Safe sex should be promoted in movies, might help STD numbers

Safe sex is discussed worldwide within every culture, ethnicity, sex and sexual orientation. Safe sex became more important and more widely discussed in the 90’s with the discovery of HIV and AIDS.

Sex is prevalent in music, art movies and school age children. In nearly every avenue that you can think of, sex exists. Is safe sex prevalent everywhere? Not in movies.

When was the last time you saw a sex scene in a movie where the actor or actress practices safe sex? Why doesn’t Hollywood promote safe sex?

“Love And Basketball” and “The Wood,” both African American films, include scenes where one or both sexual partners are actively practicing safe sex. While both of these movies feature all black casts and promote safe sex, blacks in America represent a very high number of people with AIDS or STD’s, or an STI (sexually transmitted infection). So, was the promotion of safe sex in these two example films pointless? Is that the reason why most films don’t promote safe sex, because it doesn’t help?

Safe sex should be encouraged in movies, within homes and especially in schools. Many students at Elon attended high schools where handing out condoms and other methods of safe sex or information on safe sex are prohibited. Typically, inner-city, or more urban schools have more leniency when it comes to promoting safe sex. Rural areas need more information on safe sex. Schools in the suburbs require a sex-ed class, which was also part of the wellness or health curriculum. Usually, the sex-ed portion of the class was the last few weeks of the course, which is not beneficial at all.

Make safe sex a part of your life. Get involved with teaching the younger generations about safe sex. Also, get tested. While you may think that you are safe here at Elon, being at a small school is all the more reason to get tested regularly for sexually transmitted diseases and infections.