Planned Parenthood executive director once claimed children are 'sexual beings' in unearthed comments

Asher Notheis

December 02, 03:06 PM December 02, 03:08 PM

An executive director at Planned Parenthood once claimed that children are born "sexual" and advocated sex education for children throughout their K-12 education.

Bill Taverner, the executive director of Planned Parenthood's Center for Sex Education in New Jersey, made the statement about people being sexual "from birth until death" in 2015, according to comments unearthed by WHD News.

"[We have], in our society, an assumption of asexuality of people with intellectual disabilities," Taverner said. "It's a myth that's perpetuated, and really, we are all sexual beings from birth until death."

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Taverner also once argued that portions of comprehensive sexuality education for children should start in kindergarten because sexuality education is "a continuous process" rather than being "isolated to a particular point in a person's life."

"Young children are learning about sexuality from the attitudes their parents display," he said. "When we think of K-12 education … we may be talking about what makes a family. We may be talking about disease prevention. … All of that sets the foundation for a basic understanding that is useful for further conversations when we're talking about condoms … [and] pregnancy conversations. Age-appropriate sex education is so important. And we have to let our experts guide us."

Additionally, Taverner once argued in 2012 that children of a certain age should be taught about pornography in sex education. In 2021, however, he clarified that sex educators do not and have never wanted pornography to be the primary source of sex education.

Planned Parenthood describes itself as "the single largest provider of sex education in the United States," educating 1.2 million people every year, according to the organization's website.

"Planned Parenthood sex educators teach across the lifespan — including students in elementary, middle, and high school as well as young adults, parents, and older adults," a page on its website reads. "They cover topics like communication skills, decision making, birth control, how to prevent sexually transmitted infections (STIs), healthy relationships, consent, body image, anatomy, and puberty."

The Washington Examiner contacted Planned Parenthood for comment.