Rachel Bloom Stars in New Comedic Sketch Series For Planned Parenthood and Refinery29 Encouraging Open, Honest Conversations about STDs, Vulvas, and Rape Culture

New York, NY — Today, Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) and Refinery29 debuted three short films starring and co-written by Golden Globe and Critics’ Choice Award-winning actor Rachel Bloom, showcasing the importance of providing people with accurate information about their health in funny, entertaining ways. You can watch the films, titled “Her Shorts: Sex Ed Sketches,” at Refinery29.com.

In the sketch STD Bus, Rachel Bloom stars as Mrs. Drizzle, a familiar redheaded teacher who educates her students about STDs in a big way. In Is This Normal?, she hosts a game show that normalizes the wide variety of vulva experiences. And in Rape Culture, Bloom sits down with the Devil and his appointed advocate for a frank and honest conversation about sexual assault and rape culture.

The sketches are part of a partnership between Planned Parenthood and Refinery29 called “Her Shorts,” a series of short films told through a comedic or dramatic lens that focus on sexual and reproductive health.  Along with Planned Parenthood’s new “Sex Education Is…” campaign, which aims to help people understand how essential sex education is for young people, give parents resources for supporting their children, and encourage them to take action for sex education in their communities, these sketches can help further educate people about their sexual health.

“Pop culture can spark conversations around sexual and reproductive health, so we’re thrilled to work with Refinery29 again on the ‘Her Shorts’ series – and so grateful to the extraordinarily talented Rachel Bloom for using her creativity to develop comic sketches that help people get the information they need to stay healthy and safe,” said Caren Spruch, director of arts and entertainment engagement at Planned Parenthood Federation of America.  “Sex education is essential to young people’s health, relationships, and life goals. They deserve to have the information, resources, and skills they need to protect their health and build their futures — without shame or judgment. Entertaining online videos are a fantastic way to reach people everywhere with accurate information, and that’s why we’re always proud to collaborate with the entertainment community on TV, film, and video content.”

"We are really proud to continue our partnership with Planned Parenthood and to work with the wildly talented, Rachel Bloom to shine a light on these critical issues that often aren’t openly discussed,” said Amy Emmerich, chief content officer of Refinery29. "Refinery29 is committed to providing our audience with tools to make informed decisions, including their sexual health. It is our hope that through this meaningful and clever work, we can create judgement-free conversations and break down the taboos that are often associated with talk of sex and the female anatomy.”

“I’m really proud of the Her Shorts: Sex Ed Sketches and honored that Planned Parenthood Federation of America and Refinery29 asked me to collaborate with them,” said Rachel Bloom, who co-wrote and starred in the films. “I'm a longtime Planned Parenthood supporter, and it was a cool challenge to write something that normalizes sexual health, while also being funny and educational. It was really important to me that the information was accurate, and I learned a lot. I hope the films entertain and inspire people to talk about sex education.”

Sex education — whether online or in the classroom — is education. It empowers young people with developmentally appropriate, medically accurate information and provides answers to their questions about sex and relationships, without shaming or judging them for their experiences or feelings. Sex education can equip young people with the skills they need for a lifetime of good health, including the ability to have healthy relationships, make decisions for themselves, think critically about the world, be a good ally to those who are different from them, and love themselves for who they are.

The overwhelming majority of Americans want young people to get sex education in middle school and high school — including parents and young people themselves. Unfortunately, fewer young people than ever are getting any sex education at all — or they’re getting ineffective abstinence-only-until-marriage programs. Only 24 states and the District of Columbia mandate sex education, and even in those states, there’s no guarantee that the sex education provided is of high quality or covers the topics young people need to learn about to stay healthy.

“Planned Parenthood believes in the power of sex education to change lives. As the nation’s largest provider of sex education, we provide expert information, resources, and guidance for parents, caregivers, and young people, both online and in communities across the country. For people who aren’t getting sex education in school, we work to get them information online. We’re here to help – no matter who you are or where you live," Spruch said.

Planned Parenthood wants all people to have the education, power, and resources to make healthy decisions about their bodies. You can rely on Planned Parenthood to provide honest, accurate information and resources about sex and sexuality, no matter what.Planned Parenthood provides sex education programs and outreach to 1.5 million people in schools and communities across the country every year. We also provide accurate, nonjudgmental information on our Tumblr, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram pages, and Planned Parenthood websites in English and Spanish receive more than 73 million visits in a year.

For more information about sexual health and sex education or to make an appointment at a health center near you, visit plannedparenthood.org.

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About Planned Parenthood

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 more than 600 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.

About Refinery29

Refinery29 is the leading media and entertainment company focused on women with a global audience footprint of 425 million across all platforms. Through a variety of lifestyle stories, original video programming, social, shareable content, and live experiences, Refinery29 provides its audience with the inspiration and tools to discover and pursue a more independent, stylish, and informed life. Please visit www.refinery29.com, www.refinery29.uk, and www.refinery29.de for more information and to browse content.