IF YOU HAVE SEX, YOU DESERVE TO DIE

Religious right opposes saving women from cervical cancer because they insist on punishment for "unlicensed" sex.

DEATHS from cervical cancer could jump fourfold to a million a year by 2050, mainly in developing countries. This could be prevented by soon-to-be-approved vaccines against the virus that causes most cases of cervical cancer - but there are signs that opposition to the vaccines might lead to many preventable deaths.

The trouble is that the human papilloma virus (HPV) is sexually transmitted. So to prevent infection, girls will have to be vaccinated before they become sexually active, which could be a problem in many countries.

In the US, for instance, religious groups are gearing up to oppose vaccination, despite a survey showing 80 per cent of parents favour vaccinating their daughters. "Abstinence is the best way to prevent HPV," says Bridget Maher of the Family Research Council, a leading Christian lobby group that has made much of the fact that, because it can spread by skin contact, condoms are not as effective against HPV as they are against other viruses such as HIV.

"Giving the HPV vaccine to young women could be potentially harmful, because they may see it as a licence to engage in premarital sex," Maher claims...

So even if it could (and tests show it will) prevent the deaths of zillions of women, the right-wing Christianist Family Research Council thinks that the vaccine shouldn't be allowed ... because women who have sex (forget the men who engage in it with them!) should "bear the consequences" of their "sin."

Unreal. Talk about a sin tax!

And please, let's not be deceived by their fight against "premarital" or "extramarital" sex -- husbands can give their wives the virus just as easily. These people just plainly and simply regard sex whether within or without marriage as sin if isn't linked to procreation.

But just wait! Their next crusade will be against contraception ... even for married couples.

Remind anyone of the mad mother (Piper Laurie's role) in Carrie?

Hat tip to Kos.

Tags: HPV vaccine, religious right, birth control