Sex Education

Sex education broadly refers to the teaching of information, awareness, and skills to enable learners to promote their own sexual health and well-being and to enhance the quality of their intimate relationships. Although people learn about sexuality at all ages and through a range of informal channels (including from family members, from written materials, and from popular culture), the term sex education often refers to more formal curriculum-based programs offered to young people by teachers or counselors in schools, clinics, or community institutions. Such programs generally aim to achieve public health goals-most often to reduce teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted [Page 644]infections, including HIV/AIDS. The more immediate objectives toward reaching those goals typically include delaying first sex, promoting monogamy, and/or encouraging condom use; many programs also seek to increase awareness of and help prevent sexual coercion and sexual violence.

In the United States, school-based sex education began in the early 20th century as part of a movement by progressive reformers for “social hygiene.” Since that time, many schools (and community organizations) have offered basic health and sexuality information under a variety of names (e.g., sexuality education, sex education, sex and relationships education, life-skills, or family life issues). Such programs may be taught by instructors who normally teach health education, biology, physical education, or another topic; in some schools, nonprofit organizations such as Planned Parenthood send special sex educators to make presentations. Although the specific objectives and content of sex education programs vary widely, they typically emphasize technical information (about reproductive anatomy and physiology, sexually transmitted infections, contraception, and disease prevention). They also may include lessons on life goals, values clarification, sexual decision making, sexual orientation, relationships, and communication-negotiation skills.

Polls show that the majority of American parents endorse the idea of their children receiving information on these topics. In addition, a number of international agreements recognize the right of all people, including young people, to accurate information on sexuality and sexual health. However, most sex and/or HIV education programs are not scientifically evaluated to determine their effectiveness. Among those that have been closely studied, approximately two thirds had positive effects on sexual behavior or outcomes, whereas one third did not achieve any such success. Research has also shown that sex and/or HIV education programs do not themselves lead to increased sexual activity.

Nevertheless, sex education has become the subject of policy debates. On one hand, a number of conservative and religious groups have mounted significant opposition to sex education. On the other hand, a number of researchers and feminists have argued for the need to strengthen current approaches to sex education. Underlying both critiques are fundamental assumptions and values about gender roles.

Since the 1980s, conservatives have organized to replace sex education programs with curricula that teach students that heterosexual marital relationships are the only context in which sexual activity is morally acceptable; in other words, masturbation, premarital sex, and homosexuality are all proscribed. Because such curricula exclude mention of contraception or condoms as methods of protection or present negative messages about these methods, they are often called abstinence-only programs. Although abstinence-only programs often include information about trying to avoid sexual coercion, they tend to reinforce the traditional gender roles and marital arrangements that often facilitate sexual coercion and violence.

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