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Congressional Rep. Henry Waxman recently released an
important report
entitled "The Content of Federally Funded Abstinence-Only Education
Programs" Congressional Rep. Henry
Waxman recently released an important report
entitled "The Content of Federally Funded Abstinence-Only Education
Programs" accessible here:
http://www.democrats.reform.house.gov/Documents/20041201102153-50247.pdf
The report has gotten a fair amount of media attention for drawing
attention to the glaringly incorrect nature of the scientific
information these programs convey. What has gotten less press is the
way the programs teach gender differences, such as:
One curriculum teaches that women need “financial support,” while
men
need “admiration.” Another instructs: “Women gauge their happiness
and judge their success on their relationships. Men’s happiness and
success hinge on their accomplishments.” (p. 4)
Several curricula teach that girls care less about achievement and
their futures than do boys. One curriculum instructs: “Women gauge
their happiness and judge their success by their relationships. Men’s
happiness and success hinge on their accomplishments.” This
curriculum also teaches:
Men tend to be more tuned in to what is happening today and what
needs to be done for a secure future. When women began to enter the
work force at an equal pace with men, companies noticed that women
were not as concerned about preparing for retirement. This stems from
the priority men and women place on the past, present, and future.
(p. 20)
[The rest of the text below comes from pages 20 - 22 of the report]
Another curriculum lists “Financial Support” as one of the “5
Major
Needs of Women,” and “Domestic Support” as one of the “5 Major
Needs
of Men.” The curriculum states:
Just as a woman needs to feel a man’s devotion to her, a man has a
primary need to feel a woman’s admiration. To admire a man is to
regard him with wonder, delight, and approval. A man feels admired
when his unique characteristics and talents happily amaze her.
A third curriculum depicts emotions as limiting girls’ ability to
focus. It states: “Generally, guys are able to focus better on one
activity at a time and may not connect feelings with actions. Girls
access both sides of the brain at once, so they often experience
feelings and emotions as part of every situation.”
Some of the curricula describe girls as helpless or dependent upon
men.
In a discussion of wedding traditions, one curriculum writes: “Tell
the class that the Bride price is actually an honor to the bride. It
says she is valuable to the groom and he is willing to give something
valuable for her.”
The curriculum also teaches: “The father gives the bride to the groom
because he is the one man who has had the responsibility of
protecting her throughout her life. He is now giving his daughter to
the only other man who will take over this protective role.”
One book in the “Choosing the Best” series presents a story about a
knight who saves a princess from a dragon. The next time the dragon
arrives, the princess advises the knight to kill the dragon with a
noose, and the following time with poison, both of which work but
leave the knight feeling “ashamed.” The knight eventually decides to
marry a village maiden, but did so “only after making sure she knew
nothing about nooses or poison.” The curriculum concludes: Moral of
the story: Occasiona l suggestions and assistance may be alright, but
too much of it will lessen a man’s confidence or even turn him away
from his princess.
One curriculum teaches that men are sexually aggressive and lack deep
emotions. In a chart of the top five women’s and men’s basic needs,
the curriculum lists “sexual fulfillment” and “physical
attractiveness” as two of the top five “needs” in the men’s
section.
“Affection,” “Conversation,” “Honesty and Openness,” and
“Family
Commitment” are listed only as women’s needs.85 The curriculum
teaches: “A male is usually less discriminating about those to whom
he is sexually attracted. . . . Women usually have greater intuitive
awareness of how to develop a loving relationship.”
The same curriculum tells participants: “While a man needs little or
no preparation for sex, a woman often needs hours of emotional and
mental preparation.”
More here:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A26623-2004Dec1.html?sub=AR |
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