First their parents were paired together as Republican running mates in the 2008 Presidential election, and now Meghan McCain and Bristol Palin are both speaking up on the issue of abstinence.
Bristol, a new teen mom, and daughter of Gov. Sarah Palin, has been out and about lately, advocating the abstinence approach as the only kind of birth control teens should consider. Meghan, daughter of Sen. John McCain, says she respects Bristol’s opinion and that she is free to make her own choices, but adds that there’s a lot more to consider.
"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," she writes in her column, entitled, "The GOP Doesn’t Understand Sex" on The Daily Beast.
So if she’s not advocating abstinence only, what is the solution to prevent unwanted teen pregnancies?
"The key, honestly, is communication between parents and children. At the end of the day, the worst thing parents can do is raise children who are not prepared for the situations they may encounter, especially when they’re not planned," she explains.
And she’s not taking it easy on her dad’s party either, adding, "Unfortunately, Republicans typically don’t like to discuss or deal with things they think are wrong or immoral. And that’s a huge mistake. If we can’t discuss birth control in addition to abstinence, and in a non-judgmental way, kids will continue to make bad choices for lack of having access to informed, safe options."
