Joycelyn Elders Quotes

Minnie Joycelyn Elders is an American pediatrician and public health administrator. She was a vice admiral in the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and the first African American appointed as Surgeon General of the United States. Elders is best known for her frank discussion of her views on controversial issues such as drug legalization, masturbation, and distributing contraception in schools. She was forced to resign in December 1994 amidst controversy as a result of her views. She is currently a professor emerita of pediatrics at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Wikipedia  

✵ 13. August 1933
Joycelyn Elders photo
Joycelyn Elders: 12   quotes 0   likes

Famous Joycelyn Elders Quotes

“As long as I was in Washington I never met anybody that I thought was good enough, who knew enough, or who loved enough to make sexual decisions for anybody else.”

Penn & Teller: Bullshit!, "Abstinence" http://www.sho.com/site/video/player.do?video=/134/2006/abstinence&seriesid=134 [4.10], 5 June 2006

“Handguns are a public health issue.”

[Mimi, Hall, Elders makes assault on guns, USA Today, 9 November 1993, A5ff]

“I'm against abstinence programs because I really consider "abstinence only" child abuse.”

Penn & Teller: Bullshit!, "Abstinence" http://www.sho.com/site/video/player.do?video=/134/2006/abstinence&seriesid=134 [4.10], 5 June 2006
Abstinence education

“If men went through menopause, we'd know everything about it, but we still don't even know if we should be taking hormones.”

"Dr. Joycelyn Elders is so fucking cool", 2014-05-23, Jessica Valenti, w:Jessica Valenti, 2014-05-23, Feministing.com http://web.archive.org/web/20070713094431/http://feministing.com/archives/007116.html,

“Condoms will break, but I can assure you that vows of abstinence will break more easily than condoms.”

"Dr. Joycelyn Elders is so fucking cool", 2007-06-04, Jessica Valenti, w:Jessica Valenti, 2014-05-23, Feministing.com http://web.archive.org/web/20070713094431/http://feministing.com/archives/007116.html,
Abstinence education

“We must stop this love affair with the fetus.”

Speech in Austin, Texas, January 21, 1994
[Claudia, Dreifus, Joycelyn Elders, New York Times Magazine, p. 19, January 30, 1994, 2007-06-05]
Abortion

Joycelyn Elders Quotes

“We've tried ignorance for a thousand years. It's time we try education.”

On sex education
Penn & Teller: Bullshit!, "Abstinence" http://www.sho.com/site/video/player.do?video=/134/2006/abstinence&seriesid=134 [4.10], 5 June 2006

“If you say children wouldn't know anything about masturbation on their own, you've never changed a little boy's diaper.”

"Dr. Joycelyn Elders is so fucking cool", 2007-06-04, Jessica Valenti, w:Jessica Valenti, 2014-05-23, Feministing.com http://web.archive.org/web/20070713094431/http://feministing.com/archives/007116.html,
Masturbation

“How do you get rid of the trash? It's out there in society, it's going on every day […] You can educate children an awful lot easier than you can get rid of the trash.”

Source: [Bob, Sipchen, http://www.aegis.com/news/lt/1997/LT970701.html, Straight Talk From a Straight Shooter Journeys: Joycelyn Elders was known for her outspokenness during her run, Los Angeles Times, E-1, July 3, 1997, 2007-05-20]

“We know that more than 70 to 80% of women masturbate, and 90% of men masturbate, and the rest lie.”

Penn & Teller: Bullshit!, "Abstinence" http://www.sho.com/site/video/player.do?video=/134/2006/abstinence&seriesid=134 [4.10], 5 June 2006
Masturbation

“They are boycotting common sense.”

On politicians who promote abstinence-only education
"Dr. Joycelyn Elders is so fucking cool", 2007-06-04, Jessica Valenti, w:Jessica Valenti, 2014-05-23, Feministing.com http://web.archive.org/web/20070713094431/http://feministing.com/archives/007116.html,
Abstinence education

“I want every child that's born in the world to be planned and wanted.”

"Dr. Joycelyn Elders is so fucking cool", 2007-06-04, Jessica Valenti, w:Jessica Valenti, 2014-05-23, Feministing.com http://web.archive.org/web/20070713094431/http://feministing.com/archives/007116.html,
Abortion

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