Act Now: Remove Homphobic and Sexist Program
Happy National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy! While it’s still a great opportunity to celebrate successes, reflect on lessons-learned and stay focused on making an impact, our work remains: an abstinence-only program lacking any substantive evidence made it to the list of HHS-approved programs eligible for implementation with federal funds by Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiative grantees.
Heritage Keepers has been assessed at least twice in the last several years and was found to be ineffective.
Ask the Administration to remove Heritage Keepers from the list of approved programs.
Whether the data exist to support the program's effectiveness is still in question, but the egregious content of the program is crystal clear.
You can read the details in this article posted on RH Reality Check. Our partners at SIECUS, Advocates for Youth and ANSWER have summed it up:
“Evidence of effectiveness is important, but it should not be sufficient. It is not enough to help some students delay sexual initiation while leaving others ill-equipped to protect themselves when they do have sex. It is unacceptable to promote teen pregnancy prevention at the cost of ostracizing LGBT youth, survivors of sexual assault, or youth who are sexually active."
President Obama has said he is working toward women's equality and ending sexism. He has shown his support for contraception as a part of basic health care. And he has spoken out against homophobia and bullying of LGBT students. Yet the Administration has allowed Heritage Keepers onto a short list of HHS-approved programs, in direct contradiction of those principles.
The Administration's hypocrisy must end. Students should be given information and skills they can use, not be instructed to fantasize about their dream weddings in school.
Your urgent action is needed!
You can read a complete review of the ab-only program in question here.
