Age of Consent
Sex Education Required by State
Sex Education Type
Medically Accurate Content Required
LGBTQ+ Inclusive
Consent Education Taught
Adult Entertainment
Maryland's age of consent is 16. State law does not include a formal close-in-age exemption, but the specific terms of Maryland's criminal code mean that activity between peers close in age is often charged, if at all, as a lesser offense. Maryland Code, Criminal Law Article, Section 3-306 covers third-degree sexual offense.
Maryland requires comprehensive sex education that is medically accurate and inclusive of LGBTQ+ relationships and identities. Consent education is a required component at multiple grade levels. The state's mandate is one of the stronger ones in the mid-Atlantic region. Schools are expected to present contraception and STI prevention information without a primary abstinence frame.
Maryland's adult entertainment environment is permissive. Baltimore and the suburbs of Washington, D.C. have active adult entertainment industries. The state regulates adult businesses through local licensing without aggressive state-level restriction campaigns. The overall posture reflects the state's liberal political composition and its proximity to the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.
Strong comprehensive sex ed mandate. LGBTQ+ inclusive. Consent education required.
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Discussions
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In the News
- State High Courts Split on Laws Letting Survivors of Sexual Abuse Sue After Expiration of Statutes of Limitations - State Court ReportNov 24
- State Policy Trends 2023: In the First Full Year Since Roe Fell, a Tumultuous Year for Abortion and Other Reproductive Health Care - Guttmacher InstituteDec 19
- Foster Care’s Missing Policies For Sexual and Reproductive Health - The ImprintMay 9
- Maryland Bills On Health Education And Parental Rights Spark Heated Debate - The BayNetMar 7
- Debate erupts over Michigan’s proposed health ed standards and LGBTQ+ inclusion in schools - Michigan AdvanceOct 15
Full Maryland profile
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Sources: NCSL, Guttmacher Institute, SIECUS State Profiles, Wikipedia "Ages of consent in the United States". Laws change — verify current status with official sources.