How I Survived Abstinence-Only Sex Education
I had the best sex-ed teacher, in spite of growing up in sex-ed-optional Arkansas. Mrs. McClendon was thorough, professional, and direct — I have a vivid memory of her dryly saying there are “three kinds of sex: oral, vaginal, and anal.” She was badass. And more importantly, Mrs. McClendon made sure her students discussed reproductive health as part of a larger discussion about overall health.
I was one of the lucky ones. In addition to Arkansas — which boasts one of the highest teen pregnancy rates in the US — and neighboring states not requiring sex ed for students, any sex ed that is taught must stress abstinence. Beyond those guidelines, specific sexual-health lesson plans are at the behest of local school districts. Therefore, sex education in states like mine vary wildly; and lots of kids only learn about abstinence.