healthcare providers are mandatory reporters of abuse of all kinds

Interesting. I think I'd heard a radio story about this research (very biased pro-life site on the other side of the link), and misremembered it. Is there a more spin-free site that discusses the findings?

Edit: This is a pro-choice response, and here's Salon's take.

Just becuase people are mandatory reporters doesn't necessarily mean they do it. And statutory rape by itself is the kind of law I can readily believe people would protest.

As long as your Midol was in your bag and you didn't, e.g., pop it into your mouth while looking straight in a teacher's eyes and saying "I dare you to punish me," you'd probably be fine.

Er. Since I'm not in high school or a minor anymore, I was mostly playing on the Hormonal Rage factor, which just may be funny to me because mentally I am often twelve.

Does a minor need parental consent to receive a prescription for birth control pills?

Does one need to show ID to buy condoms in any of the states?

I was mostly playing on the Hormonal Rage factor, which just may be funny to me because mentally I am often twelve.

No, I got that. Sorry if I seemed overly earnest.

Lord, I hope the answer to your questions is NO in all of the states.

Their mission is to protect reproductive choice, but the Alan Guttmacher Insitute puts out really good solid data on a lot of this stuff, both in the US and around the world: [link]

Cute.

Has anyone else zoomed all the way in on Google's Moon Maps?

[link]

Bwah!That's great, Gud!

It seems like hyperbole, and maybe I can't avoid it, but your kids don't need your consent to have some stranger who doesn't have your kids' best interest at heart inject their bodily fluids into your kids' bodies, which is really what sex is. A penis is like the world's grossest hypodermic needle. Could get you pregnant, could give you syphillis.

As medical procedures go, getting one pregnant (or diseased) doesn't require any formal training.