Emily Jane Yantis-Houser has witnessed firsthand the importance of LGBTQ+ inclusive sex education. As a sex educator at Wright State University, Yantis-Houser regularly sees LGBTQ+ students coming into her class with the trauma of not being accepted for who they are.
When they first show up to class, they may be hesitant to talk or not know what to expect, but soon realize “what kind of space it is, and they can be themselves or they come out or they sort of develop themselves throughout the course,” Yantis-Houser said. “That’s when you see how much they were not able to exist or feel safe being themselves. And sex-ed is just like a piece of that.”
A lack of guidance
Rules around sex education in the state’s public schools are an odd mix of almost nonexistent and overly restrictive, causing hesitation on the part of school leaders to offer meaningful programs.
Ohio is the only state that does not have set guidelines for how to teach health education, said Sarah Dahlston, the senior director of education for Planned Parenthood’s Southwest Ohio region. Dahlston noted that the Ohio Revised Code requires public schools to emphasize abstinence until marriage, but besides that, districts are on their own to decide what to teach.
However, if districts choose to teach content not required in the Ohio Revised Code, each student must have parental permission, Dahlston explained.
“[Ohio] changed it from ‘Sign this [permission slip] and return it if you do not want your kid to participate,’ to ‘You have to sign and return this if you do want your kid to participate,’ which creates additional challenges and barriers,” Dahlston said.
The change was inserted into the Ohio Legislature’s 2022-2023 budget bill, which was signed into law in July 2021.
One of the many sex education modules that Planned Parenthood of Southwest Ohio offers when invited to teach in schools is called “Gender and Sexual Identity.” According to Dahlston, the module covers LGBTQ+ terminology, gender roles, coming out and how to be an ally to the LGBTQ+ community.
While schools often choose several planned Parenthood’s modules, Dahlston says that the gender and sexual identity module is only chosen about half of the time.
“When we talk about gender and sexual identity, it tends to make schools or admin or teachers a little nervous because of the climate that we’re in right now,” she said. “It’s typically one of the first [lessons] to get cut. They’d rather us focus on relationships, or anatomy or puberty, and not go into gender and identity.”
The importance of representation
Dahlston explained that LGBTQ+ students seeing themselves represented in sex education can be “life-changing.”
“It’s one of those experiences where you feel normalized and validated,” she said.
At Wright State University, Yantis-Houser has witnessed again and again how validation and inclusivity impacts LGBTQ+ students. In her sex education course, she has seen LGBTQ+ students open up about their identities for the first time in their lives.
“That’s really powerful for me as the professor to provide that space and provide enough comfort and trust that they’re willing to share those sorts of things.” Yantis-Houser said. 🔥
Know an LGBTQ+ Ohio story we should cover? TELL US!
Submit a story!
