PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Jasmina Salmova, Alumna of Girls For Gender Equity
2:19:11
·
161 sec
Jasmina Salmova, a recent high school graduate and alumna of Girls For Gender Equity, testifies in support of Resolution 94-2024 to implement comprehensive sexual education in NYC schools. She shares her personal experiences with inadequate sex education and the impact on her health, emphasizing the need for a more comprehensive curriculum.
- Salmova highlights the gaps in her own sex education, including learning about reproduction from classmates and receiving only brief formal instruction in 6th grade.
- She describes her struggle with PCOS and how comprehensive sex education could have helped her identify symptoms earlier.
- Salmova argues that comprehensive sex education addresses broader societal issues like consent, respect, and preventing discrimination and violence.
Jasmina Salmova
2:19:11
Good afternoon, chair Joseph, chair Lewis, and the members and staff of the committees on education and women and gender equity.
2:19:16
My name is Jasmina Salmova, and I'm an alumni of the YBAC program at Girls For Gender Equity and a recent high school graduate.
2:19:22
I'm testifying today in support of resolution 94 of 2024 to ensure comprehensive sexual education is in place to shift away from the current absence based approach to prioritize young people's safety and bodily autonomy.
2:19:35
The first time I received sexual education in school was from my 5th grade classmate who taught me how children were made using improper terms to refer to genitals.
2:19:43
The first time I received formal instruction was in my 6th grade health class with a brief overview of reproductive anatomy, intercourse for conception, and SCDs.
2:19:52
I was required to retake health in high school during remote learning and have no memory of receiving sexual education in that class.
2:19:58
This wasn't enough.
2:19:59
Towards the start of my senior year, I began experiencing distressing, physical symptoms, prolonged periods, unexplained weight gain, and severe 6th degree acne.
2:20:08
After 8 painful months, I was finally diagnosed with PCOS by a gynecologist.
2:20:12
This was the first time I've heard of PCOS or hormonal disorder that impacts individuals with female reproductive systems.
2:20:18
It was also the first time I learned that people assigned female at birth produced testosterone.
2:20:22
It took struggling with the chronic disease for me to finally learn about hormones.
2:20:26
I feel frustrated over the fact that I could have been aware from the signs from the beginning if I'd received comprehensive sexual education.
2:20:33
Hormones and hormonal conjunctions are taught in conjunction hormonal and hormones and hormonal conditions are taught in conjunction with SEDs and a comprehensive curriculum compared to our current one that only fear mongers with SEDs to promote this non universal standard of abstinence.
2:20:47
Education should protect children and empower them to understand their bodies, not put them at risk.
2:20:52
Comprehensive sexual education isn't encouraging intercourse.
2:20:55
It addresses a broader systemic issue.
2:20:57
The societal conditioning of young kids to undervalue consent and respect which continues to fuel misogyny, racism, homophobia, and sexual violence.
2:21:06
Absence based approaches have failed and will continue to fail to confront the deeper rated issue of entitlement subconsciously felt by majority groups.
2:21:14
This new curriculum will teach consent, respect, equity, inclusivity, safety, and bodily autonomy to promote the physical and mental health of students.
2:21:23
Because of these experiences, I've been forced to take responsibility for my own sexual education to manage my health and safety.
2:21:30
To address this, I ask that resolution 94 be passed immediately to support the state comprehensive sexual education bill.
2:21:36
I also ask that the curriculum be mandatory for grades k through 5.
2:21:40
I understand that parents can opt out of their children receiving sexual education, but the early lessons and consent and respect go beyond sexual activity.
2:21:48
They teach children how to treat and value others.
2:21:50
Thank you for your time.
