I might actually give you a horrifying little report; I’ve worked with gay and straight youth;

1) Most guys bullcrap about the number of sexual experiences they’ve had – I can assure you, in the class my brother was in (17 years old – last year at college) – the overwhelming majority of guys were single and virgins; want to know why? they were interested in playing rugby, hanging out with their mates and having a few beers.

2) I’ve worked with gay youth – apart from those with MAJOR self esteme problems and issues at home, in relation to the relationship between themselves and their parents, most want to hold off until they’re in a relationship, and actually give their virginity to someone they actually love, rather than it being a one-off bonking experience.

3) Those who do get AIDS/HIV or Hepatitis only make up a small percentage of the gay community; I’ve already number crunched the number of AIDS/HIV cases in NZ, and made the grand assumption that everyone of them is gay – even with that statistic (which would be incredibly wrong), the percentage infected would be no more than 2% of the total gay population, not taking into account bisexuals.

4) The miss use of CDC is at a chronic epidemic – if a statistic says, “men who have sex with men”, it can cover a whole RANGE of people, from the flaming queer with helium heels to the bisexual alway through to the so-called ‘straight male, married, but cruises the public toilets for action’.

Equating ones sexual activities to ones sexual orientation is blantently inaccurate to say the least – someone you screw (or screws you) can have *VERY* little to do with the persons sexual orientation.

Sorry to disapoint you Mr. dl, but your analysis of the situation is simplistic and rethorically incorrect. Saying that touching someone else’s genitals leads to pregnancy is misinformed or plin ignorant. Explaining that there should be an unprotected sexual act between a fertile man and a fertile woman is how the possibility of pregnancy should be explained. Remember, our kids are not ignorants (thank God) and we should be proud to say that many youngsters can differenciate between the different ways in which living beings can reproduce. Humans do not produce polen, like flowers do! flowers can reproduce by touching directly or indirectly trough a insect, but no mamals! Come on! one thing is moralizing about human reproduction and a different one is promoting lies, that confuse our kids!

Kids under 18 aren’t going off to fight. I am personally bothered by 18 years going into these settings for reasons unrelated to sex. The temptation to underage drinking and drug use is pretty great and can have long lasting negative consequences. I would advise against it but it may not be illegal in some states.

I shall let PFLAG know. I know seeking your concurrence was one of their main gaols in 1995, and it looks like a long hard slog has finally come to an end.

We both also have some fairly firm views about pre-emptive sexual behaviour, high numbers of partners and reducing risk. Just don’t think one can be prescriptive, and don’t think fear or ostracism have a place in the public conversation (let alone “you’re going to hell if…”)

And, no, I don’t claim to have read all your work cover to cover. To the best of my knowledge, the complete “blood in the water” exchange is yet to be published. Or, perhaps the post is just slow this week.

(if I knew a quizzical face icon, I’d use it here)