Got the Magnolia State on your mind? We do, too! Click on a question below to see how your state stacks up on sexuality issues for teens. And don’t forget to find out how you can Take Action on these issues!
 

Do I have the right to learn about sexuality, HIV/AIDS and other STDs at my school in Mississippi?

• Mississippi state law does not require sexuality education. Local school boards decide whether or not to teach sex ed and which subjects this education must cover and the grade level in which topics are introduced.
• If sexuality education is taught, then it must be age appropriate and abstinence must be covered and stressed as the only completely effective protection against unplanned pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and HIV/AIDS.
• Teaching about contraceptives, such as condoms, the Pill, or the Patch, is not required.
• There is a state code that requires that monogamous heterosexual (straight) marriage should be promoted as the only appropriate setting for sexual intercourse. Also, if schools decide to teach about homosexuality, they must teach that it is “unnatural.”
• Mississippi received $5,742,594 in federal funds for abstinence-only-until-marriage programs in Fiscal Year 2008. Think that money could go to better use? Want your school to offer comprehensive sexuality education? You can make a difference! Learn more about your state at SIECUS.org, get in touch with a local org like the Planned Parenthood Greater Memphis Region and be sure to download our RoadMap.
   
   

• Mississippi state law does not require STDs and HIV/AIDS education. Local school boards decide whether or not to teach sex ed and which subjects this education must cover and the grade level in which topics are introduced.
• If STDs and HIV/AIDS education is taught, then it must be age appropriate and abstinence must be covered and stressed as the only completely effective protection against unplanned pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and HIV/AIDS when transmitted sexually.
• Teaching about contraceptives, such as condoms, the Pill, or the Patch, is not required.
• You do not need your parents’ permission to participate in sexuality education or HIV/AIDS education classes. But your parents can take you out of the classes if they object to what is being taught.

What is the age of a minor in Mississippi?

Keep in mind that these laws may be different for you if you are legally considered an emancipated minor, pregnant minor, minor living apart or married minor. You can learn more by talking to a legal representative at various agencies.

What is the age of consent in Mississippi?

In the eyes of the law, teenagers of certain ages cannot consent or agree to sex until they reach a specific age. This is called the “age of consent.” These laws are meant to protect minors from being manipulated or forced into sex with older people. Get familiar with these laws, so you and your partner know what is or isn’t legal in your state. Keep in mind that the laws may be different depending on the type of sexual behavior—vaginal, anal or oral—and the gender of your partner.

In Mississippi, you can legally consent to sexual intercourse when you become 16 years old.

Get more information about the laws in your state.

What are my rights as a gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or questioning (GLBTQ) teen in Mississippi?

• Public schools in your state have no Safe Schools Law in effect, which is a statewide anti-harassment and/or nondiscrimination law that includes the categories of sexual orientation and gender identity. But some school districts have decided to adopt their own Safe Schools policies.
• There are statewide anti-discrimination laws, but they do not clearly include sexual orientation or gender identity. State hate crimes laws do not offer protection based on sexual orientation but they do protect on the basis of gender identity.
• If discrimination, harassment, or a hate crime happens to you or someone you know, please call the Gay and Lesbian National Hotline at 1-888-THE-GLNH (843-4564) for help and support, or click here. No one deserves harassment or should have to put up with it.

What are my rights to HIV and STD testing, including confidentiality in Mississippi?

• You don’t need permission from your parent or guardian to get tested for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and HIV in your state. But if you test positive for HIV or another STD and receive treatment, the health care provider may legally discuss this with your parents.
• If you are a minor, it is very important for you to ask questions about confidentiality when you call to make your appointment. Specifically ask, “If I make an appointment and receive any kind of services at your clinic, will you tell my parents or anyone else?” This applies to all services, including testing for pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV.
• To make sure your visit is confidential, tell the clinic staff how to contact you about test results and future appointments without your parents knowing.
• Your state offers only confidential HIV testing, not anonymous testing. This means that if you get tested for HIV, your results will be confidentially reported to the health department using your name.
• To find an HIV testing site in your area, call the Centers for Disease Control’s 24-hour National AIDS Hotline at 1-800-CDC-INFO (232-4636) or click here.

Can I buy condoms in Mississippi? How?

• Yes, you can buy condoms, and you do not have to be a certain age to buy them. Teens of any age can buy condoms from a drugstore, pharmacy, grocery store, or even online. They are relatively inexpensive. A pack of twelve condoms costs about $12. 
• You can get condoms for free or at a reduced cost from health clinics (like Planned Parenthood), HIV testing centers, and local health departments. (Call 1-800-230-PLAN (7526) for the nearest Planned Parenthood Health Center.)
• If you buy condoms, check the expiration date on the box or the package to make sure that the condoms haven’t expired yet. For info on how to use a condom correctly, click here. To find out how to use or buy female condoms, click here.
  
  

What are my rights to birth control in Mississippi?

• is married
• is a parent
• received a referral from a specified professional (e.g. a physician, member of the clergy, etc.)

• Can I get services at your office without my parents’ permission?
• Can my parent/s have access to my records?
• Will my parent/s see the bill?

Can I get emergency contraception (aka, "EC" or the "morning-after pill") in Mississippi?

• If you are 17 or older you can go directly to a pharmacy and ask to buy emergency contraception. Be sure to bring ID with you.
• Girls under 17 can get emergency contraception (EC), but the only way to get it is with a prescription from a health care provider. To find a provider or clinic near you, call the Emergency Contraception Hotline at 1-888-NOT-2-LATE (668-2528) or click here.
• If you go to an emergency room after a sexual assault, that emergency room is not required by law to give you information about EC or to give EC to you if you ask for it.
• If you have been raped and you want EC, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). Open 24 hours, the hotline will connect you to EC providers near you. For other helpful info, check out the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network’s Web site.
  
  

How can I get a pregnancy test in Mississippi?

• You do not need a prescription from a doctor or health care provider to get a pregnancy test. You can purchase a pregnancy test from a pharmacy, grocery store, or online. They cost between $10 and $18. You can also take a pregnancy test at a doctor’s office or clinic, like Planned Parenthood. Many clinics offer free or reduced-fee pregnancy tests.
• All visits to Title X clinics are confidential for teens and adults. They will not share your records with your parents or your family doctor (or anyone else) without your permission.
• To find a Title X clinic, click here or call 1-800-230-PLAN (7526) for the nearest Planned Parenthood Health Center.
• If you pay for your visit by using your family’s health insurance, then your parents are likely to see the bill when it arrives in the mail. Almost all clinics provide free or sliding-scale fee services to teens in order to make it easier for teens to pay with cash.
• To make sure your visit is confidential, tell the clinic staff how to contact you about test results and future appointments without your parents knowing.
• Beware of crisis pregnancy centers. These centers claim to give you complete and accurate information about your pregnancy options when, in reality, their agenda is to discourage you from getting an abortion. They offer misleading and medically inaccurate information about abortion. Common names of these centers are “Crisis Pregnancy Center,” “Pregnancy Aid,” “Birth Right,” “Open Door” or “Pregnancy Counseling Center.”
  

What are my rights to abortion in Mississippi?

• If you are under 21 years old and want an abortion, both of your parents (or one if only one can be located) must give you permission before you can get an abortion. This is called “parental consent.” If that’s not possible, you are able to ask a judge for permission, or get special permission if it’s an emergency. This is called “judicial bypass.”
• There is a 24-hour mandatory waiting period in your state before a teen can get an abortion. The medical provider must also give you "biased" information for you to look over before you get an abortion.
• Your state does not provide Medicaid coverage for medically necessary abortions, unless the woman’s life is in danger or in cases of rape, incest or fetal abnormality.  If you need help paying for an abortion, call the National Abortion Federation Hotline at 1-800-772-9100, Monday–Friday, 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Saturday–Sunday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. (Eastern Daylight  Time) or click here. The hotline can tell you where and how to get financial help for an abortion in the U.S.
• To learn about the process of adoption and the services available, visit the National Council for Adoption and the Independent Adoption Center. You can also call the National Adoption Information Clearinghouse at 1-888-251-0075 for more information.

Sources

1. “Sex and STI/HIV Education,” State Policies in Brief, The Alan Guttmacher Institute. March 2010.
2. “State Profiles: A Portrait of Sexuality Education and Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Programs in the States,” Public Policy Office. Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS). Accessed on February 2010.
3. “Emancipation of Minors - Laws | LII / Legal Information Institute.” Cornell University Law School.  January 2010.
4. "State Laws on Age Requirements and Sex." U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  January 2010.
   
5. States with Safe Schools Laws. Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network. February 2010.
6. State of the States 2004: A Policy Analysis of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Safer Schools Issues. Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network.
7. “An Overview of Minors' Consent Laws," State Policies in Brief, The Alan Guttmacher Institute. March 2010.
8. “Minors’ Access to STI Services,” State Policies in Brief, The Alan Guttmacher Institute. March 2010.
9. "HIV Anonymous/Confidential Testing." Kaiser Family Foundation.  May 2007.
10. “Minors’ Access to Contraceptive Services,” State Policies in Brief, The Alan Guttmacher Institute. March 2010.
11. “Emergency Contraception,” State Policies in Brief, The Alan Guttmacher Institute. March 2010.
12. “Emergency Room Requirements To Offer/Provide Sexual Assault Survivors with Emergency Contraception.” Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. September 2009.
13. "Pharmacist Provision of Emergency Contraception to Women Without a Doctor's Prescription." Henry J. Kaiser Foundation. September 2009.
14. “Parental Involvement in Minors’ Abortions,” State Policies in Brief, The Alan Guttmacher Institute. March 2010.
15. “Counseling and Waiting Periods for Abortions,” State Policies in Brief, The Alan Guttmacher Institute. March 2010.
16. “State Funding of Abortions Under Medicaid,” State Policies in Brief, The Alan Guttmacher Institute. March 2010.