Introduction
Sexual education at school causes a lot of controversy: some parents believe that sex education lessons will protect children from violence, prejudices about contraception, early pregnancies and other outcomes of domestic sex education. There is also an opinion that sex education lessons have a harmful effect on the psyche of children. However, in countries where sexual education has been introduced for schoolchildren, it resulted in many positive outcomes. Cultural object, which helps young men and women in matters of sexual education, is a comprehensive sex education program that has significant advantages for its listeners. Comprehensive sexual education teaches children mindfulness in relationships and sex and does not corrupt them.
Sex Education Programs in the USA
Not in every American family a teenager has the opportunity to get all the necessary answers and openly discuss all intimate topics directly with their mother or father. In addition, the parent relies on their experience and on their expectations from the child (Hunt, 2013, 12:06). Few parents have enough knowledge of psychology so that this conversation is not traumatic or uncomfortable (Tolentino, 2022). Therefore, sexual education can make sexual intercourse comfortable and safe for both partners, especially when it comes to the first experience of teenagers. American schools are divided into supporting either programs of comprehensive sex education or abstinence-only sex education.
Abstinence-only sex education program harms girls: during the lessons teachers should talk about the importance of preserving virginity before marriage, but not about contraception. Children are persuaded that it is not allowed to have sex before the official conclusion of marriage. Christian Pam Stenzel gives lectures in schools about how important it is for girls to preserve dignity before marriage (Katz, 2013). The defender of the abstinence program, Shelly Donahoe, conducts trainings in schools where she compares unmarried girls who have had sex with used adhesive tapes (Stote, 2012). At the same time, state laws often restrict teachers in teaching sex education lessons. In some states, it is even forbidden to demonstrate condoms and other contraceptives in sex education classes. For example, in Mississippi, they teachers allowed to talk about contraception, but not to show how to use it (Hunt, 2013, 04:18). Therefore, they have to use imagination: for example, to show the technique of putting on a condom using a cucumber and a sock.
Comprehensive sex education resembles European programs: during the lessons teachers should talk about the anatomy and social aspects of sexuality. Students learn about the effectiveness of various preventive measures, teenage pregnancy, violence and the ability to defend their borders, abortions, sexually transmitted diseases, different orientations and the concept of social gender. Many American medical associations and feminists advocate its dissemination, as due to this program, teenagers receive all the necessary information about sex and possible risks (Hunt, 2013, 09:32). In this regard, there is an advantage of this cultural object, which has support among the public and experts.
Comprehensive sex education is better than abstinence-only sex education because it focuses on the social and emotional causes of sex and their consequences, raise issues of setting clear expectations and boundaries. It is also aimed at teaching young people to hear their body, cope with feelings of shame and awkwardness, and take responsibility. As opposed to abstinence-only sex education, comprehensive sex education from the point of view of feminism is not a manual on how to prevent unwanted pregnancy (Hunt, 2013). These are issues of acceptance of oneself, one’s partner, respect, consent, both physical and psychological comfort and security.
Sexual consent is most often mentioned only in the context of a conversation about age limits in the abstinence-only sex education. However, the right to refuse, consent and respect for one’s own and others’ borders is the most important moment in every person’s sexual life according to the comprehensive sex education (Katz, 2013). As opposed to abstinence-only sex education, comprehensive sex education also aims to combat stereotypes: for example, young men do not have to demonstrate high sexual activity in order not to be disrespected among other men, and young women do not have to avoid sex so that they are not called indecent.
Arguments for Comprehensive Sex Education
The sexual education has mostly positive impact on society and children. Statistics show that the higher the level of sex education in the country, the rarer are teenage pregnancies among girls aged 15-19 (Katz, 2013). The highest rates of teenage pregnancy were registered in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Georgia where abstinence-only sex education is prevalent — 40 cases out of 1000 (Reeser, 2015). In the USA, the figures vary depending on the state and the sex education program that is adopted there. For example, in Arkansas, where the sex education program has not been expanded, there are 40 teenage pregnancies per 1,000 girls (Reeser, 2015). New Hampshire where comprehensive sexual education is included in the obligatory school curriculum has the lowest rate — 10 teen pregnancies out of 1,000 (Martin, 1991). The state’s sex education program is rated as one of the best in the country.
In addition to contraception, comprehensive sex education classes are dedicated to possible diseases and ways to prevent them while abstinence-only sex education does not consider any of the topics. For example, Sarah Hunt, a doctor and a feminist YouTube popularizer of sex education, says that comprehensive sex education helps fight the spread of the human papillomavirus (Hunt, 2013, 13:00). Statistics show that only half of the US population knows about the HPV vaccine (Hunt, 2013, 03:12). Comprehensive sex education program is not the only factor that affects the incidence rate. However, due to it, teenagers are more likely to use protective equipment during sex, which means they reduce the likelihood of sexual transmission of the disease. For example, Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Belgium and Switzerland have the lowest rate of sexually transmitted diseases (Martin, 1991). In all these countries, sexual education programs are often included in the school curriculum.
There were recommendations about introducing lessons about pleasure into the American program of comprehensive sex education. Scientist, feminist and sex educator Serano (2017) calls for honest conversation with children and adolescents about the benefits of masturbation, the culture of consent, and a positive attitude to one’s body (Serano, 2017). Julia Serano believes that expanded sexual education will reduce not only the rate of teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, but also cases of harassment and sexual violence (Serano, 2017). Comprehensive sexual education teaches people self-love and respect for others whereas abstinence-only sex education does not.
Opposition
The main reason why the comprehensive sexual education is being opposed by many people is because it causes the clash of values. Many parents who have religious and moral beliefs that sexual intercourse is allowed only after marriage cannot accept the curricula that teaches how to have sex to children. Most of the parents fight for the right to educate their children according to their beliefs (Bialystok, 2018). However, they overlook the fact that restricting from sex have not resulted in positive outcomes.
Conclusion
Comprehensive sex education is an important source of information about relationship building, the principle of consent, contraception and sexual health. With its help, young boys and girls have the opportunity to get reliable information about the physiology of sex, contraception, pregnancy, love and partnership. Knowledge about gender roles, orgasm, orientation and sexual human rights which is not provided during abstinence-only sex education can reduce the number of teenage pregnancies and diseases of the reproductive system. As opposed to the abstinence-only sex education, the cultural object of the comprehensive sex education program teaches a healthy attitude to the body and respect for others, therefore it has support in the
References
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Martin, E. S. (1991). The egg and the sperm: How science has constructed a romance based on stereotypical male-female roles. Periodicals Archive Online, 16(3), 485–501.
Reeser, T. W. (2015). Concepts of masculinity and masculinity studies. University of Ottawa Press.
Serano, J. (2017). Debunking “trans women are not women” arguments. Medium.
Stote, K. A. (2012). The coercive sterilization of aboriginal women in Canada. American Indian Culture and Research Journal, 36(3), 117–150.
Tolentino, J. (2022). We’re not going back to the time before Roe v. Wade. We’re going somewhere worse. The New Yorker.