Compulsory vaccinations: Where do we draw the line?

[MineralMan]

45. Really? So, they should wait until they're 18?

Are you sure? I don't know about you, but when I was in high school, I and many other fellow students were sexually active. None of us was over 18. That was back in the early 1960s. We didn't have contraception readily available either. Some girls got pregnant. Some got illegal abortions. None of that stopped those teenagers from having sex.

Do you suppose it's any different today? I don't. I was a nice boy. I was a regular churchgoing boy. My girlfriend was a nice girl, and went to the same church. We were sexually active. She didn't get pregnant, and HPV was not an epidemic yet in the US. We got through that period OK. Dumb luck, really, and a good understanding of what caused pregnancies.

Many, many kids are sexually active before they're old enough to decide to have the Gardasil shots. It's up to their parents to discuss that with them and help them make good decisions. Pretending there's no risk is not responsible. Yes, it's all awkward to talk about. But responsible parents recognize that their teenagers might just become sexually active and do whatever they can to protect them from the possible consequences of that. Smart parents do that, anyhow.

Boys should get Gardasil, too. They're the carriers of the virus.

Here's something else to keep in mind: Not all sex is voluntary and consensual.