Pennsylvania — It’s time for comprehensive Sex-Ed.

Currently, in the state of Pennsylvania, there are absolutely no laws requiring sex-ed programs in schools. PA schools are required to, however, educate students on STI prevention and pregnancy. Most of these programs emphasize total abstinence (which I think we all know, for the most part, isn’t realistic). But the fact is, sex-ed is so much more than learning about condoms and chlamydia. Schools need to start talking about what consent is, what a healthy relationship looks like, sexual diversity, how to say no, communication about sexuality, and much more. This is far more valuable to students in their developmental stages. Not talking about all the aspects of sex is dangerous, and will never go away just because we ignore it.

Pennsylvania State Representative Brian Sims, who serves the 182nd district (located in Philadelphia), has acknowledged the long term affects of comprehensive sex-ed programs. In an attempt to change the state’s current protocol, he proposed House Bill №1615 during the 2017–2018 legislative year, which calls for the responsibility of the state to ensure Pennsylvania youth have the education and resources they need to make healthy life decisions.

In the bill, Sims and other Pennsylvania co-sponsors of the bill recognized not only the high STI and pregnancy rates of Pennsylvanian youth, but also mentioned topics such as affirmative consent, healthy relationships, sexting, and communication with parents. In fact, the opening statement of the bill states: “Discussions between youth and their parents or guardians are the most important ways to help youth make responsible and healthy life decisions,” which brings up another important topic. Sex and sexuality is not a shameful topic. Sex-ed needs to be presented in a positive light, as sex is a normal human function. As a state, schools must recognize this and stop teaching that sex is bad, sexuality is bad, and finally give the comprehensive education our youth need.

Another common theme in current sex-ed classes is the heterosexual emphasis. Students of the LGBTQ+ community are forced to hear about heterosexual sex, and their own experiences and identities are not addressed. In 2015, around 12% of LGBTQ+ students said that their sex-ed programs positively represented their identities. Due to the lack of inclusive education, LGBTQ+ people experience sexual violence more than heterosexual people. In fact, 44% of lesbians and 61% of bisexual women have been raped or experienced sexual assault, whereas 35% of heterosexual women have shared those same experiences. Pictured below is a guide on some of the aspects House Bill №1615 addressed about consent. Keep in mind this applies to people of all sexualities.

Research has proven time and time again that comprehensive sex-ed positively affects teens’ sexual behavior and health.Long term effects of successful sex-ed programs include lower STI and pregnancy rates among teens. These rates are dropping every year, which will lead to far less money spent on health care by taxpayers. Pennsylvania taxpayers, in 2010 alone, spent nearly $409 million on teen pregnancies. Not only is comprehensive sex-ed vital to our youth; it helps decrease spending on these issues for the state.

The support for sex-ed is overwhelming. Over 93% of parents believe sex-ed in middle and high schools is very important. Over 90% of Americans 18 years and older believed that incorporating sex-ed into their curriculum was very important. These statistics can be further improved with the addition of the aforementioned topics.

In today’s society, we are constantly surrounded by sexual images and advertising, and in order for our youth to comprehend these daily messages appropriately, sex-ed is necessary. We are constantly seeing an influx of sexual assault allegations, and future generations need to be educated enough to lower these assualts. Growing up, children and teens will be faced with decisions regarding sexuality and relationships. We need to give them the knowledge to make positive and healthy decisions. Sex is more than biology, and it is time we implement that into our classrooms.

You can find the original publication here: https://medium.com/@tug43050/pennsylvania-its-time-for-comprehensive-sex-ed-7f3ccf21c1f3