create and advocacy email APA 7 FORMAT OF THE FOLLOWING TEXT:In Support of Tennessee Legislature House Bill 1293 under existing Tennessee law, sex education in schools is heavily restricted to the extent that it is counterproductive to the health outcomes it is designed to promote. Tennessee Code Title 49, Chapter 6, relative to sex education, prohibits the endorsement of non-abstinence as an appropriate sexual behavior, and also prohibits any curriculum that promotes "gateway sexual activity", defined as activity that may lead to sexual intercourse. These restrictions mean that important fundamentals of sex education are unacceptable, and that individuals or groups may be found in violation of the law for teaching such fundamentals. HB 1293 seeks to broaden the criteria for acceptable sex education curriculum by allowing local schools to include the following topics: Effective contraceptive use and barrier methods to prevent unwanted pregnancy and prevent sexually transmitted diseases; Age of consent, requirements for consent, and legal consequences of non-consensual sexual activity; How sexual activity results in pregnancy, the effects of pregnancy, and that abortion is illegal in Tennessee; How to communicate with a parent/guardian about sex or other risk behaviors How to develop relationship and communication skills to form healthy, respectful relationships free of violence, coercion, or intimidation, and how to get help if needed. Specifically, HB 12