Confronting Stereotypes: Intersectional Approaches to Sexuality Education for Girls of Color

Girls of color experience disproportionately high rates of sexually transmitted infections, unintended pregnancy, and sexual violence compared to their White peers. Despite these disparities, current sexuality education programs— designed from White, Christian, middle-class, and heterosexual perspectives— largely fail to address the unique socialization experiences that contribute to these inequitable outcomes. This paper applies an intersectional framework to examine how gendered and racialized sexual stereotypes shape the sexual development of girls of color. These stereotypes are learned through media and family socialization, influence girls’ sexual self-concept, and increase vulnerability to discriminatory treatment. Proposed policy reforms include shifting federal funding toward comprehensive programs, mandating culturally inclusive curriculum standards that explicitly address sexual stereotypes, and investing in research to evaluate program effectiveness. This intersectional approach benefits all students by equipping girls of color with tools to resist stereotypes while educating others to recognize and interrupt their perpetuation.