The question of whether to teach sexuality education in schools and how to approach it has been debated for well over 100 years. From the beginning, however, there were some who thought that sexuality education had no place in public schools. The fear that sex education makes kids have sex earlier may be rooted in a misunderstanding about what actually happens in the classroom. One of the strategies employed by abstinence-until-marriage supporters is virginity pledges. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, states also got involved in efforts to prevent same-sex marriage with some passing referendums and others attempting to amend the state constitution in order to ensure the privilege of marriage was reserved for heterosexual couples. The battle for gay rights both in the United States and around the world has been long, slow, and intense and though much progress has been made.