Date of Submission

Spring 2023

Academic Program

Sociology

Project Advisor 1

Michael Sadowski

Abstract/Artist's Statement

The purpose of this exploratory study is to add to the understanding of how lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA+) representation (or the lack thereof) in sexuality education programs impacts youth and adolescents’ who identify as LGBTQIA+. Sexuality education is perceived as one way to prevent unhealthy sexual behaviors and a way to give youth knowledge about their bodies. However, contemporary sexuality education in most schools in the United States is not tailored to fit the needs of LGBTQIA+ youth. According to research, in most schools this population is often left out of the curriculum entirely, where heteronormative bias’ primarily shape classroom discussion. In the absence of a comprehensive and national level of standardization for sexuality education in the United States, LGBTQIA+ youth do not have the ability to receive the same knowledge and skills about their health as their non-LGBTQIA+ peers. Through my research, I gained insight regarding the influence and impact sexuality education experiences have had on youth and adolescents’ construction of identity, sexuality, gender, and perceptions about LGBTQIA+ populations.

Open Access Agreement

Open Access

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.

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