Sex Ed.

[niayuki]

Why is it that so many schools do not provide their students with adequate sex education classes?
I have realized that I'm not the only person that has been misinformed. My partner,friends and classmates all have mentioned something related to sexuality or sex which I began to realize was completely wrong when I read some articles available in Scarleteen. All we heard was about abstinence and how our genitals functioned, we heard about birth control few times (I honestly felt like they were trying to make us fear intercourse) Is there a reason why this is occurring so frequently?

[Ashleah]

Hi Nia-Yuki,

I wish I knew!!! But specifically in the US, not even half of the states are required to provide sex education. And ONLY 19 states require that if sex education is required it be medically accurate.

I'm happy to see that sexual health is important to you and you sought out resources! When I was in school they didn't give us much info either and that was over 10 years ago. Showed a video called "Everyone is Not Doing" in our gym class, 3 girls were already pregnant. I found some teen groups in my community that were focused on providing and spreading accurate sex health to youth. Something like that might interest you

[niayuki]

In my current school we don't have any classes or groups that help inform the students. It's frustrating because most of us want to be correctly informed but we don't get that opportunity

[Mo]

Some people disagree with the idea that things like masturbation, birth control, or non-heterosexual sexualities are ok at all, and those folks have a lot of political power to block sex ed curricula that mention any of those things from being taught in public schools. In addition, a lot of people who think teenagers shouldn't be sexually active believe that having more information about sexuality or sexual health will encourage them to be sexually active when they might not make that decision otherwise.

We certainly don't agree with any of that, and we share your frustration. I'm glad you found your way here, though.

[niayuki]

I come from a family that has these beliefs, I do not agree with most of their opinions. My thought is if teenagers or young adults are given the knowledge of sexuality and sex hopefully in most cases they will use their knowledge to make mature or good decisions.

[Keda]

Isn't that just the problem! We see time and time again this attitude that women and girls can't be trusted to make good decisions (while boys also don't get good sex ed, there's a definite focus on discouraging girls in particular from thinking that sex can be relatively safe and lots of fun and a positive thing to have in one's life). The trend is for adult, straight, white, middle-to-upper class men to co-opt the decision making of women and girls about their bodies. Patriarchy at its finest.

[niayuki]

I have always been told by my mother that losing my virginity before marriage is something horrible to do, I don't understand how it is that bad of a thing. My father pressures my brother on having a relationship not only that but he encourages him to participate in sexual activities. Still up to today I haven't experienced intercourse because of the fear of having my parents judge me, it is truly unfair and frustrating

[Heather]

Also:

"Why is it that so many schools do not provide their students with adequate sex education classes?"

Organized religion, money, and how they intersect. (With a healthy dash of adults wanting to control youth, as well.)

Truly, if we wanted to reduce all of this to what is under it, those two things are what we are talking about most; what have the most control and influence over sex education, particularly in places like schools and governments, where what is provided has to be approved (and funded) by larger groups, rather than in places like families, where what is provided is only up to the members within them.