It's been some time and I do apologize. Here's what I've been doing:

Moving
Finding, starting, and training for job
Unpacking
Finishing grad school admissions (by the skin on my chinny chin chin)
Shopping for winter clothing
Eating fabulous and fabulously healthy food
Running, jumping, yoga
Prepping for play audition (A Streetcar Named Desire)
Bucking the system

I went to Planned Parenthood for interim meds until health ins kicks in, and I happened to ask about the HPV vaccine for my daughter, as she is of age now (9 - 26, ladies, the earlier the better). I incited a mild beaureaucratic riot with the doctor who saw me, because we discovered that PP protocol is that boys can be vaccinated from age 9 going forward (so's not to spread it) but girls can't be vaccinated until age 11.

Really.

I don't think so.

And for all you right-wingers out there, this is not me giving my daughter license to promiscuity. First of all, if she's of a promiscuous nature, I'm not going to change that. I wouldn't want to. I respect promiscuity when it's practiced safely without any harm or damage to one's self or anyone else. I envy the physical and emotional freedom.

Second of all, I know my daughter will one day have sex. I don't fear it, I celebrate it. Because I am as frank with her as I can be, and I teach her safety above all else. I do not preach abstinence, though I practice it most times myself. I would not ever advise her to wait until marriage - I don't believe that is at all safe or smart. (Lifelong commitment to a sexual stranger??? No thank you.)

I don't fear my daughter's sexuality. But I do fear that she could one day come down with a debilitating, life-threatening illness that I could have prevented if I wouldn't have wasted time preaching "morality" and resting on those laurels.

Be safe. Be smart. Care more about your child's well-being than your own beliefs and practices. She is who she is, and sex is good. We are all victims to that truth, and I believe that my daughter has every right in the world to find her way, feel out (pardon the pun) her likes and dislikes, and make her own mistakes. That's how we learn.

And third - I am by no means of a promiscuous nature, and I have HPV. I've already had the super fun experience of precancerous cell removal. Why wouldn't I protect her from that if it is in my power to do so?