Weapons of Mass Reproduction?

Pulitzer prize-winning reporter, Chris Hedges' article, "We are Breeding Ourselves to Extinction" succeeds in articulating exactly what most of us humans avoid these days, the inevitable pink and blue overpopulation elephant in the middle of the room we call planet earth. Population control is not only unpopular in general, it is something we seem to go out of our way to avoid. Even environmentalist Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth" does not address the issue of of overpopulation and its painfully obvious impact on global ciimate change, at all. Perhaps the truth of overpopulation and its impact on the environment and the future of humanity is the ultimate and unspeakable inconvenience. 

Citing the work of scientist James Lovelock, Hedges argues that unless we begin to practice vigorous population control, all attempts to stop environmental degradation will be futile. 

My grandmother used to teach me that the questions and issues people avoid most are EXACTLY the ones that should be answered and addressed....and usually immediately if not sooner. 

So where in the world does this leave us as sexuality educators, researchers, policy advocates, teachers, professors etc...? If indeed, Hedges is even only half right about this, we are seemingly in serious trouble and might really begin to consider how our work sits at the very core of this issue, meaning the core of life itself.

Or, maybe we could just go shopping instead? Way more fun.

All kidding aside, Hedges makes the important point that the U.N. estimates 200 million women worldwide do not have access to contraception. There can be no denying therefore that overpopulation and eventual extinction is a sexual health and well being issue at its heart. As women, we have the ability to create life and we should absolutely have the ability to not create life too. As humans, we have the unique ability among other species, to use our brain power and think and plan how we are to relate to one another and the planet now and in the future. We can either create value systems that ensure the sustainability of life as we know it or destroy it through over-consumption and mass reproduction. it is as simple as that in the end. We have to choose. Other cultures have chosen in the past....Ishi the last of the Yahi reported upon seeing "civilization" for the first time in the early 20th century that it was not the tall buildings and automobiles that really caused him anxiety but the sheer mass numbers of people. There's a reason for that. His tribe believed in regulating population according to what resources from the land were available. They believed in valuing and respecting everything the planet produced, living in one as one ecosystem, not detached from it. But that way of life, in the end, got destroyed in favor of consumption.

Last year I attended my first Green Festival here in San Francisco. There was not a single sexual or reproductive health related organization present. I had the opportunity to meet leading environmentalist and social justice advocate, Van Jones that day. I told him that he could count on NSRC and some of our partners being there next year to exhibit because sexual health, well being and happiness are intimately connected if not at the very basis of the health of the planet...even though you wouldn't currently see that reflected anywhere within the festival or environmental or sexuality movements themselves. At that time, I didn't yet have the ability to articulate what Hedges did so bravely within his article. But it was a start met with encouragement. 

As sexuality educators, researchers, policy advocates and professors we have a hell of a lot on our plates. Fighting against deadly abstinence only until marriage funding and ideology, fighting for comprehensive lifelong sexuality education, for HIV/STI prevention, for LGBT rights, against hate crime, for reproductive rights and health, against religious abuse of people based on their gender and sex related choices in life..... ONE MORE THING?! you might say?

Yes, I would say. This is critical to anyone who happens to believe in science or cares about the future of the planet, which does in addition include many people of faith world-wide. Sexuality educators and allied professionals need to prioritize it, no matter how challenging it might seem. Or perhaps, especially because of how uncomfortably challenging it will truly be to make it an issue. 

It would make sense for us to help lead the effort toward a global dialogue on sexual health as it connects to environmental health and global sustainability, considering the very nature of our work. 

What are we waiting for? Aren't we part of the same movement that came up with 'Silence=Death'?