Sex Ed for All Month Highlights the Fight for Youth Rights and Health Access
May is Sex Ed for All Month, and it’s bringing big news: the Real Education and Access for Healthy Youth Act (REAHYA) has been reintroduced in both the House and Senate. This bill could make a huge difference in the lives of teens across the country by pushing for comprehensive and medically accurate sex education—something that’s more important now than ever.
What’s REAHYA?
REAHYA is a bill that puts factual information in the hands of young people. First introduced in 2021, and now reintroduced again in 2025, it aims to:
- Provide funding for comprehensive sex education
- Support access to sexual health services
- End investments in abstinence-only programs
Why Now?
Right now, there’s a lot happening that makes this bill especially urgent. Across the country, some leaders are trying to limit access to sex ed, ban books, and control what’s taught in classrooms. These attacks don’t just affect lessons—they affect lives.
Teens deserve to grow up with the knowledge and skills to make informed, confident, and healthy decisions. That means understanding your body, setting boundaries, navigating relationships, and knowing where to go for help. We’re here for all of it—and REAHYA supports that mission too.
What Can Comprehensive Sex Ed Do?
Research shows that comprehensive sex education helps:
✅ Delay the start of sexual activity
✅ Increase the use of protection
✅ Lower rates of STIs and unintended pregnancy
✅ Promote healthy relationships
✅ Reduce gender-based violence
In short: it works.
But not all young people have access to this kind of education. Many still receive outdated, incomplete, or biased information that doesn’t reflect who they are or what they need. That’s why our work at Teen Empower is so important.
How We’re Involved
At Teen Empower, we believe young people should own their health, their decisions, and their futures. Our SHAPE Peer Education Program helps teens become educators themselves—leading conversations, busting myths, and creating safe spaces for conversations about relationships and health.
We support the goals of REAHYA because we’ve seen firsthand how knowledge can change lives. Teens are smart, capable, and ready to take charge when given the right tools.
Take Action
We encourage students, parents, educators, and community leaders to support legislation that prioritizes sex education. Our goal is make sure every teenager gets the chance to be informed, empowered, and confident in who they are.