Disregarding the "don't do it" school of thought, I'm in favor of teaching teens about the emotional or mental aspects to sexuality, in addition to the "insert tab A into slot B" level of education that is presently taught. We are sexual creatures, we can figure that out on our own. What teens--and for that matter a healthy number of young-adults--could use is some type of education that discusses the ins and outs of relationships once sex is brought into the equation. Some times, I see that sex just makes people crazy. That's where I feel some real education is needed. Or is it just enevitable for sex to complicate things? Personally, I don't think so. I think whether or not sex complicates or enhances a relationship is determined by the willingness and ability of the involved persons to talk openly about their sexuality together. Perhaps if people put as much energy into "communicating" as they do "attracting" maybe my above idea would work. Who knows though. There are some damn-horny people out there.
Anyone care to offer their own ideas or proposals?
6 comments:
The first step is to give the young ones a real understanding of what is involved in the physical act and how this might impact them emotionally. But I would also hope that the parents might be able to helpout in this regard.
Abstinence is something that monks and single persons of matured morals choose for themselves. Young people should niot be asked to stifle their emotions and sexual energy. This is exactly how society creates the sexually miscreant people that they are so afraid of.
Perverts come from a perversion of an ideally healthy process of coming to know ones own sexuality. But as long as the religious right continues to push the "don't ask, don't fuck" approach to young adult sexual education, we will continue to create teens and young adults with fucked up ideas and feelings about sex.
There. I said it.
Well put Mark! I concur. My own father was a product of a hyper-conservative upbringing regarding sexuality. He has issues up the yin-yang.
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What this study tells us is that sex is simply far too compelling to expect us to educate it away. Religious organizations have been trying to do that for thousands of years, using everything from the pulpit to full-blown torture and murder, and yet people continue to fuck in ways that are considered sinful. This is, in a word, idiotic.
A smarter approach would be to accept a few truths...
1) Most people get laid before marriage. I'd even argue that you SHOULD get laid before marriage - you certainly wouldn't buy a car without taking it for a test drive would you?
2) Most people get laid at a younger age than their parents would like. Seriously, let go of your fantasies about your kid walking down the aisle as a virgin, and get serious about helping them learn how to have sex without getting hurt.
3) Most kids don't want to talk to their parents about sex. Ever. So if you want your kids to have sex safely, they almost certainly will have to learn it from someone other than you. Get over yourselves and fund the sex ed classes that teach safe sex practices including the use of barrier methods.
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I think there should be mandatory sexual education classes for high school students, with videotaped practicums! The sales of these recordings on the internet could help defray the cost of the programs! We could even hire competent practitioners as tutors - I'll get my teaching certificate right away...
I am not sure if I speak for EVERYBODY, but I do remember the junior high school Health Education class and the 1 week Sex Ed course that accompanied it (snickering and giggling included at no extra charge). Personally, I agree with HS on this one, we need to put serious focus on what education while kids are still learning and in some cases smack in the middle of Operation: Surging Hormones. In the words of the Jesuits(ironically enough) 'Get'm while they're young and the possibilities are endless.'
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