Studies show that comprehensive sexuality education reduces the rates of unwanted pregnancies, STI contraction, sexual assault, LGBTQIA+ discrimination and isolation, and unhealthy relationships, yet only 39 states and the District of Columbia mandate sex education and/or HIV education. Furthermore, only 17 states require the education to be medically accurate and only 9 require the curriculum to account for students’ cultural backgrounds without being biased against race, sex or ethnicity. 

In 2018, UNESCO published an updated set of sex education guidelines that “promote health and well-being, respect for human rights and gender equality, and empowers children and young people to lead healthy, safe and productive lives.” These are values CSU holds close to its heart in our Principles of Community. However, these new guidelines are left unimplemented by a majority of U.S. schools, leaving thousands of new CSU students with only stigmas and misinformation surrounding sexual and reproductive health. 

To remedy this issue, the university should implement a comprehensive sexuality education program – much like the AlcoholEdu and Haven programs – which incoming students are required to take. The university already seemed open to exploring long term, comprehensive sexuality education options.  In March of 2018, the President’s Commission on Women and Gender Equity recommended the university convene a Task Force on University Sexuality Education for Inclusion, Equity, and Social Justice to “investigate, develop and implement short-, mid-, and long-term opportunities for providing the entire campus community – students, staff, and faculty – with educational resources and skills development related to sexuality, inclusion, equity, and social justice.” However, it was suspended with the change in presidential leadership. 

Please sign our petition to reinstate the Task Force to provide all students with the resources necessary to empower themselves to understand and defend their own bodies, and recognize the effects of their social and sexual choices on their own well-being and that of their peers. Please help us realize the vision of the Task Force, to “lower risks of harm for all people, and enhance our connections to each other, resulting in a more open, healthy, and safe campus community.”

For more information about the Task Force: https://cwge.colostate.edu/history-and-recommendations/2018-recommendation-for-task-force-on-university-sexuality-education-for-inclusion-equity-and-social-justice/