The Importance of Sex Education

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According to UNESCO, only 34% of young people worldwide know about HIV prevention and transmission. In addition, two out of three girls in several countries “have no idea what happens to them when they start menstruating.” Hence, the organization calls the educational community to action for comprehensive sexuality education (CSE).

Because sexuality is a complex term, it is difficult to define. However, several experts in public health and sexology have presented a practical definition and conceptual framework to the World Health Organization (WHO): “‘Sexuality’ can be understood as a central dimension of the human being that includes the knowledge of the human body and our relationship with it; affective bonds and love; sex; gender; gender identity; sexual orientation; sexual intimacy; and pleasure and reproduction. Sexuality is complex and includes biological, social, psychological, spiritual, religious, political, legal, historical, ethical and cultural dimensions that evolve throughout a lifetime.”

In addition, they explain that “it is a subjective experience that is part of the human need to have both intimacy and privacy. At the same time, sexuality is a social construct best understood within a variability of beliefs, practices, behaviors, and identities.”

According to a UNESCO report entitled, International technical guidance on sexuality education: an evidence-informed approach, few students globally are trained to take control and make informed decisions about their sexuality, so the organization highlights the importance of comprehensive sex education programs in all schools worldwide. 

What is Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE)?

Unlike subjects like math, sexuality does not have a curriculum for teaching its basics with goals by age range, unlike other issues, for example, mathematics. Thus, comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) aims to prepare young people. 

UNESCO defines CSE as “a curriculum with a process to teach and learn about the cognitive, emotional, physical, and social aspects of sexuality.” Its goal is to provide students with the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values that empower them through facts and evidence-based content related to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) while considering each student’s age and developmental stage.

UNESCO continues that CSE curricula omit cultural or societal topics and emphasize “the mechanical aspects of reproduction without focusing on responsible sexual behaviors and the importance of healthy and egalitarian relationships.” Another example is menstruation, which in some places is seen as negative to the point that students must isolate themselves from their families and miss school. This only leads to them feeling more uncomfortable about their bodies. Topics about sexual relations, scientific information on pregnancy prevention, and responsible sexual health behavior of young people with disabilities, among other things, are also omitted. Not discussing these issues only contributes to stigma, shame, and ignorance about sexuality. 

Educational institutions are the best places for comprehensive sex education since they have the necessary infrastructure, plus teachers trained to teach according to the students’ ages and developmental stages; the students see their teachers as reliable sources of information. 

Sexual and reproductive health in children and young people

According to UNESCO, sexual and reproductive health (SRH) includes “physical, emotional, mental, and social well-being related to sexuality.” It covers puberty and this stage’s physical, mental, social, and emotional changes. In the case of boys, puberty is linked to sexual feelings, erections, wet dreams, and other changes, while for girls, puberty involves menstruation, a topic not discussed in depth. 

According to the report, both genders need extensive information about puberty. Young males need discussions of masculinity in the program. They often feel that their needs and questions are not addressed because the sexual desires they experience are considered positive. On the other hand, in many countries, many girls have “gaps in knowledge and misconceptions about menstruation that cause fear and anxiety and leave them unprepared when they start menstruating.” 

Another topic to cover more profoundly is pregnancy. According to a report by the World Health Organization, this is one of the leading causes of death among women under 19. In many cases, the young women do not have relevant information about pregnancies and complications, are afraid to seek medical attention, talk to family members about their discomforts, or have limited access to medical services, which leads to their deads.

Crucial content would include modern contraceptives. Often, only the condom is mentioned as a contraceptive, setting aside many concerns and worries about the side effects of other contraceptives, which are not explained nor how they work. Regarding women, there is often no discussion about contraceptives’ impact on their menstruation. Furthermore, many do not have the opportunity to go to a gynecologist.

Discussions about SRH should include gender and sexual violence. According to data provided by UNESCO, one in three women worldwide has experienced physical and/or sexual violence by their family or someone else. Also, approximately 20% of women and five to ten percent of men report having suffered some sexual violence in their childhoods. Violence puts the population, especially girls and women, at risk of contracting a sexually transmitted disease or unplanned pregnancy, among other health and social problems. 

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are noteworthy because about 333 million new treatable cases occur each year, and rates are highest among people aged 20 to 24, followed by those aged 15 to 19. Still, the report mentions that although the data detail age and gender, it is hard to get information on whether young people get an infection and can treat it. 

According to the report, one in 10 women over 15 has experienced cyberbullying. That term includes receiving unwanted, offensive, or sexually explicit messages and offensive and inappropriate insinuations. There is also “sexting,” which is the exchange of self-produced sexual photos through messaging or social media. Students need to know how to examine these sexual messages critically and understand the risks associated with these practices. 

Pornography and its role in comprehensive sex education

A critical issue that does not seem covered under CSE is the influence of information and communication technologies (ICT), which facilitates students’ access to pornography. Sadly, that is usually the first exposure to sexuality they have. 

However, Emily F. Rothman, Associate Professor at Boston University School of Public Health, in the article, Without Porn … I Wouldn’t Know Half the Things I Know Now”: A Qualitative Study of Pornography Use Among a Sample of Urban, Low-Income, Black and Hispanic Youth, states that nationally representative data report that 23% of U.S. youth aged 10 to 15 have deliberately sought sexually explicit material in the past year. By age 14, 66% of men and 39% of women have viewed pornography in print, film, or the internet, either on purpose or accidentally. 

A New York Times article about Emily F. Rothman and her course entitled “The Truth About Pornography: A Pornography Literacy Curriculum for High School Students Designed to Reduce Sexual and Dating Violence.” The article describes that this class is based on the reality mentioned in the previous paragraph that most adolescents watch pornography. It seeks to teach them to analyze the message being transmitted. 

Unfortunately, there is not much information about young people’s pornographic consumption, so there is not much data on what gender they see or if it translates into behavior. However, some studies show “that a small number of teens with higher rates of pornography viewership have earlier sex, gender stereotypes, and sexual relationships that are less affectionate than their peers.” 

The biggest problem is that many young people do not know if what they see is false or true. For many, pornography describes imprecisely how sex and pleasure function. In a 2016 survey in England, of 1001 children aged 11 to 16, half said they had viewed pornography; 53% of males and 39% of females said it was realistic. 

The reality is that many young people see pornography as a practical guide and reliable source on how to experience their sexuality. In research on the subject, Emily F. Rothman found that “young adults were more likely to report that pornography was the most useful source of information about how to have sex.” 

In the NYT article, a young man told the reporter, “there is no other place to learn about sex, and porn stars know what they are doing.” In the United States, 26 states do not require sex education in their curricula, and in those states that do need it, sex education primarily focuses on abstinence. Only 13 states require the content to be medically and scientifically accurate. That is why comprehensive sex education must include social media and how to use them safely. Students deserve access to proper sex education, free from prejudice and in tune with the emotions and stages they experience.

The benefits of comprehensive sex education

The UNESCO report states that curriculum-based sex education programs improve attitudes towards sexual and reproductive health and provide “greater knowledge about different aspects of sexuality, behaviors, pregnancy risks, and HIV and other STIs.” Other benefits include delayed initiation of sexual intercourse, less frequent sexual intercourse, fewer sexual partners, fewer risk behaviors, increased condom use, and increased contraceptive use.

Almost all the CSE programs studied by UNESCO to prepare its report demonstrates increased knowledge about the different aspects of sexuality and its risks. However, those that only focus on postponing sexual activity do not achieve their goal. According to the report, “programs that exclusively promote abstinence are ineffective in delaying sexual initiation, reducing the frequency of sexual intercourse, or reducing the number of sexual partners.” However, mixed programs that mention abstinence and cover condom use and contraceptives are effective.

UNESCO concludes that to create comprehensive sexuality education, you need to start with:

1. Involve experts in human sexuality, behavioral change, and related pedagogical theory. 
2. Engage youth, parents, family members, and other community stakeholders.  
3. Evaluate the social and SRH needs and behaviors of the children and young people to whom these programs are directed, based on their developmental stage abilities.  
4. Evaluate the human, time, and financial resources available to develop and implement effective curricula.

The content must: 

1. Focus on clear key objectives, outcomes, and learning to determine content, emphasis, and activities.
2. Cover topics in a logical sequence.  
3. Design activities that are context-oriented and promote critical reflection.   
4. Address consent and life skills.
5. Provide scientifically correct information about HIV, AIDS, other STIs, pregnancy prevention, early and unplanned pregnancy, and the efficacy and availability of different protection methods.
6. Examine how biological experiences and cultural and gender norms affect how children and young people experience and explore their sexuality and SRH.
7. Address specific risks and protective factors that affect certain sexual behaviors.
8. Address how to handle specific situations that could lead to HIV infection, other STIs, unwanted or unprotected sex, or violence. 
9. Examine individual attitudes and peer group norms regarding condoms and the full range of contraceptives.
10. Provide information about available services to address the health needs of children and youth, especially their SRH needs. 

In Latin America and the Caribbean, the health and education ministers committed in 2008 to implement “the multisectoral CSE strategies and the promotion of sexual health, including the prevention of HIV and other STIs.” Even so, more than ten years later, Mexico occupies the first place in adolescent pregnancies. 

The initiative “Mira Que Te Miro (See How I See You),” which monitors the progress of the fulfillment of the commitment, shows that Mexico complies with 70% in terms of the legal, political, and pragmatic framework, but it does not measure its implementation. They emphasize that the country has tremendous challenges in attaining comprehensive sexuality education, accountability, and specialized care for victims of gender violence. Regarding responsibility, for example, Mexico does not have any “specific accountability mechanism.”  

As Emily F. Rothman and the New York Times explained, today, families and teachers are not the only sources of information about sexuality. More and more young people are turning to technology for answers and guidance. Governments and educational institutions must focus on providing comprehensive sex education to prevent young people from continuing to risk sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancies, and violence. 

Tell us what you think of comprehensive sexuality education. What topics do you think should be included? Leave your answers in the comments.

This article from Observatory of the Institute for the Future of Education may be shared under the terms of the license CC BY-NC-SA 4.0