The Sounding Board episode detailed below was aired with the sole intent to serve our community with information on combatting sexually transmitted diseases, the incidence of which has reached epidemic levels in rural Alaska. This program, in part, dealt with reproductive wellness regimes and practices. After the episode aired, some voiced objection to this approach and desired a greater voice be given to the perspective and teachings of the Catholic Church with regards to sexual mores and contraceptives.
To provide such a requested balance to this topic, we present this excerpt of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops’ statement on Human Life and Dignity:
For the Church, there is no distinction between defending human life and promoting the dignity of the human person.
Pope Benedict XVI writes in Caritas in Veritate. . . that “The Church forcefully maintains this link between life ethics and social ethics, fully aware that ‘a society lacks solid foundations when, on the one hand, it asserts values such as the dignity of the person, justice and peace, but then, on the other hand, radically acts to the contrary by allowing or tolerating a variety of ways in which human life is devalued and violated, especially where it is weak or marginalized.'”
You can read more of this document on the USCCB website.
— Ric Schmidt, KNOM General Manager
This week’s Sounding Board has already happened, but in case you missed it, you can listen above!
A huge thanks to our guests for a very informative show:
- Jessica Spindel, Nome’s Health Program Associate, 443-3221
- Nicole Santonastaso, Healthy Start Educator, 443-3241
- Megan Mackiernan, Physician Assistant at Primary Care, 443-3333 (scheduling), 443-3239 (clinic contact info)
And thank you to Susan Jones, HIV/STD Program Manager for the Section of Epidemiology under the Division of Public Health for Alaska for sharing her knowledge with us. For a provider consult, you can call the Section of Epidemiology at 907-269-8000.
It may seem personal to you, but continuing conversations about safe sex practices will help keep our communities healthy. So on this week’s Sounding Board, we’re talking about safe sex practices, STDs/STIs, contraceptives and reproductive health.
But we also want to hear from YOU:
- What questions or concerns do you have about sexual health or reproductive health?
- What services are available in your community?
- How could services be improved?
- How did you learn about sexual health? Was it part of your education?
- If you’re a parent, how do you talk to your kids about safe sex?
- How can we educate our communities about safe sex practices?
