Stop Conservatives Anti-Sex Agenda!

Stop Conservatives Anti-Sex Agenda!
YCL Canada, March 2006

According to new Justice Minister Vic Toews, an immediate priority of Harper’s Conservative regime will be an increase of the age of sexual consent from 14 years of age to 16. This call is no surprise from a party notorious for its anti-sex, anti-sexual freedom and anti-women positions on a variety of issues, most notably abortion and gay marriage.

This new move to change the age of consent is a veiled account to outlaw youth sexuality. Just like the Conservatives plans to lengthen prison sentences for youth and begin jailing children (see "Stop Criminalization of Youth!" statement); this too is an attempt to impose reactionary, imperialist and moralistic policies on problems or supposed problems without taking into account the root of the issues or the real problems young people face today.

The Conservatives, along with reactionary and quasi-fascist organizations like the Heritage Front and the Christian Heritage Party, would like to see an end to sex education in schools, the imposition of their right-wing religious views about sexuality on all of society, an end to gay marriage and even bans on homosexuality and abortion. They certainly aren’t interested in allowing youth to learn about safe sex, or to see sex in a positive, healthy light. They cover their fascistic positions on these basic social questions with empty phrases about "freedom of speech", "religious freedom", and "the right to life". It is the same as the neo-Nazis of the Heritage Front, Ku Klux Klan, and other groups cover their racism and anti-Semitism with phrases of "white pride" and "white freedom" while trying to accuse those who call for equality of being the real racists.

The same reactionaries who throw rhetoric about STI’s, teen pregnancy etc. in the mix with their moralistic jabber, oppose proper sex education in school, thus proving that their concern is not the well being of youth, only the pursuit of their own political goals driven by their anti-people ideologies.

The Young Communist League calls for a fight back against these policies. We unite with left and progressive forces in defending sexual freedoms and the right to choose. We demand sex education in schools that will teach youth the truth about sexual health and give a positive outlook. Safe sexual practices should be emphasized, not the replaced by religiously inspired "abstinence" curriculums. Youth have a right to make their own sexual choices, and to have the necessary education provided to them, publicly and free of charge, so that they can make informed decisions. Pro-feminist, pro-sex and pro-queer views should be promoted in place of the anti-women, homophobic, anti-sex views promoted by the ruling class in their divide and rule tactics.

No to the Changed Age of Consent!
Defend Sexual Freedom!
For the Right of Youth to Sexual Equality!