What is sexual health?
A state of physical, emotional, mental, and social well-being in relation to sexuality (it is not just an absence of disease, etc)
What are the 5 components of Dennis Dailey’s Circles of Sexuality?
1) Reproduction 2) Identity 3) Intimacy 4) Sensuality 5) Sexuality
What is the Reproduction portion of your Sexual Self?
- often the foundation of sex education - includes procreation, contraception, abortion, STI’s, infertility
What is the Identity portion of your Sexual Self?
- one’s sense of self as a sexual being - includes gender identity, sexual orientation, gender/society roles
What is the Intimacy portion of your Sexual Self?
- the need and ability to experience emotional closeness to another person as well as it reciprocated - the feeling of being seen and known
What is the Sensuality portion of your Sexual Self?
- the need and ability to accept one’s body as a sexual entity - includes body image, attraction, skin to skin contact ‘hunger’
What groups of people are touch deprived?
- Elderly: lack of contact with people - Youth during puberty: people are told that they need to stay away
What is the Sexualization portion of your Sexual Self?
- the use of the body to influence, control or manipulate others - sex as a ‘weapon’ - includes sexual teasing, flirting, sexual harassment, advertisements
What are the 3 main factors that lead to discomfort and anxiety about sexuality?
1) Ignorance 2) Secrecy 3) Trauma
How does Ignorance play a factor in the discomfort/anxiety about sexuality?
Lack of knowledge - society believes that it is better to know less about sex (EX. drugs) - leads to unsafe experimenting/decision making
How does Secrecy play a factor in the discomfort/anxiety about sexuality?
Keeping things secret - topics that people aren’t comfortable or allowed to talk about because of judgement - society shames us about our pleasures, experiences, people we are interested in
How does Trauma play a factor in the discomfort/anxiety about sexuality?
Negative experiences - the inability to process trauma - usually due to ignorance, secrecy or shame
What is Sexology?
The study of sexuality - what people do when they have sex and how they feel about it
Do all cultures celebrate sexuality?
Not all - Many cultures celebrate or normalized the exploration of sexuality (Come sutra, tantra, etc) - During medieval era, the church had some sway of the de-sexualization
Who was the first person to study sexuality in North America?
Alfred Kinsey used the scientific lense to explore sexuality - Was a bug guy that taught a marriage course that had no syllabus - He used the Kinsey scale of 0-6 (and X for those with no sexual attration)
What did Masters and Johnson study?
In 1950’s, they began looking into sexuality and arousal - invented machines to measure arousal (tenting, BP, lubrication, HR) - people either masterbated or had sex and arousal was monitored - in 1966 they wrote The Human Sexual Response (4 stage model)
Is it the provincial or federal government that is in charge of sexual health education?
Provincial/territory governments are in charge - this leads to a large variation across the country
What is the sex education like in BC?
- BC has the most comprehensive system in Canada - Sex ed is mandated in BC but delivery is hit or miss - Teachers are not taught how to teach sex ed
Who are the gatekeepers for education?
Prevent knowledge transfer - School boards - Principles - Community/parents - Teachers
What do children in elementary school learn in sex education?
- scientific names for body parts - consent - their body is their own - puberty (emotional, physical & social changes) - empathy - human reproduction
What do children in highschool learn in sex education?
- healthy sexual decision making - STI’s - Healthy emotional, physical and social relationships - sources of information
What are the 9 Core Principles of Comprehensive Sex Ed?
1) Accessible to all people 2) Promotes human rights 3) Scientifically accurate 4) Broadly range of topics 5) Inclusive 6) Promotes gender equality 7) Includes positive aspects of sexuality and relationships 8) Incorporates emerging issues 9) provided by educators who have the knowledge
What happened to sex education during the Clinton administration?
- only way to get federal funding for sex ed. the school had to promote abstinence only before marriage education - funding could be millions of dollars
What are the impacts of AOUM Programs?
- scientifically and ethically problematic - only have it work 60% of the time - research shows its not effective - provide inaccurate and stigmatizing information - threaten fundamental human right to health information and education
