The State of Sex Education in the United States in 2025

2025-01-23
Posted by PSEDEN

Each year, we publish an update on the state of sex education in the United States based on: Data from the Guttmacher Institute. Since each state has its own requirements (or lack thereof) for what sex education classes should cover, we’ll highlight some key points to watch out for in early 2025.

Changes to sex education 2024-2025

Currently, 27 states mandate that sex education be taught in schools, and 30 states mandate HIV education. Of these, 19 states authorize Both Sexuality and HIV education. However, of the 36 states with educational mandates, only 26 require that the information taught be medically accurate.

Although more states now require students to receive medically accurate sex education compared to 2024one state abandoned its sex education mandate and five states abandoned its HIV education mandate. Additionally, while 11 states (up from 10) require sex education to include LGBTQ+ issues, there are now 6 states (Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and Texas). Saskatchewan) requires teaching only negative information about LGBTQ+ people. Additionally, students (and teachers) in certain grade levels in Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, and North Carolina are prohibited from discussing gender identity and sexual orientation due to “don’t talk gay” policies.

Since last year, seven more states have allowed parents to opt out of sex education for their children, bringing the total to 42. A similar number of states also require abstinence to be included in sex education curricula, with 29 states requiring abstinence to be included in sex education curricula. Which emphasizes abstinence as the primary method of contraception.

Taken together, these numbers paint a rather bleak picture about teens’ ability to receive comprehensive, medically accurate sex education. The infographic below goes into more detail about what’s covered in each state.

How sex education continues to change

Many states are able to enforce sex education curriculum requirements through state Department of Education (DOE) standards. However, there may be uncertainty about the future enforceability of these standards given the recent inauguration of President Trump, who has publicly stated: He plans to dismantle the Department of Energy. Although doing so may be difficult, states may Following Trump’s leadership during his first term as president Promote abstinence-only sex education and family planning methods. Furthermore, it is very likely The spread of misinformation about LGBTQ+ identities will accelerate under this administration as well as.

In light of these trends, here are some suggestions for medically accurate and inclusive sex education teaching that you can share with others in your life:

If you have your own sexual issues, record a voicemail: talkpipe.com/sexandpsychology Get answers on a blog or podcast.

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