Age of Consent
Sex Education Required by State
Sex Education Type
Medically Accurate Content Required
LGBTQ+ Inclusive
Consent Education Taught
Adult Entertainment
Mississippi's age of consent is 16. There is no close-in-age exemption in Mississippi law. Mississippi Code Section 97-3-65 covers statutory rape. The absence of a close-in-age exemption means that any sexual activity involving a minor under 16 is a felony regardless of the ages involved.
Sex education is required in Mississippi schools but is restricted to abstinence-only instruction. Schools cannot discuss contraception at all, a prohibition stricter than most other states. Condom use and other contraceptive methods are not permitted topics. Mississippi has historically had among the highest teen pregnancy rates in the country. There is no LGBTQ+ inclusion requirement and no consent education mandate.
Mississippi's adult entertainment environment is restrictive. Adult businesses operate under heavy regulatory burden in most jurisdictions. Local prosecutors have historically pursued obscenity cases. The state's social conservative political environment has produced sustained support for restricting adult entertainment. The overall posture is among the most restrictive in the South.
Abstinence-only mandate — one of the most restrictive. Cannot discuss contraception at all. Highest teen pregnancy rate historically.
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Discussions
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In the News
- Mississippi sex education: exploring abstinence programs 15 years after law change - The Clarion-LedgerSep 14
- The Debate Over Sex Education and Its Consequences - Gonzaga UniversityJul 17
- Sex Education Programs: Definitions, Funding, and Impact on Teen Sexual Health - KFFOct 30
- Sex Education Standards Across the States - Center for American ProgressMay 9
- How #MeToo Is Changing Sex Ed Policies — Even In Red States - KFF Health NewsAug 12
Full Mississippi 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.