While watching the Robby and Landon Starbuck documentary The War on Children this past weekend, I became aware of the outsized influence of the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS) on sex education in schools nationwide.  In digging around the SIECUS website, I became even more concerned about the misalignment between their stated mission and their corporate sponsors.

SIECUS claims to advance “sex education through advocacy, policy and coalition building” with a vision of “an equitable nation where all people receive sex education, are affirmed in their identities, and have power to make decisions about their own health, pleasure, and wholeness.” 

Yet in reviewing SIECUS’s mid-year report and public materials, I found glaring disconnects between these lofty goals and their financial backers.  Of SIECUS’s four corporate sponsors, two — Huge Pussy and Future Method — promote sexually explicit content and products clearly marketed to adults, not youth.  Huge Pussy hocks “pussy in public” apparel emblazoned with crude anatomical slogans, while Future Method teaches everything you ever wanted to know about anal sodomy.  They will even sell you an “anal training kit” with graphic instructions on preparing for anal intercourse.

The other two corporate backers of SIECUS are a sex toy retailer and an STD-focused health care company.  Nary a mainstream education or child development organization among them.

If SIECUS’s mission centered on advancing sexual exploration for consenting adults, such affiliations might align.  But for a group purporting to shape K–12 sex ed curricula, the sponsorship of hardcore “pussy” sloganeers and fringe sex act coaches raises glaring questions about their real agenda and judgment.

Equally concerning, SIECUS’s mid-year report shows their vast policy reach, tracking hundreds of sex ed–related bills across all 50 states.  They aim to leverage that clout to drive a “long-term culture shift” on “sexuality” writ large.  Given their unseemly corporate bedfellows, parents should ask: a shift toward what, exactly?

SIECUS’s materials are notably light on details of the actual sexual content and values they champion in classrooms.  Their “vision” of affirming all sexual “identities” and “pleasure” seems tellingly vague.  One wonders if teaching the basics of biology and reproduction is still a priority, or just an afterthought to more “transgressive” tutorials.

As an influential player in the sensitive sphere of sex ed, SIECUS owe the public total transparency about whether their true agenda mirrors the interests of their adult entertainment industry sponsors.  Vague talk of “autonomy” and “culture shift” doesn’t cut it.

Parents and schools have a right to know: does SIECUS believe that Future Method and Huge Pussy’s sexually explicit wares have a place in shaping educational content for kids?  If not, why is SIECUS emboldening and lending credibility to these brands?  If so, stakeholders should hear that directly and decide if such judgment inspires trust.

Personally, I find SIECUS’s corporate and ideological company a red flag.  Well-intentioned people can debate the finer points of sex ed.  But any group claiming to be a beacon for youth that sees provocative porn-adjacent brands as allies has some explaining to do.

At minimum, SIECUS should clarify how each of their corporate sponsors reflects their pedagogical values.  They should reconcile any apparent hypocrisy.  And if, upon reflection, SIECUS finds incompatibilities between mission and money sources, I’d urge them to reprioritize principles over profits.

Sex education is too important to be delegated to unaccountable groups with questionable alliances and agendas.  Parents, not “pussy-promoting” ideologues, should be the ultimate arbiters of sexual learning.  SIECUS would do well to remember that and rethink the company they keep.

Quentin Quill curates news and empowers minds at The Daily Discourse.

Image via Raw Pixel.