Lack of Inclusion in Sex Education for LGBTQ+ Students May Be Further Compounded by Emerging Legislation

When Stella Gage was in fifth grade, her class was shown a video focusing on puberty. Later, in ninth grade, a couple of lessons in her health class discussed the risks associated with sexual behaviors. However, throughout her academic journey, she found no material that addressed her needs as a queer teenager. In search of more relevant information, she turned primarily to social media platforms.

“Due to the absence of my parents and the immaturity of my peers, I had few alternative sources of guidance,” stated Gage, who is currently a sophomore at Wichita State University in Kansas.

Many LGBTQ+ students echo the sentiment that mainstream sex education does not adequately represent or include them. To gain a better understanding of their identities and to navigate safe, healthy relationships, they often resort to other channels for information.

The situation may be exacerbated as certain state legislatures increasingly restrict what can be taught in classrooms concerning sex and gender. New legislations that aim to sideline LGBTQ+ content have seen an uptick, especially in states where the government is controlled by the Republican Party. In fact, some contenders for the Republican presidential nomination have advocated for the removal of LGBTQ+ material from educational curricula.

The content in sex education courses varies significantly across jurisdictions. Organizations like Planned Parenthood have campaigned for LGBTQ+-inclusive sex education, but legislative barriers in some states make such an approach impossible. For instance, Texas law still mandates that the curriculum developed by the Department of State Health Services must assert that homosexuality is both unacceptable and criminal—despite the U.S. Supreme Court ruling such language unconstitutional in 2003.

As formal education fails to deliver, LGBTQ+ students often find alternative avenues for sex education, ranging from pornography to YouTube videos discussing how to determine someone’s sexual orientation or how to flirt with individuals of the same gender.

Gage, who spent her early years in Oklahoma before her family’s military relocation led her to schools in the Netherlands and Kansas, began to comprehend her attraction to more than just men while in high school. Unable to find a safe educational environment for her identity, she took to the internet to educate herself on the history of the LGBTQ+ community in the United States.

“I came to understand that our history books largely omit a significant portion of the LGBTQ+ experience, a realization that underscored the importance of this history to young queer individuals like myself,” she elaborated. Gage didn’t begin to question societal gender norms and prejudices until she educated herself on the discrimination others have historically faced.

However, the internet is fraught with misinformation, leading some advocates to worry that students might encounter and believe false or misleading information. “Political controversies often give rise to a significant amount of disinformation,” cautioned Peter Adams, senior vice president of research and design at the News Literacy Project.

In schools, when the topic of sexuality is broached, it is generally within the context of disease prevention or anti-bullying programs. This narrow focus can alienate LGBTQ+ students, argued Tim’m West, former educator and current executive director of the LGBTQ Institute at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta.

Gage, who is also engaged in youth justice advocacy and heads the Planned Parenthood Generation Action Chapter at Wichita State, believes that students of all gender identities need comprehensive sex education. “Informed decisions about our sexual and reproductive health are crucial and should be based on accurate and inclusive information,” she stated.

Ashton Gerber, a transgender student at Tufts University, asserts that even though they received more sex education than most, the lessons were not entirely applicable to their own experiences. Gerber suggests that educators should guide students toward reputable online sources for further exploration.

The emotional toll of not understanding one’s sexual identity is considerable, added Gage. Equally devastating is the feeling of societal rejection once an individual does come to terms with their sexual orientation. “Had I possessed the knowledge I have now, I would have felt empowered to come out much earlier. No one should feel alienated or marginalized due to societal expectations,” Gage concluded.

This report is the second in a two-part series focusing on sex education in the United States. It complements a previous article examining state laws that limit sex education in K-12 schools.

Funding for the Big Big News education team has been provided by the Carnegie Corporation of New York. The Associated Press holds sole responsibility for all content.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Inclusivity

More about Inclusivity

• Planned Parenthood: An organization advocating for LGBTQ+-inclusive sex education.
• U.S. Supreme Court: The highest court in the United States, which ruled against the constitutionality of language condemning homosexuality in sex education.
• News Literacy Project: An organization focused on promoting news literacy and combating misinformation.
• LGBTQ Institute at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights: An institute dedicated to LGBTQ+ issues and rights.
• Wichita State University: The university where Stella Gage, a featured individual in the article, is currently a sophomore.
• Tufts University: The university where Ashton Gerber, another individual mentioned in the article, is a student.
• The Associated Press: The organization responsible for this article and its content.
• Carnegie Corporation of New York: The organization providing support for the Big Big News education team mentioned in the article.