When you look back on your high school sex ed experience, it may conjure up memories of the intense awkwardness amongst your classmates, horror at the fact that your teachers have probably done the things you’re learning about, disgust at the close-up views of infected genitalia and perhaps even shame since you had already engaged in some of the behaviors your instructors railed against. These overwhelming emotions may have clouded your ability to critically consider the facts of what you were being taught. Besides, who would think that adults with so much more sexual and life experience would teach you anything other than the truth?

In actuality, it’s very likely that you were taught information that is patently false, given that only thirteen states mandate that sex education curriculums be medically accurate. Many curriculums, particularly those that focus on abstinence, set out to dissuade young people from engaging in sexual activity by emphasizing its negative consequences over its benefits. To accomplish this, sex ed classes stretch and sensationalize facts and even teach blatant lies. Let’s debunk just a few of the many falsehoods you were probably taught in sex ed.

Myth #1: sexually transmitted infections are incurable and will mark you for life. Many sex education curriculums attempt to generate a sense of fear surrounding sexually transmitted infections by exaggerating their symptoms (showing super-magnified images of the infections) and claiming that STIs will stay with you for the rest of your life (stating future partners would know if you had been infected to imply that STIs can never be completely cured). These claims are not only false but also demonstrative of the shaming and scare tactics employed in many curriculums. All STIs are treatable, meaning that there is a medication regimen available to alleviate symptoms. Many STIs are also curable, with medication courses to rid the body of the infection and prevent further transmission. There are four STIs that are not currently curable, known as the four H’s: HIV, Herpes, Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and Hepatitis C. (Another type of infection, antibiotic-resistant gonorrhea, may soon join these four; look for a more detailed discussion on this in the near future.) While it is possible for some STIs to leave some lasting effects on the body, such as sterility, scar tissue and chronic pain, if one receives the appropriate treatment in time, it is highly unlikely that anyone will be able to tell that they have or had an STI by appearance alone.  

Myth #2: Condoms don’t effectively prevent against pregnancy and STIs. Some sex ed curriculums claim that condoms are not nearly as effective as popularly believed, arguing that they easily break or that sperm and infection can somehow “pass through” the condoms. These claims serve to reinforce the claim that abstinence is the ideal means of contraception and infection prevention. Condoms are 98% effective at preventing pregnancy with perfect use, meaning one exactly follows usage instructions each and every time. Nobody’s perfect, so the effectiveness rate for typical use is around 85%. The most common reason for condom failure is improper use, not breakage or manufacturer error. When it comes to STI prevention, it’s a bit more difficult to definitively measure condom effectiveness. However, multitudes of scientific bodies continue to reaffirm that that condoms are effectively impermeable and are highly effective at preventing STIs transmitted via genital contact.

Middle and high school sex ed courses are spreading false information and thus putting young people at risk. If you were taught any questionable information during your sex ed experience and want it debunked, please email me at [email protected] and it could be discussed in an upcoming column.