New Books Network Margaret Grace Myers, "The Fight for Sex Ed: The Century-Long Battle Between Truth and Doctrine" (Beacon Press, 2025)
Nov 21, 2025
Margaret Grace Myers, a writer and historian, dives deep into the century-long battle over sex education in the U.S. She explores how early efforts from religious leaders aimed to combat STIs but were thwarted by the rise of the religious right. Key moments include World War I's influence on public health and the shift in curricula through the decades. Myers critiques the ongoing promotion of abstinence-only education, highlighting its failure and the need for comprehensive programs to address real public health concerns.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Family Archives Sparked The Project
- Myers discovered the book's subject through her great-grandparents, early-20th-century Baltimore doctors linked to sex-ed debates.
- Their archival trail led her to write the century-long history she found missing.
Origins Rooted In Public Health
- Sex education in the U.S. began as a public-health response to rampant STIs during early 20th-century industrialization.
- Early reformers moved education into schools because they reached the largest number of young people efficiently.
Ella Flag Young's Short-Lived Program
- Ella Flag Young introduced 'personal purity' classes in Chicago public schools in 1913 after a contentious campaign.
- The classes lasted only a semester because public outcry forced their removal.
