1.8: Sex Education
One of the biggest controversies regarding sexual attitudes is sexual education in American classrooms. Unlike in Sweden, sex education is not required in all public school curricula in the United States and can be "opted out of" if parents do not agree. The heart of the controversy is not about whether sex education should be taught in school (studies have shown that only seven percent of Americans oppose sex education in schools), it is about the type of sex education that should be taught.
Much of the debate is over the issue of abstinence. In a 2005 survey, 15 percent of Americans believed that schools should teach abstinence exclusively, and should not provide contraceptives or information on how to obtain them. Forty-six percent believed that schools should institute an abstinence-plus approach, which teaches children that abstinence is best, but still gives information about protected sex. Thirty-six percent believed that teaching about abstinence is not important and that sex education should focus on sexual safety and responsibility (NPR 2010).
Research suggests that while government officials may still be debating about the content of sexual education in public schools, the majority of Americans are not. Those who advocated for abstinence-only programs may be the proverbial squeaky wheel when it comes to this controversy, as they represent only 15 percent of parents. Fifty-five percent of Americans feel that giving teens accurate information about sex, including how to obtain and use protection will not encourage them to have sexual relations earlier than they would under an abstinence program. Additionally, 77 percent think such a curriculum would make teens more likely to practice safe sex now and in the future (NPR 2004).
Sex Education in the United States can be hit or miss depending on the state or school district in question. In the US, it often takes a one and done approach in which it is offered to students somewhere in middle grades and then again in high school. Whether abstinence based or not these offerings often involve the use of fear in order to prevent young people from sexual exploration whether it be on their own bodies or with a partner. Fear based programs do little to prevent unwanted teen pregnancy or disease transmission, and instead result in shame around our bodies and finding pleasure in them.
Wellness as a holistic endeavor needs to include our sexuality. Teaching students to love all parts of their bodies and love feeling good is not taking place in most of the school-based curriculum. Rather than making sex education an optional extra that feels ultra cringe-worthy when presented by teachers who otherwise never cover this type of information, another approach could be to offer sexual health education across all grades using a developmental approach. Learning about all parts and functions of our bodies, how to care for and protect them, and rejoicing in the wonderful pleasure they can provide would be very empowering. Liberating sex education has the ability to open minds and bodies for pleasurable exploration without stigma. U.S. youth would benefit from this and can help them feel good about who they are and understand that when it comes to sexual preferences, types, activities etc., there is no such thing as normal.
Sweden, which has a comprehensive sex education program in its public schools that educates participants about safe sex, can serve as a model for this approach. The teenage birth rate in Sweden is 7 per 1,000 births, compared with 49 per 1,000 births in the United States. Additionally, among 15- to 19-year-olds, reported cases of gonorrhea in Sweden are nearly 600 times lower than in the United States (Grose 2007).