New Florida sex education guidance sparks uproar
Other discussions promoted false claims that COVID-19 vaccines cause infertility and responded to reports that two women died due to Georgia’s abortion ban.
Other discussions promoted false claims that COVID-19 vaccines cause infertility and responded to reports that two women died due to Georgia’s abortion ban.
This past week, news that the Florida Department of Education directed schools to teach abstinence-only sex education initiated the most online discussion about reproductive health, with many posts advocating for more comprehensive lesson plans. Plus, an X post from Robert F. Kennedy Jr. expressing concern about declining fertility rates led to a resurgence of false claims about COVID-19 vaccine side effects. Other posts focused on recent reports that two women died in 2022 after they were unable to receive reproductive health care in Georgia due to the state’s abortion restrictions. Some comments argued that abortions—not abortion restrictions—are causing pregnant people to die.
These conversations show widespread concern about the consequences of abstinence-only sex education, plus ongoing confusion about the safety of COVID-19 vaccines for people who want to become pregnant, abortion pills, and in-clinic abortion procedures. Communicators may share sex education resources for teens and their caregivers, debunk false claims about COVID-19 vaccines and infertility, reiterate that abortion is safe, and recirculate information about state abortion laws.
Insights brought to you by the reporters and science writers of Public Good News (PGN), a nonprofit newsroom dedicated to improving community health.
What’s trending nationally in vaccine conversation:
On September 22, a Florida newspaper reported that the state has told schools that they may not teach students about contraception, consent, or intimate partner violence and may not show students images of reproductive anatomy and must instead emphasize abstinence. The directives came one year after Florida school districts submitted their sex education lessons plans for approval, per a state law. The article spread on Reddit and X, where some posts received millions of views. One X post sharing the article received approximately 2 million views, 2,200 likes, 2,300 reposts, and 790 comments as of September 24. Most comments expressed concerns about abstinence-focused sex education, with some stating that these changes will lead to more teen pregnancies. In response to the uproar, a spokesperson for the Florida Department of Education stated, “A state government should not be emphasizing or encouraging sexual activity among children or minors and is therefore right to emphasize abstinence” and that lessons should teach students that “there are only two genders: male and female.”
On September 20, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. shared a post on X stating that while he supports access to in vitro fertilization, he also wants to “investigate the alarming decline in fertility,” citing heavy metals, plastics, and nutritional deficiencies as possible causes. His post received approximately 3 million views, 111,000 likes, 23,000 reposts, and 4,600 comments as of September 24. While many comments thanked him for supporting IVF, others perpetuated the false claim that COVID-19 vaccines cause infertility.
A recent ProPublica report found that the 2022 death of a woman in Georgia was preventable and linked to the state’s six-week abortion ban. The woman initially sought an abortion in North Carolina and experienced a rare complication from abortion pills after returning home. She needed a dilation and curettage procedure to save her life, but her care was delayed due to Georgia’s abortion restrictions. Another ProPublica report found that Georgia’s ban was responsible for a second woman’s death. These reports generated widespread debate in the news and on social media, especially after Vice President Kamala Harris mentioned one of the deaths during a speech in Georgia. An X post from Harris’s presidential campaign featuring a clip of the speech received approximately 443,000 views, 9,400 likes, 2,700 reposts, and 1,000 comments as of September 24. Some popular comments argued that the woman died of a “botched abortion” and falsely claimed that abortion pills are unsafe.
Recommendations brought to you by the health communication experts behind Infodemiology.com.
Recommendations for public health professionals
Each week, the Infodemiology.com team will provide messaging recommendations in response to some of the trending narratives outlined above. These helpful tips can be used when creating content, updating web and FAQ pages, and developing strategy for messaging about reproductive health.
In response to concerns about inadequate sex education in schools, communicators may share gender-inclusive, comprehensive sex and relationship educational resources for teens and their caregivers, plus tips for caregivers who are teaching children and teens about consent.Debunking false claims about COVID-19 vaccines and fertility is recommended. Messaging may emphasize that according to years of research, COVID-19 vaccines do not impact fertility. Communicators may reiterate that COVID-19 vaccines were rigorously tested to ensure safety before they became available to the public and that the vaccines prevent severe illness, hospitalization, long-term complications, and death. Communicators may also stress that COVID-19 vaccines are important for those who are already pregnant, as pregnant people face a higher risk of severe illness and pregnancy complications from a COVID-19 infection. This messaging is particularly important now, as most states are currently experiencing “high” or “very high” COVID-19 wastewater levels. Additionally, this season’s updated COVID-19 vaccines are available now and are recommended for everyone 6 months and older.
In response to concerns about abortion safety, messaging may emphasize that abortion pills are a safe way to end a pregnancy and that the risk of serious complications is less than 1 percent. Additionally, the risk of complications from an in-clinic abortion is extremely low. Research shows that abortion restrictions—not abortions—are a driving force behind maternal deaths. A 2023 report from the Gender Equity Policy Institute found that pregnant people who live in states with abortion bans are up to three times more likely to die during pregnancy, during childbirth, or soon after giving birth than those who live in states without abortion bans. Recirculating information about where people can access abortion pills and ensuring that materials are updated with the latest information about abortion laws in your state is recommended.