I am seventeen years old and I am still not sure where I learned the word condom. It certainly wasn’t in health class.

Texas, like many other states, has deemed I only need to know about the types of STD’s, not how to prevent them. It's been decided that I need to hear the tragic stories of teen moms, but not the ways in which to keep myself from becoming one. Teens hear terrifying stories, see disgusting images, and are told simply, “don’t have sex and this won’t happen to you.” This method of teaching ignores anyone who is sexually active, plus all the other students need true and informative sexual education too.

Medically accurate sex education is only required in nineteen of the fifty states, but the definition of "medically accurate" varies from state to state. Four of the nineteen states claim that abstinence centered education is medically accurate. Fifteen others proclaim that it should be the focus of all sex education classes within the state. States that claim to have a curriculum that focuses on abstinence, but also cover the other aspects of sex education really only tend to show students vast amounts of photos of people who have contracted STDs. Fear mongering frightens students into taking their advice to remain abstinent, but that doesn't always work. One particular student recalls being told that sex was the sole proprietor of abuse, poverty, depression, heartbreak, loneliness, and suicide. This information is blatantly false. Students who are given inaccurate abstinence focused sex education are no less likely to have sex, but are 50% more likely to encounter an unwanted pregnancy or contract an STD. These youth are more likely to disregard contraceptives and feel uncomfortable asking about which ones they should use.

Creating a barrier to any discussion of sex creates a barrier to discussing sexuality. Thousands of teenagers struggle to discover not only who they are, as is the expectation of high school, but how they sexually identify. In avoiding sexual discussion, we are neglecting to recognize an entire subgroup of people and encourage heteronormativity by ignoring their needs and existence. Inaccurate and vague sex education contributes to confusion for the LGBT community. Along with confusion and repression, asexuals and pansexuals often have no idea their sexual orientation exists because they have never heard the label before. A whole community is confused because they don’t have extensive information to enlighten them. People who have sexual intercourse with members of the same sex are 45% more likely to contract an STD because sex education is so lacking that most LGBTQ+ members are not aware that they also have to use protection, even if they cannot impregnate their sexual partner. This idea follows them into their adult live, causing permanent damage. It can also lead them to seek information elsewhere, unaware of what accurate information actually is.

In this time period, what we don’t learn at school, we learn online. Adolescents are dangerously prone to looking to online pornography as an example of sexuality and how to engage in sexual activity. Pornography is often not an example of a healthy sexual relationship, but rather an example of the assertion of dominance, usually by males. The misrepresentation of healthy sexuality leads to a blurring of the lines of sexual consent. This leads to abusive relationships, and is hazardous to the health of young adults who will feel the effects of misunderstood boundaries.

Today’s students are tomorrow’s rapists and rape victims. Believing that there was no wrong doing because a victim “didn’t say no” or they said yes until they changed their minds. Often victims aren't even mentally aware enough to respond in order to give consent. Partners are left confused the first time the person they love hits them, or makes them feel worthless. They think that is what love is supposed to be like because no one told them it wasn’t. The confusion regarding consent and healthy relationships leads to higher rates of rape and abuse. Emulating unhealthy sexuality leads to unhealthy relationships.

Each and every one of these issues is avoidable, mendable by simple measures and accurate, informative sex education. By fixing this, regulating the curriculum, making it thorough, and having it be taught to children at a younger age, the rates of abuse and rape decreas. The number of suicides that result from identity confusion, and the rates of contracted STDs and unwanted pregnancies can all be decreased. Their existence at the very least would not be tied to this very serious issue. Today’s teens are learning how to love themselves and embrace their sexualities. Don't you want them to be safe while they do?