Sex Education and Support of LGB Families: a Family Impact Analysis of the Personal Responsibility Education Program

Abstract

The authorization of the Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP) represents a significant legislative shift in how social policy in the United States implements school-based sexual health education to address concerns for youth health. In contrast to its abstinence-based predecessors, this federally funded program provides a more comprehensive approach to sex education that includes content on contraception, is evidence-based, and emphasizes diversity and service to vulnerable populations. Yet, despite these improvements to how sex education policy facilitates the healthy development of youth, the design and implementation of PREP do not provide substantial support of lesbian, bisexual, and gay (LGB) populations. This paper applies a family impact analysis framework to further explore this policy limitation and demonstrates how PREP perpetuates the heteronormative legacy of sex education in a way that continues to marginalize and harm LGB families.

Sex Education in the Spotlight: What Is Working? Systematic Review

“…Furthermore, sexual education that privileges heterosexuality reinforces hegemonic attributes of femininity and masculinity, and ignores identities that distance themselves from these patterns. Our collective heteronormative legacy marginalizes and harms LGB families [ 91 ] and LGBTQ+-related information about healthy relationships is largely absent from sexual and reproductive health programs [ 92 ]. Students want a more LGBTQ+ inclusive curriculum [ 92 ]: in the present RoR one review [ 53 ] addresses the issue of non-heteronormative identity in sexuality programs with significant results; and other authors are exploring promising initiatives which are also challenging this lack of inclusivity [ 93 ] and rectifying heterosexual bias [ 94 ].…”