Age of Consent
Sex Education Required by State
Sex Education Type
Medically Accurate Content Required
LGBTQ+ Inclusive
Consent Education Taught
Adult Entertainment
Missouri's age of consent is 17. There is a close-in-age exemption: sexual activity with a 14-, 15-, or 16-year-old is a lesser offense if the defendant is less than four years older, under Missouri Revised Statutes Section 566.034. The exemption reduces exposure from felony to misdemeanor in qualifying circumstances.
Missouri has no statewide sex education mandate. When districts choose to offer sex ed, they must use an abstinence-only approach. Positive portrayals of homosexuality or bisexuality are not permitted in sex education under state statute. There is no requirement for medical accuracy, no LGBTQ+ inclusion, and no consent education component. Many Missouri districts offer no sex education at all.
Missouri's adult entertainment environment is restrictive. Kansas City and St. Louis have adult entertainment industries, but the state's regulatory posture has historically supported restriction. Missouri has used licensing, zoning, and local option laws to limit adult businesses in many jurisdictions. The state's sodomy law was ruled unenforceable by Lawrence v. Texas (2003) but was not formally repealed until 2006.
No mandate. When offered, abstinence-only. Cannot include LGBTQ+ discussion.
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Discussions
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- Confusing laws MO : r/SexOffenderSupport
- CMV: Age of consent should always be 17/18 years old ...
- Age of consent needs to change : r/offmychest
- Parents should not be allowed to opt their kids out of Sex-Ed
- AITA if I talk to my 18 yo brother about age of consent ...
In the News
- Anti-Choice States Target Organizations Providing Information About Abortion - State Court ReportMay 7
- Missouri Republicans advance bill to police trans people’s bathroom access - Advocate.comApr 21
- Anti-sex trafficking, grooming bill passes Missouri legislature, headed for governor’s desk - News-Press NOWMar 18
- Sex Education Programs: Definitions, Funding, and Impact on Teen Sexual Health - KFFOct 30
- Moving the Ball Forward on Comprehensive Sex Education - American Civil Liberties UnionJan 7
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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.