I am sure we all have our own funny stories about sex ed class. But they really aren't so funny when we think about the fact that many of us got our (mis)information about the birds and bees from halted conversations with our parents, from gossiping with our friends, or from reading the bathroom wall.
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Adolescent Sexual Health and the Dynamics of Oppression: A Call for Cultural Competency
Contributing Organization(s): Advocates for Youth
Publication date: 2003-11-01
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This paper encourages those who work with youth to understand the impact of prejudice and discrimination on vulnerable adolescents, to assess and address their needs, and to build on their assets. In prevention programming, it is essential to empower young participants by involving them in all aspects of designing and running programs for youth. It is equally essential to provide culturally appropriate interventions, with culturally competent adult and youth staff. Complete listing and access info » |
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The Impact of Homophobia and Racism on GLBTQ Youth of Color
Contributing Organization(s): Advocates for Youth
Publication date: 2007-06-01
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As members of more than one minority group, GLBTQ youth of color face special challenges in a society which often presents heterosexuality as the only acceptable orientation and in which nonwhites have disproportionately higher rates of negative sexual outcomes. Economic and cultural disparities, as well as sexual risk taking and other risk-taking behavior, make these youth vulnerable to HIV, pregnancy, and sexual violence. Holistic, culturally competent health care is essential to their well being. Sexual identity formation is not significantly influenced by cultural factors; that is, studies have shown no significant differences between white youth and youth of color in mean age of being "out to self" (16 for young women, 15 for young men); age coming out to others (17 for young women and young men), or age of first homosexual sexual experience (17 for young women, 16 for young men). Black and Latino youth also did not differ from white youth in acceptance of their own sexuality. But while GLBTQ youth of color develop similarly to white youth, they must bear the twin burdens of racism and homophobia. Complete listing and access info » |
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Abstinence Only vs. Comprehensive Sex Education: What are the Arguments? What is the Evidence?
Contributing Organization(s): Center for AIDS Prevention Studies (CAPS), University of California, San Francisco
Publication date: 2002-03-14
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Responding to the continuing health threats of HIV, STIs and unplanned pregnancy among young people, the widely respected Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences recently recommended eliminating congressional, federal, state and local "requirements that public funds be used for abstinence-only education." And surveys consistently show that the public wants schools to deliver strong abstinence messages alongside information about self-protection for young people who find themselves in sexual situations. The vast majority of parents support sex education in the schools, including the provision of information about contraceptive and condom use.
Unfortunately, federal policy is grossly out of step with the wishes of most parents and students, as well as the scientific research. Since the early 1980s, Congress has devoted significant resources to abstinence-only programming. Partly as a result of federal policy and funding changes, public schools are increasingly supporting abstinence-only curricula that are less likely to include information about birth control, STD prevention and sexual orientation. The evidence tells us that these trends represent a dangerous disservice to America's younger generation.
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Do As I Say...Should We Teach Only Abstinence in Sex Education?
Contributing Organization(s): Center for AIDS Prevention Studies (CAPS), University of California, San Francisco
Publication date: 1997-09-11
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In order to address these problems more effectively, it is not necessary to settle any of the political debates that whirl around the issue of sexuality education. What is needed is a commitment to results. Elected officials, teachers, school boards and parents need to choose: is the function of sexuality education in public schools primarily to prevent disease and unplanned pregnancy or to promote traditional ideology?
We need to use the information currently available to set responsible sexuality education policy focused on improved outcomes for youth. Quality research on program effectiveness, along with a close analysis of the needs of young people at especially high risk, provides important guidance.
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Que sirve mejor en la ensenanza sobre la sexualidad y el VIH?
Contributing Organization(s): Center for AIDS Prevention Studies (CAPS), University of California, San Francisco
Publication date: 2006-09-01
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Algunos de los numerosos factores que influyen en la conducta sexual y el uso de proteccion entre los adolescentes tienen poco que ver con las relaciones sexuales, por ejemplo: la crianza en una comunidad desfavorecida, la falta de apego a los padres o el fracaso escolar. Otros factores de naturaleza sexual como las creencias, los valores, las percepciones de normas de los pares, las actitudes y habilidades relacionadas con la conducta sexual y con el uso del condon o de anticonceptivos, son factores en los que los programas de ensenanza potencialmente pueden incidir para generar cambios de conducta. Estos programas no pueden por si solos eliminar las conductas sexuales riesgosas, pero si pueden ser una pieza eficaz dentro de una iniciativa integral. Complete listing and access info » |
Available for your listening pleasure: a podcast on the issue of adolescents and reproductive health. Stacy Kessler, IssueLab's Collections Assistant, chatted with Laura Lindberg, Senior Research Associate at the Guttmacher Institute about the role of nonprofit research in the debate about comprehensive sex ed and abstinence training.
