Comprehensive sexual education is something many students in the Texas public school system miss out on due to the state’s abstinence-based curriculum. The downfalls of such an education can be profound; Texas students walk away from public school not understanding basic facts about their own body. Rather, adolescents are taught to abstain from sexual acts and that abstinence will protect them from the risks of sex.
“(My middle school) made us watch a video about (how) the best way for preventing anything from happening is just to keep your jeans zipped up,” said business freshman Ananya Thondapu.
Not only do students receive unhelpful information through abstinence-based education, but there is also an education gap left that remains unfilled. This doesn’t just affect student’s levels of knowledge regarding issues of health, it also affects student’s abilities to advocate for themselves.
“One harm is that kids don’t have the language and the tools to navigate their sexual encounters in a way that’s healthy and productive,’ said Gabriela Livas, department chair of human development and family sciences. “That leads to not just the illness component or the pregnancy risk, but also the emotional ramifications of engaging in behaviors that maybe you felt pressured to do so.”
An important part of comprehensive sexual education is uncovering topics about sexual health and sexuality and understanding consent in sexual situations.
“One of the other things we know is having language, having skills around talking about sex is really improtant in terms of other kinds of outcomes, for example, consent and sexual assault,” said Brianna McCaslin, assistant professor of sociology. “We see, especially on college campuses, that sexual assault is a real problem.”
Sexual assault is a prevelant issue on college campuses. When students are not taught fact-based sex-ed by trained professionals, there can be misconceptions about asserting your own autonomy in a situation that you aren’t prepared for. The elements of peer pressure, alcohol consumption and a myriad of other factors can play into these situations and blur a person’s understanding of their own beliefs and level of comfort, especially when they’ve never been taught how to protect themselves. Providing students with clarity on this can help lead to a better understanding of what is acceptable and inacceptable.
“A lot of times when people are involved in sexual abuse, they just didn’t know what was happening because they weren’t aware,” Livas said.
While college students in Texas may have missed out on a comprehensive sexual education in public school, it is never too late to get educated. Exploring the different opportunities on campus that are available for furthering sexual education can be beneficial in closing the gap. Pursuing on-campus sexual education activities through organizations like Healthyhorns can help equip students to be more informed about sexual activity.
As students, it’s up to us to prioritize our wellbeing and make sure we are educated on how to best protect ourselves when the education system has failed us. Engaging in discourse around sex-ed can contribute to increased openness and lead to demystifying the topic. Prioritizing your health and understanding how to keep yourself safe is important, so students should invest in their wellbeing by educating themselves on healthy sex-ed practices.
Thomas is a government freshman from Frisco, Texas.
