Reproductive Rights In The United States

The United States of America has an extensive history of oppressing essentially everyone who is not a straight, white, land-owning, wealthy, cis-gender man and included within this list of oppressed is women. Throughout the ages, women have had to and continue to fight for many rights through social, economic, and political venues. One of these rights, and area of public policy, are reproductive rights. Reproductive rights are a broad area of public policy that encompasses sexual education, family planning, contraceptives, reproductive health services, and terminating a pregnancy. During the 2016 presidential race, reproductive rights were the focus of many debates, press conferences, political speeches, and voters’ choices, especially with
There are two broad techniques used to provide sex education, comprehensive sex education and abstinence based sex education (Mezey, 2011). The abstinence-based avenue explains to children that it is morally wrong to have sex prior to a heterosexual marriage, which leads to many problems such as higher rates of unplanned pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and a lack of knowledge on all subjects related to sex and healthy relationships (2011). This is especially true amongst LGBTQIA+ and people with disabilities because they are left to find out sex and sexually related experiences through trial and error, and the Internet. Comprehensive sex education on the other hand, is when students are presented with every possible contraceptive option, their benefits and risks, statistical safety from preventing pregnancy and STDs/STIs (2011). Students also learn about what a healthy relationship is and how to effectively communicate their wants, needs, and limits in a sexual relationship. Comprehensive sex education is essential for students to grow into functioning adults, and thus participating members of a democracy (2011). Historically, sex education was not viewed as a necessary aspect for students until the 1960s and the demand for evidence-based education began in 1964. During this time period, Planned Parenthood established the Sexuality Information Education Council of the United States (SIECUS) to effectively education the younger population on sex and sexuality (2011). SIECUS founded the National Guidelines Task Force in 1990 who’s mission was to make sex education a promotion of sexual health and providing a positive view on sex, in comparison to the immoral view that abstinence-based sex education provided