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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Schools denying girls the cervical cancer jab on religious grounds

265 replies

DowagersHump · 20/07/2012 09:42

This is absolutely appalling. Even worse, they are not telling GPs that they are choosing not to offer vaccination :(

Grauniad article

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marge2 · 20/07/2012 09:45

Well I am a Catholic and I think it's pretty bad that some faith school are not offering the jabs. I do think that any school should consult the parents though and get permission for the girls to have the jabs. I would be fuming if the school went ahead and got my child injected for ANYTHING without my permission.

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SardineQueen · 20/07/2012 09:50

This is disgusting and I can't understand why it is legal.

If the parents or children want to opt out there is a mechanism for that.

It is outrageous that a school should make this decision for all of its pupils and not tell anyone so that they can get the jab elsewhere if they want.

Honestly. PLUS do they think that avoiding pre-marital sex makes you immune to cervical cancer? Fucking idoits, frankly. Yet again people putting religion before the lives, health and welfare of females. FFS.

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DowagersHump · 20/07/2012 09:54

marge - all parents are offered the choice to opt out and I have no problem with that (well I do because I think it's misguided but that's a different matter).

It's totally illogical as well - do they imagine that if you're married, you're suddenly immune to cervical cancer?

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marge2 · 20/07/2012 11:43

I've only got primary aged boys so have no experience here, but yes I agree ALL school should offer the jabs to girls.

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peoplesrepublicofmeow · 20/07/2012 11:50

this sort of stuff really makes me angry.
like people who belive the the tooth fairy telling africans not to wear condoms .

when people are put in real danger because of dogma heads should roll, instead we have to walk on eggshells so religeous sensibilities are not upset.

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SmellsLikeTeenStrop · 20/07/2012 12:20

I don't get it. Do these schools think that having the HPV jab will make teen girls go out and have sex? Or are they wishfully thinking that these girls will remain virgins until marriage and marry lads who have also waited until marriage?

I wonder what their views are on cervical screening? Do married women in their communities have them? If they do then doesn't that imply that the woman or the man has had sex outside of marriage or has been unfaithful?

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SardineQueen · 20/07/2012 12:29

There was concern in the mainstream media (in some quarters) that the HPV jab would encourage underage sex.

Stupid idea.

And - they are saying their girls aren't at risk because they won't be having sex and if they do will only do it with another virgin within marriage and so n-one will catch anything.
Conversely they must therefore believe that a girl who does die from cervical cancer has brought it upon herself in some way and deserves it.
Women-hating, victim blaming basics there really isn't it.

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AThingInYourLife · 20/07/2012 14:09

"Do these schools think that having the HPV jab will make teen girls go out and have sex?"

Yes

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sashh · 21/07/2012 03:28

I don't get it. Do these schools think that having the HPV jab will make teen girls go out and have sex?

Yes.

And my experience (and of a couple of others who went to RC schools) they don't like you to use tampons either. Apparently you might enjoy them and 'turn funny'.

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mamakubica · 21/07/2012 03:35

but should schools be pushing drugs anyway?
surely these things are up to the parents/girls themselves and could be offered by GPs?

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arghhhmiddleage · 21/07/2012 03:50

"pushing drugs"?! Good grief, I've heard it all now.

Bonkers. Totally.

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mamakubica · 21/07/2012 03:55

yeh I think it is bonkers that schools are pushing experimental drugs onto our girls....but what is most bonkers is the way most sheeplike parents do not question it.

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arghhhmiddleage · 21/07/2012 04:03

You have to sign a consent form, you can decline to do so. No need to associate parents who don't put prevention of cervical cancer in the same category as selling crack at the school gate to sheep.

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mamakubica · 21/07/2012 04:06

lol, you do have a good turn of phrase...lol...great image!
I did not sign the consent form, and yet the assistant school nurse ignored that and told my d that as she had been late that day, it was time for her injection that she should have had this morning......
luckily dd said no, another girl might not have had the strength to do that.

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arghhhmiddleage · 21/07/2012 04:19

Fair enough, that shouldn't happen. I'm off to bed, to count sheep on crack Smile

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mamakubica · 21/07/2012 04:37
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Condensedmilk · 21/07/2012 12:12

I am religious. Along with most of my family.
DSister and I can no longer discuss this as she refuses to allow her DDs have it. It turned into a huge huge disagreement.

I reasoned, argued and eventually, belittled, (I couldn't help it!) yet it made not an ounce of difference.
She thinks her girls are "good" and are therefore not at risk, despite me pointing out that even freaking nuns are at risk of HPV/cervical cancer.

Some people are just twats ignorant.

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GetOrfMoiiLand · 21/07/2012 12:16

Bloody hell. What a bunch of ignorant and stupid idiots.

If people want to opt out individually, fine. There should be a robust mechanism to allow that.

But for a whole school to deny their students the opportunity? It is absolutely ridiculous.

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blackcats73 · 21/07/2012 16:54

mamakubica.

You're just a sheep who follows bad science. Like when I was a Goth in order to be different but followed the Goth rules... like a sheep!

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mamakubica · 21/07/2012 21:36

not really, just the last inoculation my dd had made her puke violently and her throat was burnt with bile and she couldnt eat for about 2 weeks...and she was skinny to start with.
bad science if you like.
ps I was never a sheepy Goth myself.xx

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crescentmoon · 21/07/2012 23:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

carernotasaint · 22/07/2012 01:20

crescent i read somewhere MANY years ago (cant remember where now) that nuns were also at more risk of ovarian cancer because of not being sexually active.

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Tortington · 22/07/2012 01:26

"Conversely they must therefore believe that a girl who does die from cervical cancer has brought it upon herself in some way and deserves it."

thats great spin but just is not true.

I think this is a great argument for why there should not be religious schools.

I can't remember the detail of the vaccine now, but did look into it in much detail at the time, dd was in the year that just missed the vaccines and i paid 350 for her to have the injections privately

we are catholic btw, but the men who run the church are fuckers o the highest

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Condensedmilk · 22/07/2012 04:22

Wow Crescent Moon thanks for the info.
Looks like I was giving my sister the wrong info - despite that, I still believe my nieces should have it.

I rejoiced the day the vaccine was announced. In fact I think I actually cried.
Such an incredible breakthrough.

But it seems that because it is linked in a way, to sex, particularly girls and sex, many religious people get all flustered and defensive...

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sashh · 22/07/2012 05:48

Not being sexually active does not mean that you will never develop cervical cancer, but it does reduce your chances dramatically.

But then being black also appears to give you protection.

The 1950s study was reviewed in 1991, the 1991 findings were that the cancer rates for cervical cancer were the same as the general population.

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1911588

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