What is Comprehensive Sexuality Education? Going WAAAAAY Beyond Abstinence and Condoms

In this article, the author expands our definition of “comprehensive sexuality education,” broadening the discourse to something more ideal than what current rhetoric seems to suggest, and in the process presents the rationale for real comprehensive sexuality education. Current definitions of comprehensive sexuality education focus on prevention of teen pregnancy and transmission of STDs and HIV, as well as protection from abuse and information about puberty. We talk about education “that works,” referring to those programs that have been proven by research, while knowing that research has focused only on prevention programs. Nobody has “proven” a broader, more comprehensive, positive sexuality education through peer-reviewed research. Yet we do know, from research about how people learn, from research on youth development programs, from all the wisdom of all the counselors and therapists and educators who have worked with youth, what really works.