Sexual education is a vastly different experience for every individual. It is unique regarding age learned, content taught and a multitude of other aspects. This difference in education and the impacts of such have been disregarded. Similarly, the benefits of having a standardized and comprehensive sexual education curriculum have been highly overlooked and underestimated.
Diversity, expansion and reform of sexual education including several concepts such as LGBTQ+ education, consent, relationships, pleasure, etc. will not only benefit individuals but society as well. The inclusion of diversity, standardization and reform of sexual education will allow students to be more comfortable with the topic. Specifically, it will allow individuals to feel less shameful about sexual activities and provide them with tools/resources to make sure they are comfortable with their personal experiences.
One study concluded review of the literature of the past three decades provides strong support for comprehensive sex education across a range of topics and grade levels. Results provide evidence for the effectiveness of approaches that address a broad definition of sexual health and take positive, affirming, inclusive approaches to human sexuality.
Furthermore, the inclusion of the LGBTQ+ curriculum within sexual education will allow those individuals to feel more welcomed and accepted. Moreover, the inclusion of an LGBTQ+ curriculum will limit discrimination or othering within the schooling system as all students will view the material and it will become common and/or expected.
Finally, the inclusion of the LGBTQ+ curriculum will equip LGBTQ+ youth with the tools to experience sexual activities safely and learn from a trusted source instead of other methods such as older individuals or porn (this can also be applied to other students as well, depending on their sexual orientation). A recent study concluded the inclusion of LGBTQ+ and gender topics in educational curricula benefits the LGBTQ+ community and the education around sexual and gender diversities. In addition, a curriculum including topics of consent, relationships, domestic abuse and pleasure would have several real-world applications.
It can inform students (especially young women) that sex is not something to be ashamed of. Moreover, education on healthy relationships and domestic abuse can properly inform individuals about relationships and could lead to helping break the domestic abuse cycle that many find themselves stuck in. One study concluded a sexual education curriculum that includes concepts of domestic abuse and dating violence may help lower rates of teen dating violence in adolescent relationships.
Overall, there are several real-world impacts for this topic and the ones listed above were just a few. However, mainly highlighting the benefits a comprehensive and diverse sexual education will provide to students’ mental and physical health as well as their sense of belonging and confidence.
Paityn Ness (she/hers) is a junior at the University of Minnesota studying psychology. She is a research assistant in the research in adolescent depression (RAD) lab at the University of Minnesota. She hopes to continue advocating for equity among marginalized populations and further research topics that align with such.
