regard as the
best in every way. These will be the leaders of the future and they in
turn will help improve conditions. Perhaps it may all work out as the
drug problem is being solved. Widespread social and hygienic
information regarding the harmful effect of alcohol, cocaine, opium,
and other drugs has first of all impressed leading citizens; and these
are beginning to control by laws those who cannot be reached directly
by education. In some such ways those who are impressed by formal
sex-education may lend a hand in influencing many who could not be
touched directly by hygienic education.
[Sidenote: Legislation needed.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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