Viewpoint

New CDC Data Highlights the Importance of Passing the Healthy Youth Act in Massachusetts

Viewpoint by Jamie Klufts (SAR’14, SPH’15), Brittany Charlton, and Julia Raifman. Viewpoint articles are written by members of the SPH community from a wide diversity of perspectives. The views expressed are solely those of the author and are not intended to represent the views of Boston University or the School of Public Health. We aspire to a culture where all can express views in a context of civility and respect. Our guidance on the values that guide our commitment can be found at Revisiting the Principles of Free and Inclusive Academic Speech.

A new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report on adolescent health reveals an alarming fact: more young women than ever before–nearly 1 in 5–report being sexually assaulted. The report also documents other concerning public health trends. Barely half of youth report using condoms the last time they had sex, down from almost two-thirds a decade before. Testing for HIV and sexually transmitted infections also significantly decreased. In addition to experiencing some of the highest rates of sexual violence, lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth are nearly four times more likely to report suicide attempts than their heterosexual peers. 

State legislators can help. The data in the CDC report and the fact that our state health education guidelines have not been updated since 1999 speak to the importance of passing the Healthy Youth Act in Massachusetts. This bill would ensure that more young people in our state have access to quality sex and relationship education in school. 

Decades of research indicate that sex education grounded in science is associated with reduced sexual violence while increasing condom use and HIV/sexually transmitted infection testing. Sex education that is inclusive of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people is especially important for reducing the toll of HIV, given that 68 percent of new HIV infections are among men who have sex with men. 

Massachusetts has already demonstrated its commitment to preventing sexual violence, but there is more work to be done. Landmark legislation intended to prevent sexual violence on college campuses was signed in 2021. Quality sex and relationship education in our schools would further this commitment by enhancing students’ interpersonal skills before they get to college. These skills are critical for helping young people understand personal boundaries, give and receive consent, and develop healthy relationships throughout their lives. 

Massachusetts also has a tradition of supporting LGBTQ communities. In 2004, Massachusetts was the first state to legalize same-sex marriage. In 2018, Massachusetts overwhelmingly supported anti-discrimination protections for transgender people. Such policies create fairness and are shown to be associated with reduced health care costs and improved mental health, especially among LGBTQ youth. Even with this rich history, homophobia and transphobia continue to impact people throughout the Commonwealth. 

The vast majority of LGBTQ students in Massachusetts do not see themselves reflected in their school’s curricula. Amidst rising extremism against LGBTQ people, now is not the time to capitulate to people who threaten our pediatricians who care for these young people. It is a time to shore up support for LGBTQ-inclusive health education and to provide clear support for our Massachusetts teachers to keep our Commonwealth an inclusive community. Not discussing that these identities exist or safe sex considerations for LGBTQ youth only contributes to stark disparities like those outlined in the CDC’s report. 

Seven other states require health education to be LGBTQ-inclusive. For Massachusetts to remain a leader in health and LGBTQ inclusion, it is an important time to implement the evidence-based, LGBTQ-inclusive standards of the Healthy Youth Act.  

Some parents worry that sex education will encourage sexual behavior. Fortunately, research indicates this is not the case. Sex education is associated with delayed initiation of sex. Teachers are trusted partners in educating our children and help fill the gaps in knowledge when the majority of Massachusetts students are not able to have conversations about sexuality or safer sex practices at home. In order for our students and teachers to thrive, our schools have to be safe and supportive environments for all. 

The Healthy Youth Act has long had widespread support in the House and Senate, and more than 92 percent of Massachusetts voters support sex education in school. Despite this overwhelming support, the House has not brought the bill to the floor for a vote since it was first introduced over a decade ago, in 2011. This means that an entire generation of young people has gone through our school system without the assurance of quality sex and relationship education that the Healthy Youth Act would provide.

The CDC report makes clear that students grapple with sexual violence, declining condom use, and a disproportionate burden of mental distress, particularly among LGBTQ youth. Our students deserve better outcomes than the bleak data described in the CDC report. Now is the time for the Massachusetts State House to act and pass the Healthy Youth Act. Bright, healthy futures for all young people in our state are on the line. 

Jamie Klufts (SAR’14, SPH’15) is a co-chair of the Healthy Youth Act Coalition.

Brittany Charlton is an associate professor at Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute.

Julia Raifman is an adjunct assistant professor at the Boston University School of Public Health.