ADVOCATES FOR YOUTH

Rights. Respect. Responsibility.^®: What Activists Can Do

Advocates can make a difference by speaking up for youth's right to be responsible. Let policy makers know you support comprehensive sexuality education and youth's access to confidential sexual health services.

1. Hang the Rights. Respect. Responsibility.^® posters. Click here to order additional, or larger, copies.
2. Find out what sexuality education looks like in your schools. Ask your children, teachers, principals, superintendents, and school board members about the schools' sexuality education programs.
3. Consider making a presentation to the PTA on the lack of evidence for the effectiveness of abstinence-only-until-marriage programs. Ask young people to provide testimonials.
4. Create a coalition of parents, educators, and health care providers willing to speak out for adolescent sexual health information and services.
5. Include senior citizens by contacting senior centers and clubs. Individuals may be willing to speak out about the importance of accurate information and confidential sexual health services and to advocate on behalf of today's children and youth.
6. Involve faith-based organizations. Ask religious leaders who support comprehensive sexuality education to discuss the issue with their congregation.
7. Write your elected representatives. Draft a letter to use as a template about the importance of comprehensive sexuality education and confidential sexual health services. Find supporting data in the the Truth About Abstinence-Only Programs fact sheet. Change your letter slightly as you write to various individuals, such as your governor, state health commissioner, state and congressional representatives and senators, city council members, mayor, municipal officers, school board members, and school superintendents. You can usually find contact information on these people in the "blue book" section of the telephone directory or on the Internet.
8. Get the local media involved. Learn which reporter writes about school- and health-related issues. Call the reporter and ask her/him to cover the issue.
9. Use the Internet to get your message across. Create a Web site or bulletin board that is dedicated to recognizing youth's right to be responsible. Contribute opinions to existing Web sites or bulletin boards.
10. Sign the petition, "I Support Young People's Right to Be Responsible."