Sex Ed 2.0
Sex ed sucks. We need an update.
Right now, it’s hard to tell who sex ed programs aren’t failing. The most common ones certainly are not helping sexually active teens avoid unwanted pregnancies or STIs. They’re letting down victims of trauma and LGBTQ youth.
The internet has changed how kids learn about sex, but sex ed in the classroom still sucks. In Sex Ed 2.0, Mashable explores the state of sex education and imagines a future where digital innovations are used to teach consent, sex positivity, respect, and responsibility.
WHAT NEEDS TO CHANGE
When Americans talk about sex ed, it's typically as a punch line. But the awkward laughter distracts us from a less humorous reality: Sex ed is an ideological battle.
Sex ed content blocked by porn-filtering algorithms
Algorithms can't seem to consistently distinguish between pornography and sexual and reproductive health content.
5 ways we can teach kids how to handle romantic rejections
There's a pressing need to address violent responses to romantic rejections. It's never too soon to start discussing rejection with children.
For kids who've endured sexual trauma, sex ed falls short
The way sex ed is often taught intensifies the secret agony of sexual abuse or assault, making it even more difficult for victims to bear.
Sex myths that teens — and adults — are still asking about
Taboos about sex, fears about desire, and squeamishness about discussing our bodies have led to misunderstandings that are sometimes hilarious and other times dangerous.
SEX ED WISH LIST
What we want taught in sex ed(opens in a new tab)
Sex ed needs a makeover and we have some suggestions, from inclusive sex ed, to teaching consent, to showing what healthy relationships look like.
Video games can help teach sex ed(opens in a new tab)
Sex ed is a vital part of a well-rounded education, but perhaps there’s a better method for educating grade schoolers about the birds, the bees, and everything in between.
Making a case for including masturbation in sex ed
Masturbation helps people understand what they enjoy sexually, but young people are not being consistently taught about masturbation and sexual pleasure in sex ed.
LGBTQ youth need a proper sex education, too
Being a teenager is stressful enough; being different from everyone else because of your sexuality or gender identity makes it all the more difficult.
I wish I'd had this illustrated guide to periods as a teenager
Period is an easy to digest book with approachable illustrations focused on what a period is, how to use a tampon, how to deal with PMS, and how to track your cycle, among other topics.
HOW WE LEARN
Male video game characters were my sexual awakening (opens in a new tab)
When a teen girl didn't see herself represented in games, she made the hyper-masculine world of video games work for her in another way.
The wildest misconceptions we had about sex
Fifteen people shared the weirdest, most memorable misconceptions about sex that they remember from their youths. The results were — how can we put this lightly? — absolutely off the rails.
20 online resources to take sex ed into your own hands
Relying on schools for quality sex education doesn't cut it, unfortunately. So where do you go for answers? Online.
Why Google can't replace a classic puberty book
A conversation with the author of The Care and Keeping of You: The Body Book for Girls, which turned 20 years old this year.
Period apps taught me more about my flow than sex ed
While the apps are by no means meant to replace menstruation lessons in sex ed, they can be helpful tools, especially when it comes to topics that sex ed tends to skip over.
The most Googled 'Can I get pregnant if' questions
A family medicine physician and sexual health expert provides the answers you crave without having to trudge through confusing links.