It's Official! More Than Sex-Ed is now a project of Community Partners®

We are so thrilled to have been selected for fiscal sponsorship by Community Partners of Los Angeles! In addition to now having access to a slew of essential back office services, (financial services, human resources, organizational development, etc.), we now have non-profit status as a project of Community Partners! Look for updates to our website in the near future, with info about registering for upcoming workshops!

MTSE will be presenting at the 23rd Annual California Charter Schools Conference

 "More Than Sex-Ed. Get comprehensive & inclusive. Get your facts straight." has been accepted as an expo presentation for the 23rd Annual California Charter Schools Conference being held Monday, March 14 to Thursday, March 17, 2016 at the Long Beach Convention Center.

As California schools begin to implement the newly enacted Healthy Youth Act, AB 329, MTSE is so glad to be getting the word out. We are here to help your school comply with the most comprehensive sex-ed requirements in the nation.

We are speaking at the F-Word Event

Please join us on Thurs May 21, 7:00PM  at DataPop
5762 W Jefferson Blvd, Los Angeles, California 90016
The Empowerment Project & GirlTalkHQ Present... The F Word Event!

TICKETS $10:

 https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-f-word-event-an-empowering-evening-in-la-tickets-16791795713

"The F Word is an event that creates a space where men and women can come and listen to a group of inspirational people in the community tell stories of triumph, success, confidence and growth with one major theme...feminism.
The F Word is the space for men and women to network, be entertained and inspired. Feminist is a word that has received so much negative attention and connotation over the years. Join us to redefine and own that word in today's society as well as celebrate our accomplishments!
Jill Herbertson and Emmalinda Maclean will be the final speakers for the evening. They are the co-founders of More Than Sex-Ed, an organization dedicated to bringing comprehensive, positive, fact-based, and shame-free sexuality education to middle school and high school youth in the Los Angeles area, using the nationally-acclaimed Our Whole Lives curriculum.

Peer pressure and parental influence

Developmentally, the mere presence of peers is a huge influence on adolescent behavior, and compels teens to engage in riskier behavior than they would on their own. Teens don’t even need to be “pressured” into risk taking.[1] This tendency has huge repercussions when we look at teen sexual behavior, which is why our workshops include kids of all genders. We normalize speaking honestly and clearly about sex. With peer group learning, we can tame that overwhelming teen suspicion that everyone else knows more, has done more, and is way cooler.

Kids learn that, in fact, most Los Angeles high schoolers are not having sexual intercourse.[2] Kids learn that consent must be clearly communicated with any sexual behavior. Kids practice graciously taking no for an answer. Without judging others, kids learn that abstaining from sexual intercourse is the safest choice for teens, but we also teach the facts of protecting yourself and your partner in any future encounters.

We teach that parents are the primary educators when it comes to sexuality education—and when parents say nothing at all, that sends a powerful message, too. We support parent involvement. Parents who communicate their values with their kids positively influence teens to make less risky sexual behavior choices.[3] Despite the awkwardness on both sides, we encourage parents and teens to talk honestly about sex, sexuality, and values.

1 Chein, J., Albert, D., O’Brien, L., Uckert, K. and Steinberg, L. (2011), Peers increase adolescent risk taking by enhancing activity in the brain’s reward circuitry. Developmental Science, 14: F1–F10. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-7687.2010.01035.x

2 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, (1991–2013), National High School YRBS Data Files

3 Miller, Brent C., (1998), Families Matter: A Research Synthesis of Family Influences on Adolescent Pregnancy