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Queer Students and American Sex Education

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Queer Students and American Sex Education

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This TedTalk comes from a queer student in 2016, so it is a topic that they are very knowledgeable and care a lot about. They not only discuss statistics that represent the disparities in sex education in the United States, but also how this is affecting LGBTQ+ students and what allies can do to make an impact on this issue. I watched this TedTalk to get an idea of how the people directly affected by this issue are feeling and I can use this information to try to make a positive impact on sex ed in my school and create a more welcoming school community.

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Queer Students and American Sex Education | Lillianna Romaker | TEDxColumbus

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Throughout the United States, queer students are excluded from sex education, a system which is already deeply flawed. But when told from the perspective of a queer student, the lack of proper sex education can even be dangerous.

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This article followed a queer teenager through their journey with learning about sexual topics. The importance of LGTBQ-inclusive sex education was demonstrated through the experience of the youth in this article. It included many of the same studies that I have linked here, as well as professionals and advocates for LGBTQ issues. What caught my attention from this article is that it discussed how some states are implementing inclusive sex education and the impacts that those programs are having on the youth in those areas, such as Washington and Colorado. It discusses the importance of both age appropriate sex education and the importance of hearing about inclusive topics early on in sexual health education. I will use this article to develop ideas of what kinds of programs, like the ones discussed in the article, will be helpful and have an impact on my school and community's safety.

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LGBTQ students say they need programming that speaks to them, and some school districts are finding ways to deliver.

Brendan McDermid / Reuters

Related Story

Sex Ed Without the Sex
The night the cable channel Freeform aired an LGBTQ sex-education-themed episode of its teen drama The Fosters earlier this spring, Madison Russell spent the evening in front of her television with tears rolling down her face. A high-school junior, Russell has identified as a lesbian since age 11, but when she took a school-mandated sex education class at her Hiram, Georgia, high school, she couldn't see herself in the curriculum. "We were informed on the types of protection for heterosexual couples, but never the protection options for gay/lesbian couples," Russell said. LGBTQ kids weren't even mentioned.

Russell's experiences aren't unique to rural Georgia. According to a 2013 survey by GLSEN, a national nonprofit focused on providing safe educational spaces for LGBTQ students, just 5 percent of LGBTQ students reported having health classes that included positive representations of LGBTQ-related topics. And a 2015 study by the Public Religion Research Institute found just 12 percent of millennials said their sex education classes covered same-sex relationships at all.

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How Some Schools Are Making Sure Sex Ed Is Relevant to LGBT Youth

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LGBTQ students say they need programming that speaks to them, and some school districts are finding ways to deliver. Related Story Sex Ed Without the Sex The night the cable channel Freeform aired an LGBTQ sex-education-themed episode of its teen drama The Fosters earlier this spring, Madison Russell spent the evening in front of her television with tears rolling down her face.

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The Numbers Are In: Sex Education Varies By State

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The Numbers Are In: Sex Education Varies By State

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This image shows the need for basic standards nationwide. It proves that sex education varies so widely between states. These disparities can be extremely dangerous for young people because it means they are not receiving the information they need to stay safe and healthy. The fact that any states require teaching negative information about same-sex relationships to children is heartbreaking. This Image can be used to represent the need for more inclusive standards in our country.

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2017 Minnesota Adolescent Sexual Health Report

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2017 Minnesota Adolescent Sexual Health Report

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A portion of this study focuses on transgender and gender non-conforming youth in Minnesota. This 2016 study found that transgender and gender non-conforming (TGNC) youth experience large health disparities compared to cisgender youth. Involvement in risk behaviors is significantly higher in TGNC youth than cisgender youth, including a more than 40% higher rate of suicide ideation and self-harm and over 10% higher rate of youth not using a condom the last time they had sex. It also found that average levels of support were lower for TGNC teens. I can use this information to get an idea of how the current sex education system is affecting the kids in my school. It will aid me in developing topics that need to be covered in LGBTQ-inclusive sex education.

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Letter of Support for Comprehensive Sexuality Educaiton

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Letter of Support for Comprehensive Sexuality Educaiton

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Sexuality encompasses more then the prevention of STDs and pregnancies; it is a lifelong process that is a normal part of development.
"Comprehensive sexuality education includes: anatomy and physiology, puberty and adolescent development,
identity, pregnancy and reproduction, contraception, disease prevention, healthy relationships, and personal
safety and protection."
This article also brought up an interesting point that comprehensive sex education would cost less for tax payers, due to the fact that teen childbearing in the U.S. costs tax payers at least 9.4 billion dollars a year. I chose this article to include in my research because it was interesting to get the opinion of a health professional in Minnesota since they have knowledge on the overall well-being of Minnesotans.

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In Minnesota students are usually taught abstinence only education in schools. Although the Obama administration eliminated the funding for abstinence only education in 2010, many teachers continue to teach this curriculum to their students.

"The only requirements for sex education in Minnesota are: STD/STI and HIV/AIDS education, Abstinence must be taught as the only 100% effective way to protect against unplanned pregnancy, STDs/STIs, and sexually transmitted HIV/AIDS,
A sex education course must be taught, The information must be technically correct."

"Things that are not required statewide: Teaching about contraceptives, Parental permission to take sex education,
Statewide curriculum, District-wide curriculum, School-wide curriculum,
The information must be medically correct, The teacher must have sex education training."

This website gave me an idea of things that must be included in sex education for it to be considered inclusive. I will use it to develop a claim of what more needs to be taught for all students to feel safe and healthy.

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Sex Education in Minnesota
Sex Education is a growing issue in Minnesota. The way students are taught sex education has little to no positive affect on the sexual behavior of our youth.Typically, students are taught abstinence-only programs in Minnesota. According to Sex. Etc., Minnesota received $505,743 in federal funding for teaching abstinence-only to their students in 2010. Though the Obama Administration eliminated this funding after 2010, schools still continue to teach abstinence-only-until-marriage curriculums to their students.

The only requirements for sex education in Minnesota are:

STD/STI and HIV/AIDS education

Abstinence must be taught as the only 100% effective way to protect against unplanned pregnancy, STDs/STIs, and sexually transmitted HIV/AIDS.

A sex education course must be taught

The information must be technically correct

Things that are not required statewide:

Teaching about contraceptives

Parental permission to take sex education

Statewide curriculum

District-wide curriculum

School-wide curriculum

The information must be medically correct

The teacher must have sex education training

The state-level sex education requirements are problematic for various reasons. Because there isn't a statewide, district-wide, or even school-wide curriculum for sex education in Minnesota, teachers are free to create their own curriculums, meaning students attending the same school could be learning completely different things about sex and reproductive health depending on which teacher they have. It's important that we create a statewide, inclusive curriculum for comprehensive sex education in Minnesota.

Unwanted Pregnancy Rates

According to Guttmacher Institute, 40% of Minnesota pregnancies were unintended. Additionally, the teen pregnancy rate (women aged 15-19) was 36 in 1,000 women in 2010. Unintended pregnancy occurs at higher rates in women of color and working class women.

45.2% of sexually active students in Minnesota reported that they or their partner always use a condom during sexual contact in 2012. According to the Minnesota Department of Education, students who are taught comprehensive sex ed. have sex later and/or use condoms more accurately and more often. Students who are taught abstinence only sex ed programs show no change in behavior.

Minnesota minors can obtain a birth control prescription without parent's permission, but a doctor can notify the parent/guardian of the minor, but is not required to do so, according the Sex. Etc. Thankfully, Title X clinics, facilities that provide sexual and reproductive health services, allow for completely confidential appointments. To find a Title X clinic near you, call 1-800-230-PLAN.

Syphilis rates rose 63% in Minnesota women in 2015, causing the state to call for more testing and awareness of the disease, according the the Star Tribune and the Minnesota Department of Health.

Chlamydia is the most commonly reported disease in Minnesota. In 2014, there were 19,897 cases of Chlamydia in the state of Minnesota, according to the Minnesota Department of Health. 66% of those cases were in men and women ages 15-24.The highest rates

In 2014, 4,073 cases of Gonorrhea were reported in Minnesota according to the Minnesota Department of Health. 52% of the cases were in young adults ages 15-24.

For more stats and information on STD rates in Minnesota, click here. http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/idepc/dtopics/stds/stats/2014/stdstats2014.html#1

Why is this important for the state of Minnesota?

In a study done in 2010 by the Minnesota Department of Health, 62-69% of 9 grade students reported getting their information about sex from their friends, followed by 51-57% from schools, teachers, and/or counselors, and 42-50% from parents. This emphasizes the importance of comprehensive sex education in Minnesota. Having a more inclusive, non-heteronormative, statewide curriculum for all of Minnesota, students and their peers will not only have more knowledge of sex and reproduction, but will have more open conversation about these topics with their friends and their parents. Having an open, honest, and inclusive relationship about sex is important for healthy sexual behavior for Minnesota youths.

What does this have to do with reproductive justice?

As the rates of unplanned pregnancy go up, and STD/STI rates go up, it is important for folks to have the right to choose how they protect themselves, the right and access to inclusive and accurate information, the right to plan if/how they'd like to have a family, and the right to access the materials needed to achieve their goals. Allowing Minnesota youth the right to be taught comprehensive se education gives them the ability to make informed, educated decisions about their reproductive health in their futures.

Why is this a feminist issue?

Sex education and access to information and resources for reproductive health are not inclusive at all. The way we currently teach sex education in Minnesota tends to be incredibly heteronormative, and not inclusive of the LGBT community. Matt Toburen, the public policy director for the Minnesota AIDS Project, said that LGBT students in Minnesota feel they've been left out of the conversation after they took a sex education course. This act of teaching heteronormative sex education to LGBT students further stigmatizes them and their experiences.

In Minnesota, there are higher rates of STDs and unplanned pregnancy in people of color than white people. For example, chlamydia affects 9 times more people of color than white people in Minnesota.

Low-income families, people of color, and transgender men and women have a harder time than any other group accessing resources they need to maintain their reproductive health, like regular pelvic exams, STD testing, pregnancy tests, and contraceptives. It is our job to make information and resources accessible to all people, despite race, ethnicity, sexuality, gender, age, ability, etc. to promote a more inclusive and equal experience for everyone.

Family Planning Clinics

Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota-Administrative Headquarters

671 Vandalia Street

Saint Paul, MN 55114

(651)696-5652

http://www.plannedparenthood.org/planned-parenthood-minnesota-north-dakota-south-dakota

Saint Paul-Ramsey County Public Health

555 Cedar Street

Saint Paul, MN 55101

(651)266-1272

http://www.co.ramsey.mn.us/home/index.htm

1619 Dayton Avenue

Saint Paul, MN 55104

(651)645-0478

www.familytreeclinic.org

1323 Coon Rapids Boulevard

Coon Rapids, MN 55433

(763)755-5300

List of other family planning clinics by county in Minnesota: http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/cfh/program/familyplanning/directory.cfm

Educational and Advocacy

1619 Dayton Avenue

Saint Paul, MN 55104

(651)645-0478

www.familytreeclinic.org

Unity Church-Unitarian

733 Portland Avenue

Saint Paul, MN 55104

(651)228-1456

www.unityunitarian.org./our-whole-lives.html

Minnesota AIDS Project

1400 Park Avenue

Minneapolis, MN 55404

(612)341-2060

www.mnaidsproject.org/index.php

NARAL Pro-Choice Minnesota

2300 Myrtle Ave #120

Saint Paul, MN 55114

(651)602-7655

www.prochoiceminnesota.org

528 Hennepin Avenue

Minneapolis, MN 55403

(612) 825-2000

www.prochoiceresources.org

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Sex Education in Minnesota Sex Education is a growing issue in Minnesota. The way students are taught sex education has little to no positive affect on the sexual behavior of our youth.Typically, students are taught abstinence-only programs in Minnesota. According to Sex. Etc., Minnesota received $505,743 in federal funding for teaching abstinence-only to their students in 2010.

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LGBTQ-Inclusive Sex Education Means Healthier Youth and Safer Schools

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LGBTQ-Inclusive Sex Education Means Healthier Youth and Safer Schools

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Sex education standards vary widely across the country. Sex education materials often assume students are heterosexual and cisgender, and does not mention gender identity or sexual orientation at all. Abstinence only programs have not been proven effective at preventing pregnancy, while numerous studies have found that comprehensive sex education is effective at reducing high-risk sexual behaviors, promoting safe sex practices, and lowering teen pregnancy rates. LGBTQ youth are disproportionately affected by negative sexual-health outcomes, such as pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and sexual violence. Hostile school environments lead to higher rates of mental health issues for LGBTQ teens. The American Medical Association, National Education Association, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, as well as many parents and students support LGBTQ-inclusive, comprehensive sex education. I chose this article because it brings up all the support that LGBTQ-inclusive sex education has in the United States. I believe that having proof that inclusive sex education is important to these integral organizations in our lives will show the importance of this topic to the students and faculty in my school.

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Posted on

Earlier this year, the late Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) reintroduced the Real Education for Healthy Youth Act in both the Senate and the House of Representatives. This legislation would authorize grants for comprehensive sex-education programs that are inclusive of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender, or LGBT, youth. Specifically, it would require comprehensive sex education to cover sensitive and respectful discussions of gender, gender identity, and sexual orientation, among other topics.

Currently, sex-education standards vary widely across the country, leaving many American youth uninformed about basic anatomy, healthy relationship skills, and safer sex practices. On top of this, LGBT youth face particular challenges. Sex-education materials often assume students are heterosexual and nontransgender. Many sex-education curricula do not mention sexual orientation or gender identity at all, and some that do discuss it only in a negative light. This not only prevents LGBT students from learning the information and skills they need to stay healthy, but it also contributes to a climate of exclusion in schools, where LGBT students are already frequent targets of bullying and discrimination.

All youth deserve education that empowers them to make healthy, informed decisions about their relationships and their bodies, and the Real Education for Healthy Youth Act would help make this possible. When considering this bill, Congress should keep in mind the ways in which this legislation would positively impact LGBT youth.

Comprehensive sex education benefits all students, including LGBT youth

There is abundant evidence that comprehensive sex education is effective at reducing high-risk sexual behaviors, promoting safer sex practices, and preventing pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. Meanwhile, no abstinence-only programs have been proven effective at achieving those results or at significantly delaying sexual activity-their intended purpose.

Sex education is only legally mandated in 22 states plus the District of Columbia. Of these, only 12 mandate teaching about contraception, and only 7 require that the information be medically accurate. With such spotty coverage and irregular standards, comprehensive sex education does not reach nearly enough youth, resulting in dangerous ignorance. Among those ages 18 to 19, 41 percent say they know little to nothing about condoms, and 75 percent say they know little to nothing about the contraceptive pill.

Comprehensive sex education is critical to young people's sexual health, and passing the Real Education for Healthy Youth Act can improve the knowledge and well-being of students across the country, including LGBT youth.

LGBT youth are disproportionally affected by negative sexual-health outcomes

Young men who have sex with men, who may identify as gay or bisexual, account for more than two-thirds of new HIV infections among people ages 13 to 29. Within this group, men of color are particularly affected. Additionally, men who have sex with men account for about two-thirds of new syphilis cases, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that incidence in this community may be rising.

Young women in high school who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual are more likely to contract an STI and more likely to become pregnant than those who identify as heterosexual or questioning. They are also more likely to have experienced coerced sexual contact. Young women who have had both male and female partners are at the highest risk of coercion and dating violence.

Among transgender people, HIV prevalence rates are more than four times the national average, and transgender women of color are particularly affected. Transgender and gender nonconforming youth also experience high rates of sexual violence, particularly transgender and gender nonconforming youth of color.

Because LGBT youth experience more negative sexual-health outcomes than their heterosexual peers, they would especially benefit from effective and inclusive sex education.

Sex education often excludes and even promotes prejudice against LGBT youth

Currently, sex-education programs do not reliably talk about sexual orientation and gender identity, and when they do, the information can be inaccurate and deeply negative. Only 12 states require discussion of sexual orientation in sex education, and, of those, three require the teaching of inaccurate and negative information. In Alabama, for example, sex educators must teach that "homosexuality is not a lifestyle acceptable to the general public" and that "homosexual conduct is a criminal offence under the laws of the state." The Supreme Court invalidated that state law 10 years ago. There are also seven states where positive discussion of being gay is prohibited in schools. No states currently mandate discussion of gender identity in sex education.

A national survey found that only 4 percent of LGBT youth in middle school and high school report having any positive discussion of LGBT people or issues in their health classes. A female senior in high school wrote, "Because my school's health program ignores the gay students, I have been pretty clueless about safe sex. I had to find information on my own on the internet because non-straight students are ignored." Too many schools fail to provide LGBT students with inclusive information, leaving them dangerously underinformed about safer sex and healthy relationships.

Leaving out LGBT youth in sex education also implies that they are abnormal or not worthy of inclusion. Many sex-education curricula assert heterosexuality as the norm and leave no room for deviation, with materials containing statements such as, "What do guys talk about in the locker room? (Girls) What do girls talk about at sleepover parties? (Guys)." This type of exclusion contributes to the feelings of isolation and rejection that LGBT youth experience all too frequently.

Some curricula go even further and make explicitly negative statements about LGBT people and relationships. One teacher's manual states, "Any same sex 'sexual experimentation' can be confusing to young persons and should be strongly discouraged." In other programs, educators are instructed to call being gay "unnatural" and to tell students that people with HIV or AIDS are "suffering" for the "choice" they made to be gay. These types of disparaging comments perpetuate misconceptions and carry moral judgment, contributing to LGBT students' alienation.

Abstinence-only-until-marriage curricula are particularly exclusionary to LGBT students, as they teach that sex is only permissible within a heterosexual marriage. For example, one curriculum states, "The only safe sex is in a marriage relationship where a man and a woman are faithful to each other for life." Many programs teach that nontraditional families are inferior, and that children of divorced or same-sex parents are worse off than children of married, heterosexual parents, encouraging prejudice against LGBT students and the children of LGBT parents.

Exclusion and condemnation of LGBT people is shamefully common in sex education, leading to dangerous ignorance and contributing to hostile school environments. The Real Education for Healthy Youth Act would combat this by funding sex education that includes LGBT youth and discusses issues of sexual orientation and gender identity in an accurate and sensitive way.

Hostile school environments hurt LGBT youth

Sex-education programs that encourage prejudice against LGBT students in schools contribute to a wide range of negative outcomes for these young people.

Unsafe school environments prevent LGBT students from reaching their full academic potential. LGBT students who experience frequent harassment at school report lower grade-point averages than those who are not harassed, and nearly one in three LGBT students has skipped class because they feel unsafe.

Stigma and discrimination in school also lead to disproportionately high rates of mental-health issues and substance abuse among LGBT youth. Students who experience higher rates of victimization in school based on their sexual orientation or gender expression have lower self-esteem and higher rates of depression. Lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth are four times more likely to attempt suicide than their straight peers, and more than half of transgender and gender nonconforming youth who experience harassment, assault, or discrimination in school attempt suicide. In what is called the minority stress effect, LGBT youth may use tobacco, drugs, and alcohol to cope with the stress of stigma and discrimination, resulting in disproportionately high rates of substance abuse.

There is increasing evidence that positive discussion of LGBT people and issues helps build safer school environments, decreasing the educational, mental, and physical harms that LGBT students experience. LGBT students whose curricula include, for example, positive discussion of LGBT people, history, and events hear fewer homophobic remarks and feel safer in school than students without inclusive curricula.

Implementing LGBT-inclusive sex education under the Real Education for Healthy Youth Act would improve school environments for LGBT youth, helping them feel safer and reducing the harmful effects of stigma and discrimination.

There is broad support for LGBT-inclusive, comprehensive sex education

Most parents, medical organizations, and educational organizations support the teaching of LGBT-inclusive, comprehensive sex education in schools. National surveys reveal that 93 percent of parents of junior high school students and 91 percent of parents of high school students believe it is important to teach sex education in schools, and that 80 percent of parents of junior high school students and 73 percent of parents of high school students believe sexual orientation is an appropriate topic for inclusion. Parental support for comprehensive sex education cuts across political and religious lines.

Additionally, many organizations, including the American Medical Association, the National Education Association, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, all support LGBT-inclusive, comprehensive sex education.

Policies supporting comprehensive sex education such as the Real Education for Healthy Youth Act align with both parents' preferences and expert recommendations concerning the health and well-being of students.

Conclusion
Hannah Slater is an intern with LGBT Progress at the Center for American Progress.
All American youth, including those who are LGBT, are in dire need of inclusive sex education to improve their health outcomes and help build safe school environments where they can thrive. While further action will be necessary to end the teaching of inaccurate, exclusionary, and ineffective abstinence-only programs, Congress can make comprehensive, inclusive sex education a reality for more LGBT youth across the country by passing the Real Education for Healthy Youth Act.

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LGBT-Inclusive Sex Education Means Healthier Youth and Safer Schools - Center for American Progress

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Posted on Earlier this year, the late Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) reintroduced the Real Education for Healthy Youth Act in both the Senate and the House of Representatives. This legislation would authorize grants for comprehensive sex-education programs that are inclusive of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender, or LGBT, youth.

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Adults' complicity in limiting students' understanding of sex, gender and sexuality at school

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Adults' complicity in limiting students' understanding of sex, gender and sexuality at school

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EBSCOhost
This article discusses the power that adults in a school setting have on students' understanding of sex education. The presence of adults at GSA meetings made the students feel more safe and included at school, but their lack of guidance made it difficult to educate outside of their meetings. Often times teachers echo societal stereotypes based on gender and sexuality. They also contribute to queer invisibility, often denying that bullying happens at their school or placing blame on the victim for not presenting themselves in the correct way. Adults in schools have a tremendous impact on students, so it is just as important to educate and focus on their actions as it is for the students. I plan to use this information to educate adults in my school about the impact they have on students lives. I may talk to the advisor of the Geography Club to see how she feels about the information I have collected and what to do with it. Ultimately I would like to get a speaker to come into the sex education classes at Apollo to talk about LGBTQ issues.

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ELM is brought to you by your local library or school media center, Minitex, and State Library Services, the MN state library agency, with state appropriations to the Minnesota Office of Higher Education and the Minnesota Department of Education, and federal LSTA funds under the support of the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

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Policies, principals and parents: multilevel challenges and supports in teaching sexuality education

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Policies, principals and parents: multilevel challenges and supports in teaching sexuality education

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EBSCOhost
I chose this study as a resource for my passion project because it discusses sex education specifically in Minnesota. It also goes into detail about the reasons that it is difficult to create a policy and curriculum statewide, districtwide, and even school wide that is effective and appropriate for all students. The study assesses three levels of influence that affect sex education in public schools: intrapersonal, institutional, and community policy. I could use this information to develop an understanding of the barriers that prohibit comprehensive and effective sex education and then research ways to overcome those barriers.

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ELM is brought to you by your local library or school media center, Minitex, and State Library Services, the MN state library agency, with state appropriations to the Minnesota Office of Higher Education and the Minnesota Department of Education, and federal LSTA funds under the support of the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

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A Call to Action: LGBTQ Youth Need Inclusive Sex Education

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A Call to Action: LGBTQ Youth Need Inclusive Sex Education

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Often LGBTQ youth are excluded from learning about their own identities, behaviors and experiences in the school setting. "Inclusive programs are those that help youth understand gender identity and sexual orientation with age-appropriate and medically accurate information; incorporate positive examples of LGBTQ individuals, romantic relationships and families; emphasize the need for protection during sex for people of all identities; and dispel common myths and stereotypes about behavior and identity." A 2013 GLSEN study found that less than 5% of LGBTQ students had health classes that included positive examples of LGBTQ-related topics. This drives youth to research sexual topics online which often leads to medically inaccurate and non-age appropriate information. In  a Human Right Campaign survey, 85% of high school parents thought it was important to discuss sexual orientation in health classes. I used this information as a jumping off point for the focus of my project. I originally thought that I would cover sex education in general, but as I began researching I discovered the importance of LGBTQ-inclusive sex education for all students safety and well-being.

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In December of 2015, seven organizations called for a significant improvements in sex education programs to ensure that LGBTQ students have access to information that could aid their well-being. Less than 5% of LGBTQ students were taught about LGTBQ topics in a positive way in health class. Eight states prohibit LGBTQ sex education all together. Only 19% of US high schools provide curriculum that is LGBTQ inclusive. Studies show that parents, health professionals, and youth show support for LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum. This article really opened my eyes to the need for more inclusive sex education. I will be able to use these statistics in my appeal for more inclusive sex education in my school.

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Media Contact:
Kari Hudnell
Media Relations Manager
press@glsen.org
646-388-6575

Lack of Comprehensive Sex Education Putting LGBTQ Youth at Risk:
National Organizations Issue Call to Action to Improve Programs and Policies

NEW YORK (December 2, 2015) - Today, GLSEN, in partnership with Advocates for Youth, Answer, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation, Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA), and the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the U.S. (SIECUS), called for significant improvements in sex education programs to ensure that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning (LGBTQ) youth have access to information crucial to their health and well being. Sixty-one additional organizations signed a letter in support of the Call to Action.

A Call to Action: LGBTQ Youth Need Inclusive Sex Education urges educators, advocates, and policymakers to take immediate, concrete steps to provide LGBTQ inclusive education for all students --from crucial guidance for LGBTQ students on protecting themselves from HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, to ensuring safe, supportive environments in which to learn about their sexual health. Programs that overlook LGBTQ students, or worse, stigmatize and stereotype them, contribute to unsafe school environments.

"As the leading national education organization working to create safe and affirming schools for LGBTQ students, GLSEN has long been committed to ensuring all schools include LGBTQ people, events and history in their curriculum, which our research shows helps to create positive school climates and better educational outcomes for LGBTQ students," said Dr. Joe Kosciw, GLSEN's Chief Research and Strategy Officer. "Health and sexual education courses are one of the most natural and common classes in which students can learn about LGBTQ topics in a positive way; however, less than five percent of LGBTQ students were taught about LGBTQ topics in a positive way in health class. In fact, eight states prohibit schools from providing this vital, life-saving information. This sends a dangerous message to LGBTQ students, along with their non-LGBTQ peers, that they are not an equal and valued part of the school community."

Data from a range of sources including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, researchers and professional organizations show how few sex education programs are inclusive of LGBTQ youth. Only 19 percent of US secondary schools provide curricula or supplementary sex education materials that are LGBTQ-inclusive. Fewer than five percent of LGBT students have health classes that included positive representations of LGBT-related topics. This leaves many LGBTQ youth without the skills to maintain healthy relationships and protect themselves if they are engaging in sexual activity. This call to action for inclusive sex education comes at a critical time, when different groups within the LGBTQ youth community are:

More likely to have begun having sex at an early age and to have multiple partners compared to their heterosexual peers

More likely to have sex while under the influence of alcohol or other drugs

More likely to experience dating violence

Less likely to use condoms or birth control when they have sex

More likely to contract HIV or other STIs

More likely to experience teen pregnancy

Studies show that parents, health professionals and experts, as well as youth, express high levels of support for LGBTQ-inclusive sex education. Advocates for Youth, Answer, GLSEN, the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, and the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the U.S. (SIECUS) call on advocates and policymakers to require and fund LGBTQ-inclusive sex education; and on educators to make schools safe and affirming spaces for LGBTQ youth and provide inclusive sex education programs that empower all youth to take care of their sexual health.
Advocates for Youth, a national program based at Rutgers University, provides and promotes comprehensive sex education for young people and the adults who teach them. For nearly 35 years, Answer has offered exceptional resources and training in support of medically accurate and age-appropriate sex education. Answer fulfills its mission of providing and promoting comprehensive sex education through two primary programs: Sex, Etc.-our teen-written sexual health magazine and website and our sex education training initiative. Through the Sex, Etc. website and magazine, Answer reaches over two million teens every year with honest, accurate sexual health information and resources. Each year, Answer's trainings provide more than 5,000 professionals with the tools they need to teach comprehensive sex education, effectively respond to students' questions and create meaningful classroom experiences for young people learning about sexuality.
is the leading national education organization focused on ensuring safe and affirming schools for all students. Celebrating its 25th year, GLSEN envisions a world in which every child learns to respect and accept all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression. GLSEN seeks to develop school climates where difference is valued for the positive contribution it makes to creating a more vibrant and diverse community. For information on GLSEN's research, educational resources, public policy advocacy, student organizing programs and educator training initiatives, visit The Human Rights Campaign The Sexuality Information and Education Council of the U.S. (SIECUS)has served as the national voice for sexuality education, sexual health, and sexual rights for over 50 years. SIECUS affirms that sexuality is a fundamental part of being human, one that is worthy of dignity and respect. We advocate for the right of all people to accurate information, comprehensive education about sexuality, and sexual health services. SIECUS works to create a world that ensures social justice and sexual rights. is America's largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.

Planned Parenthood is the nation's leading provider and advocate of high-quality, affordable health care for women, men, and young people, as well as the nation's largest provider of sex education. With approximately 700 health centers across the country, Planned Parenthood organizations serve all patients with care and compassion, with respect and without judgment. Through health centers, programs in schools and communities, and online resources, Planned Parenthood is a trusted source of reliable health information that allows people to make informed health decisions. We do all this because we care passionately about helping people lead healthier lives.
www.glsen.org partners with youth leaders, adult allies, and youth-serving organizations to advocate for policies and champion programs that recognize young people's rights to honest sexual health information; accessible, confidential, and affordable sexual health services; and the resources and opportunities necessary to create sexual health equity for all youth.

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Lack of Comprehensive Sex Education Putting LGBTQ Youth at Risk: National Organizations Issue Call to Action to Improve Programs and Policies

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Media Contact: Kari Hudnell Media Relations Manager press@glsen.org 646-388-6575 Lack of Comprehensive Sex Education Putting LGBTQ Youth at Risk: National Organizations Issue Call to Action to Improve Programs and Policies NEW YORK (December 2, 2015) - Today, GLSEN, in partnership with Advocates for Youth, Answer, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation, Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA), and the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the U.S.