The Real Education for Healthy Youth Act of 2019 (S.1524) is a Senate bill which aims to provide federally funded comprehensive sex education for America’s youth to promote overall sexual health by providing the information and skills young people need to make healthy, informed, and responsible decisions. Sexual health is the physical, mental, and social well-being of sexuality (World Health Organization).   

The Act will require sex education to consist of accurate information on the prevention of unintended pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections (including HIV), dating violence, sexual assault, bullying, and harassment. The Act will also require sex education be gender and gender identity sensitive and include gender stereotyping, gender roles, stigma, and societal influences on sex and sexuality.  
The Act focuses on a broad range of topics, so sex education is medically accurate, culturally sensitive, and age and developmentally appropriate. Not only does it aim to improve sex education for youth, it will also promote educational achievement, critical thinking, decision making, self-esteem, and self-efficacy to help develop healthy attitudes and insights necessary for understanding. 

Why this matters:   
Every person deserves to be equipped with the most up-to-date and accurate information regarding their bodies and sexuality. America’s youth are especially vulnerable to the spread of misinformation which may lead to unintended pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections, and even dating violence. Research shows that when sex education is comprehensive, youth feel more informed, make safer choices, and have healthier outcomes. Ultimately, sex education is about developing critical life skills, and we believe that providing youth with these skills and information will help them be more confident in their decision-making and relationships throughout their lives.