The importance of female sex education in public school systems
Girls are scared and no one is talking about it.
Four friends sit on a bed, talking to one another. Young people are often forced to seek information regarding sex within their friend groups // Illustration by Elsa Haddock
Written by Michaela Camlin
Every day, young girls across the United States are left with many unanswered questions about sex and the changes happening within their bodies. Thoughts are constantly racing.
“What is this weird white stuff coming out of me?”
“What birth control do I get on?”
“Masturbating? Females can do that?”
I never received any reliable sex education in the 12 years I spent in the public school system. I was never taught about the anatomy of my body and how each part works. No lectures about sexually transmitted diseases, consent or birth control, either.
Poor sex education in schools is a serious issue nationwide.
As of July 1, 2022, only 17 states require sex education to be medically correct, according to Guttmacher Institute, a non-profit that supports women’s reproductive rights.
Although 33 states do mandate scientifically-backed sex education, definitions of “medically accurate” vary widely state-by-state, according to an article from Vice. This causes serious holes that need to be filled with factual information.
As young women and men develop, their bodies experience a lot of hormonal and physical changes. With all these thoughts about body image and sexual desires, they become more curious about their anatomy.
Despite the rise of sex positivity, sex remains a taboo topic, and it is particularly hard for girls to have open conversations about sex at home. In fact, Planned Parenthood reported that half of all teens feel uncomfortable talking to their parents about sex.
To find the answers to their countless questions, young people might seek the truth from Google. However, the internet can be a scary place for young and impressionable girls, where they are constantly bombarded with information that is often inaccurate and leads them to believe there is something profoundly wrong with the way their bodies look and work.
If scientifically accurate sex education was taught in the controlled and educational environment of schools, girls would better understand their own bodies, and develop skills to handle change and their sexual experiences in a safe and healthy manner. Plus, society would be more open-minded about sex, and provide more safe spaces to have sexual experiences.
Giving young adults knowledge about sexually transmitted diseases, consensual sex and pleasure is crucial to the development of their sexual awareness. According to UNESCO, comprehensive sex education provides young people with age-appropriate and phased information covering human rights, gender equality, relationships, reproduction, dangerous behaviors and disease prevention. Furthermore, it provides an opportunity to present sexuality under a positive light, emphasizing values such as respect, inclusion, equality, empathy and responsibility.
Jenn Mason is the owner of WinkWink, a woman-owned sex shop located in Bellingham. She advocates for comprehensive sex education for young students of all cultural, religious and ethnic backgrounds.
“I would love to see more sex education offerings that are specific to people’s diverse backgrounds,” Mason said. “You shouldn’t have to choose between being queer or Christian. We know that we need more specific resources that meet people at intersections in their life. We have a lot of educators working towards that and I hope it continues to expand.”
Mason also hopes to see more inclusion of people with disabilities in sex education.
“No matter what body you have, it is important to learn how all bodies work,” she said. “Male and female. It doesn’t make sense to me to withhold information from someone just because it may not pertain to you.”
When Mason was in high school, all she was taught about reproductive health was periods. She remembers one assembly that was geared towards instilling the fear of pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. Today, she hopes for a future where comprehensive and sex-positive sex education is required in all schools.
Teaching children that sex is scary and encouraging abstinence may result in much riskier decisions, because they lack knowledge on healthy sex practices.
Teenagers are horny. Tell them sex is bad, and they’ll only become more curious and reckless.
Ali Bierman is a Western Washington University graduate who has taught sex education classes in Bozeman, Montana. “The school that I went to luckily taught us advanced sex education, starting in fourth grade,” she said. When she was in high school, Bierman attended lessons taught by Peer Education, a nonprofit that provides sexual healthcare and education in Montana.
Bierman attended these classes every Tuesday for about four hours. After countless hours of learning, she got the chance to teach sex education to younger students.
“Being in the program was super eye-opening. I felt really empowered,” Bierman said. “I felt lucky to be able to go to my doctor and tell them which birth control I wanted to be on. Most doctors tell you what you should be on, and you trust them, because that’s what we are taught to do.”
A woman has her hands in the air with the words reading “GRL PWR!” Girls can feel empowered when they are given proper sex education and are able to understand their own bodies // Illustration by Elsa Haddock
Having a specific place to talk about sex can erase certain stigmas our society holds around these topics. Bierman said the program gave her a safe and welcoming space to ask questions and learn about sex.
We all need to come together and do our part. Female sexuality is a huge part of a woman’s sexual development and schools should be providing a factual learning environment for not only females but any gender identifying individual.