The politics of abstinence-only and marriage promotion: The US as a case study

Mr. Smith William is Vice President for Public Policy at the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS) He directs its public policy activities, government relations, and advocacy efforts. Mr. Smith advocates on important issues related to reproductive and sexual health including sexuality education, teen sexual health, HIV/AIDS, and sexual orientation. Under the leadership of Mr. Smith, SIECUS’ unrelenting policy office staff has grown into a powerful force behind federal, state, and local efforts to promote comprehensive education about sexuality and to combat ineffective and potentially harmful approaches, such as abstinence-only-until-marriage programs. Prior to coming to SIECUS, Mr. Smith was the Manager of the Program on Religion and Public Values at the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. Mr. Smith graduated from Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania and is completing his doctorate in Politics.' Huffingtonpost.com.'