Reproductive and Sexual Health
Having quality reproductive and sexual health care, education, access and policies are vital for a healthy society.
There needs to be inclusive and accessible education and care, especially for those from marginalized communities i.e. BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities.
Reproductive health implies that people are able to have a satisfying and safe sex life and that they have the capability to reproduce and the freedom to decide if, when and how often to do so.
Sexual health implies being able to enjoy a healthier body, a satisfying sexual life, positive relationships, and peace of mind.
80% of pregnancy-related deaths in the US are preventable.
Black birthing individuals are 3x more likely to die from a pregnancy related cause than White birthing individuals.
Although 39 states mandate sex education, there is great variation in what is being taught in these classes.
Only 17 states and DC have LGBTQ-inclusive sex education available.
In 2019, only 8.2% of US students reported receiving LGBTQ-inclusive sex education.
Only 19.4% of LGBTQ+ students were taught positive depictions of LGBTQ+ topics in school.
More than one quarter of LGBTQ+ youth had never had any sex education.
In 2022, Roe v Wade was overturned restricting the right to abortion in the US which caused over 30 states to have severely restricted abortion access or bans.
This is a huge injustice to birthing individuals, their rights, and their health.
The lack and systemic destruction of accessible reproductive and sexual health care affects everyone.
However, this affects people of color and low income people the most which can lead to compounding factors like poverty and increased systemic racism.
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Links and Further Readings
- Reproductive and Sexual Health on NPHW
- What is Sexual Health – National Coalition on Sexual Health
- The 2019 National School Climate Survey
- Reproductive Health – National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
- LGBTQ+ Youth Need Inclusive Sex Education – Human Rights Campaign + Planned Parenthood
- What’s the State of Sex Education in the US?
- Few States Require LGBTQ-Inclusive Sex Education, Report Finds – US News
- Reproductive Health – WHO
- Working Together to Reduce Black Maternal Mortality – CDC
- Overturning Roe disproportionately burdens marginalized groups – Penn Today