Sexual Health Education: A Short Little History In Honor of September
September 23, 2020
September. The month everyone knows to be full of wind, falling leaves, and bright fall colors. What most people don’t know, however, is that it is also the month of Sexual Health Awareness! Now, you may be wondering, “Why should I care?” Well, sexual health is something that everyone should be aware of, as it affects many aspects of your life. It helps keep you and your partner safe, as well as making sure you’re prepared for what could happen if you do have sex, while also preparing you for any future decisions you might make. For today, in honor of Sexual Health Awareness Month, I’m just going to share a bit about Sexual Education history!
The first “Sexual Health” classes began in 1988, in South Carolina, when the Comprehensive Health Act was put into place. Before 1988, it was up to individual teachers or school districts to teach about sexual health. Although these first classes were a bit different than they are now, the goals of sex education are still the same: to provide students with the accurate information about human sexuality, growth and developement, anatomy, human reproduction, childbirth, parenthood, gender identity, sexual response, masturbation, contraception, sexual abuse, and STI’s. At the same time, they also help students learn about safe communication skills, values, and healthy relationships.
Currently, sexual education classes are mandatory in 24 states and the District of Columbia, while 39 states require students to receive instruction about HIV/AIDS, including the District of Columbia. Something interesting I found was that 22 states require that the HIV education must be medically, factually, or technically accurate. In Alaska, there are no laws or regulations that require sexual health education, but here at the R.E.C. Room, we teach our classes by National Comprehensive Sexual Education standards, and are lucky enough to teach what we are passionate about to all of our amazing students!
I am delighted to be able to help spread all of this information with all of you lovely people, and if you want to learn more, please consider contacting us either through one of the options below, or come join our weekly hangouts on Thursdays if you are between the ages of 12-18!
With lots of love,
Victoria Taylor
Victoria is a senior at Homer High School, and has been the Peer Ed Writer since June 2020. She enjoys reading and listening to music, especially when she writes her blog posts! Whenever she writes a new blog, she tries to put a little bit of something unique in each post. Writing is one of her favorite activities, as it lets her express what she’s feeling and spreads positive messages to large numbers of people without ever having to open her mouth.