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Advocates for Youth supports Comprehensive Sex Education. Complete, accurate, and age-appropriate sex education helps young people reduce their risk of unintended pregnancies and STIs, including HIV/AIDS. Sex education programs that include information about both abstinence and contraception help keep young people safe by delaying sexual activity and increasing contraceptive use when they do have sex. Most parents believe that young people should receive comprehensive sex education, as do a broad range of professional health organizations including the American Public Health Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the American Medical Association. Currently, the United States has no federal sex education program. We urge the President and Congress to invest in the lives and health of our nation’s young people by providing at least $50 million to promote comprehensive sex education in our schools and communities nationwide.
Responsible Education about Life Act(H.R. 1551/S. 611)
The Responsible Education about Life (REAL) Act would provide federal money to implement, comprehensive sex education programs in schools that include abstinence and age-appropriate, medically accurate information about contraception and condoms. Under REAL, comprehensive sex education programs would also discuss healthy relationships, decision making, assertiveness, and skills building to resist social/peer/partner pressure, depending on grade level. Currently, no dedicated federal funding exists to promote comprehensive sex education. Research indicates that teenagers who receive sex education that includes accurate information about contraception and condoms are more likely to delay sexual activity and to use contraceptives, when they do become sexually active, than those who receive abstinence-only messages. The bills are sponsored by Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Representative Barbara Lee (D-CA).
Read our Policy Brief on the REAL Act Take Action Today – Help fight for medically accurate comprehensive sex education and pass the REAL Act. Prevention First Act (S.21/H.R. 463)
The Prevention First Act is an omnibus prevention bill that includes: increases to the Title X family planning program; funding for a national education program about emergency contraception; a mandate that all hospital emergency rooms provide information and access to emergency contraception for sexual assault victims; funding for comprehensive sex education (the REAL Act); and a accuracy in contraception information section that would ensure young people receive medically accurate information about the health benefits of condoms and contraceptives. The bills are sponsored by Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) and Representatives Louise Slaughter (D-NY) and Diane Degette (D-CO).
Take Action Today – Help pass The Prevention First Act
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