The Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States, or simply SIECUS, is a national,
nonprofit organization
A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...
based in
Washington, D.C.
)
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, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
, dedicated to advancing sex education through advocacy, policy, and coalition building. SIECUS develops, collects, and disseminates information, promotes
comprehensive education about sexuality, and advocates the right of individuals to make responsible sexual choices. It is widely regarded as the institutional voice of these concerns and a pioneer of the
comprehensive sex education
Comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) is a sex education instruction method based on-curriculum that aims to give students the knowledge, attitudes, skills, and values to make appropriate and healthy choices in their sexual lives. The intention i ...
program.
History
The organization was founded in 1964 by
Dr. Mary Calderone, then medical director at
Planned Parenthood
The Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc. (PPFA), or simply Planned Parenthood, is a nonprofit organization that provides reproductive health care in the United States and globally. It is a tax-exempt corporation under Internal Reve ...
. With the conviction that sex education was sorely lacking in American society and simply "handing out contraceptives was not enough," Dr. Calderone quit her position at Planned Parenthood and established the Sex Information and Education Council of the United States (later renamed as "Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States"), the first and only single-issue, national advocacy group dedicated to promoting sex education. Driven by Dr. Calderone's dynamic talks across the nation and its mission statement, "to establish man's sexuality as a health entity," the organization became an essential umbrella group for school administrators, sex educators, physicians, social activists, and parents seeking to access information about teaching sexuality education.
During her tenure at SIECUS, Dr. Calderone lectured extensively across the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
, addressing high school and college students, parents, educators, religious leaders, and professional groups on sex education. Known as the "mother of sex education" as well as the "grande dame of sex education", Dr. Calderone was an instrumental figure in the advancement of
sex education
Sex education, also known as sexual education, sexuality education or sex ed, is the instruction of issues relating to human sexuality, including emotional relations and responsibilities, human sexual anatomy, Human sexual activity, sexual acti ...
in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
, and credited with transforming sex education from "a series of vague moral lessons focused on disease and reproduction" to a scientifically informed,
comprehensive framework.
Her popularity eventually made her a target for right-wing politicians, and conservative religious groups like the
Christian Crusade
Billy James Hargis (August 3, 1925 – November 27, 2004) was an American Christian evangelist. At the height of his popularity in the 1950s and 1960s, his ''Christian Crusade'' ministry was broadcast on more than 500 radio stations and 250 tele ...
, the
John Birch Society
The John Birch Society (JBS) is an American right-wing political advocacy group. Founded in 1958, it is anti-communist, supports social conservatism, and is associated with ultraconservative, radical right, far-right, or libertarian ideas.
T ...
, and the
Moral Majority
Moral Majority was an American political organization associated with the Christian right and Republican Party. It was founded in 1979 by Baptist minister Jerry Falwell Sr. and associates, and dissolved in the late 1980s. It played a key role in ...
, who spent an estimated $40 million on a vicious smear campaign to discredit her. In 1968,
Billy James Hargis
Billy James Hargis (August 3, 1925 – November 27, 2004) was an American Christian evangelist. At the height of his popularity in the 1950s and 1960s, his ''Christian Crusade'' ministry was broadcast on more than 500 radio stations and 250 te ...
and Gordon V. Drake targeted SIECUS, and in particular, Dr. Calderone, in the famous ''
Is the School House the Proper Place to Teach Raw Sex?'' pamphlet, as well as other similar publications, claiming that the organization sought to undermine Christian morality, promote
promiscuity
Promiscuity is the practice of engaging in sexual activity frequently with different Sexual partner, partners or being indiscriminate in the choice of sexual partners. The term can carry a moral judgment. A common example of behavior viewed as pro ...
, and corrupt children. The pamphlet also argued that sex education is part of a "giant
Communist
Communism (from Latin la, communis, lit=common, universal, label=none) is a far-left sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology and current within the socialist movement whose goal is the establishment of a communist society, a s ...
conspiracy." After years of vitriolic attacks and death threats from extremist groups, Dr. Calderone retired from SIECUS in 1982, at the age of 78.
Recent work
Comprehensive sex education
As an early advocate of scientifically-informed sex education, SIECUS is a pioneer in
comprehensive sex education
Comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) is a sex education instruction method based on-curriculum that aims to give students the knowledge, attitudes, skills, and values to make appropriate and healthy choices in their sexual lives. The intention i ...
. According to the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS), the guidelines for comprehensive sex education are as follows:
* appropriate to the age, developmental level, and cultural background of students;
* respects the diversity of values and beliefs represented in the community;
* complements and augments the sexuality education children receive from their families, religious and community groups, and healthcare professionals;
* teaches not only about abstinence, but also contraception, including emergency contraception and reproductive choice;
* teaches about lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) issues and questions issues;
* teaches anatomy, development, puberty, and relationships;
* teaches all of the other issues one would expect to be covered in a traditional sexuality education class; and
* should be science-based and medically accurate
''SIECUS State Profiles''
SIECUS also disseminates the ''SIECUS State Profiles'', which provide an in-depth and up-to-date look at the state of sex education in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the other U.S. territories. Each profile includes an overview of each state’s current sex education laws, policies, and guidelines, newly introduced legislation, and relevant action that advocates have taken to advance or defend sex education in their communities.
The Future of Sex Education
In collaboration with two other organizations,
Advocates for Youth
Advocates for Youth is a nonprofit organization and advocacy group based in Washington, D.C., United States, dedicated to sexuality education, the prevention of HIV and of sexually transmitted disease, teenage pregnancy prevention, youth access ...
and ''Answer'', a national organization based at
Rutgers University
Rutgers University (; RU), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a Public university, public land-grant research university consisting of four campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's ...
, SIECUS funds and manages the Future of Sex Education (FoSE) project, which seeks to create a national dialogue about the future of sex education and to promote the institutionalization of comprehensive sexuality education in public schools. The FoSE's National Sexuality Education Standards and National Teacher Preparation Standards influence policy-makers and educators alike.
Other
SIECUS is currently a member of the
National Coalition Against Censorship
The National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC), founded in 1974, is an alliance of 50 American non-profit organizations, including literary, artistic, religious, educational, professional, labor, and civil liberties groups. NCAC is a New York-bas ...
.
See also
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References
External links
Official websiteFuture of Sex EducationProject of SIECUS, and others, includes evidence-based sex education standards.
Political advocacy groups in the United States
Sex education in the United States
Sex education advocates
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