In her Daily Beast column, Meghan McCain writes about Bristol Palin's campaign for abstinence and how it relates to a general lack of honesty within the Republican party when it comes to safe sex.
Let me get something straight: Bristol Palin, as an eighteen-year-old adult, is free to make her own choices and decide how she wants her life to unfold. But for whatever reasons, the American public and media remain overly engrossed in our politicians' sex lives and, as in this case, those of their families. There's an especially unhealthy attitude among conservatives. Daughters of Republican politicians aren't expected to have sex, let alone enjoy it--as if there were some strange chastity belt automatically attached to us female offspring. God forbid anyone talk realistically about life experiences and natural, sexual instincts. Nope, the answer is always abstinence.
Research backs McCain up -- abstinence-only education doesn't work.
Palin herself backed off an earlier statement that abstinence is "unrealistic" on the "Today" show Wednesday. Her former boyfriend (and father of her child) maintains that it is.
Meanwhile, President Obama eliminated abstinence-only funding from the budget.