'Teen Forum' airs frank sex talk

AIKEN --- Everything from masturbation to condoms at high schools was discussed during the recording of a syndicated teen talk show at USC Aiken on Wednesday.

Teen Forum Show, which will air from 6 to 7 p.m. Saturday on WAAW 94.7 FM, recorded a broadcast at the Convocation Center about sex education with students from South Aiken High, Aiken High and USC Aiken.

Aiken High senior Denzel Pryor said he recalls his mother talking to him about sex and condoms, or umbrellas as she called them. He said parents should have a candid talk with their children about the topic because sex will inevitably happen.

"You can inform 15- and 17-year-olds all you want, but we have our own cars and money. We're going to do what we want to do," he said during the radio recording. "You just have to trust that we have the right resources and foundation."

During Wednesday's broadcast, the host, Ben Fenner, and co-hosts offered statistics about teen pregnancy in Europe, HIV and AIDS infection rates in Canada, and an initiative in Madrid, Spain, to implement masturbation workshops to decrease the number of sexually active young people.

The show began airing in Columbia in 2000, said creator and executive producer Mike Thomas.

"It's gives parents and young people the chance to break the communication barrier," Mr. Thomas said. "The young people's voice is the one that's not heard."

Now, more than 200,000 listeners tune in each week to hear the show on 26 stations in the Southeast and Midwest, Mr. Thomas said. The show began airing on 94.7 last month.

Aiken Youth Empowerment invited the show to Aiken to show teenagers and adults that healthy conversation about controversial topics can happen, said Susan Meehan, the executive director of the organization. "I honestly think when teens speak on this show adults will listen," she said. "They need that different perspective."

Denzel said he hoped that school officials and others who listen to the broadcast Saturday will realize that they need to do more than just preach abstinence.

"They should have condoms at the school clinic, but because sex is such a sensitive topic they just say, 'Don't do it,' " he said.

Octavia Blocker, a junior at Aiken High, said it was refreshing to hear people say that teens having sex is a normal occurrence.

"It's really getting our perspective, and letting us know sex is not all bad," she said. "It (sex) can also be a danger if it's unprotected. We have to take responsibility."

Reach Stephanie Toone at (803) 648-1395 or stephanie.toone@augustachronicle.com.