I Heart NJ
The fine state of New Jersey is really on a roll. First the courts back same-sex marriage, and then comes the news that the state has refused federal funding for abstinence-only education. Why? Because the state believes in teaching teens about contraception.
"Some of the elements required are inconsistent and violate our own educational standards," state Health Commissioner Fred M. Jacobs told The Star-Ledger... "Monogamy is not a bad idea, but having the government of New Jersey dictate these things for families is not something we wish to do," Jacobs said.
Awesome.
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Write Governor Corzine a letter of thanks for this - I did!
I tried to send the letter but I live in CA and the NARAL statement said that only people New Jersey are eligible. If you live in Jersey, write a letter (and let them know a lot of other people are cheering them on!)
It's funny -- I went to public school K-12 in NJ(70s and 80s), and we had some form of sex ed. in health class every single year from 5th grade on: basic facts about anatomy, puberty, baby making, pregnancy, contraception and sexual health -- hell, in 10th grade the teacher lectured everyone on the importance of the female orgasm and necessity of proper arousal prior to penetration.
"Man, that means that to get married gay couples will have to go to New Jersey, of all places"--a friend of mine from NJ.
On the one hand, this is another big yay; on the other hand, it's getting harder to make the "New Jersey is a toxic wasteland" jokes that I as a New Yorker am entitled to :-P
What's next? Refusing to teach intelligent design? Dare to dream.
When I lived in NJ, I remember being impressed that the state's non-discrimination law included "affectional and sexual orientation" as a protected class.
I've lived in NJ pretty much my entire life, and it's always been cool in the human rights arena. At most workplaces here the benefits typically provide coverage for your "life partner" rather than your "spouse." And the sex ed I remember growing up was very good--they did an excellent job dividing up the information into age-appropriate segments, so that 6th graders got lessons about puberty and their plumbing, while 10th graders get to put condoms on bananas, etc. And while they did stress abstinence was the only 100% sure-thing when it came to avoiding pregnancy and STDs, they also gave us accurate statistical failure rates for other methods of birth control, so if you didn't ultimately choose the "safest option" of abstinence, you at least knew what the 2nd-safest option was.
I'm definitely pleased with NJ's common-sense-over-religious-hysteria approach to legislation lately.
Oh, and for those who think NJ is a industrial wasteland: please don't judge us based on your view from our turnpike! We do have nature--lots and lots of it--you just can't see it from there. ;)
Here in NJ, we heart feministing too.
I'm finally proud to live in NJ.
Oh fuck yeah NJ!
I just found out today that NJ also has a law requiring pharmacists to dispense birth control and EC, whether they morally object to it or not. None of this "conscience clause" BS that's taking over almost everywhere else.
Woot!
I heart NJ emphatically on both items. (I'm in MA.)