Reason Rally 2016 Making an Issue of Sex Ed
Nonreligious voters demand funding for sex ed that works
Nonbelievers will make their congress members believe in the power of “nones” when they lobby for better sex ed on June 2.
Washington, D.C. — March 16, 2016 — Congress members may find themselves inundated on June 2 and 3 with visitors from a group they haven’t paid much attention to: voters who don’t want religion to guide public policy. They’ll be demanding funding for evidence-based sex education. And for good reason.
The federal government still funds abstinence-only sex ed programs that actually increase teenage pregnancy, according to the [NIH] //www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3194801/. To Reason Rally supporters, that makes no sense at all. They want public money spent on programs that work so, for two days, atheists, secular humanists and “nones” — those who have no affiliation — will be walking the Halls of Congress, knocking on doors, and making their power as a voting bloc known.
“In-person lobbying from constituents is still the most effective method for reaching elected officials,” said Lyz Liddell, executive director of Reason Rally 2016. “We need secular and nonreligious people to speak up and tell their elected officials that they are paying attention to the issues and voting.”
To ensure effective lobbying, Advocacy Days will begin with training on how to be an effective lobbyist as well as details about evidence-based sex education. Advocacy Day coordinators expect to have the office of every Congress member hear from a secular voter, reinforcing the fact that [23% of American adults identify as nonreligious, secular, or atheist.] //www.pewforum.org/2015/05/12/americas-changing-religious-landscape/
In fact, that number is on the rise, particularly among younger voters. A 2015 Gallup Poll [//www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/12/26/gallup-poll-confirms-americans-losing-religion/] found that among those between the ages of 18 and 24, 31% claim no religious affiliation.
On June 4, the advocacy group will join tens of thousands of other people from around the country to celebrate their growing numbers. They’ll be entertained and encouraged by a roster of stellar speakers and entertainers, including Bill Nye, the Science Guy; Carolyn Porco, planetary scientist; actors Johnny Depp, John de Lancie, and Amber Heard; comedians Margaret Cho and Julia Sweeney … and many more.
It’s a party with a purpose!
Reason Rally 2016 Contact: Lyz Liddell [lyz@reasonrally.org]
Press Contact: Paul Fidalgo [pfidalgo@centerforinquiry.net]
About Reason Rally 2016
Reason Rally 2016 is a celebration of fact-driven public policy, the value of critical thinking, and the voting power of secular Americans. The Rally will be held June 2- 5, 2016, at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC. Two days of lobbying will precede the Rally itself on June 4 and a conference will be held Sunday, June 5. Participants will be joined by speakers, entertainers, top-level scientists, and political leaders as they celebrate their secular, humanist and other nonreligious identities.
Accessibility
Reason Rally 2016 is fully accessible, with wheelchair access and seating as well as line-of-sight seating for ASL signing.
About the Sponsors
The coalition of Reason Rally 2016 sponsors represent a cross-section of the atheist/secular humanist sector. Together, they attract more than 2,800,000 Facebook “likes” per month and 280,000 Twitter followers. For more about our sponsors, visit www.reasonrally.org/sponsors.