Major
Marketing
Advisor
Murphy, Sara
Advisor Department
Honors Program
Date
5-2024
Keywords
Sex Education; Comprehensive Sex Ed; Teen Sexual Health; Abstinence-only Sex Ed
Abstract
Though the importance of comprehensive sexual health education cannot be overstated, it is currently lacking in much of the United States. Teens and young adults experience significant negative health effects as the result of systems that fail them when it comes to preparing them to make informed decisions, build healthy relationships, and navigate the complexities of sexuality in a safe and supportive environment. This project builds on our past collaborative and original research from the URI course, Sexuality: Health, Wellbeing and Policy, which discusses the significant role that sex education programs play in supplementing non-comprehensive or non-medically accurate curricula, particularly in the Southern United States.
The podcast titled Sex Education Matters is aimed at sparking conversation and bringing awareness to these topics, by presenting research in digestible pieces through an innovative communication channel, Spotify. We created and recorded 10 podcast episodes which dive into sexual health policy across the United States, the difference between comprehensive and non-comprehensive sexual health education, the impacts of several non-profit sex education programs in southern states, and the impacts of supplemental programs on teen health in areas which have them versus those that do not. The podcast serves not only to educate and spread awareness but also to enact change through individual advocacy and empowerment of young people. The podcast provides accurate and evidence-based information that shows comprehensive sex education equips adolescents with the knowledge and skills to reduce their risk of negative sexual health outcomes, addresses stigmatized topics by promoting inclusivity and acceptance, encourages open and honest communication, and empowers adolescents to take control of their sexual health and wellbeing.
There is a clear link between non-comprehensive sexual health education programs and negative sexual health teen outcomes. By taking the first steps of educating and advocating, we hope to promote change and ignite conversation within a small community and bring about true, political and systematic progress.