Sex Ed — Am I just delusional?

[Anonymous]

DD13 starts sex ed for the year soon. She brought home the workbook and I had to sign a sheet that I approve her attending the class. Anyway, I flip through it. In the STD/STI section there are about 20 pages of information about HIV and AIDS. In the section with other STIs like HPV, herpes, chlamydia, etc., only half-page blurbs.

Is HIV still really that big of an issue? I would think being equally informed about the other STIs would be equally important. Why don’t they focus more on those? Anyone know?

[Anonymous]

I am assuming because the other ones are curable with medication and usually not life altering. They also don’t revise textbooks every year, so that information is probably a decade out of date.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am assuming because the other ones are curable with medication and usually not life altering. They also don’t revise textbooks every year, so that information is probably a decade out of date.

There is no cure for HPV. Women die from it.

[Anonymous]

HIV is very treatable these days. You should supplement her class with more information on other STIs.

[Anonymous]

New HIV infections are on the rise. Seems like more education is necessary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am assuming because the other ones are curable with medication and usually not life altering. They also don’t revise textbooks every year, so that information is probably a decade out of date.

There is no cure for HPV. Women die from it.

Isn't there a vaccine?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am assuming because the other ones are curable with medication and usually not life altering. They also don’t revise textbooks every year, so that information is probably a decade out of date.

There is no cure for HPV. Women die from it.

Isn't there a vaccine?

Sure. But a girl has to depend on her parents to get it for her, and they may not. And she may contract it before she has a chance to get it herself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am assuming because the other ones are curable with medication and usually not life altering. They also don’t revise textbooks every year, so that information is probably a decade out of date.

There is no cure for HPV. Women die from it.

Isn't there a vaccine?

Maybe there should be a class for parents.

[Anonymous]

The HPV vaccine protects against the strains that are considered to cause the majority cancers (I think it's two of the strains) as well as several others. There are over 150 strains.

[Anonymous]

HIV is very curable these days but maybe the threat that any STD can start and kill you so wear your rubbers boys and girls!

It was a huge part of history

[Anonymous]

20 pages? Really?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:HIV is very curable these days but maybe the threat that any STD can start and kill you so wear your rubbers boys and girls!

It was a huge part of history

HIV is treatable, not curable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:HIV is very curable these days but maybe the threat that any STD can start and kill you so wear your rubbers boys and girls!

It was a huge part of history

HIV is treatable, not curable.

It's actually becoming curable.

[Anonymous]

There is a lot of HIV in DC.
See map below. Yes, DC is a city, not a state but it's rate of HIV wildly surpasses that of any state.
I work as a public health RN and have had patients who died of opportunistic infections and AIDS this year (yes, in 2024).
It remains a very real issue.

[Anonymous]

FWIW, Syphilis is also on the rise.

Our daughter moved to Adolescent Medicine at 13. She has 40 minute appointments with the physician and I am not present for much of it. They talk one-on-one about sex, STIs etc as well as topics such as depression and social media. I receive an overview while I wait.

I am really appreciative of this format and would consider having you reach out to your pediatrician if you feel like you or your child would benefit from extra support. I know we have support and I sometimes still feel there is a chasm in how I talk about these issues and how my daughter describes those same issues. Good luck!