Sex Ed Month, May 13

May is Sex Ed for All Month, an initiative spearheaded by a coalition of sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice organizations committed to ensuring all young people have access to the education and health care they need to secure the future they envision for themselves. Planned Parenthood of Southwestern Oregon (PPSO) is celebrating Sex Ed for All Month, and ensuring COVID-19 does not limit access to evidence-based, sexual health information, by launching a virtual suite of sexual health education digital resources for young people, parents, and teachers. Through our virtual sexual health education offerings, PPSO is helping parents and teachers navigate remote learning and ensuring all young people are equipped with the education, information, and resources they need to make healthy, informed decisions. “Even in these unprecedented times, we continue to champion the importance of sex education for young people. We know from years of research that sex education helps young people develop the age-appropriate skills they need to make healthy decisions for themselves, their relationships, and their futures. This doesn’t change under COVID-19 – access to evidence-based sexual health information is more important now than ever – that’s why I am so excited to see our virtual sexual health education programming launch this month!” says Amy Handler, PPSO Chief of Education and Community Partnerships. Decades of research show strong support for sex education among parents, educators, young people, and the general public. Unfortunately, too many young people in the U.S. do not receive the tools they need to make informed sexual and reproductive health decisions because funding and quality of education programs vary significantly across the country. Our sexual health education programming levels the playing field and allows parents, teachers, and youth to access, use, and engage with programming from the comfort of their own homes. “This year, during Sex Ed for All Month, many parents and caregivers are helping their kids learn remotely due to stay-at-home orders, and we encourage them to have supportive, ongoing dialogue with their children and teens about sex and relationships. Resources from our education team at PPSO can help start these conversations. We also hope our program with spark a larger conversation – one that advocates for quality programs at the federal, state, and local levels – so that all young people have access to the quality sex education they need, want, and deserve.” Over 180 organizations have signed on to the Sex Ed For All Month Call to Action, which calls for funding and legislation to ensure every student receives quality sex education at the federal, state, and local levels. The launch of PPSO’s virtual sexual health education programs help meet this call to action. “All young people — including those in rural areas, youth with lower incomes, communities of color, LGBTQ youth, and immigrant youth — need to be affirmed. Sex education that centers a young person’s experiences offers unbiased and relevant information around healthy relationships, identity, sexuality, consent, body image, and more – and that’s exactly what we’re offering at PPSO through our virtual programming.” As the region’s most respected provider of medically accurate sexuality education, PPSO knows that young people need and deserve quality sex education and sexual health care all year round, no matter what.