Why are More Than Sex-Ed workshop series’ so long!?! Can’t kids learn what they need in a couple of hours?”

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Why are More Than Sex-Ed workshop series’ so long!?! Can’t kids learn what they need in a couple of hours?”

Let’s consider just how much of our life experience involves sexuality. What else consumes our thoughts the way that longing for intimacy and sexual fulfillment does? How preoccupied as adolescents are we with our sexual identity and worries about whether we are normal? How much of middle and high school is spent navigating the turbulence of attraction and relationships? And that’s only the segue into what we hope is lifelong healthy sexuality!

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My Teacher, The Predator→

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" I don’t think the school was part of a nefarious plot. Why did they ignore Koetters’ behavior? Was it a combination of indifference, ambivalence, assumptions about teenage girls’ proclivity for drama, and fear of getting into a lawsuit? Regardless, by ignoring allegations from students over the years, the school sent a message to young women: sit down, shut up, and suffer male entitlement. " 

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NY Times: "Sex Education Based on Abstinence? There's a Real Absence of Evidence"→

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A recent NY Times article explores the policy of abstinence only sex education as driven by politics.  Aaron E. Carroll explains that the current administration has deviated from funding sex education programs that are effective based on evidence outcomes.  Although federal support for abstinence based education had increased in the past administrations, the requirement for sex education to be taught in schools had actually fallen "to 48 percent from 67 percent."  

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Abstinence-Only Education is Unethical →

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According to NPR, Abstinence-only sex education is unethical and ineffective in reducing rates of unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases.   Laura Lindberg of Guttmacher Institute notes "that abstinence-only education programs don't succeed in reducing rates of teen pregnancies or STDs."  In fact, Lindberg states that the approach "have little demonstrated efficacy in helping adolescents to delay intercourse".

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Question Box

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Question Box

We got this absolutely priceless question from a young boy in a class not long ago; the lesson
was on the changes of puberty, and in a room full of uncomfortable looking 10 and 11
year-olds, he raised his hand, looking confused. “So if having a period is where the body just,
like . . . flushes that stuff out . . . does that mean, like, is . . . menstruation . . . like having...diarrhea?”

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"The Fosters" addresses inclusive sex education--& More Than Sex-Ed is there to help!→

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"The Fosters" addresses inclusive sex education--& More Than Sex-Ed is there to help!

Our co-founder and facilitator, Emmalinda, was contacted by the writers for The Fosters on what an inclusive sex education might look like.  Emmalinda discussed a variety of ideas that eventually made it into the two episode story arc.  These ideas are non-binary language, safe space.

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More than Sex-Ed presents: Arts & Crafts with Jill!

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Here's a quick, fun and easy arts and crafts project brought to you by Jill!  If you would like to see more arts and crafts videos or content like this please comment below and check out our social media pages.  

The case for starting sex education in Kindergarten→

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"You’ll never hear an explicit reference to sex in a kindergarten class. In fact, the term for what’s being taught here is sexuality education rather than sex education."

In the Netherlands, comprehensive sex education requires all primary students to have "some form of sexuality education".  Ranging from 4 to 11 years old, the students are taught a variety of topics that include sexual preference, body awareness, intimacy and gender roles.  This sex education also seeks to educate and protect the students on the topics of sexual abuse, intimidation and other harmful practices.  

"The underlying principle is straightforward: Sexual development is a normal process that all young people experience, and they have the right to frank, trustworthy information on the subject."

The approach made by the Dutch government has produced "some of the best outcomes when it comes to teen sexual health."  According to Rutgers WPF, only 1 out of 10 Dutch adolescent do not use contraceptives the first time they have sex.  It is also important to note that the Netherlands also have one of the lowest teen pregnancy rates in the world. 

Unlike the Netherlands, comprehensive sex education has not been implemented in the United States.  According to Guttmacher, half of the states in the union require abstinence as the main form of sex education.  This narrow focus "on minimizing the risk of pregnancy and STDs from heterosexual intercourse" translates into many millennials acknowledging that their sex education "was not helpful".  The Dutch curriculum for comprehensive sex education provides compelling evidence on the importance of having a well rounded education. It's time to seriously consider comprehensive sex education here in the states.

At More than Sex-Ed, the ability to have a frank and trustworthy discussion about sexual development is one of our core principles.  To learn more about our core principles, please check out morethansex-ed.org!