Letters to the Editor
By Daily Bruin Staff
June 1, 2003 9:00 p.m.
Sexual awareness insert misleading
On Wednesday, May 21, the Daily Bruin featured an anti-abortion
“advertisement supplement” promoting abstinence and
condemning the use of birth control, condoms and abortion. The
Reproductive Health Interest Group, a student group from the School
of Public Health, is appalled by the biased and erroneous sexual
and reproductive health information presented to the public in this
insert. The anti-abortion publication endorses no sex until
marriage between heterosexual couples stressing the importance of
women keeping themselves “pure” for their husbands.
The heterosexual and patriarchal perspective of this publication
discriminates against same-sex relationships and undermines gender
equality. Moreover, the publication stresses pre-marital sex as a
negative act. Sex is a natural and healthy act between one or more
persons independent of their sexual orientation, gender
identification and marital status. Sexually and non-sexually active
people of all ages must have access to complete, accurate and
unbiased information on how to protect against pregnancy, sexually
transmitted diseases (including HIV and AIDS) and sexual violence
in order to lead healthy sexual lives.
Alejandra Aguirre Graduate student Reproductive Health
Interest Group, UCLA School of Public Health
