Does Abstinence Education Discriminate Against LGBTQ Teens?

From the Desk of . . .

Nick Jefson, Educator, SRAS

There is much confusion about how abstinence education programs engage with LGBTQ students. Many people assume that abstinence education ignores current cultural beliefs about relationships to focus on antiquated social and sexual mores. To further the confusion, influential voices will accuse abstinence based programs as being programs that “stigmatize sex, ignore or bully LGBTQ+ children, or reinforce harmful gender norms”.1 However, this sentiment could not be further from the truth. In our classrooms we desire to offer accurate and helpful information regarding relationships, sex, and the consequences that can be associated with sex. Our conclusion after considering the consequences is that abstaining from sexual activity is the safest and most effective way to avoid unplanned pregnancies, STDs, and emotional consequences. This truth applies to all people, regardless of age, sexual orientation, or gender. But students sometimes still struggle to see how our message applies to them.

During our program, we will often receive a question like, “I am gay, so does this really apply to me?” The simple answer is, “Yes!”  Our discussions regarding teen pregnancy, STDs, emotional/mental health consequences, and healthy and unhealthy relationships absolutely apply to all students. As educators, we do not want to alienate or stigmatize any student. Rather, we want to provide healthy and accurate information for the students to make educated decisions regarding their health and future. Accurate information should not be withheld from students because they identify themselves as LGBTQ. All of our students are shown dignity and respect - something we teach our students to show to other people themselves. 

Another common claim against abstinence education is that we do not provide accurate information regarding sexuality.2 This claim is simply untrue and does not reflect what we actually teach in our classes. One comprehensive study of sex education found that abstinence programs do produce positive outcomes when it comes to “sexual delay…and improved sexual health knowledge”.3 This lines up with our experience as teachers when we encounter a variety of students from different backgrounds with various experiences. We consistently see that students not only understand our message, but feel that their teachers care about them, know the subject matter well, and want to provide engaging and factual presentations.4 While there is an antagonism toward abstinence education, the data shows that our program is effective and engages all types of students. 

Our goal as educators is to educate well. That might be obvious, but it is important. We hope to equip students with factual information so that they can make the wisest, healthiest choice for their lives, futures, and relationships. We desire for them to engage with the material we present and apply it to their own lives and situations. We want them to accomplish their goals and achieve success in relationships. We want them to lead full, meaningful, and healthy lives.This applies to every student who walks into one of our classrooms.

 1 https://www.guttmacher.org/fact-sheet/sex-education

 2 Ibid.

 3 https://www.jahonline.org/article/S1054-139X(24)00644-X/fulltext

4 Based upon anonymous surveys given to students during our program