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Planned Parenthood: Children's Sexualization Is Cure-All to World's Problems

by Margaret Datiles 

In its new report, “Stand and Deliver,” International Planned Parenthood pinpoints the source of a wide spectrum of global problems, ranging from education, economics and politics to AIDS, violence against women, unjust labor and human trafficking issues: Children are just not sexualized enough.

The magic solution to these global problems? World-wide mandatory sexual education for children as young as 10, as well as abortion and contraception offered to children upon demand, all “free” from the watchful eyes of parents.

Where does the Catholic Church fall in this situation? Well, according to Planned Parenthood’s new report, the Catholic Church and religious values are the ones to blame.

The Child’s Sexual Personhood

The core of International Planned Parenthood’s dogma rests in its unyielding belief in the primacy of sex and sexual pleasures as the central part of a child’s identity and personhood, as well as of human life. According to the report, once children have knowledge about sex and sexual pleasures and are provided with unrestrained access to abortion and contraception, only then can they have “control” over their own destiny and “become concerned and contributing citizens in the community.”

The report names two “basic truths.” First, that children should be considered “sexual beings.” Second, that information on sex and sexual pleasures, as well as full access to contraception and abortion, is absolutely necessary for a child’s wellbeing.

According to the report, a denial of such information and access to children amounts to “a denial of their personhood and of their citizenship.”  In other words, without a mandatory mass-sexualization process for children, we risk dehumanizing our youth. Sexuality, the report says, should be presented to children “as a source of pleasure, an embodiment of human rights, and an expression of self.”

Planned Parenthood characterizes sex-ed, abortions and contraceptives for children as catalysts which “increase self-esteem” and “[help] them to develop satisfying and pleasurable sexual lives.” 

The report expanded on its definition of children as sexual beings in its declaration that: “The evolving capacities of the child include his or her physiological ability to reproduce, his or her psychological ability to make informed decisions about counselling and health care, and his or her emotional behaviours in accordance with the responsibilities and roles that this entails.”

Planned Parenthood’s emphasis on the paramount importance of sexualizing children at an early age is clearly demonstrated by the report’s assertion that “comprehensive sexuality education is perhaps the single most important gift that parents can offer their children.”  Similarly, the report states: “Just as intellectual development shapes human lives, so do sex and reproduction.”

Solving the World’s Problems with Sexuality

Global problems highlighted by the report included: socially and politically volatile populations, the lower status of women in societies, unpaid labor, transactional sex, low levels of education, gender-based violence, forced marriage, sexual coercion, discrimination and stunted country development.

According to the report, early sexualization of children will “empower” children to become contributing members of society. With this empowerment comes the breaking of social boundaries, the challenging of traditional gender roles and the promotion of human rights, civic participation and national prosperity. 

However, this line of reasoning makes little sense. Providing young girls and boys with contraceptives and abortions free of parental involvement will do little to stop transactional sex, gender-based violence, sexual coercion and the like.  On the contrary, it will allow such crimes to continue. In addition, it does nothing to eliminate the root of the problem. Providing a rape victim with contraceptives and abortion will not prevent the occurrence of rape. As the saying goes, applying band-aids will not stop someone from inflicting new wounds.

Like a good, money-making business, it is clear that Planned Parenthood is using global problems to persuade people that they need its goods and services – sex-ed programs, contraceptives, abortions and sterilizations, to name a few. This sale tactic is most evident in the report’s treatment of the human trafficking issue. 

In the report, Planned Parenthood states: “To reach far and wide, to reach adolescents everywhere … governments must also ensure that this education is delivered to marginalized youth who don’t attend school, including those living on the street, migrants, trafficked young people and others.”

So, Planned Parenthood’s suggestion to governments when it comes to trafficking victims? Not outlawing human trafficking, not reporting violations, not increasing travel checks and investigations – no, no, Planned Parenthood wants to educate victims of trafficking. Yes, they want to make sure they can market their goods and services to them, too. Freeing victims from sexual captivity and preventing its reoccurrence is not as big of concern to Planned Parenthood as is selling their sex-ed program, contraceptives and abortions to those victims. 

The Church Is All to Blame

Planned Parenthood names parents, religion and specifically the Catholic Church as the causes of cultural, social, health, and other global problems. Simply put, moral values are what get in the way of the much-needed sexualization of the child.

For example, the report asserted:

Young people’s sexuality is still contentious for many religious institutions.  Fundamentalist and other religious groups – the Catholic Church and madrasas (Islamic schools) for example – have imposed tremendous barriers that prevent young people, particularly, from obtaining information and services related to reproduction.  Currently, many religious teachings deny the pleasurable and positive aspects of sex and limited guidelines for sexual education often focus on abstinence before marriage (although evidence shows this strategy has been ineffective in many settings).…[By] overcoming stigma and stereotypes that religious conventions perpetuate, communities and leaders can help improve young people’s access to sexual and reproductive health information and services, and so improve their health and well-being. (Emphasis added)

This assertion is misleading for a number of reasons. First, it denies the fact that religion, faith and morals contribute to a person’s well-being. It does not acknowledge the beauty and richness of faith.

Second, it mischaracterizes the Catholic Church as an obstacle to freedom, knowledge and human development. It fails to recognize that the teachings of the Catholic Church guide humans to use their freedom properly, in accord with their nature as beings made in the likeness and image of God. Contrary to Planned Parenthood’s report, the Church’s teachings offer truth to men and women and focus on the development of human virtues. 

Third, the report falsely depicts the Catholic Church as denying the physical pleasures and positive aspects of sex. The Church has made it abundantly clear in its teachings that, in addition to procreation, the unity of the spouses is one of the purposes of the marital act. The Church teaches that the physical pleasure of sex is essential for strengthening the “emotional glue” that holds a couple together as husband and wife. 

Furthermore, the Church regards sex as a sacred act, a special privilege reserved for married couples. With such a high esteem for the sex, it does not make sense to say that the Church views sex as something bad or negative. The Church views sex as an act with both great spiritual and physical value, unlike Planned Parenthood, which focuses on promoting the idea of sensual sexual pleasure without consequences. 

Fourth, the report presents abstinence before marriage as an evil, something to be avoided in order to develop properly. However, saving sex for marriage is generally regarded as something amiable and desirable, even if it can be a struggle to accomplish. Planned Parenthood’s views are clearly out of touch with reality.

So, if you happen upon Planned Parenthood’s newest sales pitch, don’t fall for its references to “solving global problems” and “empowering” children. Offering contraceptives and abortions to children will not stop gender-based violence or other human rights crimes. Destroying the parent-child relationship and eliminating the richness of faith from children’s lives will not help them to develop into contributing members of society, either.

But one thing is for sure – you can bet your bottom dollar that, if young children are taught to define themselves as “sexual beings” and are given unlimited access to abortion and contraception without parental involvement, Planned Parenthood will be making quite a pretty penny.

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(The views expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of Headline Bistro or the Knights of Columbus.)