Something Worth Talking About
We don’t talk about things in the South. Our ability to keep family secrets and disguise dysfunctional relationships is as true to our DNA as biscuits and gravy.
And issue avoidance? It takes a lot of cheek-turning to get your state to the bottom of the heap in virtually every health, education and economic indicator.
But here’s something I’d like to talk about. Now.
Did you know that 3 out of 10 girls in South Carolina will become pregnant at least once before they reach the age of 20?
Oh, I know, that won’t be our daughters. We talk to them. We’re enlightened.
But what about all those other girls out there who don’t live with mama and daddy in a nice home with nice friends and go to a nice school? It’s not so pretty for them. Maybe there’s no one who cares enough to take the time to talk to them about the consequences of irresponsible sexual behavior. How if they get pregnant, they’ll probably never finish high school, never get a decent job, never be independent. Never be young again.
I believe every little girl deserves the chance to grow into a productive young woman. But there are things she just has to know in this day and age to help her get there. Like understanding the concept of birth control, and how to get it.
Please help make sure the girls in South Carolina who are most at risk get the information they need to make responsible decisions. Join me in the state’s first-ever Virtual March at http://tellthemsc.org/virtualmarch/ to let our legislators know we’re in favor of reproductive health policies that make it easier for these girls to get the information and access to prevention they need. (Note that this year, they have already cut all funding to teen pregnancy prevention programs).
Let’s do what we can to stand up for these girls. All it takes is an email.
