Jayapal Introduces Resolution Supporting May as Sex Ed for All Month
WASHINGTON — U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) led lawmakers today in introducing a measure that would designate May as Sex Ed for All Month. The Resolution calls for bolstering an effective initiative that provides young people with comprehensive, accurate, and inclusive sexual health information, as well as access to sexual and reproductive health care services, empowering them to make healthy decisions for themselves and promoting healthy lifelong attitudes toward sex, health, and reproductive rights.
“In a time when the Trump administration is threatening our reproductive rights and bodily autonomy, this Resolution expresses support for protecting young people’s access to comprehensive, culturally responsive, and equitable sex education,” said Congresswoman Jayapal. “I’m proud that Washington state is a leader in providing accurate and inclusive sexual health education to all students, and this Resolution supports ensuring that young people across the country have access to the same resources. Sexual and reproductive health is an issue of social justice, and the May as Sex Ed for All Month Resolution sets forth a vision for a future in which young people have the information and care they need to make healthy decisions for themselves while we decrease the rate of sexually transmitted infections.”
Sex education that includes information beyond abstinence has been found to delay sexual activity, increase contraceptive use, and decrease physical aggression between intimate partners. Young people who receive sex education are 50 percent less likely to experience an unintended pregnancy and 31 percent less likely to contract a sexually transmitted infection.
The Resolution calls on public officials at all levels of government to advocate for sex education legislation and recommends the implementation of sex education in schools. Specifically, the resolution prioritizes sex education programs that are comprehensive and evidence-based, medically accurate, age-appropriate, equitable, culturally responsive, and trauma-informed. The resolution discourages programs that withhold health-promoting information about sexuality-related topics, promote gender or racial stereotypes, or are unresponsive to gender or racial inequities, fail to address the needs of sexually active young people, and fail to be inclusive of individuals with varying gender identities, gender expressions, and sexual orientations.
Today’s resolution is co-sponsored by Alma Adams (NC-12), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Lateefah Simon (CA-13) and Jill Tokuda (HI-02).
The resolution is also endorsed by Advocates for Youth, AIDS Foundation Chicago, AIDS United, Alabama Campaign for Adolescent Sexual Health, All* Above All, American College of Nurse-Midwives, California Latinas for Reproductive Justice, Center for Biological Diversity, Center for Reproductive Rights, EducateUS, Equality California, Equality Illinois, Equality New Mexico, Guttmacher Institute, Health Connected, Healthy Teen Network, Ibis Reproductive Health, If/When/How, More Than Sex-Ed, a project of Community Partners, National Center for Youth Law, National Council of Jewish Women, National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association, National Network of Abortion Funds, National Organization for Women, National Women’s Law Center, National Working Positive Coalition, NE FL Diversity Caucus, Nevada County Citizens for Choice, New Voices for Reproductive Justice, Nicole Clark Consulting, LLC, PFLAG Tulare Kings Counties, Phenix Health, Physicians for Reproductive Health, PITA MERAH, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Population Institute, Pride Action Tank, PWN-USA Ohio, Religious Community for Reproductive Choice, Reproaction, Reproductive Freedom for All, Rural AIDS Action Network, Secular Student Alliance, SIECUS: Sex Ed for Social Change, Silver State Equality, SiX Action, Stop Sexual Assault in Schools, The AIDS Institute, The Center for HIV Law and Policy, U.S. People Living with HIV Caucus, UCSF Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health, Underprivileged Welfare Support Development Association, Union for Reform Judaism, Women of Reform Judaism, Women’s Foundation of Florida, and Woodhull Action Fund.
Issues: Arts & Education