For the past six years, there has been a growth of Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) and Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) cases in the city of Memphis. Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) cases in Shelby County have gone up 50%, and syphilis cases in teens between 15 and 19 years old have gone up 267%. Memphis schools have been recommended by Memphis Shelby County Schools (MSCS) and the Shelby County Department of Health to expand services for those who are suffering from these illnesses and advocate for safe sex practices among teens.
Many teens and even adults know little to no information about STIs, sexual health and how to practice safe sex. Like any other illness, they need to be treated before they become dangerous, and many STIs, if left ignored, develop into life threatening STDs. A major way to spread awareness of STDs and STIs is sexual education, and in many, if not most schools, sexual education is not taught. This leads to misunderstandings, false information and, ultimately, the spread of STDs and STIs.
“I believe that sex education is very important because STDs and STIs are a very real issue in the world,” Kelly Lee (11) said. “If you don’t educate [teens] on why it’s important to maintain healthy relationships, not just about abstinence, but using protection or being careful who you interact with then … they won’t understand the importance of how [STDs or STIs] can affect their future. [Not all STDs or STIs] can cause death, but [they] can definitely negatively impact your health in the future.”
Some STIs can cause death. But all STDs and STIs can be treated and managed, and some can be cured if caught soon enough. Gonorrhea, for example, can cause a host of issues if left untreated in both male and female victims. Historically, transmitting or getting HIV has been a huge concern. HIV has been feared since 1981, which has led to misinformation about the virus. HIV is a virus that attacks the body’s immune system and currently has no effective cure. HIV can be transferred through blood, semen, pre-seminal fluid, rectal fluids and vaginal fluids. When any of these fluids come in contact with a person’s mucous membrane –found in many major organs– damaged tissue or directly into one’s bloodstream the virus can be transmitted. Gay, bisexual and other men who practice male-to-male sexual contact are disproportionately affected by HIV. If the right treatment is given, then a person can live with HIV and even become non-contagious. Still, if left untreated, it can develop into Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), which is not treatable and deadly. Most, if not all, people who are diagnosed with AIDS die within three years of diagnosis. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), social and structural issues such as HIV stigma, homophobia, discrimination, poverty and limited access to quality health care can influence health outcomes and continue to drive inequities. Addressing these barriers and encouraging a safe and supportive community can help improve these outcomes for gay and bisexual men. Although HIV seems scary, there are steps that can be taken to limit the spread of the virus. Using condoms, not sharing needles, syringes or other drug injection equipment, and using pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) if susceptible to HIV and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) if exposed to HIV can all help a person stay safe from HIV.
The CDC has concluded with data from a 2011-2019 survey that there has been a significant decrease in recipients of fundamental sexual education topics. This includes, but is not limited to, delaying sex, communication, birth control methods, relationships, HIV/AIDS prevention, a person’s gender identity and STDs. It is not federally mandated that every school teach sexual education; instead, states or school districts make that decision. White Station High School and many other MSCS schools do not offer sex education classes. The Shelby County Department of Health recommends that services expand to help those in need, but no such measures were taken by MSCS.
“Part of the fear comes from the unknown, so if [students] are afraid of [STDs or STIs, then] they shouldn’t be afraid to ask questions or do their own research about it,” Lee said. “The internet is a very good place to do research [if a person is afraid of judgement].”
While the internet is a good resource for general knowledge, there are many questions about STIs that the internet cannot answer. Therefore, there is a need for a trained medical professional to teach students about sexual education because many teens are unable or do not want to talk about their health issues with parents or guardians. This could be because of a range of problems, such as fear of being judged, an unhealthy relationship with their parents or guardians or general anxiety concerning their sexual health. This is where schools need to step up and be a resource for their suffering teenage students.
“If the schools bring more attention to [sexual relations,] not just about the actions the students have but about why it’s dangerous, then they’ll understand that this isn’t the [time or place] to do it.” Lee said. “You should wait till you are more established in life to be doing these things because anything could happen,
especially if you aren’t [engaging in] safe practices.”
The transition into adulthood can be stressful and scary for teens with many new responsibilities; offering guidance that will stay with them for the rest of their lives can leave a deep and long-lasting message, ideally allowing them to have a happy, healthy and safe future. The role that sexual education can play in this transition is major and can guide many people into becoming a functional adult.
Sex education is another way that schools can advocate for safe sex practices, providing information not just for someone’s teenage years but for their whole lives. Many schools dismiss the importance of sexual education, and this lack of information can allow for assumptions about STIs and STDs. These beliefs can range from assuming that people who have or had STIs or STDs are “dirty” or wanting to limit contact with HIV-positive individuals so they will not become infected. These assumptions can lead to discrimination toward a person or group, which can eventually cause violence on either a local or national level.
“I feel like sex education isn’t really advocated for within schools, so there’s little known about [STDs or STIs, and] people don’t really understand how you can contract it,” Lee said. “There are certain things like, ‘Oh, can you get it just because someone else has it and you touch a surface they touch?’ They don’t know that [that] information [is not true, which] brings about a lot of fear [regarding] STDs or STIs.”
Contrary to popular belief, the act of sexual intercourse is not taught in sex education, only lessons that can and will protect a person if they decide to engage in sexual relations, or even a relationship later in life. Sex education classes teach a wide range of valuable lessons about relationships,sexual abuse, decision-making, communication, gender identity, body image, birth control and STIs. Some schools do offer sex education, but they teach abstinence –obstaining from sexual activities–which can be good for teens, but gives rising adults no clue on how to stay safe when having sexual relations. A big fear from many parents or guardians is that sex education will promote underage sex but that is not the class’ goal. Instead, the class aims to teach“adult lessons” to teens because they are the next set of adults. Sex education can accomplish a lot that cannot always be given by a parent or guardian, but some people only see the sex part of sexeducation and are still against it.
“[STDs and STIs are seen as bad due to] the practices of how you get STDs or STIs,” Lee said. “Sexual relations are a really taboo topic to speak about in today’s society. If you get an STD or STI, it’s under the assumption that you’re having a lot of sexual relations, and a lot of people don’t like to talk about [it]. Especially if it becomes like, ‘Oh you’ve been in a lot of relationships because you’ve cheated on someone or because you like to have fun and mess around.’ People like to avoid those topics a lot.”
As a collective, society needs to understand that many teens will make mistakes in many areas, and they need someone or something to rely on if they are scared or troubled. Becoming an adult is challenging, but it should never be scary. Schools should be a safe place for students to express themselves and get the help they need. The same goes for parents and guardians, but that is not always the case and that needs to be understood. Schools should be a pillar that any teen can lean on in case of danger, confusion or fear.
“It’s really important to seek medical attention [if someone thinks that they have contracted a STD or STI,] because some of them, especially HIV, you can have meds that suppress the symptoms, and [you can] still have sexual relation with that disease.” Lee said, “[But, only] if you get the medication you need.”
If you have questions or need help talk to a trusted adult or visit shelbytnhealth.com for more resources. Stay safe and use a condom.
