Controversy is rising due to Planned Parenthood's free STD tests, offered throughout the month of April. The "Get Yourself Tested" program - backed by MTV - is marketed toward teenagers and college students with the line, "Because getting tested is simple, safe and sexy."

While GYT associates look forward to providing their "sexy" service, K-State students have varied opinions toward the program - from complete support to worried disdain.

"I think it's definitely good for people to get tested for STDs because you need to know what's going on with your body, because it could potentially lead to even worse situations," said Jessica Busey, freshman in textile and apparel marketing.

"It's just the responsible thing to do. If you're going to be having sex, then you need to be using protection and being responsible about it, and I just feel like it's the right thing to do. It's respectful to yourself," she said.

Cody Kalivoda, junior in civil engineering, also cited the topics of health and self-care, but took the opposite stance.

"I think it definitely promotes sex outside of marriage, which isn't good," Kalivoda said. "The program sort of condones it - that it's okay to have sex - and that isn't healthy. Even if it's 'safe' sex, it can still be a damage to your emotional life if it's outside of marriage."

Daniel Spachek, junior in open option and vice president of Sexual Health Awareness Peer Educators, said he is in full support of GYT.

"There's a certain amount of knowledge you need to be a responsible adult, and I think that's one of them," Spacheck said. "I mean, it's a college campus - a lot of the people here are sexually active - but a lot of the beliefs around STDs are just that it can't happen to you.

"Most people believe that an STD always has symptoms, but it doesn't always, necessarily. People just don't know what's going on in their relationships," he said.

Christie Coffman, junior in fine arts, shared her feelings concerning the program.

"It's mostly just a sadness that this is the cultural norm these days, because it didn't use to be," Coffman said. "I know that mostly the people that disagree [with GYT] are Christians, and so I'm just kind of torn between knowing that it is probably a necessity because of our culture these days, but just wishing that it didn't have to be that way.

"Obviously, the easiest way to stop problems like that would be abstinence, but I understand that that's not a common thing in our culture, which is just upsetting," she said.

Centers participating in GYT include Brous Health Center in Kansas City, Mo., Hays Health Center in Hays, Kan., and Wichita Health Center in Wichita. The doctors test for gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis and HIV. For more information, visit gyt09.org.

Comments

9 comments

Your name

Sun Jun 21 2009 10:17

You all are raving about how this program "condones sex outside of marriage", but that is a very narrow way to look at this. The bottom line is, teens everywhere have sex, it's like a new trend now a days. I don't think that there is any immediate way to prevent the nation's unmarried population from having sex, so the best way to ensure safety into this sexually active population (especially the younger portion of it) is to let them know the types of risks this activity carries with it.
The Nation can't simply ignore the cried of millions of young adults and teens who everyday are finding themselves with anonymous sores and no easy and accessible way to find out what it is so they can get the medical treatment they need and more importantly, prevent the spread of it to others.
The fact remains remains, teens have sex, they do it every day, and since we can't stop every single one of them from doing it, it is the adult population's responsibility to make sure that whatever they do, they do it safely and with complete regard of what they are getting and passing on to each new partner.

Your name

Tue Apr 21 2009 17:54

To the person who thinks that PP and MTV perpetuate a "everybody's doing it" mindset - a study by the Guttmacher institute showed that 95% of people have premarital sex, 75% of those by age 20. So yes, if you're not you are in the minority, and by stigmatizing STD testing all you're doing is increasing the spread of STDs. If you don't want to have premarital sex, then don't - but don't think the rest of the world is like you.

And to everyone who think's it sad that people have sex - get with the real world.

Tyler

Tue Apr 21 2009 09:05

This 'Christian' notion of abstinence as a virtue only leads to higher rates of teen pregnancy and undiagnosed STDs. Not to mention sexual repression that causes more problems later on, like failed marriages. Sexual incompatibility does exist, and does lead to marital strife. Creating a culture of sex-phobia in churches doesn't help anyone. Offering free STD testing is nothing but realistic and responsible.

Side note: offering STD testing doesn't promote sex outside of marriage any more than getting a routine blood test during a checkup encourages people to try and give themselves some kind of illness. It's a way for sexually active adults to be responsible and protect themselves and their partner(s).

Your name

Mon Apr 20 2009 21:16

I agree with Coffman that, unfortunately, some people are sexually active, so STD testing is needed. My objection is with the whole Planned Parenthood and MTV mindset, which continue to perpetuate the myth that "everybody's doing it", which furtunately is not really true. Also, keep in mind that even if a sexaully active person tests negative for these diseases, there are other consequences to that kind of lifestyle, for example inability to bond normally and permanently with a future marriage partner, studies have shown.

Your name

Mon Apr 20 2009 19:43

To the third commenter: Welcome to literate earth. That's journalism--a writer writes an article about a topic, using sentences and words, and usually, like in this case, uses quotations in order include the input of multiple people. Apparently YOU have been living in a cave all your life.

Your name

Mon Apr 20 2009 16:33

"I think it definitely promotes sex outside of marriage, which isn't good," Kalivoda said. "The program sort of condones it - that it's okay to have sex - and that isn't healthy. Even if it's 'safe' sex, it can still be a damage to your emotional life if it's outside of marriage."

-This program promotes a responsible way for sexually active adults to understand what is going on with there body. It isn't promoting or telling anyone to have sex. The program exists for those who are ALREADY sexually active. Futhermore sex outside of marriage can be emotionally unhealthy for Christians who believe such actions will spiritually scar them. But for those who don't believe in such doctrine, the statement about sex being emotionally unhealthy is both irreelvant and almost impossible to prove given the large number of sexually active people who have sex before marriage, there are way to many variables that go into ones emotional health.

Your name

Mon Apr 20 2009 15:34

Wow.. uh.. way to throw a bunch of quotes together and call it an article, Collegian. So easy a caveman could do it.

Your name

Mon Apr 20 2009 11:33

err, lack of abstinence, that is.

Your name

Mon Apr 20 2009 11:32

What is so upsetting about abstinence? Don't let one lunatic/Amish person/prude who was born 100 years too late allow the phrase "mixed views" to seep into your headlines, Collegian. It is obvious that this is a good thing, and only goobers would express "concern."

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