It’s been a terrifying time for reproductive rights. Over the past few months, politicians across the country have proposed, debated and, in some cases, passed bills restricting access to abortion. And several states, such as Texas and South Carolina, have managed to pass near-total bans.
And now, with the Supreme Court agreeing to hear a case on Mississippi’s 15-week abortion ban, the long-standing outcome of Roe v. Wade is in question. Sometimes, it feels impossible to be an advocate for sexual health and reproductive rights. The opposition is just so damn relentless, and it comes at us from all sides.
But onward we go. Over here at Guerrilla Sex Ed, I’ve been signal-boosting the likes of Melissa Pintor Carnagey (Sex Positive Families) and writing about how to normalize talking to your kids about pleasure and how disabled youth aren’t receiving the sex ed they deserve. I’ve been brainstorming with fellow educators about how to expand what I offer here. And I’m also primed to start Nadine Thornhill‘s Sex Educator Super Starter next week (!).
We each do what we can, in our own small corners of the world. Right? Whether that starts at home, at work, or in our wider communities.
As for what’s happening outside this site…
- This past month had been #SexEdforAll month, which has made it the perfect month to introduce legislation that would lead to inclusive and honest sex ed for all. The Real Education and Access to Healthy Youth Act of 2021 (REAHYA) would provide grants for comprehensive sex education to public or private entities that focus on adolescent health and education or that have experience with training sex educators.
- Illinois senators approved a proposal that could update personal health and sex education courses to make them more comprehensive and inclusive for students.
- President Biden recently released his FY22 budget to Congress. The budget expands access to family planning healthcare services by providing funding to the Title X Family Planning Program and the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program. Still, the budget request also includes $35 million for Sexual Risk Avoidance, programs that promote abstinence-only education.
Action Items
- The Masakhane Center, a youth-driven organization providing community-based sexuality education in and around Newark, NJ, is looking for new interns! Oh, to be young again…
- William Paterson University is playing host to Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan NJ’s Virtual Teen Life Conference. It takes place on Friday, June 11, and will provide teens with the opportunity to learn about the social and health justice issues impacting them and how they can be part of a positive change.