What Should I Tell My Daughter?
Sta,--As a daughter who received little positive sex education I should like to say how much I appreciated John Rowan Wilson's article, 'What Should I Tell My Daughter?' (May 27). In my opinion this is a model answer to a constant question. It is not full of don'ts. but faces up to what is likely to happen with sensible advice.
On two points, however. I would disagree with Mr Wilson. Admittedly birth control pills are not easy to come by if you are not married, but there are two clinics in London, and others opening soon in the provinces, in which trained medical personnel fit an unmarried girl with a contraceptive cap. More clinics' of this kind are urgently needed. to give guidance and help to eliminate the growing number of illegitimate births.
Secondly, I do not think that 'contraception is an awkward and inconvenient business.' If approached sensibly and with some foresight by both partners
no danger need ever arise from any act of inter- course. Any reasonably intelligent person can cope with a contraceptive, given a minimum of previous instruction.
While heavy petting is to be advocated rather than full intercourse, for any relationship of short duration, most couples who practise this for long will eventually want to go further. After consideration, this is surely the time to obtain and use contra- ceptives, when intercourse is the result of decision not of a sudden whim.