The latest parent training I did was on “Sex Ed: More Then Body Parts”. I wanted to give this training because there is so much that incorporates a comprehensive sex ed program… and it is not just about an individual’s ability to identify a penis or a vulva. I remember teaching a previous student about sex and it was really just me putting a picture in front of her and having her circle the private parts on the body. It was incomplete and ineffective… and I wish that I had known that sooner. So, here is what I learned about what should be included.
According to, Advocates for Youth, “The goal of sex education is to help young people navigate sexual development and grow into sexually healthy adults. To be effective, sex education must include medically accurate information about a broad range of topics such as consent and healthy relationships; puberty and adolescent development; sexual and reproductive anatomy and physiology; gender identity and expression; sexual identity and orientation; interpersonal and sexual violence; contraception, pregnancy, and reproduction; and HIV and other STDs/STIs. Quality sex education goes beyond delivering information. It provides young people with opportunities to explore their own identities and values along with the values and beliefs of their families and communities. It also allows young people to practice the communication, negotiation, decision-making, and assertiveness skills they need to create healthy relationships— both sexual and nonsexual—throughout their lives, advancements in medical technologies; developments in communications platforms, including social media, and the increasing use and impact of technology within relationships; increased focus on bodily autonomy, consent, and sexual agency; updated laws and policies on such topics as bullying, sexting, and access to and availability of sexual and reproductive healthcare; continual evolution in language related to gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, and sexual identity; inclusion of power and privilege, conscious and unconscious bias, intersectionality, and covert and overt discrimination, and the principles of reproductive justice, racial justice, social justice, and equity; emphasis on prevention, recognition, and intervention related to sex trafficking and sexual exploitation; and impact of youth having increased availability and access to sexually explicit media.”
Everything in blue should be included in a comprehensive sex ed program. That is overwhelming, to say the least. I wanted to share some resources that might make the whole thing less overwhelming. The first is, “Guidelines for Comprehensive Sexuality Education 3rd Edition” made the “Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States” (SIECUS). It breaks sexuality down into topics (i.e. Human Development, Personal Skills) and includes objectives for each topic that are broken into levels based on the individuals age. I love the format, because you can look at where your individual is and automatically see what they need to do next.
