Sexuality: Know Your Rights in New Jersey

Sexuality: Know Your Rights in New Jersey

Do I have the right to learn about sexuality (including HIV/AIDS and other STDs) at my school in New Jersey? Can the school teach me about contraception or abstinence only education?

What is the age of a minor in New Jersey?

What is the age of consent in New Jersey?

Do I have rights as a gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or questioning (GLBTQ) teen in New Jersey?

What are my rights to HIV and STD testing, including confidentiality in New Jersey? Do you know your rights?

Can I buy condoms in New Jersey?

What are my rights to birth control in New Jersey – specifically do you need your parent’s permission to get a prescription to obtain birth control or to obtain other family planning services?

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

How can I get a pregnancy test in New Jersey?

What are my rights to abortion in New Jersey?

Please write the parts highlighted in RED in your notes. These will be test questions.

1. Do I have the right to learn about sexuality (including HIV/AIDS and other STDs) at my school in New Jersey?

Sexuality Education

New Jersey state law requires sexuality education. In fact, New Jersey law mandates at least 150 minutes of health education during each school week in grades one through 12 that aligns with state curriculum.
It must be age appropriate.
Teaching about contraceptives, such as condoms, the Pill, or the Patch, isalsorequired.

HIV/AIDS and Other STDs Education

New Jersey state law requires STDs and HIV/AIDS education.
It must be age appropriate.
Abstinence must be covered and stressed as the only completely effective protection against unplanned pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and HIV/AIDS when transmitted sexually.
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.Or you may have a signed notice opting yourself out of the classes if it is in conflict with political or religious beliefs.

2. What is the age of a minor in New Jersey?

You are considered a minor (someone who is not an adult) if you are under 18 years old. This is a legal status that lawmakers created for your protection.

3. What is the age of consent in New Jersey?

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 New Jersey, you can legally consent to sexual intercourse when you become 16 years old.

4. What are my rights as a gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or questioning (GLBTQ) teen in New Jersey?

Public schools in your state have a 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.
There are statewide anti-discrimination laws that include sexual orientation and gender identity. State hate crimes laws include sexual orientation but not 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.

5. What are my rights to HIV and STDtesting, including confidentiality in New Jersey?

Anyone 13 years old or older doesn't need permission from a parent or guardian to get tested for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and HIV in NJ. 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.
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.

6. Can I buy condoms in New Jersey? How?

You can buy condoms at any age in NJ. 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.

7. What are my rights to birth control in New Jersey?

In New Jersey, a minor can get a prescription for birth control or receive other family planning services without a parent’s permission.

If you go to a Title X clinic, your appointment will be completely confidential, including your billing and your records.

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Title X clinics provide sexual and reproductive health care to the public (girls, boys, teens and adults).

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To find a Title X clinic near you, click hereor call 1-800-230-PLAN (7526) for the nearest Planned Parenthood Health Center.

If you go to a private doctor or physician,then you need to ask them about their confidentiality rules when you are making the appointment. Ask them when you call:

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?

It is your right to get sexual and reproductive health care where you feel safe and comfortable, so don’t worry about asking these questions if these questions are important to you.

8. Can I get emergency contraception (aka, "EC" or the "morning-after pill") in New Jersey?

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) 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)..
If you go to an emergency room after a sexual assault, that emergency room is required by law to give you information about EC and to provide EC if you ask for it.
If you have been raped and you want EC, go to the emergency department of a hospital or 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.

9. How can I get a pregnancy test in New Jersey?

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.”

10. What are my rights to abortion in New Jersey?

If you are under or over 18 years old and want an abortion,you are not required to ask your parent/s or guardian for permission, or tell them. A law that would have required parental consent has been permanently blocked by the courts.
There is no mandatory waiting period in your state before a teen can get an abortion.
Your state provides Medicaid coverage for medically necessary abortions. 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.

All info from this document was obtained from