what is sex education

Sex education is high-quality teaching and learning about a broad variety of topics related to sex and sexuality. It is designed to help people gain the information and skills they need to make the best decisions for themselves about sex and relationships. Sex education may take place in schools, at home, in community settings, or online. It should be taught by trained professionals, early and often throughout the lifespan, and include both information and skill-building activities. Comprehensive sex education should be evidence-informed, inclusive of LGBTQ+ youth, rooted in anti-racism practices, trauma-informed, and adapted to the needs of the community. The goals of sex education for teenagers include gaining the knowledge, skills, and motivation to make healthy decisions about sex throughout their lives. Sex education helps young people develop the social and emotional skills they need to become caring and empathetic adults, appreciate sexual diversity, prevent dating and intimate partner violence, develop healthy relationships, prevent child sex abuse, improve social/emotional learning, and increase media literacy. Sex education should include information about puberty and reproduction, abstinence, contraception and condoms, relationships, sexual violence prevention, body image, gender identity, and sexual orientation.