PULLING IT ALL TOGETHER: TALKING POINTS
PULLING IT ALL TOGETHER: TALKING POINTS | |
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This Community Action Kit contains a great deal of information about comprehensive sexuality education, abstinence-only-until-marriage programs, condoms, contraception, and other related issues. One of the key challenges for advocates is to pull together all of this information into messages that others can easily understand. Many people find that having talking points can help them stay focused and present the best possible case when working with policymakers, school boards, educators, and parents. Below are some of the strongest points you can use when advocating in favor of a comprehensive sexuality education. You may also want to create your own talking points about issues specific to your community. When writing your talking points keep them short and precise, and use local stories or statistics whenever possible. Comprehensive Sexuality Education Works A comprehensive approach to sexuality education helps teens. Numerous sexuality education programs that include messages about both abstinence and contraception have been proven effective in helping teens delay sexual intercourse, reduce their number of sexual partners, and increase contraceptive and condom use when they do become sexually active.1 There is no credible evidence that abstinence-only-until-marriage programs work. Despite the steep rise in federal funding for abstinence-only-until-marriage programs, there is no credible research demonstrating that these programs will help teens delay sex.2 And the most recent evidence suggests that some of these programs may actually cause harm by reducing the likelihood that teens will use condoms and contraceptives when they do become sexually active.3 Contraception, rather than abstinence, is most responsible for the recent decline in teen pregnancy. In recent years, the teen pregnancy rate has declined by 17 percent in the United States. The Alan Guttmacher Institute found that between 1988 and 1995 three-quarters of the decline in teen pregnancy was the result of improved contraceptive use among sexually active teenagers and only one quarter was the result of decreased rates of sexual intercourse.4 Comprehensive sexuality education is about more than just sex. It’s important to remember that while sexuality education discusses sexual behavior, contraception, and disease prevention, comprehensive programs are about much more. They include information about relationships, families, friendship, and health. They are designed to promote critical thinking and negotiation skills so that teens can make responsible decisions throughout their lives. No Teen Left Behind Many teens are already sexually active. Despite the importance of encouraging teens to delay sexual activity, we cannot ignore the fact that many young people will engage in sexual behavior during their teen years. According to the CDC’s 2003 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBS), 47% of high school students reported that they had engaged in sexual intercourse. By the twelfth grade, 62% reported having been sexually active.5 A similar survey of college students found that 80% of students 18 to 24 years of age had engaged in sexual intercourse.6 Whether we agree with their decision or not, these young people deserve the information and skills necessary to make responsible decisions about sexual behavior and to protect themselves from unintended pregnancies and STDs now and in the future. Sexuality education needs to include information for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth. Comprehensive sexuality education provides information useful to all teens, regardless of sexual orientation. LGBT youth are among those most at risk for contracting STDs, including HIV. Still, many programs ignore these young people. It is the responsibility of sexuality education programs to provide unbiased information and skills that can help all young people protect themselves. Support For Comprehensive Sexuality Education Every major medical and public health organization supports a comprehensive approach to sexuality education. These include the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Medical Association, the American Nurses Association, the American Public Health Association, the Institute of Medicine, and the National Institutes of Health among others. Parents support comprehensive sexuality education. Numerous surveys show that parents overwhelmingly support a comprehensive approach to sexuality education. A survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that 98 percent of parents want their children to learn about HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs); 94 percent about the emotional consequences of sexual activity; 88 percent about how to discuss birth control with a partner; 85 percent about how to use condoms; and 85 percent about other forms of birth control.7 Young people support comprehensive sexuality education. Numerous surveys show that young people want more information from their sexuality education programs. A nationally representative survey of young people conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that 82 percent of adolescents ages 15 to 17 and 75 percent of young adults ages 18 to 24 want more information on a variety of sexual health topics.8 Americans overwhelmingly support more comprehensive forms of sexuality education. More than eight in 10 Americans favor comprehensive sexuality education programs that include information about contraception over those that only promote abstinence. A recent poll by the Othmer Institute found that more than six in 10 voters would more likely vote for a candidate who supported comprehensive sexuality education.9 References
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