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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsNew Mexico Official Asked To Resign After Advocating Teens Use Condoms
Erin Bouquin, New Mexicos chief medical officer, said she was asked to resign after she promoted condom use in a TV interview as a way to slow the growth of sexually transmitted diseases among teenagers. An hour after her interview aired, Bouquin said she met with Health Department Secretary Catherine Torres and was asked to leave because she had not met the expectations of the states Republican governor.
The health department spokeswoman said there was no connection between the interview and Bouquins resignation, but Bouquin suspects otherwise because she said Gov. Susana Martinez (R-NM) favors abstinence-only sex education. On the day I was asked to leave, I said the word condom three times on the news, she told the Santa Fe New Mexican.
The governors office and health department denied any involvement in Bouquins resignation. Martinezs spokesman Scott Darnell said in a statement that the governor is a proponent of taking a balanced and multi-pronged approach to controlling the spread of sexually transmitted diseases; there is nothing in Dr. Bouquins interview that would conflict with that approach
New Mexico has the highest teen pregnancy rate in the nation, according to the Guttmacher Institute.
http://thinkprogress.org/health/2012/05/25/490809/state-official-resigns-after-advocating-that-teens-use-condoms/
uppityperson
(115,677 posts)EFerrari
(163,986 posts)MrScorpio
(73,630 posts)EFerrari
(163,986 posts)MineralMan
(146,284 posts)I doubt she's reading tweets, either. The last tweet she made looks like August, 2011.
EFerrari
(163,986 posts)But thank you for your concern.
MineralMan
(146,284 posts)I don't use twitter, so I'm not sure how tweets at someone work. Will they show up on her Twitter page?
EFerrari
(163,986 posts)and you let the target figure out how to respond.
These tweets will wind up under her user name so yes, on her "page". And if enough people pick it up, you will also find it under her name and under New Mexico.
So it really doesn't matter if she is tweeting or reading or not.
MineralMan
(146,284 posts)I have an account, but have never really figured out how it would work for me. So, I don't use it. Thanks.
Ship of Fools
(1,453 posts)condomcondomcondomcondom
Evoking the "Jaws" soundtrack. Works for me!
MrScorpio
(73,630 posts)Republicans are dangerous people.
EFerrari
(163,986 posts)longship
(40,416 posts)On prime time local (statewide) news.
I'd have made an issue of it and the sacrifice of my political career would be insignificant to the medical stand I would take, which would save teens.
Here I would stand.
aint_no_life_nowhere
(21,925 posts)Abstinence only????? If you just ignore teen sexuality and pretend we live in the world of Ozzie and Harriet it will just go away. Young people having sex is nothing new and you can't stop it. I remember an issue of Life Magazine back in 1961 when I was about to enter Jr. High that shocked America by presenting the facts including photos of young people as early as 12 being interested in sex, Sex, and DARE I SAY SEX!!! Of course you never saw that on Ozzie and Harriet.
MineralMan
(146,284 posts)the Governor to fire her. It would be a stronger position.
Recommending condom use for sexually active teens is just good sense.