The State of Sex Ed in Indiana
TW: sexual abuse, domestic violence, sexual activity among teenagers
Many of us remember “that” health class day at school: the one when boys and girls were often separated, full of anxious whispers and nervous jitters.
“The talk.”
When we hear “sex ed,” this is often the experience we call to mind. An often awkward, one-time conversation at school on the basic biological details about sex, possibly a short demonstration about how to use contraception, and fearful warnings about everything that could potentially go awry. If you came of age in Fort Wayne, you might remember a field trip to McMillen Health to visit TAM.
In recent years the national conversation has shifted from the one-time talk to debates over comprehensive sex education. Comprehensive sex education is not just a one-and-done lesson plan about sexuality but is defined as culturally and age-appropriate lessons for every grade level covering a range of topics: bodily autonomy, consent, relationship skills, media literacy, and human development.
There are a lot of myths and confusion about the definition of comprehensive sex education. Nora Gelprin, director of sex education and training at Advocates for Youth, describes age-appropriate sex ed for kindergarteners including discussions explaining consent, identifying who is in your family, and learning the anatomical names of body parts. Getting permission before touching someone else, identifying trusted adults, and learning personal boundaries are the foundations of comprehensive sex education, and are all crucial in lower risk of sexual abuse or molestation.
Middle school-level comprehensive sex education often includes the details of reproduction and an understanding of how body parts and systems work together. Middle school is an opportunity to provide education on the physical effects of puberty and hormones to the feelings of attraction that come with them, as well as how sexually transmitted infections are transmitted.
Moving into high school, the hallmark of comprehensive sex education is the conversation about what makes a relationship healthy. Discussing sexual abuse, sexual harassment, and sexual assault all highlights the importance of listening to, protecting, and respecting one another. High school is also when discussions about contraception are particularly important.
Think back to your own high school or middle school experience, and the rumors that spread about sexual activity. Now, mix in social media and the internet. As a kid looking for information, the available resources can be overwhelming. One of the foundations of comprehensive sex education isn’t just consent and contraception but credible sources of information: how can you tell if a source is trustworthy?
Even though only three states require comprehensive sex education (Washington, Oregon, and California), research has shown that the approach has proven to improve social and emotional health, sexual health, and academic outcomes for students. A 2020 analysis of research on sex education found that comprehensive sex education beginning in elementary school, covering topics beyond pregnancy and STDs, could prevent:
• Sexual violence
• Child sex abuse
• Transmission of disease
• Unplanned pregnancies
• Domestic violence
• Teen dating violence
• Self-harm
The topic has proven controversial in many states, and Indiana is no exception.
Currently in Indiana, state law requires that schools provide instruction on acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), but does not require education on what is defined as sex, sexual orientation, or on consent. The curriculum “must stress abstinence as the expected social standard.” Students must have parental permission to opt-in for participation in sex education instruction (which also exclusively allows instruction that abstinence is the only way of avoiding pregnancy or STDs).
The CDC reports that approximately 40-50% of teenagers in Indiana have had intercourse, but only 53% of those teens report using a condom. Only 40% of Indiana high schools report providing instruction on how to correctly use a condom in their sex ed programming.
While teen pregnancy is trending downward in Allen County, gender-based violence among teenagers is on the rise. 25% of girls are sexually abused in Indiana before they turn 18 years old. Indiana is currently fourth in the nation for reported high school rape, and more than ⅓ of Hoosier women reporting being raped before their 18th birthday experience rape again as adults.
Mandating local control over sex ed, as implemented in 2018 by Indiana Senate Bill 65, has created a large disparity regarding the quality of sex education that students receive. Without comprehensive sex ed standards at the Department of Education level, policies and curricula that stigmatize marginalized youth, such as students of color, LGBTQ youth, and those of lower socioeconomic status are able to thrive. Students are asking for more information about their bodies, their rights, and their options: if adults want to empower youth to be safe, it begins with comprehensive sex education.
What can you do?
Read the Young Women & Girls of Greater Fort Wayne 2020 Study to hear directly from the youth in our community about this issue.
Research the myths & facts about comprehensive sex education.
Download a Community Action Toolkit to learn how to use your voice.