Sex Education

As a member of UofT’s Concurrent Teacher Education Program, this week’s lecture prompted reflection on my role as a future teacher…

            Sex education is a very heated topic in secondary schools. Although there seems to be an overwhelming belief that sex education is a necessity, many are divided on what should be taught. The division is even among educators themselves as some argue abstinence should be the only option discussed in sex education classes, while others promote content full sex education, including human development, gender roles, relationships, and intimacy. I would agree that comprehensive sexual education is most beneficial and stressing abstinence alone is irrelevant and ignores the reality that teens are having sex unsafely and sometimes in unhealthy relationships.

 Educators must be aware of the impact of the media. Teens are bombarded with images of sex everywhere. Whether its lyrics of songs they hear on the radio, advertisements they see all around them, shows they enjoy on television, or sex based magazines like Cosmopolitan and Men’s Health, they are all exposed to sex. Even fiction written for teens like the popular Twilight series deals with sexuality and describes abstinence as only desirable for an ancient vampire; completely ‘old fashion’. 

The media does not only promote sex, but it often neglects healthy relationships. The Internet alone, providing links to pornography, famous celebrity sex tapes, and the like, further promotes teens to have sex. The Internet, however, also provides positive websites, one being AVERT. AVERT, a site dedicated to HIV & AIDS, also presents positive information about sex education. It contains a section on sex and relationships, which I believe is especially beneficially for teens. It also provides games and quizzes where one can test their sex education knowledge, and has a blog section where teens can share sex related experiences or thoughts.

            To argue that students and educators should ignore and hide from sex is baffling. Schools need to come to terms with the reality of the day and use this media to guide and empower today’s youth.