Original subtitles

MAN: WHAT IF I WANNA HAVE SEX BEFORE I GET MARRIED?

TEACHER: WELL, I GUESS YOU JUST HAVE TO BE

PREPARED TO DIE.

NARRATOR: THE MOST IMPORTANT CLASS IN THE SCHOOL OF LIFE...

MAN: SEX EDUCATION.

NARRATOR: IS THE ONE THAT ALMOST EVERYONE FAILS.

MARGARET CHO: MY PARENTS STILL HAVE NOT TOLD ME WHERE

BABIES COME FROM.

WOMAN: JUST TELL THEM TO KEEP YOUR HANDS OUT OF WHAT'S

INSIDE YOUR SWIMMING SUIT.

DITA VON TEESE: I LEARNED ABOUT SEX FROM MY FATHER'S

PLAYBOYS AND MY MOM'S COSMOPOLITAN.

RUPAUL CHARLES: PEOPLE ASSUME THAT PORN SEX IS EVERY DAY SEX.

IT IS NOT.

NARRATOR: FEW THINGS GET PEOPLE HOTTER UNDER THE COLLAR

THAN SEX EDUCATION.

MAN: SHOULD BE CALLED PERVERSION.

DAN SAVAGE: THEY'RE NOT DOING SEX ED,

THEY'RE DOING SEX DREAD.

NARRATOR: SO WHAT HAPPENS WHEN REFORMERS DARE TO KICK

THE HORNETS' NEST OF SEX ED POLITICS?

REPORTER: SURGEON GENERAL JOYCELYN ELDERS IS FORCED TO

RESIGN BECAUSE OF COMMENT SHE MADE ABOUT MASTURBATION.

JOYCELYN ELDERS: IT WAS LIKE A STAB WOUND IN MY HEART.

DR. DREW PINSKY: SEX EDUCATION IS POLITICAL.

IT'S PRETTY SCARY.

NARRATOR: IN CENTRAL TURKEY,

ARCHEOLOGISTS UNEARTH A STONE AGE SCULPTURE THAT

NEATLY SUMS UP THE BIRDS AND BEES.

ON ONE SIDE, TWO LOVERS, ON THE OTHER,

THE CONSEQUENCE OF THE SEX ACT, A MOTHER WITH CHILD.

8,000 YEARS LATER,

TEACHING THESE VERY BASIC FACTS OF LIFE

HAS BECOME A POLITICAL AND CULTURAL MINEFIELD.

DON LEMON: I DIDN'T HAVE SEX ED IN SCHOOL AT ALL.

I GREW UP IN THE DEEP SOUTH AND I WENT TO A

CATHOLIC SCHOOL, NO SEX ED.

WOMAN: THIS IS A DIAGRAM OF THE UTERUS OR WOMB.

GLORIA ALLRED: OF COURSE, IT WASN'T EVEN CALLED

SEX EDUCATION AT THE TIME BECAUSE NO TEACHER WOULD UTTER

THE WORD SEX, IT'S CALLED HYGIENE.

WOMAN: IT'S BECOMING ROUND WITH THE BEGINNINGS OF A BOSOM

AND THE START OF A REAL WAISTLINE AND HIPS.

SHANNON BOODRAM: IT WAS MY GYM TEACHER WHO LOOK LIKE

SHE AIN'T NEVER HAD SEX.

MIND YOU KNEW ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

WOMAN: YOU'VE PLAYED THE FIELD FOR TWO OR THREE YEARS, JEFF.

DAN SAVAGE: MY PARENTS TRIED BUT IT WAS A

STRUGGLE FOR THEM.

YOU KNOW, THEY WANTED TO BE GOOD AND HIP PARENTS WHO COULD

TALK TO THEIR KIDS ABOUT SEX.

MAN: IT WASN'T THE FIRST TIME FOR EITHER OF US.

DAN SAVAGE: WE WOULD RUN SCREAMING FROM THE ROOM.

MAN: A SUCCESSFUL COUPLING STARTS WHEN THE MALE GRABS A

FEMALE IN A TIGHT GRIP.

PENN JILLETTE: I CAN REMEMBER WATCHING TV,

WATCHING ABOUT SEX ON NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC.

YOU WOULD TAKE YOUR PANTS OFF.

RAVI PATEL: AT A VERY YOUNG AGE,

I WAS TRYING TO WATCH THOSE SQUIGGLY LINES ON THE PREMIUM

CHANNELS THAT WE DIDN'T PAY FOR JUST TO CATCH A BOOB.

THAT'S CLEARLY YOUR BODY TELLING YOU, YOU WANT BOOBS.

NARRATOR: AFTER 100 YEARS OF SEX EDUCATION,

APPEARING IN SCHOOLS AROUND THE GLOBE,

YOUNG PEOPLE ARE MORE CONFUSED THAN EVER.

MANY BLAME THIS ON POLITICAL AGENDAS WHICH THEY BELIEVE

STAND IN THE WAY OF A STUDENT'S RIGHT TO KNOW.

MIRIAM REUMANN: IT'S PROFOUNDLY SHOCKING THAT YOU

WOULD HAVE HAD A MORE THOROUGH SEX EDUCATION IN THE

1950'S THAN FIVE YEARS AGO IN HIGH SCHOOL.

SARAH MIRK: AS OF MARCH 1ST, 2016,

ONLY 24 STATES IN UNITED STATES ACTUALLY REQUIRED THAT

SEX ED BE TAUGHT IN SCHOOLS, AND OF THOSE,

ONLY 13 REQUIRE THAT IT'D BE MEDICALLY ACCURATE.

DR. DREW PINSKY: I SUSPECT THE PRIMARY REASON HUMAN SEXUALITY

IS POLITICAL IS BECAUSE IT'S A GOOD WAY TO GET ELECTED.

IT'S THE HOT BUTTON ITEM THAT WE FEEL INTENSELY ABOUT.

NORA GELPERIN: WE'VE GOT A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE WHO

ARE REALLY HUNGERING FOR MORE HONEST,

ACCURATE INFORMATION ABOUT SEXUALITY.

THEY'RE NOT FINDING IT IN THEIR HEALTH CLASSES,

THEY'RE NOT GETTING IT FROM THEIR PARENTS AT HOME.

WOMAN: A CHLAMYDIA OUTBREAK THAT GOT EVERYONE TALKING

ABOUT THE SMALL TOWN OF CRANE LAST WEEK,

NOW HAS THE SCHOOL LOOKING AT POSSIBLE WAYS TO FIX IT.

DAN SAVAGE: SEX EDUCATION IS A FAILURE.

THERE ARE KIDS TODAY DRINKING BLEACH AS BIRTH CONTROL,

DRINK A CAP OF BLEACH BEFORE YOU HAVE SEX,

THAT'S BIRTH CONTROL.

DR. DREW PINSKY: THE MYTHS SURROUND SEXUALITY AND

BEING SAFE WITH SEX ARE ALMOST UNBELIEVABLE.

DAN SAVAGE: YOU CAN'T GET A GIRL PREGNANT IF YOU STOP

THRUSTING INSIDE HER AFTER YOU EJACULATE BECAUSE IT'S THE

TRUSTING AFTER EJACULATION THAT BREAKS OPEN HER EGGS.

NORA GELPERIN: SHE CAN'T GET PREGNANT IF YOU HAVE SEX

STANDING UP.

SHE CAN'T GET PREGNANT IF YOU HAVE SEX IN A POOL,

IF YOU DRINK A LOT OF MOUNTAIN DEW.

THERE'S A LOT THAT'S MISSING.

THERE'S A LOT MORE THAT YOUNG PEOPLE DESERVE AND

THAT WE AS ADULTS

HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE FOR THEM.

NARRATOR: PEOPLE TEND TO IGNORE SEX EDUCATION,

UNTIL A SOCIAL UPHEAVAL OR OTHER DISASTER FORCES

THEM TO CONFRONT THE FACTS OF LIFE,

LIKE THE WORLD WARS OF THE 20TH CENTURY.

MIRIAM REUMANN: SEXUAL EDUCATION STARTS GETTING GOING

PRIMARILY WITH THE ANTI-VD CAMPAIGN DURING WORLD WAR I.

NARRATOR: THIS RARE 1917 BRITISH FILM DEPICTS THE

HORRORS OF A SOLDIER BRINGING HOME SYPHILIS TO

HIS INNOCENT WIFE,

CAUSING THEIR NEW BABY TO BE BORN PERMANENTLY BLIND.

♪ [REVEILLE PLAYS]

SOLDIER: FALL IN.

NARRATOR: DURING WORLD WAR II,

SOME AMERICAN FILMS DEVELOPED AN AGGRESSIVE TONE

OF SEXUAL BLUNTNESS.

SOLDIER: THE ARMY RECOGNIZES THE RISKS PRESENT WITH A

LARGE NUMBER OF MEN TO THE SATISFACTION OF

THEIR SEXUAL IMPULSE.

HOWEVER, IN THE EVENT OF CONTACT WITH A

CONTAMINATED WOMAN, MALARIA, GONORRHEA, AND SYPHILIS,

THEY DESTROY YOUR LIFE.

JANE WARD: THESE FILMS ARE DELIVERING SOME PRACTICAL SEX

EDUCATION THAT WAS VERY HELPFUL BUT ALSO THEY DEPICT

WOMEN AS DANGEROUS, FILTHY, LIARS WHO WILL SEDUCE MEN INTO

SEXUAL ENCOUNTERS THAT ARE DANGEROUS.

SOLDIER: IF THE WOMAN HAS GONORRHEA OR SYPHILIS AS

SHE PROBABLY HAS, THERE WILL BE MILLIONS OF THE GERMS

ON THE RUBBER, ON THE HAND THAT REMOVED IT,

AND ON THE SURFACES SURROUNDING THE PENIS.

MIRIAM REUMANN: THEY WERE BRUTALLY FRANK,

THERE'S LOT OF CLOSE-UPS OF DISEASED BODY PARTS.

I WILL WARN YOU,

DO NOT WATCH THE WORLD WAR II VENEREAL DISEASE VIDEOS

WHILE YOU'RE EATING BECAUSE, GOOD LORD,

THE AMOUNT OF DISEASED "PEEN" ON THERE IS JUST HORRIFYING.

ADOLF HITLER: IF YOU WANT A STRONG GERMANY,

YOU MUST ONE DAY BE STRONG TOO.

NARRATOR: MEANWHILE, THE GERMAN HIGH COMMAND WAS

INSTRUCTING ITS NAZI YOUTH TO HAVE MORE SEX IN A

DIABOLICAL POLITICAL ATTEMPT TO PROPAGATE

ARYAN RACIAL TRAITS.

REPORTER: THE CHILDREN FROM THIS ASSEMBLY LINE BELONG

TO THE STATE.

NARRATOR: THE NAZIS ENCOURAGE SUITABLE YOUNG WOMEN

TO HAVE SEX WITH SS OFFICERS,

AND BEAR THE CHILDREN OF THESE OUT-OF-WEDLOCK UNIONS.

AN ESTIMATED SIX TO 8,000 CHILDREN WERE BORN AND

ULTIMATELY ABANDONED BY THE NAZIS WHEN WORLD WAR II ENDED.

WHILE SOME SEX EDUCATORS WERE BRUTALLY DIRECT DURING TIMES

OF WAR, EVERYDAY SEX ED FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN LEFT THEM

PRACTICALLY TONGUE TIED.

JONATHAN ZIMMERMAN: WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO IS TEACH

THEM ABOUT SEX WITHOUT MAKING THEM TOO INTERESTED IN IT.

SO HOW DO YOU THAT?

YOU'LL TEACH SEX ED VIA FROGS, HERRINGS, AND YES,

BIRDS AND BEES.

MAN: THESE SMALL FINGERS BELONG TO ANOTHER KIND OF BABY,

A BABY MONKEY.

NARRATOR: THERE WERE LOTS OF IMAGES OF CUTE ANIMALS,

BUT LITTLE PRACTICAL INFORMATION ABOUT HOW

THESE BABIES CAME TO BE.

MAN: EACH BABY STARTS LIFE FROM A SINGLE EGG WHICH WAS

FERTILIZED BY THE FATHER.

EGGS GROW IN THE MOTHER'S BODY.

TRISTAN TAORMINO: THERE'S A LOT OF TECHNICAL SCIENTIFIC,

A LOT OF DIAGRAMS.

NO ONE WAS REALLY TALKING ABOUT SEX.

MAN: FOR EACH PUPPY, THERE MUST HAVE BEEN A SEPARATE EGG.

ANN COULTER: IT WAS JUST, YOU KNOW,

DIAGRAMS OF EGG MEETS SPERM AND THAT SORT OF THING.

TRISTAN TAORMINO: THE GIRLS GOT SHOWN FALLOPIAN TUBES

WHICH DID NOT COME IN HANDY WHEN I THEN WENT TO HAVE A

SEXUAL EXPERIENCE FOR THE FIRST TIME WITH SOMEONE ELSE.

NARRATOR: BUT AN EMERGING SCHOOL OF THOUGHT ARGUED THAT

THE ONLY EFFECTIVE WAY TO TEACH SEX ED WAS TO BE

DIRECT AND UNFLINCHING.

THE ANIMATED FILM HUMAN GROWTH SHOWED ANATOMY LESSONS

AND REPRODUCTIVE DIAGRAMS AS IT PLAYED ON SURPLUS

16 MILLIMETER ARMY PROJECTORS IN CLASSROOMS.

MAN: WHEN A BOY IS BETWEEN THE AGES OF 13 AND 16,

THE TESTES BEGIN TO PRODUCE SPERM CELLS.

SARAH MIRK: HUMAN GROWTH IS AN EARLY SEX ED FILM FOCUSED

ON SEXUAL DEVELOPMENT.

WHEN THIS FILM WAS SHOWN IN SCHOOLS IN THE UNITED STATES,

PEOPLE WERE REALLY KIND OF BLOWN AWAY.

TEACHER: LET'S USE THE PROJECTOR TO EXPLAIN IT.

MAN: IT SHOWS A MUCH MORE EXPLICIT KIND OF SEXUALITY.

WOMAN: ABOUT MENSTRUATION, IS IT REALLY NORMAL FOR

THE BODY TO BLEED LIKE THAT?

MAN: I'D LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT DIFFERENT

KINDS OF HORMONES.

TEACHER: YOU CAN DISCUSS THESE SAME QUESTIONS WITH YOUR

TEACHER AND YOU CAN ASK ANY OTHERS YOU HAVE IN MIND.

NARRATOR: MEANWHILE, IN SCANDINAVIA,

ONE OF THE FIRST IN THE LINE OF MAVERICK EDUCATORS

BROUGHT A DEEPLY PERSONAL STORY TO THE POLITICAL DEBATE

OVER SEX ED PLAYING OUT AROUND THE WORLD.

JONATHAN ZIMMERMAN: THE KEY FIGURE IN THAT MOVEMENT

WAS A FASCINATING WOMAN NAMED ELISE OTTESEN-JENSEN WHO

WENT MOSTLY BY HER NICKNAME OTTAR.

[INAUDIBLE].

JONATHAN ZIMMERMAN: ELISE OTTESEN-JENSEN WAS THE 17TH OF

18 CHILDREN BORN INTO A NORWEGIAN FAMILY,

AND HER ONLY YOUNGER SIBLING, SISTER,

COMMITTED SUICIDE AFTER BECOMING PREGNANT ACCIDENTALLY

OUTSIDE OF MARRIAGE.

AND SHE EVENTUALLY MARRIED A SWEDE AND ENDED UP IN SWEDEN.

AND EVENTUALLY TURNED TO SEX EDUCATION,

GIVING TALKS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY,

AND PRESSING THE GOVERNMENT TO REQUIRE IT

WHICH IT EVENTUALLY DID.

WOMAN: SO WHAT YOU DO IS PUT THE CONDOM OVER THE PENIS.

JONATHAN ZIMMERMAN: WHAT'S REALLY INTERESTING ESPECIALLY

FROM AN AMERICAN PERSPECTIVE ABOUT SWEDISH

SEX EDUCATION IS THAT ELISE OTTESEN-JENSEN TARGETED

IT VERY MUCH AT THE INDIVIDUAL.

THERE WAS MUCH LESS WORRY AND CONCERN ABOUT THE

DANGERS OF SEX.

[SPEAKING SWEDISH].

YOU KNOW, TEEN PREGNANCY, OR STD'S,

AND MUCH MORE BUT HELPING EACH INDIVIDUAL DEVELOP AND

DETERMINE A HEALTHY SEXUAL LIFE.

AND SHE'S SUCH A HUGE FIGURE THAT SHE WAS ON

POSTED STAMPS IN SWEDEN AND SHE APPEARS ON SCULPTURES AND

MONUMENTS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.

NARRATOR: OTTAR WAS THE FIRST TO ACHIEVE THE

GOAL OF NATIONWIDE STATE REQUIRED SEX EDUCATION.

IT WAS NOT IN THE CLASSROOM BUT IN A SECLUDED LABORATORY

THAT THE NEXT BARRIERS IN SEX ED WERE FALLING.

JANICE IRVINE: MASTERS AND JOHNSON WERE

2 SEX RESEARCHERS AND THEY WERE VERY INTERESTED

IN WHAT HAPPEN TO THE BODY DURING SEXUAL ACTIVITY.

NARRATOR: ST. LOUIS, 1957, A PAIR OF SCIENTISTS BEGIN

CLANDESTINE RESEARCH ON HUMAN SEXUAL RESPONSE,

IN PARTICULAR, ORGASMS.

THEY WOULD KEEP THEIR LAB RESULTS BEHIND CLOSED DOORS

FOR 10 YEARS.

BUT EVENTUALLY, THEIR DISCOVERIES WOULD EDUCATE THE

WORLD ABOUT SEX.

JANICE IRVINE: MASTERS AND JOHNSON WERE SEX RESEARCHERS.

THEY WERE VERY INTERESTED IN WHAT HAPPEN TO THE BODY

DURING SEXUAL ACTIVITY.

MARGARET NICHOLS: THEY CHARTED THE HUMAN SEXUAL RESPONSE AND

THEY DID DO IT BY OBSERVING PEOPLE HAVE SEX.

NARRATOR: WILLIAM MASTERS LAUNCHED HIS AUDACIOUS STUDY

OF LIVE HUMAN SEX AT WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN 1956.

BUT INFORMED THAT WOMEN OFTEN FAKED ORGASMS AND

MEN COULDN'T TELL THEM FROM THE REAL THING,

MASTERS PARTNERED UP WITH AN AMBITIOUS STUDENT

NAMED VIRGINIA JOHNSON.

VIRGINIA JOHNSON: WE DON'T FEEL THAT ANYONE SHOULD TELL

ANOTHER HUMAN BEING THAT THEY SHOULD OR NOT RESPOND OR

BE RESPONSIVE OR BE SEXUALLY ACTIVE.

WILLIAM MASTERS: OUR JOB IS TO PRODUCE AS MUCH

FACTUAL MATERIAL AS WE CAN.

IF THE FACTS DON'T ALWAYS FIT PRECONCEIVED IDEAS,

THEN OF COURSE WE'RE IN SOME DIFFICULTY WITH

THE GENERAL PUBLIC.

NARRATOR: FROM 1957 TO 1965,

MASTERS AND JOHNSON OBSERVED AND RECORDED 10,000 ORGASMS.

THEIR POOL OF TEST SUBJECTS CONSISTED OF

382 WOMEN AND 312 MEN.

THEIR STUDY REVEALED THAT WOMEN HAVE THE ABILITY TO

EXPERIENCE MULTIPLE ORGASMS.

AND THAT EVEN THE ELDERLY ARE SEXUALLY ACTIVE.

JANICE IRVINE: THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS VERY,

VERY CONTROVERSIAL OR WOULD HAVE BEEN IF IT HAD BEEN

WIDELY KNOWN, BUT THEY KEPT THIS WORK VERY, VERY SECRET.

NARRATOR: IN 1966, MASTERS AND JOHNSON FINALLY

PUBLISHED THEIR WORK.

THE TIMING WAS RIGHT BECAUSE THE SEXUAL REVOLUTION WAS

REACHING ITS CLIMAX, ASSISTED BY ANOTHER MASTER

STROKE OF SCIENCE, THE BIRTH CONTROL PILL.

JONATHAN ZIMMERMAN: WHAT'S REALLY CRITICAL ABOUT THIS

MOMENT IN AMERICAN HISTORY IS THERE IS MUCH MORE PUBLIC

DISCUSSION ABOUT SEX AND MASTERS AND JOHNSON WERE AT

THE HEART OF THAT.

JERRY SPRINGER: THE RULES WERE CHANGING IN THE MIDDLE

OF US GROWING UP.

DEBORAH TOLMAN: THERE WAS SO MUCH THAT WAS STARTING

TO BREW AND HAPPEN WITH SEXUALITY.

REPORTER: WE NOW SEEM TO BE WITNESSING IN THIS COUNTRY AN

INTENSE PREOCCUPATION WITH THE PURSUIT OF PLEASURE.

ELLEN MORE: THE WHOLE WORLD WAS CHANGING AND SEX WAS PART

OF IT AND CONSERVATIVES WERE BEGINNING TO GET NERVOUS ABOUT

WHAT THAT MIGHT MEAN FOR AMERICAN VALUES.

JONATHAN ZIMMERMAN: BECAUSE OF THAT NEW EXPLICITNESS,

THERE'S A COUNTER REVOLUTION.

NARRATOR: THIS WOULD MARK THE BEGINNING OF A NEARLY 50-YEAR

LONG RALLYING CRY ACROSS THE GLOBE AS CULTURAL AND

RELIGIOUS CONSERVATIVES FIGHT TO REMOVE SEX ED

FROM PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

CAL THOMAS: WE DON'T BELIEVE THAT SEX EDUCATION CAN BE

PROPERLY TAUGHT WITHOUT A PROPER VALUE SYSTEM ANY MORE

THAN DRIVER EDUCATION CAN BE TAUGHT BY JUST HANDING KIDS

THE KEYS AND SAY GO OUT AND LEARN THE RULES OF THE ROAD.

LESLIE KANTOR: INTERESTING BACKDROP TO THIS IN THIS '60S

WAS THAT THAT WAS WHEN THERE WAS A SUPREME COURT DECISION

TO TAKE PRAYER OUT OF THE SCHOOLS.

[GROUP INAUDIBLE].

SO, FOR CONSERVATIVES, THERE WAS A FEELING THAT PRAYER

WAS BEING TAKEN OUT, SEX EDUCATION WAS BEING PUT IN,

AND THE THINGS WERE GOING THE WRONG DIRECTION.

NARRATOR: THEN, THE BITTER DEBATE OVER SEX EDUCATION

BECAME PERSONIFIED BY A FREETHINKING AMERICAN WOMAN

WITH A TART-TONGUED NAMED MARY CALDERONE.

MARY CALDERONE: THEN THEY ASKED ME,

"WHAT IS TOO MUCH MASTURBATION?"

I SAID, "THERE ISN'T SUCH A THING.

WHEN YOU GET TIRED JUST STOP."

JONATHAN ZIMMERMAN: MARY CALDERONE WAS ONE

OF THE MOST IMPORTANT FIGURES IN THE HISTORY

OF SEX EDUCATION.

NARRATOR: DR. CALDERONE'S CHILDHOOD WAS SCARRED BY

SEXUAL TRAUMA.

IT WOULD LATER FUEL HER PASSION FOR SEX EDUCATION.

ELLEN MORE: HER MOTHER OUTFITTED HER WITH METAL MITTS

TO WEAR WHEN SHE WAS SLEEPING SO SHE WOULD NOT MASTURBATE.

MARY CALDERONE: WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO MAKE AVAILABLE

TO YOUNG PEOPLE AS MUCH BASIC FACTUAL MATERIAL AS

THEY NEED AT THEIR PARTICULAR STAGE OF EVOLUTION.

DEBORAH TOLMAN: MARY WENT AROUND THE COUNTRY TALKING

ABOUT THE NEED TO EDUCATE PEOPLE ABOUT SEX.

REPORTER: DR. MARY CALDERONE,

SHE IS RESOLUTELY IN FAVOR OF SEX EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS

BEGINNING WITH KINDERGARTEN.

MARY CALDERONE: SMALL CORRECTION...

MAN: SURE.

MARY CALDERONE: TO BEGIN AT FIVE IS A LITTLE BIT LATE

BECAUSE SEX EDUCATION BEGINS AT THE MOMENT OF BIRTH.

NARRATOR: SHE BECAME A PIONEER WITH PLANNED PARENTHOOD

IN THE '50'S.

IN THE 1964, SHE FOUNDED SIECUS,

THE SEX INFORMATION AND EDUCATION COUNCIL

OF THE UNITED STATES.

SIECUS DELIVERED PRACTICAL SEX EDUCATION MATERIALS

TO SCHOOLS WHILE DR. CALDERONE BECAME

THE ORGANIZATION'S FACE AND VOICE.

JONATHAN ZIMMERMAN: SHE DID NOT VIEW HERSELF IN ANYWAY AS

A SEXUAL REVOLUTIONARY.

SHE SAW HER EFFORTS AS A WAY TO SHAPE AND CONTROL THE

SEXUAL REVOLUTION.

NARRATOR: MEANWHILE, THE COUNTER REVOLUTION WAS

GATHERING STEAM.

MAN: I THINK THE GREATEST DANGER FACING AMERICA IS NOT

COMMUNISM, I THINK IT'S MORAL DECAY FROM WITHIN.

NARRATOR: CONSERVATIVE POLITICIANS WERE SEIZING ON

SEX EDUCATION AS ONE WAY TO RALLY THE

EVANGELICAL VOTING BLOCK.

THAT'S WHEN THEY REALLY STARTED KICKING THE

HORNET'S NEST OF SEX ED.

JANICE IRVINE: A CONSERVATIVE ORGANIZATION PUT OUT

A PAMPHLET CALLED, "IS THE SCHOOL HOUSE THE

PLACE TO TEACH RAW SEX?"

OPPONENTS WOULD SAY THINGS LIKE,

"THEY'RE TEACHING PEOPLE TO MASTURBATE IN THE CLASSROOM.

THEY'RE SHOWING OUR CHILDREN PORNOGRAPHY.

THE SEX EDUCATION TEACHER TAKES HER CLOTHES OFF IN FRONT

OF THE CLASSROOM AS A WAY TO TEACH BIOLOGY.

ELLEN MORE: THE NEW RIGHT WING OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY

WERE HORRIFIED AT THIS THREAT TO CHRISTIAN VALUES.

AND WHEN THEY SAW MARY CALDERONE GIVING TALKS,

THEY BEGAN TO TARGET HER PERSONALLY.

NARRATOR: DR. CALDERONE'S POLITICAL ENEMIES RESORTED TO

NAME CALLING, BRANDING HER, THE "SIECUS SEXPOT."

ELLEN MORE: SHE WAS ATTACKED FOR THINGS THAT

WERE COMPLETELY UNTRUE.

NARRATOR: AT ONE POINT, HER ENEMIES ATTRIBUTED A

FALSE STATEMENT TO DR. CALDERONE THAT READ,

"NOBODY NEEDS TO WORRY ABOUT CHILD MOLESTING.

IT REALLY DOESN'T HURT CHILDREN THAT MUCH."

ELLEN MORE: THE VERY CONSERVATIVE JOHN BIRCH SOCIETY

CAME AFTER HER WITH A VENGEANCE.

JOHN BIRCH: THIS IS A FIGHT FOR THE,

FOR OUR CHILDREN AND FOR OUR FAMILIES.

NARRATOR: THE EMBATTLED DOCTOR CONTINUED TO RUN SIECUS

AND MADE TV APPEARANCES ABOUT SEX ED.

BUT HER POLITICAL ADVERSARIES HAD ALREADY

DROWNED OUT HER MESSAGE.

DR. CALDERONE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST SEX EDUCATION

FIREBRANDS TO BE DEMONIZED BY THE OPPOSITION,

BUT HARDLY THE LAST.

MAN: HERE'S DOCTOR [INAUDIBLE].

FRONTING FOR THE HOMOSEXUAL LOBBY,

TO PROMOTE HOMOSEXUALITY.

NARRATOR: YET THE NEXT PUBLIC FIGURE TO ENTER THE

POLITICAL MINE FIELD OF SEX ED WAS A TRUE BLUE

RELIGIOUS CONSERVATIVE.

WITH A LIFE-SAVING MESSAGE.

MAN: WE CAN NO LONGER AFFORD TO SIDESTEP FRANK,

OPEN DISCUSSIONS ABOUT SEXUAL PRACTICES.

HETEROSEXUAL AND HOMOSEXUAL.

NARRATOR: IN THE 1980'S, ANOTHER GLOBAL CATASTROPHE WAS

GATHERING THAT MADE SEX EDUCATION A MATTER OF

LIFE AND DEATH ALL OVER AGAIN.

REPORTER: AIDS AND HIV ARE SPREADING IN SOME NATIONS

AT A FRIGHTENING PACE.

MARGARET NICHOLS: WE NOW KNOW THAT AIDS EXISTED

IN AFRICA PROBABLY IN THE 1930'S.

REPORTER: IN AFRICA, NEARLY SEVEN AND A HALF MILLION

PEOPLE MAY BE HIV POSITIVE.

JONATHAN ZIMMERMAN: BEFORE THE HIV CRISIS,

SCHOOLS IN AFRICA MOSTLY IGNORED SEX EDUCATION.

AFTER HIV, MOST NATION STATES ON THE CONTINENTS

START ADDRESSING IT.

THE IDEA IS TO TELL PEOPLE TO AVOID SEX UNTIL THEIR MARRIED

AND I THINK THAT'S THE SUM AND THE SUBSTANCE OF

MOST SEX ED THAT HAPPENS IN MOST PARTS OF THE WORLD.

NARRATOR: IN THE UNITED STATES,

AIDS SEEMED TO TIME ITS ARRIVAL WITH GRIM IRONY,

JUST AS A NEW ADMINISTRATION ASSUMED POWER.

ON JANUARY 15TH, 1981, JUST FIVE DAYS BEFORE THE

PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION OF RONALD REAGAN,

NEW YORK CITY RECORDED ITS FIRST AIDS-RELATED DEATH.

MAN: WE ARE FACED WITH AN EPIDEMIC WHICH INITIALLY

STARTED IN GAY COMMUNITY.

REPORTER: MORE THAN 70% OF THE VICTIMS ARE HOMOSEXUAL

MEN WHO GET IT FROM SEXUAL CONTACT.

MARGARET CHO: THE DISEASE WAS KILLING MEN SO RAPIDLY AND

THERE WAS STILL SO MUCH SHAME AND HOMOPHOBIA.

DR. DREW PINSKY: I WAS 23 YEARS OLD.

I WAS PUTTING PATIENTS IN THE GROUND WHO HAD HIV.

IT WAS TIME TO TALK TO THEM ABOUT THIS BECAUSE THERE

WAS GONNA BE A PROBLEM IF SOMEONE DIDN'T.

NARRATOR: YET THE RESPONSE FROM THE WHITE HOUSE

WAS A DEAFENING SILENCE.

ALL: PEOPLE WITH AIDS, UNDER ATTACK.

WHAT DO WE DO?

ACT UP, FIGHT BACK!

MARGARET NICHOLS: WHEN THE AIDS EPIDEMIC STARTED,

THE ATTITUDE OF THE GOVERNMENT WAS SO DISMISSIVE.

MAN: WE'VE GATHERED HERE ACROSS IN THE WHITE HOUSE IN

ABSOLUTE FRUSTRATION AND DESPAIR OVER THIS GOVERNMENT'S

LACK OF RESPONSE TO THIS EPIDEMIC.

NARRATOR: BY 1985, 12,000 AMERICANS HAD CONTRACTED AIDS,

HALF OF THEM HAD DIED, AND THE EPIDEMIC WAS ACCELERATING.

JONATHAN ZIMMERMAN: WHAT HIV MEANT IN THE 1980'S,

IT WAS REGARDED AS A DEATH SENTENCE.

REPORTER: THE CAUSE OF AIDS IS UNKNOWN AND THERE IS

NO KNOWN CURE.

JONATHAN ZIMMERMAN: AND SO, CONSERVATIVES HAD TO ADDRESS

THE SUBJECT AND THEN THE DEBATE BECOMES, WHAT DO YOU SAY?

JOHNNY DEPP: HI, I'M JOHNNY DEPP OF 21 JUMP STREET.

I DON'T KNOW A WHOLE LOT ABOUT AIDS,

BUT I WANNA INTRODUCE YOU TO A COUPLE OF GUYS WHO DO,

DR. ROBERT WINDOM, THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR HEALTH,

AND THE SURGEON GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES,

DR. C. EVERETT KOOP.

NARRATOR: DR. KOOP WAS AN EVANGELICAL CHRISTIAN

CONSERVATIVE AND THE NATION'S TOP DOCTOR.

YET BY HIS OWN ACCOUNT, THE REAGAN ADMINISTRATION

EXCLUDED HIM FROM ALL DECISION-MAKING ABOUT

AIDS FOR THE FIRST FIVE YEARS.

JOCELYN ELDERS: DR. KOOP WAS THRUST INTO THE MIDDLE

OF THE HIV/AIDS CRISIS IN EARLY 1980S,

AND HE WAS DEALING WITH THE PRESIDENT WHO WOULDN'T

EVEN SAY THE WORD.

PRESIDENT REAGAN: I'M STILL HOPEFUL THAT WE LEARN

SOMETHING AND FIND OUT IF THERE ARE MORE THINGS AND

BETTER THINGS THAT WE CAN WITH REGARD TO

THIS TERRIBLE PLAGUE.

NARRATOR: AS THE PRESIDENT WAITED AND HOPED,

PEOPLE SICKENED AND DIED.

BY 1986, THERE WERE AN ESTIMATED 370,000

HIV VIRUS INFECTIONS.

FINALLY, IN 1988, THE PRESIDENT AUTHORIZED DR. KOOP

TO SPEAK DIRECTLY TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.

DR. KOOP MAILED OUT AN EIGHT-PAGE EDUCATIONAL

PAMPHLET WITH FACTS ABOUT AIDS TO EVERY SINGLE HOUSEHOLD.

AT THE TIME, THESE 107 MILLION ENVELOPES WERE

THE LARGEST MASS MAILING IN US HISTORY,

RIVALING EVEN THE CENSUS.

DR. C. EVERETT KOOP: WE ARE TAKING THE STEP BECAUSE

THE EPIDEMIC OF MISUNDERSTANDING ABOUT HOW

AIDS IS SPREAD AND HOW IT IS NOT SPREAD SEEMS AT TIMES

AS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL AS THE EPIDEMIC ITSELF.

BRUCE WEISS: AND IN IT, IT STATED THAT CONDOMS,

OUTSIDE OF ABSTINENCE WHEN YOU HAD SEX,

WAS THE ONLY KNOWN WAY OF PROTECTING YOURSELF.

WE SAW DURING THAT ONE YEAR ALONE A 20% INCREASE

IN CONDOM USAGE.

NARRATOR: AND IT FINALLY LED THE PRESIDENT TO FOLLOW THE

EXAMPLE OF JOHNNY DEPP AND DR. KOOP TO FILM HIS OWN

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT.

PRESIDENT REAGAN: WE ALL GROW AND LEARN IN OUR LIVES.

AND I'VE LEARNED THAT ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE CAN GET AIDS,

EVEN CHILDREN.

BUT IT'S THE DISEASE THAT'S FRIGHTENING,

NOT THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE IT.

YOU CAN'T CATCH AIDS FROM HUGGING SOMEONE.

I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO SEND MONEY,

I'M ASKING FOR SOMETHING MORE IMPORTANT, YOUR UNDERSTANDING.

MAYBE IT'S TIME WE ALL LEARNED SOMETHING NEW.

DR. RUTH WESTHEIMER: HELLO?

YOU ARE ON THE AIR.

NARRATOR: THE REAGAN YEARS ALSO SAW THE RISE OF ONE OF

THE WORLD'S MOST IMPROBABLE SEX EDUCATORS.

DR. RUTH WESTHEIMER: THE MAIN THING FOR YOU, JOAN.

JOAN: YES.

DR. RUTH WESTHEIMER: IS TO HAVE AN ORGASM.

TRISTAN TAORMINO: I THINK OF DR. RUTH WESTHEIMER AS

AMERICA'S FIRST SEX EXPERT WHOSE MISSION IT WAS TO

EDUCATE PEOPLE ABOUT SEX.

NARRATOR: DR. RUTH WAS ORPHANED AS A YOUNG GIRL WHEN

HER PARENTS DIED IN A NAZI CONCENTRATION CAMP.

SHE WAS RAISED AT A SWISS ORPHANAGE WHERE SHE PRACTICED

A KIND OF DOCTORING AT THE AGE OF 10.

DR. RUTH WESTHEIMER: WE DID NOT HAVE ANY FORMAL SEX EDUCATION,

BUT I DO REMEMBER THAT AS CHILDREN,

WE DID A LOT OF DOCTOR PLAY.

WHICH MEANS THAT IT WAS A LITTLE BIT OF TOUCHING AND

A LITTLE BIT OF HUGGING AND A LITTLE BIT,

MAYBE EVEN OF KISSING, AND IT WAS VERY ENJOYABLE.

NARRATOR: SHE'D FOUND HER CALLING.

MOVING TO THE UNITED STATES IN 1956,

DR. RUTH TRAINED AND WORKED IN SEX THERAPY UNTIL

A NEW YORK CITY RADIO STATION PAID HER $25

TO HOST ONE OF THE FIRST CALL-IN SHOWS ABOUT SEX.

DR. SARI LOCKER: WHEN I WAS 11 YEARS OLD,

I DISCOVERED DR. RUTH'S RADIO SHOW.

IT WAS IN THE SUMMER AND I STAYED UP LATE AT NIGHT.

MAN: GOOD EVENING, DR. RUTH.

DR. RUTH WESTHEIMER: GOOD EVENING.

MAN: I'VE BEEN OUT WITH A GIRL FOR SIX YEARS NOW,

AND SHE'S HAVING A HARD TIME HAVING AN ORGASM, EH.

DR. RUTH WESTHEIMER: DO YOU KISS A LONG TIME BEFOREHAND?

MAN: OH YES, I KISS HER QUITE A BIT, EH.

DR. RUTH WESTHEIMER: AND YOU TOUCH HER?

MAN: YES, I DO.

DR. RUTH WESTHEIMER: GOOD, TRY TO BUY A VIBRATOR.

NARRATOR: IN 1984, "GOOD SEX WITH DR. RUTH"

PREMIERED ON CABLE TV.

DR. RUTH WESTHEIMER: THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS A VAGINAL,

WHAT YOU CALL INTERNAL ORGASM AS AGAINST CLITORAL ORGASM.

WOMAN: OKAY.

NARRATOR: DR. RUTH'S TV SHOW WAS SYNDICATED AROUND

THE WORLD AND AIRED UNTIL 1991.

FOR MORE THAN A DECADE, THE FOUR-FOOT-SEVEN GERMAN

JEWISH-AMERICAN DOCTOR DOMINATED THE CONVERSATION

ON SEX EDUCATION.

DAN SAVAGE: ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT DR. RUTH,

THE CULTURE HAS ALWAYS BEEN MORE COMFORTABLE LISTENING TO

PEOPLE TALK ABOUT SEX WHO YOU ASSUME

ISN'T PARTICULARLY SEXUAL.

IT'S EASIER TO LISTEN TO DR. RUTH TALK ABOUT SEX

'CAUSE YOU'RE NOT GOING TO PICTURE DR. RUTH HAVING SEX.

DR. RUTH WESTHEIMER: I HAVE DEVOTED MY ENTIRE LIFE

TO HUMAN SEXUALITY.

I HAVE HELPED LOTS OF PEOPLE TO HAVE GOOD SEX.

NARRATOR: WHILE SEX ED IN THE AIRWAYS GOT COZY WITH

EACH OTHER, SEX AND POLITICS REMAINED A TOXIC MIX,

AS A PUBLIC FIGURE DISCOVERED IN 1994 WHEN SHE DARED TO

ADDRESS A SPECIFIC SEX ACT.

MAN: THERE WAS A FIRE STORM.

ANCHOR: SHE'S PUSHING AT A RADICAL AGENDA.

JOYCELYN ELDERS: WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SEX ED IN AMERICA,

WE DON'T DO VERY WELL.

WE RANK BEHIND MANY OTHER INDUSTRIALIZED COUNTRIES IN

OUR SEXUALITY EDUCATION.

THEY START EARLIER.

THEY TALK TO THEIR CHILDREN ABOUT SEX.

NARRATOR: IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC,

SEX EDUCATION BECAME MANDATORY IN 2010.

IN ENGLAND, LESSONS ABOUT PUBERTY AND INTERCOURSE START

FROM THE AGE OF SEVEN.

IN LUXEMBOURG, BASIC SEX ED BEGINS AT SIX.

BUT BY THE LATE 1980S, THE RISE OF THE MORAL MAJORITY

SAY NO TO SEX AGENDA KNOCKS THE UNITED STATES FROM

ITS PLACE AS A PIONEER IN SEX EDUCATION.

WOMAN: I WAS 13 WHEN I GOT PREGNANT.

NARRATOR: AS A RESULT, TEEN PREGNANCY AND STDS SKY ROCKET

TO THE HIGHEST RATES IN THE INDUSTRIALIZED WORLD.

IN 1993, A NEW FIGURE EMERGES IN THE FIGHT TO

SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT SEX ED.

PRESIDENT CLINTON: I AM PROUD TO APPOINT,

A PLAIN SPOKEN LEADER FROM ARKANSAS,

OUR COMMISSIONER OF HEALTH, DR. JOYCELYN ELDERS.

JOYCELYN ELDERS: I WENT TO WASHINGTON TO REALLY TRY AND

IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF THIS NATION.

PART OF THAT IS TO EDUCATE CHILDREN ABOUT THE

FACTS ABOUT SEX.

NARRATOR: BY THE TIME SHE TAKES THE JOB OF

SURGEON GENERAL,

JOYCELYN ELDERS SEEMS UNIQUELY SUITED TO LEAD THE

TRANSFORMATION OF AMERICA'S ATTITUDES ABOUT SEX.

JOYCELYN ELDERS: I GREW UP IN SOUTHERN RURAL ARKANSAS

IN A THREE-ROOM SHACK.

WE HAD NO RUNNING WATER.

WE DIDN'T HAVE ELECTRICITY.

IN THIS SMALL COMMUNITY, NOBODY TALKED ABOUT SEX.

IT WAS IGNORANCE IS BLISS.

AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT IGNORANCE IS NOT BLISS.

NARRATOR: NO STRANGER TO HARD WORK AND DETERMINATION,

DR. ELDERS PUT HERSELF THROUGH MEDICAL SCHOOL THEN ROSE

TO THE HEAD OF THE ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH IN 1987.

JOYCELYN ELDERS: OUR AIM AT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS NOT

BEEN TO PREVENT ABORTIONS.

IT HAS BEEN TO PREVENT PREGNANCY.

IF YOU CAN'T CONTROL YOUR REPRODUCTION,

YOU CAN'T CONTROL YOUR LIFE.

WE IN AMERICA HAVE NOT FELT THAT WE COULD TALK ABOUT

CONDOMS, BUT I FEEL WE'VE GOT TO TALK ABOUT CONDOMS.

DR. JANICE IRVINE: SHE WAS FRANK, SHE WAS GUTSY.

I THINK SHE WAS FABULOUS.

NARRATOR: IN 1994, DR. ELDERS ATTENDED THE

UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON AIDS.

SHE WAS ASKED IF ENCOURAGING MASTURBATION MIGHT KEEP

YOUNG PEOPLE AWAY FROM RISKIER SEXUAL BEHAVIOR.

HER ANSWER TOUCHED THE HOT BUTTON OF SEX ED AND

WAS IMMEDIATELY DISTORTED BY THE MEDIA.

JOYCELYN ELDERS: IN REGARD TO MASTURBATION,

I THINK THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THAT'S A

PART OF HUMAN SEXUALITY AND IT IS A PART OF SOMETHING

THAT PERHAPS SHOULD BE TAUGHT.

ANCHOR: SHE'S PUSHING IN A RADICAL AGENDA.

REPORTER: NATIONAL RIGHT TO LIFE ORGANIZATION ISSUED

A PRESS RELEASE CALLING DR. ELDERS A

PRO-ABORTION EXTREMIST.

TRISTAN TAORMINO: PEOPLE JUST REALLY FREAKED OUT THAT

THE U.S. SURGEON GENERAL WAS SAYING,

"HEY, KIDS SHOULD KNOW WHAT MASTURBATION IS."

DR. JONATHAN ZIMMERMAN: SHE DIDN'T SAY SCHOOL SHOULD

TEACH CHILDREN HOW TO MASTURBATE,

BUT THERE WAS MASSIVE DISTORTION IN THE MEDIA.

NEWT GINGRICH: WHY DOES THE PRESIDENT KEEP HER?

I ASSUME HE SHARES HER VALUES.

I ASSUME HE THINKS IT'S OKAY.

JOYCELYN ELDERS: IT WAS 10 DAYS LATER THAT I HAD THE

CALL ASKING FOR MY RESIGNATION.

I TOLD MR. PANETTA I WOULD NOT RESIGN.

NARRATOR: WHILE DR. ELDERS STANDS HER GROUND,

THE MISINFORMATION ABOUT HER STATEMENT CONTINUES

TO SPREAD IN THE MEDIA.

ANN COULTER: JOYCELYN ELDERS THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT

WE TEACH 14-YEAR-OLD BOYS TO MASTURBATE.

ANCHOR: SHE ALSO IS ADVOCATING LETTING LESBIANS

INTO THE GIRL SCOUTS, CONDOMS FOR EIGHT-YEAR-OLDS,

AND THE LIST GOES ON AND ON.

NARRATOR: REPUBLICANS ARE JUST TAKING CONTROL OF THE

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FOR THE FIRST TIME

IN 40 YEARS,

AND THEY PRESS THEIR ADVANTAGE AGAINST DR. ELDERS.

[PHONE RINGING]

JOYCELYN ELDERS: WELL, I GOT A CALL FROM THE PRESIDENT

ASKING ME TO HAVE MY RESIGNATION ON

MR. PANETTA'S DESK.

I SAID, "MR. PRESIDENT, DO YOU KNOW WHAT I SAID?"

HE SAID, "YES, THEY TOLD ME."

I COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT,

BECAUSE I FELT THAT I HAD NEVER SAID ANYTHING IN

WASHINGTON THAT BILL CLINTON HADN'T BEEN HEARING ME

SAY FOR 10 YEARS.

NARRATOR: WHEN THE POLITICAL PRICE OF SUPPORTING A PLAIN

SPOKEN LEADER GOT TO BE TOO HIGH FOR HER BOSS,

DR. ELDERS WAS LEFT WITH ONLY ONE OPTION.

JOYCELYN ELDERS: IT WAS LIKE A STAB WOUND IN MY HEART,

BUT BY THE SAME TOKEN, I FELT THAT IF HE WANTED

MY RESIGNATION, HE CAN HAVE IT.

REP. JOHN BOEHNER: IT'S ABOUT TIME.

JOYCELYN ELDERS HAS BEEN THE, AN ALBATROSS AROUND THE NECK

OF THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION SINCE HER ANNOUNCEMENT OF HER

ASSIGNMENT SEVERAL YEARS AGO.

JOYCELYN ELDERS: YEAH.

I REALLY FELT THAT ALL OF THE COMMENTS I MADE WERE TRUE AND,

YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THE COUNTRY NEEDS TO APPROACH

MANY OF THESE ISSUES.

AND THE LONGER WE WAIT, I FEEL THE MORE CHILDREN WE

ARE GOING TO LOSE.

AND IT, I DON'T FEEL THAT, YOU KNOW,

I SHOULD START SECOND-GUESSING MYSELF TODAY.

JANICE IRVINE: IN THAT MOMENT,

I REALLY FELT THAT JOYCELYN ELDERS EMBODIED

THE VULNERABILITY OF SEX EDUCATORS ALL ACROSS AMERICA.

SHE HAD BEEN STIGMATIZED BY HER ASSOCIATION WITH SEX,

MERELY FOR TALKING ABOUT TEACHING A TOPIC IN A

CLASSROOM, AND NOBODY HAD COME TO HER DEFENSE.

IT'S REALLY QUITE POIGNANT AND HEARTBREAKING.

NARRATOR: WHILE AMERICA TAKES ANOTHER STEP BACKWARD

WHEN IT COMES TO SEX ED, OTHER COUNTRIES ARE TAKING

THE CAUSE OF SEX EDUCATION TO NEW HEIGHTS.

MICHELE B. GOODWIN: IN SPAIN OR IN SWITZERLAND,

THE RATE OF HIV AND AIDS AMONGST YOUNG PEOPLE AND

ADULTS IS DRAMATICALLY LOWERED THAN IT IS IN

THE UNITED STATES.

WOMAN: THIS ISN'T HOW YOU USE A CONDOM.

DR. RUTH WESTHEIMER: SEXUALITY EDUCATION IN SWEDEN

IS EXCELLENT, BECAUSE IN ALL OF THE SCHOOLS,

IT'S TAUGHT DEPENDING ON THE LEVEL, AGE APPROPRIATE.

[SPEAKING SWEDISH].

JACLYN FRIEDMAN: IN THE SCANDINAVIAN COUNTRIES,

SEX IS CONSIDERED NORMAL AND HEALTHY FOR

YOUNG PEOPLE TO EXPLORE.

AND IT'S ACTUALLY PRETTY NORMAL IN THE CONTEXT OF A

TEEN RELATIONSHIP FOR THE BOYFRIEND OR GIRLFRIEND

TO SLEEP OVER, AND THE PARENTS, YOU KNOW,

ACCEPT THAT MAYBE THEY'RE BEING SEXUALLY ACTIVE.

NARRATOR: IN AMERICA, CONSERVATIVES FAST TRACK THEIR

OWN COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO SEX ED.

PRESIDENT BUSH: ABSTINENCE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE IS THE ONLY

CERTAIN WAY TO AVOID SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES.

MARTY KLEIN: IT WAS A DISASTER.

TEACHER: YOU MAKE A DECISION THAT YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO

HAVE SEX UNTIL YOU MEET AND MARRY THAT ONE SPECIAL PERSON.

NARRATOR: BY THE 1990S IN THE US,

MOST OF THE ADVANCES TO PUBLIC SEX EDUCATION MADE

SINCE THE 50'S ARE POLITICAL ROAD KILL.

TRISTAN TAORMINO: THE LATE '90S,

THERE IS THIS INCREASE IN ABSTINENCE ONLY SEX EDUCATION.

NARRATOR: IN 1993, THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST ASK AMERICAN

TEENS TO PUT A RING ON IT AS PART OF THE TRUE

LOVE WAITS CAMPAIGN.

WOMAN: VIRGINITY IS GREAT FOR THE '90S.

MAN: ONE OF HIS COMMANDMENTS IS TO REMAIN SEXUALLY PURE.

DR. MARTY KLEIN: A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE WERE TAKING

ABSTINENCE PLEDGES.

NARRATOR: YOUNG PEOPLE CONVERGED AT CONFERENCES

AROUND THE GLOBE,

WHERE THEY MADE CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENTS OR COVENANTS

STARTING WITH THE WORDS, "TRUE LOVE WAITS".

THEY PLEDGED ABSTINENCE.

DENNY PATTYN: OUR GOAL ACTUALLY IS TO CREATE A

CULTURE SHIFT IN AMERICA.

WE WANNA SEE THE CONCEPT OF ABSTINENCE BE THE NORM RATHER

THAN THE EXCEPTION.

JOSEPH PALACIOS: ABSTINENCE ALLOWS TIME FOR PEOPLE

TO HAVE A GOOD RELATIONSHIP.

MELISSA MOSCHELLA: ABSTINENCE ONLY FOCUSES ON THE FACT

THAT SEX INVOLVES RISKS.

IT ENCOURAGES CHILDREN TO EXERCISE SELF-CONTROL,

WHICH IS GONNA BE IMPORTANT FOR THEM NOT ONLY PRIOR

TO MARRIAGE BUT ALSO DURING MARRIAGE.

PRESIDENT BUSH: ABSTINENCE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE IS THE ONLY

CERTAIN WAY TO AVOID SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES.

JOYCELYN ELDERS: WHEN I THINK OF ABSTINENCE ONLY EDUCATION

I THINK THIS IS OBVIOUSLY BEING PROMOTED BY PEOPLE

WHO DON'T UNDERSTAND HUMAN SEXUALITY.

TRISTAN TAORMINO: THERE'S A LOT OF FEAR MONGERING AND

A LOT OF SCARE TACTICS IN THIS ABSTINENCE ONLY EDUCATION.

STUDENT: WHAT IF I WANNA HAVE SEX BEFORE I GET MARRIED?

TEACHER: WELL, I GUESS YOU JUST HAVE TO BE

PREPARED TO DIE.

AND YOU'LL PROBABLY TAKE WITH YOU YOUR SPOUSE AND ONE

OR MORE OF YOUR CHILDREN.

DAN SAVAGE: THEY'RE NOT DOING SEX ED,

THEY'RE DOING SEX DREAD.

DR. MARTY KLEIN: IT WAS A DISASTER.

THREE QUARTERS OF THESE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO HAD PLEDGED

VIRGINITY UNTIL MARRIAGE,

THEY HAD SEX BEFORE THEY GOT MARRIED.

AND THEY WEREN'T PREPARED FOR IT,

AND SO THEY JUST WOUND UP HAVING A LOT

OF UNPROTECTED SEX.

REPORTER: IN PALM BEACH COUNTY, FLORIDA,

1,400 TEENAGE GIRLS BECAME PREGNANT LAST YEAR,

AND THE NUMBER OF KIDS CONTRACTING AIDS DOUBLED.

SHANNON BOODRAM: COMING FROM A CATHOLIC SCHOOL,

I DEFINITELY GREW UP WITH THE ABSTINENCE ONLY MODEL.

WE WERE THOUGHT SEX OUTSIDE OF MARRIAGE WAS EVIL,

AND IT LED TO GREEN VAGINAS OR PREGNANCIES.

AND SO, THE FIRST TIME I HAD SEX,

I HAD A LOT OF GUILT WITH THAT.

AND IT WAS HARD FOR ME TO RECONCILE WITH,

"WHO AM I NOW?"

I MEAN, "AM I GOING TO HELL?

DO MY PARENTS STILL LOVE ME?

DO I STILL LOVE MYSELF?"

SEX AND SHAME JUST DON'T GO GOOD TOGETHER.

NARRATOR: SEX AND SHAME ARE AN UNHOLY UNION THAT HAS

MADE ITS WAY AROUND THE WORLD,

THANKS TO THE SPREAD OF WESTERN CULTURE.

AND THE EFFECTS ARE OFTEN SOCIALLY DISASTROUS.

RUCHIRA GUPTA: IN INDIA, THERE'S VERY LITTLE TALKING

ABOUT SEX, EITHER BY PARENTS OR IN SCHOOLS.

THERE'S A LOT OF SHAME, FEAR, AND GUILT.

AND REMEMBER, THIS IS A COUNTRY WHICH INVENTED

THE KAMA SUTRA.

KAMA SUTRA WAS THE FIRST SEX ED MANUAL.

THERE ARE WOMEN CHARACTERS ON THE PROWL,

LOOKING FOR SEX AND ENJOYING SEX.

THERE WAS NO FEAR, SHAME, OR GUILT AROUND SEX OR SEXUALITY.

NARRATOR: WHEN THE BRITISH EMPIRE CONQUERED INDIA

IN THE 1700S, THE NEW OVERLORDS IMPOSED NOTIONS

OF WESTERN SEXUAL SHAME ON A REMARKABLY

UNINHIBITED CULTURE.

RUCHIRA GUPTA: THE KAMA SUTRA BECAME SOMETHING

WHICH WAS "NOT TO BE LOOKED AT,"

WHICH WAS BAD.

AND SO, INDIA NOW HAS BECOME THE THIRD LARGEST USER

OF PORN IN THE WORLD,

AND THE TREND IS THAT IT'S INCREASING.

THERE'S A LOT OF GUILT AROUND IT,

RATHER THAN SEX TO BE CELEBRATED.

JOHNNY SINS: MAYBE YOU NEED A LITTLE RUBDOWN.

NARRATOR: IN THE ABSENCE OF REAL SEX EDUCATION,

PEOPLE TURN TO PORNOGRAPHY TO FILL THE GAP.

CAROLINE HELDMAN: PORN HAS NOW BECOME THE PRIMARY

SOURCE OF SEX EDUCATION.

DITA VON TEESE: I'VE DATED MEN MUCH YOUNGER THAN ME AND

YOU CAN FEEL THE PRESENCE OF THE PORN INFLUENCE IN THE

WAY THAT THEY LEARN HOW TO HAVE SEX.

I THINK IT'S JUST A LITTLE, LIKE,

"OH WOW, YOU SAW THAT IN A PORN MOVIE.

WOW, YOU KNOW, THAT'S INTERESTING."

RUPAUL CHARLES: PEOPLE ASSUME THAT PORN SEX IS EVERYDAY SEX.

AND I'M HERE TO TELL YOU, IT IS NOT.

CAROLINE HELDMAN: THE AVERAGE AGE THAT BOYS ARE

ACCESSING PORNOGRAPHY FOR EXAMPLE IS AGE 11.

IN FACT, ONE OF MY STUDENTS TOLD ME THAT THE HAND THAT'S

USE FOR MASTURBATION HAS SHIFTED FROM THE RIGHT HAND TO

THE LEFT HAND BECAUSE THE RIGHT HAND IS FOR THE MOUSE.

NINA HARTLEY: PORNOGRAPHY IS A FANTASY, IT'S A MYTH.

AND IT'S A SAD THING WHEN ANYBODY IS FORCED TO TURN TO

AN ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCT TO TRY TO GLEAN PIECES

OF FACTUAL INFORMATION.

CAROLINE HELDMAN: KIDS ARE SEEING ACTS THAT CAUSE

PHYSICAL DAMAGE TO A WOMAN'S BODY WITH ALL OF THE VERBAL

AND PHYSICAL AGGRESSION.

YOUNG BOYS ARE GETTING A FRIGHTENING MESSAGE ABOUT

THE ROLE OF VIOLENCE IN SEX.

SARI LOCKER: SEX SHOULD BE ABOUT FEELING GOOD.

IT SHOULDN'T BE ABOUT WONDERING HOW YOU LOOK AND

WONDERING IF IT LOOKS LIKE THE PORN MOVIE THAT YOU SAW.

NARRATOR: WHEN IT COMES TO SEX ED,

THE INTERNET ISN'T ALL PROBLEMATIC.

SOME YOUTH ARE USING TECHNOLOGY TO TAKE THEIR

EDUCATION OUT OF THE HELPLESS HANDS OF GROWNUPS AND

GET THE WORD OUT OF THEMSELVES.

LACI GREEN: LET'S TALK ABOUT HOW TO PROPERLY PUT

A CONDOM ON A PENIS.

NARRATOR: THE NEED FOR COMPREHENSIVE SEX EDUCATION

BECOMES MORE OBVIOUS EVERY DAY.

AND EVERY DAY, IT GETS HARDER AND HARDER TO FIND

PEOPLE BRAVE ENOUGH TO TAKE ON THE TASK.

JANICE IRVINE: ONE TEACHER RECENTLY SAID TO ME,

"I DON'T WANNA DO THIS ANYMORE.

I WAS APPROACHED BY THE PRINCIPAL TO

TEACH SEX EDUCATION,

AND YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH A BACKGROUND CHECK TO DO THIS.

IT'S WORSE THAN TRYING TO ADOPT A CHILD.

IT'S SCARY, IT'S INTRUSIVE, IT'S INTIMIDATING,

AND FRANKLY, IT'S SHAMING."

DEBORAH TOLMAN: IF WE JUST TALK ABOUT SEX EDUCATION

AS A THING THAT HAPPENS IN CLASSROOMS AND SCHOOLS,

WE ARE MISSING THE BOAT,

BECAUSE SEX EDUCATION HAPPENS ALL OVER THE PLACE

ALL THE TIME.

NARRATOR: WITH SOME SCHOOLS GETTING AN F IN SEX EDUCATION,

A NEW GENERATION IS TAKING SEX ED RIGHT TO THE PEOPLE

WHO NEED IT MOST, AND ALL THEY HAVE TO DO IS CLICK.

DITA VON TEESE: NOW MORE THAN EVER,

WOMEN ARE KIND OF THE ONES THAT ARE REALLY TALKING ABOUT

IT IN A RISQUEÉ WAY, AND TEACHING SEX ED IN A

WONDERFUL, LIKE, FUN WAY, THAT MAKES IT FUN TO WATCH

AND YOU GET REAL ANSWERS.

LACI GREEN: NOPE, NOPE.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

SARAH MIRK: LACI GREEN IS AN AWESOME VIDEO BLOGGER WHO

DOES SEXUAL HEALTH EDUCATION VIDEOS GEARED TOWARD TEENS.

NARRATOR: WHAT STARTED AS A HOBBY FOR THE

UTAH BORN TEEN, HAS TURNED INTO A PHENOMENON.

HER YOUTUBE CHANNEL ALONE HAS OVER ONE MILLION SUBSCRIBERS.

LACI GREEN: STEP ONE, UNWRAP WITHOUT TEARING.

NO TEETH Y'ALL, YOU COULD PUNCTURE IT.

DEBORAH TOLMAN: SHE'S SMART, SHE'S FUNNY,

AND SHE DOES YOUTUBE VIDEOS.

THAT'S WHERE KIDS ARE.

IT'S EXACTLY WHERE THEY'RE GOING.

DAN SAVAGE: BUT THE IDEA THOUGH THAT WE CAN STOP

TEENAGERS FROM BEING SEXUAL IS RIDICULOUS.

DEBORAH TOLMAN: WE HAVE DAN SAVAGE, HE'S ON THE RADIO.

HE'S ON THE INTERNET.

HE TALKS ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS,

WHICH IS A FUNDAMENTAL PART OF SEXUALITY THAT

SEX EDUCATION HAS NEVER DONE A GOOD JOB,

EVEN GOOD SEX EDUCATION.

NARRATOR: INTERNET EDUCATION PIONEERS PROVED THAT TECH

CAN GET THE WORD OUT, WHERE THE ESTABLISHMENT CAN'T.

AND THAT LESSON ISN'T LOST ON THE VETERANS OF

THE SEX ED WARS.

NICOLE RESSA: AS YOUNG PEOPLE GROW UP AND

AS THEIR BODIES CHANGE,

THEY WANNA KNOW WHY THESE CHANGES ARE HAPPENING.

AT PLANNED PARENTHOOD, WE HAVE ADVOCACY AND EDUCATION

TOGETHER WITH HEALTH SERVICES.

JONATHAN ZIMMERMAN: PLANNED PARENTHOOD,

THEY'RE NOW OPERATING TEEN TEXTING SERVICES.

IF YOUR FRIEND TOLD YOU, YOU KNOW,

YOU CAN'T GET PREGNANT THE FIRST TIME.

YOU CAN'T GET PREGNANT WHEN YOU HAVE YOUR PERIOD.

YOU CAN ACTUALLY TEXT SOMEBODY WHO KNOWS THE ANSWER,

AND THEY'LL TEXT YOU BACK.

NICOLE RESSA: WE NEED TO CHANGE WITH THE TIMES.

THAT YOU REALLY HAVE TO STRIVE TO BE CULTURALLY

COMPETENT AND UNDERSTAND, FIRST AND FOREMOST,

THAT TEENS HAVE THEIR OWN CULTURE.

NARRATOR: POLITICAL CRUSADERS HAVE LONG TRIED TO

SUPPRESS SEX EDUCATION,

ONLY TO LEARN THAT IT CAN'T BE SHAMED AWAY.

BETTY DODSON: WE ARE SO INHIBITED.

I COULD CRY EVERY NIGHT BEFORE I GO TO SLEEP,

BUT I DON'T.

I JUST MASTURBATE.

NARRATOR: AS TECHNOLOGY OPENS UP NEW FRONTIERS FOR

SEX EDUCATION, MANY PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO SLEEP

BETTER AT NIGHT.

MARGARET CHO: THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT PHILOSOPHY,

THAT YOU GOT TO LEARN WHAT PLEASES YOU,

THAT SEX IS NOT ABOUT YOUR RELATIONSHIP TO ANYBODY ELSE.

IT'S ABOUT YOUR RELATIONSHIP TO YOUR OWN BODY.

TRISTAN TAORMINO: MY FUTURE OF SEX ED INCLUDES

COMPREHENSIVE SEX EDUCATION FOR EVERYONE.

A NEW GENERATION OF PARENTS WHO ARE DEDICATED TO

RAISING THEIR CHILDREN TO BE SEX POSITIVE.

DITA VON TEESE: I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT IF PARENTS

COULD LEAD THEM TO THE RIGHT PLACE TO LEARN.

DR. DREW PINSKY: THERE'S NO WAY TO PREPARE A CHILD FOR

THE DELUGE OF TECHNOLOGY, BUT TO CONSISTENTLY

MAKE YOURSELF AVAILABLE.

"ARE YOU CONFUSED ABOUT ANYTHING?

DO YOU EVER WONDER WHERE BABIES COME FROM?"

JUST BE THERE AS A SOURCE OF INFORMATION.

DR. RUTH WESTHEIMER: THEY SHOULD SAY,

"HERE IS A SUBJECT MATTER WHICH IS SO DELIGHTFUL,

WHICH BRINGS SUCH HAPPINESS."

NARRATOR: SO, WHAT'S THE ANSWER?

HOW CAN WE SEPARATE THE POLITICS AND REMOVE

THE AGENDAS FROM SEX EDUCATION?

NORA GELPERIN: I HOPE WE'RE MOVING IN

A POSITIVE DIRECTION.

BUT I THINK THE JURY IS STILL OUT ON THAT ONE.

DAN SAVAGE: IN AMERICA?

DR. DREW PINSKY: UM...

MARGARET CHO: UM...

RUPAUL CHARLES: UH...