Parents should be aware that the “Atlantic Sexuality Conference ‘92” was held June 4-7, at Mount Saint Vincent University, Halifax.  The conference had the support of the Nova Scotia Department of Education (and teachers were encouraged to attend), and the provincial Department of Health.  This is a sampling of some of the topics: Homophobia; AIDS; Heterosexism; Safer Sex; Extramarital Relationships; Counseling Gay and Bisexual Youth; Feminism and Eroticism; and Reframing Sexuality – Sex education for Adolescents.

Why concern?

There are many reasons for parents (and others) to be concerned about this conference.  The main one is that these sensitive and controversial topics are being dealt with in a very subjective anti-Christian way.

One of the participating organizations was Planned Parenthood, whose main purpose is the worldwide control of population through contraceptives, abortion and sterilization.

This organization has very unorthodox views on sexual behavior, to say the least.  For example, in a recent book, The Family Book on Sexuality, co-author Dr. Mary Calderone, former medical director of Planned Parenthood, has this to say about pornography:

We have heard practically no one argue in favor of exposing children to pornography, nor do we favor it.  However, there is no solid evidence that such exposure is harmful.

And about child molestation and incest:

In only 2 percent of the reported cases of molestation is any physical harm done to the child.  The harm most likely to come from a case of molestation is not from the event itself so much as from the reaction of adults…One thing is certain – in any cases of sexual contact between a child and an adult, where there has been no force or violence, the greater the fuss and uproar the greater the possible damage to the minor.

According to that reasoning, pornography is no big deal, and neither is child molestation and incest unless there has been physical abuse!

The above book is highly praised by advocates of liberal sex such as Dr. Sol Gordon (Professor Emeritus Syracuse University), who said in his own book, The Sexual Adolescent, “We need to redefine the values of the family.”

That in a nutshell is what this conference was all about: redefining family values.

The conference brochure calls it: “Reframing Sexuality – Sex Education for Adolescents.”

(Editor: See the earlier detailed article about the 1990 Sexuality Conference in Guelph, Ontario, Interim, Insight insert, “Our young people betrayed,” by Jakki Jeffs, February 1991).

P.S.     The same Mount St. Vincent University also hosted a three-day conference for the CNWE, the Catholic Network for Women’s Equality, June 12-14, 1992.  CNWE’s main theme is “working to change the Church.”