25 Years of Commitment to Sexual Health and Education
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SIECUS in 1989 SECUS: 25 Years of Commitment To Sexual Health and Education Debra W. Haffner, MPH Executive Director wenty-five years ago, a lawyer, a sociologist, a clergyman, individual life patterns asa creative and recreativeforce.” In T a family life educator, a public health educator, and a many ways, the missiontoday remains true to those words. physician came together to form the Sex Information and Education Council of the United States. In the words of In January 1965, SIECUS held a national pressconference SIECUS cofounder and first executive director, Dr. Mary S. announcing its formation. In a New York Herald Tribune Calderone, “the formation of SIECUS in 1964 was not the story, Earl Ubell, who later joined the SIECUS Board of creation of something new so much as the recognition of Directors, wrote, ‘! . the group’s first action has been most something that had existed for a long time: the desire of noteworthy. It formed.” A month later, SIECUS published its many people of all ages and conditions to comprehend what first newsletter, with an annual subscription rate of $2.00! sex was all about, what old understandings about it were still valid, what new understandings about it were needed, where The mid-1960swere important years for advancing sexual it fit in a world that was changing, and between men and rights. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 wascritical in establish- women who were changing.” ing principles of racial and sexual equity. In 1965, the Supreme Court decided Griswoldv. Connecti&, which I have had the pleasure of reading the first SIECUS news- establishedthe constitutional right to privacy and gave letters; all of the minutes from years of meetings of the married women the right to contraception. On December SIECUS Board of Directors; early annual reports; and other 2, 1964, the American Medical Association passeda policy historical material. What a rich history SIECUS has! And, on human reproduction, stating that family planning is how different the world is now than it was in April 1964 “more than a matter of responsibleparenthood; it is a when SIECUS was founded. matter of responsiblemedical practice.” In 1966, the Offke of Education at the federal Department of Health, Educa- SIECUS received its chatter in the state of Delaware on April tion, and Welfare announced its policy on family life 29, 1964 and opened its first office on July 1, 1964, staffed education and sex education: “the Office of Education will by an unsalariedexecutive director, Dr. Calderone, and one support family life and sex education as an integral part of secretary.The original purposeof the organization wasto the curriculum from preschool to college and adult levels; it “establish man’ssexuality as a health entity: to identify the will support training for teachers. it will aid programs specialcharacteristics that distinguish it from, yet relate it to, designed to help parents. it will support researchand human reproduction; to dignify it by opennessof approach, development in all aspectsof family life and sex education.” study and scientific researchdesigned to lead toward its (This policy is a far cry from the pronouncements of the last understanding and its freedom from exploitation; to give Secretary of Education, William Bennett!) In July 1966, the leadershipto professionalsand to society, to the end that National Catholic Welfare Conference, the National Coun- human beings may be aided toward responsibleuse of the cil of Churches, and the Synagogue Council of America sexual faculty toward assimilationof sex into their issueda joint statement on marriage and family life in the United States: “We believe and unite in affirming that our Despite the work of fringe groups, sexual rights continued sexuality is a wondrous gift from God.” to expand during these years. In 1970, the President’sCom- mission on Obscenity and Pornography establishedthat The first few years of SIECUS were very busy and very exciting. adults should have the right to sexually explicit material: By the end of 1965, SIECUS had published its fast three “federal, state, and local legislation prohibiting the sale, study guides on sex education, homosexuality, and mastur- exhibition, or distribution of sexual materials to consenting bation. The Of&e of Education at the federal Department adults should be repealed.” The Commissioncalled for “a of Health, Education, and Welfare had funded SIECUS to massivesex education effort. it should be aimed at convene a national conference on “Sex, the Individual, and achieving an acceptanceof sex as a normal and natural part Society: Implications for Education” in Washington, D.C. of life and of oneself as a sexual being. It should not aim By the winter of 1967, SIECUS had 15 paid staff members for orthodoxy; rather it should be designed to allow for a and requests for information, materials, and assistance were pluralism of values.” SIECUS’ work clearly influenced these flooding SIECUS from every state in the country. statements. In 1970, the U.S. Congresspassed Title X of the Public Health Service Act, which establisheda nationwide Opposition to SIECUS and its activities began in 1968-69. system of family planning clinics. The Act was sponsoredby The first round was shot by the Christian Crusade in 1968 with the then U.S. Senator George Bush. Maryland becamethe their publication, “Is the Schoolhouse the Proper Place To first state in the country to mandate family life and human Teach Raw Sex?” In 1969, John Birch Society Founder development education at all levels in 1970. Robert Welch issued a call for an “organized, nationwide, intensive, angry, and determined opposition to the now mushrooming of so-called sex education in the public schools. a filthy Communist plot.” Related groups with names with clever acronyms emerged: MOTOREDE (the SIECUS Report ,aLi;GiZLG Movement to Restore Decency), SOS (Sanity on Sex), Sex Information and Education Council of the U.S. MOMS (Mothers for Moral Stability) and PAUSE (People Against Unconstitutional Sex Education). One think tank Executive Director, Debra W. Haffner Editor, Janet Jamar estimated that $40 million was spent by these groups on an antisex, anti-SIECUS campaign. Attacks on SIECUS and its staff, especially Dr. Calderone, were vicious. The SIECUS Report is published bimonthly and distributed to SIECUS members, professionals, organizations, government oflicials, SIECUS struck back with its own more modest campaign. A libraries, the media, and the general public. full-page ad in The New York Times ran in response to the attacks. Over 150 public leaders joined the “National Annual membership fees: Individual $60; Student (with validation) Committee for Responsible Family Life and Sex Education” $30; Senior Citizen $40; Organization $100 (includes two b;nonthly in reaffirming that “enlightened Americans support the copies of the SIECUS Report; Library $60. SIECUS Repel-t subscription concepts of SIECUS: that sex education and family life alone, $55 a year. Outside the U.S., add $10 per year to these fees (except Canada and Mexico, $5). The SIECUSRepotiis available on microfilm education training are a community trust and are essential from University Microfilm, 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48106. to self awareness and human development.” SIECUS devel- oped, and widely circulated, a “Community Action and All article and review submissions, advertising, and publication inquiries Communications Kit” to help communities build support should be addressed to: and fight the opposition. Unfortunately, then as now, this small group of reactionaries Direc~?~~&~l?ations managed to have an impact despite widespread support for SIECUS sexuality education. In 1969, the Gallup Poll found that 32 Washington Place 71% of American adults favored sex education for students. New York, New York 10003 (Support exceeded 90% in 1988.) Nevertheless,several states passedantisexuality education mandates. Louisianabarred (212) 673-3850 sex education in 1968. In 1969, California passedguidelines for family life education; the I&h guideline called for the EaJitoklBoard “elimination of SIECUS materialsfrom all California schools.” Peggy Brick, MEd Jane Quinn, ACSW Michael Carrera, EdD Elizabeth C. Winship, BA Donald Greydanus, MD Robert Selverstone, PhD SIECUS continued to make progressduring the late 1960s Diane Moore, MS and early 1970sdespite this determined opposition. In Copyright 0 1989 by the Sex Information and Education Council of the 1969, SIECUS published a textbook for professionals,The U.S., Inc. No part of the SZEClJSRepoti may be reproduced in any form Indivia’zra~ Sex and Society. Thousandsof copieswere dis- without written permission. tributed. The first SIECUS international workshop washeld in 1970, aswell as a national conference, “New Findings in Library of Congress catalog card number 72-627 361. Human Sexuality.” By 1971,SIECUS had published I4 ISSN: 0091-3995 study guides on a wide range of topics. SIECUS Report, March/April 1989 2 In 1972, SIECUS expanded its eight-page SIECUS news- letter into a journal, the SIECUS Report. SIECUS also began a major effort to reach out to allied professionals; this included the media, nurses, lawyers, and professionals working with the disabled. SIECUS sponsored a national conference in 1972 entitled “The Media and Changing Sexual Attitudes.” In 1973, Cornell University and SIECUS sponsored “Human Sexuality: Perspectives in Nursing.” In 1973, SIECUS and the American Foundation For the Blind cosponsored the development of a resource guide on sex education and family life for visually handicapped children and youth. SIECUS passed its first position statements in the early 70s. The 1973 Statement of Belief declared that “sex education, at any age, cannot be effective as long as it occurs in a soci- ety which, in many of its aspects, inhibits rational assess- ment of sexuality as a central force in human behavior.” In 1974, the SIECUS Board of Directors passed a policy stating that “free access to full and accurate information on all aspects of sexuality is a basic right for everyone, children as well as adults.” Several major events advanced sexual rights in the early and mid-1970s.