by Diana Rhodes, Director, Public Policy

Late Tuesday night, the long-awaited Omnibus funding bill for FY 2016 was released. Advocates for Youth, along with colleague organizations and activists from across the country, have been urging Congress to stand up for young people and their sexual health.

As a community, we have been pushing back against Congressional efforts to essentially eliminate the Office of Adolescent Health’s (OAH) Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program (TPPP), as well as urging Congress to NOT increase funding for Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage programs.

And they listened. Kind of.

Formal sex education is one of the few sources of reliable information on sexuality and sexual health for youth. Hundreds of studies have shown that well-designed and well-implemented sex education can reduce risk behavior and support positive sexual health outcomes among teens, such as reducing unintended teen pregnancy and STI rates.

In order for LGBTQ youth to experience comparable health benefits to their non-LGBTQ peers, sex education programs must be LGBTQ-inclusive. 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 new issue brief by Advocates for Youth, Answer, GLSEN, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation, Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA), and the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS) highlights the dearth of inclusive sex education programs and the missed opportunities to make a difference for LGBTQ youth.

"All young people benefit from comprehensive sex education which addresses sexual orientation and gender identity in an affirming and respectful way,” said Debra Hauser,  President of Advocates for Youth. "Further, LGBTQ youth have the right to information which can help them lead healthy lives.  In keeping with the National Sexuality Education Standards, we call on policy makers to work to ensure LGBTQ-inclusive sexuality education for all students."

A Call to Action: LGBTQ Youth Need Inclusive Sex Education urges educators, advocates, and policymakers to take immediate, concrete steps to provide LGBTQ-inclusive sex education for all youth, by: