Statement from NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts on the Healthy Youth Act

NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts applauds the Massachusetts state Senate for passing S. 2459, the Healthy Youth Act, by a 33 to 2 margin during today’s session. The vote is an encouraging sign for supporters of reproductive freedom in the Bay State. 

As written, the Healthy Youth Act mandates that schools offering sexuality education classes teach a medically accurate, evidence-based curriculum with information that includes content on the LGBTQ community, consent, contraception, and safe sexual practices.

“This is a great day for the students of Massachusetts, and an important step toward expanding reproductive freedom for our citizens. It’s encouraging to see our leaders make policy decisions in the name of science, reproductive freedom, and sexual health. Our hope is that this momentum will carry over to the ROE Act and that our legislators will continue the work of expanding reproductive freedom,” said Rebecca Hart Holder, Executive Director of NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts. 

“The abstinence-only sexual education policies of the Trump administration will push this country backwards,” Hart Holder added. “By mandating medically accurate sex-ed, the Massachusetts Senate is leading the charge to keep our young people safe and informed. Leading medical experts agree that evidence based sexual education is one of the most effective means of reducing the risk of sexually transmitted diseases and unintended pregnancy in young people. Pushing back against the Trump administration’s anti-science views on sexuality education is not only smart policy, it is smart politics.”

The Healthy Youth Act awaits a vote in the Massachusetts House of Representatives.

###