Human Sexuality

Human Sexuality

For my final project, I decided to interview one of my closest friends with whom we grew together. I observed that we being of the same age and having grown together and gone to the same high school and university schools, we may share similar experiences based on what we learned and the things we endured together. However, our parents were different in all aspects, which is part of why I was determined to hear what she was taught about sex and sexuality from a more personal level away from what the education system instilled in us. I will confess that most of the answers that I received were surprising, and it was obvious that our experiences with sex and the knowledge we had about it completely differed.

The first question I asked Beryl was where she learned about sex and sexuality. In her response, Beryl said she first learned about sex through social media, television shows, and movies. Additionally, her family’s open nature made it easier for her to enquire about what sex and sexuality meant to her parents. Social media platforms are a common way people learn about sex (Melker, 2015). Also, parents have become more open-minded and willing to share their knowledge with the children, whereby they are ready to attend to questions from minors whenever they arise. Therefore, parents do not have to worry about discussing the topic anytime. Similarly, I had an opportunity to learn a lot about sex by talking to an old friend.

Secondly, I asked Beryl about her education on sex and sexuality in formal educational settings. Usually, in the United States, sexual education is not what it should be, but it was clear that Beryl had had a chance to achieve better sex education than most. During her time at the elementary school, she spent two years learning about anatomy and puberty. Also, during middle school, she learned about sexually transmitted infections and ways to ensure that you have safe sex. When we joined high school, Beryl chose to do three sciences, which gave her a better opportunity to learn about sexuality and relationships, coercion, consent, sexual abuse, and sexual violence. These responses caught me off-guard, especially when I remembered that most of my sexual education was comprised of scare tactics and primarily based on abstinence. Additionally, I rarely learned anything about sexuality apart from a few times, unlike my friend who had an opportunity of having continuous education. Therefore, I can confidently argue that there is a definite problem in America regarding how sexual education is offered to learners.

Many of the programs available insist on abstinence and fail to educate young people about the risks they are likely to face if they do not embrace safe sex when engaging in sexual intercourse (Malka & Lotan, 2022). Adolescents have sex despite undergoing the training they receive in class. To ensure that they are kept safe, schools must have sex education that is informative and inclusive. That was one of the discoveries that resonated with me, and I believe the content should be implemented in all schools worldwide. The Saskia de Melkers article on sex education discusses how some nations, such as the Netherlands, have ensured that their education system revolves around sex and sexuality starting from a young age, and the knowledge is appropriately progressed as children’s age advances. The program is comprehensive, and this ensures that there is respect for all people regardless of their sexual orientation. Students are provided with the necessary skills to help them avoid various instances such as sexual coercion, abuse, or abuse. Many of these topics are not taught in American schools.

The idea that having a comprehensive sexual education is rides on is that sexual development is a normal process that all people experience as they grow. Everyone has a right to be enabled as far as experiencing and responding to these changes is concerned. Parents and teachers should be frank and trustworthy when sharing any information relating to sex and sexuality topics. The article, as mentioned above, provides perfect information on what must be done to change how society views sex. Changing people’s mindsets and perceptions about sex is a good move that can help make things much safer for teenagers regardless of their previous sexual experiences. Many adolescents do not have the support systems or people they can talk to whenever they need to learn about sexuality. Therefore, providing an educational setting that embraces sex and sexuality to stay safe and protect oneself from abuse can offer learners the additional support they require.

Thirdly, I asked Beryl what she wished she had an opportunity to learn in her sexual education and what she felt was lacking in what she was taught. Many of our views were similar; we both felt that American sex education lacked inclusion. Also, we noted a need to have a system that promotes sex learning and ways individuals can identify their gender. That must have stemmed from being brought up in a small wealthy town. Typical thoughts about sex are that one should ensure they wait until marriage before engaging in any sexual relationship (Amo-Adjei, 2022). In the Melker article, nothing discussed is considered taboo. For example, the author gives an example of an incident when a student asked an educator his thoughts about potentially being gay. The teacher said there is nothing strange in that some men like other men and women prefer being with other women as their sexual partners. It is a feeling one may not be able to change, just like loving someone. The only thing that seems odd though it is not is that the attraction involves being with people of the same sex. Normalizing different identifications and sexual orientations, and preferences can help people learn to accept and exercise fairness toward those who identify differently. Beryl and I agreed that it benefited both cisgender and heterosexual females. When we were in high school, people who identified as anything else apart from straight received unfair treatment from the rest of the students.

Having an all-inclusive education system can help solve two critical issues. Firstly, normalizing various identifications and sexual orientations can teach people to accept others regardless of their differences. Secondly, it can help ensure support and educational opportunities that may not be included in the current curriculum regarding sexual education (Verrastro et al., 2020). Most individuals who do not identify as cisgender or straight do not receive adequate education on sex and sexuality, leaving them confused as they are not like everyone else. Moreover, how society views such people and the lack of inclusion is damaging and leaves them vulnerable to being targeted negatively.

The last question I asked Beryl was what was the most important thing under the topic of sex and sexuality to her, and she offered a response that I resonated with most. She said that consent meant a lot to her, and men and women should be accorded a chance to be themselves without necessarily fearing being judged for being different. Teaching students to accept others regardless of their sexual orientation is crucial because it benefits them and those they meet later in life (Izdebski et al., 2022). In addition, it can help diffuse unwanted and inappropriate behavior. However, that is such a simple concept and disheartening, and it is not seen as necessary enough to make it part of what students learn in school.

Overall, this project was interesting because it allowed me to learn new things about human sexuality by having a structured conversation with an old friend. We have always been friends, and it is never an issue talking about such topics, and this explains why it did not get awkward asking her such sensitive questions. Talking to my friend and how she was introduced to sex made me discover that there is a problem in society where sex topics are avoided, and learners are left to discover things independently. Education systems should incorporate learning beyond abstinence that teaches learners how to deal with issues such as sexual abuse, coercion, being homosexual, practicing safe sex, and so on. 

References

Amo-Adjei, J. (2022). Local realities or international imposition? Intersecting sexuality education needs of Ghanaian adolescents with international norms. Global Public Health, 17(6), 941-956.

Izdebski, Z., Dec-Pietrowska, J., Kozakiewicz, A., & Mazur, J. (2022). What One Gets Is Not Always What One Wants—Young Adults’ Perception of Sexuality Education in Poland. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(3), 1366.

King, B. M., Burke, S. R., & Gates, T. M. (2020). Is there a gender difference in US college students’ desire for school-based sexuality education?. Sex Education, 20(3), 350-359.

Malka, M., & Lotan, S. (2022). Beyond the Risk Discourse: Photovoice as Critical-Pedagogical Tool of Sexuality Education for Adolescents. Sexuality Research and Social Policy, 1-17.

Melker, S. D. (2015, May 27). The case for starting sex education in kindergarten. Retrieved June 8, 2019, from https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/spring-fever.

Verrastro, V., Saladino, V., Petruccelli, F., & Eleuteri, S. (2020). Medical and health care professionals’ sexuality education: State of the art and recommendations. International journal of environmental research and public health, 17(7), 2186.