Youths bring open minds to forum discussion

By Kennedy Adams

Thursday, Dec. 24, 2015 | 2 a.m.

What’s on our teenagers’ minds? In its 59th year, the Las Vegas Sun Youth Forum is intended to answer just that question. The annual gathering, which this year attracted about 1,000 students, provided an opportunity for public high school juniors and seniors to discuss issues of the day in groups of 40 or so students and was moderated by a community leader. Each group selected one of its participants to reflect on the experience. This column is written by Kennedy Adams, a senior at Sierra Vista High School. Publisher and Editor Brian Greenspun is turning over his “Where I Stand” column to these young adults, who have something to say.

This was my second year as a participant in the Sun Youth Forum, and it was even more inspiring and insightful than the year before.

The selected students gathered at the Las Vegas Convention Center, where a number of controversial topics were discussed among the young, well-mannered and diverse student delegates. Topics in the potpourri discussion included, “Should transgender students be allowed to use whichever bathroom or locker room they choose?” and “Should teens have ready access to birth control?”

The exceptional students chosen were all opened-minded, and though at times they did not agree, they kept the discussions positive while strongly stating their opinions. On the topic of transgender students choosing which restrooms and locker rooms they wanted to use, some great points were made, such as, “What about the rights of other students who are not comfortable with someone of the opposite gender in that scenario?”

Well-stated alternatives were discussed, and a few stood out, such as adding a third bathroom for anyone’s use. As a group, we did not believe the vast majority would take advantage of the third-bathroom option, especially in a school environment. We thought this would create confusion for young people, and many would not feel comfortable with transgender students sharing the same bathroom. A student from Las Vegas High School stated that her school may be moving toward this idea. The majority of students in our group did not think this change would go over well in schools.

We then moved to the next provocative topic, “Should teens have ready access to birth control?” This topic took the direction of exploring the variety of reasons women use birth control. Students commented that “the pill” is not just for preventing pregnancies, but can help regulate their hormones and be used for other health-related reasons. A young woman in my group stated, “This pill isn’t just any pill you find on a shelf at a local pharmacy or gas station.” She also explained that having to see a doctor and get a prescription can be costly. Not having ready access to these pills makes women feel unprotected at times.

After our discussion, we agreed teens should have access to the pill; we just could not agree on at what age teens should start taking the birth-control pill. We were split down the middle, with very different opinions on what is reasonable. Someone in my group brought up a really great point, saying if you are not mature enough to consume alcohol, you are not mature enough to have sex. At the same time, it is worth considering that the United States has the highest teen-pregnancy rate. Overall, we believe women should have easier access to birth-control pills because of the protections they can offer. Our group felt strongly about teens having the opportunity to make a choice for themselves and their reproductive health.

The students’ passion was demonstrated in their thoughtful and in-depth responses to some complicated questions. While participants came in with individual points of view, by the end of our session, it was clear many had shifted their perspective, as they more deeply considered these difficult concerns.