Planned Parenthood Addresses Critical Sex Education Gap By Launching New Videos Modeling How to Communicate About STDs

NEW YORK— Planned Parenthood has created an innovative new video series to help young people have healthy conversations about STDs. Launched in conjunction with GYT: Get Yourself Tested, a national campaign that takes place each April during STD Awareness Month, these new resources focus on modeling ways to talk with a partner about STDs and getting tested. The video series, designed for young people ages 16-22, demonstrates key communication skills, including how to talk with a partner about safer sex, STD testing, and disclosing an STD. The three videos are:

• How to talk about safer sex models negotiation about condoms, birth control, and dental dams.
• How to talk about STD testing illustrates how to ask if a partner has been tested, encourage a partner to get tested, and plan to get tested together.
• How to tell someone you have an STD demonstrates how to tell someone you have different kinds of STDs and what they mean, including chlamydia, herpes, and HIV.

You can watch the complete Planned Parenthood video series here.

“Open, honest communication about STDs is a critical skill that people need to learn in order to be safe and healthy,” said Dr. Leslie Kantor, Vice President of Education for Planned Parenthood Federation of America. “Unfortunately, many young people don’t get the sex education they need and frank conversations about STDs are rare in the media.  That’s why Planned Parenthood is excited to debut this video series, which fills a critical gap and should help normalize conversations about safer sex, STD status, and getting tested.”  

STDs are common among older teens and young adults.  Of the 20 million new STD cases in the United States each year, half are among 15-24 year olds.

Preventing the spread of STDs is a core part of Planned Parenthood’s health services and education efforts. In 2014, Planned Parenthood health centers provided 4.2 million tests and treatments for STDs, including HIV testing. Many health centers also offer HIV prevention tools like PEP and PrEP, drug regimens to help prevent HIV.

“Today’s technology makes it possible to reach young people who aren’t receiving enough sex education in schools, and can help to supplement the education that young people are receiving,” said Kantor. “Planned Parenthood is always looking for innovative ways to meet young people where they are to help them navigate decision-making about relationships and sexual health.”

This video series comes after Planned Parenthood’s Webby-award-winning ‘Consent 101’ video series, four videos that explain and model what consent is and what it looks like in different situations and with different couples, and Planned Parenthood’s series ofdigital education tools for middle and high schoolers, designed to help guide decision-making around birth control and condoms to prevent both unintended pregnancy and STDs.

Planned Parenthood is committed to helping young people have the tools they need to stay safe and healthy. As the nation’s largest provider of sex education, Planned Parenthood affiliates work in schools and communities across the country to provide education programs and outreach, reaching 1.5 million people a year.

Planned Parenthood’s doors are open to everyone — regardless of race, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, country of origin, faith, immigrant and refugee status, and to those who may otherwise have nowhere else to turn for health care. We believe that all people deserve high-quality, affordable health care, education, and information, no matter who they are, where they live, or where they come from.

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Planned Parenthood is the nation’s leading provider and advocate of high-quality, affordable health care for women, men, and young people, as well as the nation’s largest provider of sex education. With over 650 health centers across the country, Planned Parenthood organizations serve all patients with care and compassion, with respect and without judgment. Through health centers, programs in schools and communities, and online resources, Planned Parenthood is a trusted source of reliable health information that allows people to make informed health decisions. We do all this because we care passionately about helping people lead healthier lives.