What do we Even Know Anyway?

An Introspection on America’s Sex Education System

Jordyn Pressley

Often when thinking of the current sexual education system present in the United
States, many Americans will thank their lucky stars that we are fortunate enough to be
gifted with the proper knowledge of our own bodies, ways to practice safe sex, and what
is really going on down there. However, if you went out onto the streets and questioned
the random population, there's a good chance that some of them may hesitate or faulter
when it comes to certain information about the human body. The fact of the matter is,
most Americans don’t always receive the proper education that is routinely expected
when it comes to sex and everything that comes with it. When examining areas based off
of the sexual education it can be reported that less than half of all residents that live in a
rural area report being taught anything other than abstinence at all1. Many states in the
U.S. which have a high religious concentration can be outwardly lacking in any sort of
education when it comes to basic sexual anatomy and ways to practice safer sexual
contact.
Poor sexual education has been taught in highly religious schools as early as the
1960’s when many took form under a ‘totally not groovy’ revolution titled the “Christian
Crusade” which sought to remove all of what they considered to be “smut” and “raw sex”
from their schools and academic curricular. Sexual education was seen as not only a
communist threat by many of these opposing groups, but they also claimed that it
increased the sexual activity of young adults who were exposed to sex early on.2 As this
idea faded out of the focus, and schools began carrying on their education including
sexual health as normal, the remnants of decades long movement was still present in the
content that was being taught. Many classrooms taught about sexual health, but favored a
heteronormative and sex shaming approach instead of focusing on body health and ways
of protection.
 As a result of the AIDS epidemic, many children were scared away from sexual
contact as well as taught to fear individuals who identified as homosexual. Furthermore,
many girls were told to uphold this pristine standard of being untouched or unsoiled,
alienating many woman who were sexual active as well as isolating those who were
victims of sexual assault. As the world shifted into the 21st century, many of these ideals
and teachings were still on the forefront of American sexual education. Through the
concept of abstinance, many of the heteronormative and body shaming practices took the
lead over education on proper contraceptives and positive body health and acceptance.
This lead to an increase in teenage pregnancy and contracting of STIs3, as only half of all
adolescents reported being taught how to properly use a condom or what any
contraception that promoted safe sex even was1. As famous author Jessica Valenti speaks
about regarding her position on the way a female’s body is subjected to rigorous shaming
and conditioning in order to be labeled as perfect in modern society4, these topics are
prominant within the education system and through the process of sex shaming and
enforcing gender roles, this information is beat into the minds of all children at a young
age.
It is up to oneself to determine if no sexual education is better than receiving flatly
improper education, but the fact of the matter still stands: children in America are not
receiving potent and helpful sexual education, and it stands to be asked: what do they
even know anyway?
It is important for all American citizens, especially those who find their home in
the highly religious southeast, to understand the importance of sexual education and what
aspects of their sexual life they have been left in the dark about. Understanding the key
concepts that are important to teach to younger children regardless of moral opinion are
crucial in stopping the unnecessary spread of STIs as well as to slow the rates of teen
pregnancy. This issue can be attributed to many underlying conflicts in the society of the
United States, mainly heteronormativity, gender expectations, sexual awkwardness, and
pseudo moral obligation; all of which are further discussed in this book via their own
chapters. This textbook will delve into the consequences of teaching abstinence only
content, enforcing gender roles and sexual expectations on to individuals with penises
and vaginas as well as what happens when LGBTQ+ and acute sexual awkwardness
around the unknown isn’t addressed in a mature fashion. As schools on the exceedingly
religion southeastern region of the United States fail to accurately teach their students the
proper sexual health education that many other areas both in the United States and
globally have already achieved, it is time that the voices of change are heard, and change
in these education systems is made to benefit young adults as they breakthrough into
adulthood.
Something to note is that this book will inevitably include personal anecdotes and
opinions from all types of people, whether or not these opinions align with my own
personal voice are subject to reader interpretation as my objectivity will intentionally be
strived for. It is important to understand the opinions of all people involved in the
prosecution of this poor sexual health education even if I personally feel as though they
are incorrect, as it is the only way to uncover all of the issues and truly come to as
solution. While I feel it is of the utmost importance to achieve a proper sexual health
education for all young adults, the main focus of this book will be on the rural and
religious schools in the southeast of the United States. While there are many countries or
regions worldwide with arguably worse sexual health education, the apathetic teachings
of these schools in the United States is still of extreme urgency as the sexual health,
rights, and responsibilities of all parties are not addressed or accounted for. These
educational systems need to become aware that change is required and their methods of
teaching are outdated and harmful to American adolescents, and this textbook will
address why these methods are poor, why the problem is entirely prolific in rural
southeastern schools, and what can be done in order to refresh these ancient teachings to
the modern era.

Citation
 [1]
Guttmacher Institute. “American Adolescents' Sources of Sexual Health Information.”
Guttmacher Center for Population Research Innovation and Dissemination, 3 Jan. 2019,
https://www.guttmacher.org/fact-sheet/facts-american-teens-sources-information-about-sex.
[2]
Pardini, Priscilla. “The History of Sexuality Education.” Rethinking Schools Online,
2019, http://rethinkingschools.aidcvt.com/sex/sexhisto.shtml.
[3]
Kotz, D. (2007). A Debate About Teaching Abstinence. U.S. News & World Report,
143(23), 28. Retrieved from
http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=28024570&authtype=shib&si
te=ehost-live&scope=site
[4]
Valenti, Jessica. The Purity Myth: How America's Obsession with Virginity Is Hurting
Young Women. Seal Press, 2010.