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Accurate, honest sex education is a basic human right. Information is empowering. It is the foundation of good judgment. So why are so few of us granted our right to sexual health information?

The Politics of Sex Education

Abstinence-Only Programs

Some far-right conservatives believe young people should ONLY learn about the abstinence approach to sexuality. They believe students should be taught abstinence-until-marriage programs, which censor information about contraception and condoms; make moral judgments students may not share; stigmatize and shame students who have already had sex; and discriminate against GLBTQ students by at best ignoring them and at worst promoting homophobia.

Comprehensive Sex Ed

Comprehensive sex education is accurate, honest, and non-judgemental. It teaches young people about all the ways we can protect ourselves – including abstinence AND safer sex. It treats GLBTQ people as equal and provides us with information we can use about protection. It does not stigmatize students who are already sexually active, prescribe stereotypical gender roles, or teach religious values instead of science. It includes all the factual information young people need and no harmful, inaccurate abstinence-only messages.

So which kind of sex education has received federal funding (over $1.5 billion in taxpayer dollars and millions more every year)? Which kind have politicians exported to other countries, denying information and services to some of the most vulnerable young people in the world? You guessed it: abstinence-only programs.

Some politicians are apparently willing to sacrifice the health and rights of our generation to score points with radical conservatives.

Comprehensive Sex Ed: A Right Worth Fighting For

Young people shouldn’t be lied to or judged about sex, safer sex, and sexuality. We have the right to the truth. Make your voice heard today!

Take Action!

Tell Congress to end Abstinence-only funding.

Blog it!

What have you learned in sex ed in your school? What do you wish you had learned? Is sex ed in your school inclusive of GLBTQ people? Write a blog about sex education.

Report Card

How did your state do on its Report Card? Check out your state’s grades for sexual health, sex education, Title V Abstinence-Only Funding, CBAE Community-Based Abstinence Education funding, and school safety for GLBTQ youth.

Interested in this issue? Keep Reading!

Read about related issues on Amplify

Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Programs
Condoms
Contraceptives

Other Resources

Need current, reliable information on this topic? Check out the links below for the latest research.

Effective Sex Education

The History of Federal Abstinence—Only Funding

Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Programs: Ineffective, Unethical, and Poor Public Health

The Truth About Abstinence-Only Programs

Responsible Education about Life (REAL) Act

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