Bdos: Don't forget Pam de Hanna

I note with interest Mr. Trevor Shepherd’s letter in the Barbados Advocate of April 18. In the process of advocating that the church stay firm to its traditional values, he set out his view of the sexual options available for young people. He listed 4 scenarios as follows: 1. Faithful marriage, 2. Celibacy until marriage, 3. Unfaithful marriage, but with the use of a condom for sex outside the marriage, and 4. Adolescent sex with a condom.

Although this breakdown of options is useful, I believe there is an important omission. Nowhere is it clear how the author factors in the practice of masturbation.

There can be no denying that masturbation is 100% safe, and that masturbation to orgasm satisfies the basic natural urge which seems to be at the root of the spread of HIV/AIDS. Why then is masturbation not actively promoted to adolescents as an important tool in the management of their sexuality?