They were the most awkward 60 minutes of my life. Watching a teacher put condoms on bananas wasn’t pleasant for anyone in my tenth grade health class. We learned all modern methods of contraception. That section was cringe-worthy, but the other classes on how to make healthy decisions made it worthwhile. They gave my classmates and I the information we need for a healthy sex life.
However, students across the country, including my roommate from Texas, are not as lucky. According to Lauren Camera at US News, 83 percent of Texas public schools reinforced the no-sex education policy for the 2017-2018 academic year. Parents and religious groups say comprehensive classes foster an irresponsible culture and behavior leading to physical and emotional damage. Contrary to their belief, comprehensive sex-ed classes taught me and other students responsible safety measures and encourage healthy communication between partners.
First, a thorough education taught me how to be responsible in sexual encounters. The Guttmacher Institute states Massachusetts and 23 others mandate sex education. The classes teach the reproductive system in terms of pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases so students see the risks involved with sexual activity. They covered all types of birth control.Texas prohibits condom demonstrations in class.Texas also has the fifth highest teen pregnancy rate in the country, according to US News. Rather than remaining silent on the subject, classes teach the students why and how to be responsible. Though the demonstration was scarring, learning the information may have saved myself and classmates from unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.
Second, people against comprehensive sex education do not realize there is more to sexual education than condoms and body diagrams. The classes highlight the need for strong interpersonal communication in sexual encounters. It is federal law for comprehensive sex-ed classes to teach the need for consent. However, I have noticed a strong divide in college students’ meaning of consent. When asked if getting undressed or nodding in agreement was consent, 40 percent said yes and 40 percent said no. The comprehensive sex-ed classes teach open communication between partners, and how to express if they feel uncomfortable or not ready. I learned my rights to speak up if I feel emotionally or physically unsafe. Without these lessons, I wouldn’t know how to speak to my partner. Students of no-sex health education may never learn how.
Yes, my freshman roommate didn’t suffer through the terrifying banana–condom lesson, but she did missed out on proper sexual education. Texas students are denied the right to learn how to make smart sexual health decisions. There need to be legal stands taken against policies in Texas and across the country. Those 60 minutes saved me from a lifetime of possibly unsafe sex. I got the sexual education I needed and every student, no matter what state they’re in, deserves the same.
