Inequitable Access, Information & Support: A Social Analysis of America’s Sex Education Programs

Abstract Sex education has long been a controversial topic in the United States in terms of both policy and practice. A lack of consensus on the implementation of sex education, its content, and its participants continues to be a concern for equitable inclusion of all young people and their sexual and emotional health as a result. Current policy guidance and implementation fall short in developing and sustaining equitable access to medically accurate and socially meaningful curriculum. Analyzed through a sociological framework of functionalist theory, feminist theory, and queer theory, this sociological analysis examines the following questions: (1) Should sex education programs even exist?, (2) What should be taught in sex education courses?, and (3) Who should be represented in sex education content? Through a review of existing literature and available data on the experiences of young people, this scholarly commentary posits that current sex education practices in the United States are inequitable and insufficient based on their variability and lack of policy guidance. To address these shortcomings, the United States must implement comprehensive sex education in all schools to ensure equitable access, information, and support for all students.