This is why abstinence only education does not work

For those of you that have read "Go Set A Watchman", you will remember when scout is kissed by a boy, given a brief and wildly inaccurate talk on how sex works by a group of middle school girls, then proceeds after several months of thinking she is pregnant, attempt to plunge herself off of a water tower in order to die before the baby is born.

only slightly less stupid then how scout thinks babies are  made 

One reason that the patriarchy or sexism contribute to her attempted suicide can be seen in this quote,
"The idea had been i the back of her mind for a long time, but she recoiled from it instinctively...the thought of any existence without them, no matter how nice heaven was, was untenable. But being sent to mobile  and causing her family to live thereafter with worse; she didn't even wish that on Alexandra. According to her calculations, the baby would come with October, and on the thirtieth day of September she would kill herself." (Lee, p133)

Had Henry not come and saved her, she would have died, and the shame that is forced into our minds from a young age  in regards to teen pregnancy and sexual intercourse, along with the lack of education and general attitude of taboo in regards to the subject would have been to blame for scout's tragic and untimely albeit self inflicted demise.

You might be thinking that now with the internet and the somewhat easier access to birth control, that this would never happen. But it does, especially in countries run by bigoted and stifling religious groups such as the catholic church of El Salvador, where all forms of abortion, even in the cases of rape, incest, or if the mother is going to die in child birth are banned. So naturally, and unfortunately, teen pregnancy and teen suicide are out of control, as is incestual rape.

And on that happy note, have a good weekend everyone!