Film and discussion: Let's Talk about Sex

Thursday, 10 Nov 2011 at 7:00 pm – MacKay Hall Auditorium, Rm 0117

The documentary Let's Talk About Sex explores how attitudes toward sex impact unplanned pregnancy and STDS in teens. New York-based photographer James Houston was inspired to make the film after traveling the world, and realizing that, while American teens live in a society that uses sex to sell everything from lipstick to laptops, they are rarely afforded opportunities to discuss sex in an open, honest way. Let's Talk about Sex was produced in collaboration with Advocates for Youth, the leading nonprofit organization focused on issues relating to adolescent reproductive health. James Wagoner is a respected public policy and reproductive health expert and executive director of Advocates for Youth. He has also served as executive vice president of NARAL Pro-Choice America and on the staff of Ohio Senator Howard M. Metzenbaum. A conversation with James Wagoner will follow the 62-minute film.

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www.letstalkaboutsexthefilm.com
www.advocatesforyouth.org

'Let's Talk About Sex' Documentary and Campaign Take On Sexual Health Crisis

New York City - A national outreach and education campaign will launch in April around the cable television premiere of "LET'S TALK ABOUT SEX," a film that takes a revealing look at how American attitudes towards adolescent sexuality impact teenagers. Cable network TLC has announced it is airing the documentary on April 9that 10/9c. A Digital/DVD platform release by New Video will follow on April 12th.

Every day in America 10,000 teenagers catch an STD, 2,400 young girls become pregnant and 55 young people are infected with HIV. The "LET'S TALK ABOUT SEX" outreach campaign will drive activities that highlight the film as a tool for parents, educators and other community leaders who influence young people's lives to initiate age-appropriate, healthy conversations about sexual health. The campaign will promote the film and its message by working together to host screenings in Washington, D.C., New York City and Los Angeles; organize premiere watch parties around the county; and promote the film through their social networks.

New York-based photographer James Houston was inspired to make the film after traveling the world, and realizing that, while American teens live in a society that uses sex to sell everything from lipstick to laptops, they are rarely afforded opportunities to discuss sex in an open, honest way. "Youth in the United States are facing a health crisis of high rates of pregnancy and STD's nationwide. We are failing our children by not having healthy, productive conversations with them about sex. It is my hope that "LET'S TALK ABOUT SEX" will be both the catalyst and the tool we need to start those conversations in family rooms and classrooms across the country," said Houston.

In "LET'S TALK ABOUT SEX,"Houston travels to a high school for pregnant teens in Los Angeles where young girls are contemplating teen parenthood; to Washington, D.C., where HIV infection rates rival several African countries; and to the Netherlands, where the film-maker contrasts European attitudes about sex with those in America. The film concludes in Oregon, where the lessons learned in Western Europe are helping to create practical solutions.

The film, produced in collaboration with Advocates for Youth, the leading non-profit organization focused on issues relating to adolescent reproductive health, uses real parents and youth, compelling statistics, animation and archival material to paint an entertaining yet urgent picture of American youth. Dr. John Santelli, Department Chair, Population and Family Health, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University says of the film "The silence around sexuality is deafening and young people are paying the price. 'LET'S TALK ABOUT SEX' provides a vision for the future for parents, schools, and society."

"Young people in America don't know the risks associated with sex, and because of that, American teen pregnancy and STD rates are among the highest in the industrialized world," Houston said. "Irrespective of your personal beliefs about sex, we can all agree that we want to see those rates as low as possible. LET'S TALK ABOUT SEX both illuminates this serious challenge and is an important tool that parents, educators and health communities can use to get more of these conversations started."

Cosponsored By:

• Collegiate Panhellenic Council
• Divsion of Student Affairs
• Sociology
• Sociology Honor Society
• Women and Gender Studies
• Committee on Lectures (funded by Student Government)