What do they learn about sex?

The sexual habits of teenagers may not seem closely related to children's libraries, but at an early age children start learning attitudes and habits that will influence their future behavior. A New Yorker article about the different attitudes toward both sex education and sexual habits is the surprising source of insight into what may trouble parents when they look at the books and other materials in our collections. The religious and political backgrounds of the families in our communities influence their views of marriage, teenage pregnancy, and sex education. Evangelical teenagers tend to become sexually active earlier than some other religious groups and teenage pregnancy is more common among them. At the same time, evangelical parents promote abstinance only sex education and feel strongly about the importance of traditional marriage. Understanding these attitudes is important for librarians who have to respond to concerns about library materials and defend their selection of materials. The more we know and understand about the families we work with, the more effective we will be in meeting the needs of all members of the community.