Sex education Flashcards
How does sex education in Canada compare to the United States?
- Sex education in Canada has less variety than in the US and is more standardized.
- there is some backlash, but is generally accepted and supported.
- Revisions in recent years have included consent, gender identity, and sexual orientation.
revisions in BC and ON
How is sex education structured in the United States?
- federal gov can fund certain programs, but states have the final say in what is included in sex ed curriculums, making it decentralized.
- Conservative administrations have prioritized abstinence education
- sex education is becoming less common over time, esp. for men.
What are some key statistics on US public opinion regarding sex education?
- 53% of Americans, regardless of political affiliation, support sex education that includes birth control, condoms, etc. in middle school.
- 39% support education emphasizing abstinence within marriage taught alongside comprehensive sex education in middle school
What are the effects of abstinence-only sex education?
Associated with:
- Higher teenage pregnancy and birth rates
- does not delay in the age at first sex
- No reduction in sexual risk behaviors or STI rates
- Negative health outcomes > girls who pledge abstinence then break it more likely to contract HPV and have unwanted pregnancies.
What are additional outcomes of sex education, according to meta-analysis?
- Lower levels of homophobia
- Better understanding of gender norms
- Improved knowledge and skills for healthy relationships
- Improved child sex abuse prevention skills
- Reduction in dating and intimate partner violence
What are some common issues with sex education programs?
- Neglects LGBT people or issues
- Focuses on the negative effects of sex rather than positive aspects
- Ignores pleasure, particularly for women
- Fails to discuss healthy romantic relationships, consent, and gender equality
What are the effects of comprehensive sex education?
- Comprehensive sex education leads to:
- Reduced sexual activity and number of sexual partners
- Reduced frequency of unprotected sex
- Reduced prevalence of STIs
What differences were observed in American teen sexual experiences based on gender?
Autonomy in the Teenage Sleepover reading
- For American teens, puberty and first sex empowered boys but often decreased self-esteem in girls.
- Even without sex, first romances negatively affected girls’ relationships with their parents.
- Many boys viewed virginity as a stigma to rid of
- Young boys pressure each other to treat women as sex objects and made fun of other boys for showing legitimate affection for their girlfriends
How did religious views affect the acceptance of pre-marital sex in the U.S.?
Autonomy in the Teenage Sleepover reading
- Conservative Protestants who attended church frequently maintained opposition to pre-marital sex. - However, acceptance of pre-marital sex grew among all other religious groups in the U.S.
What did the National Longitudinal Study for Adolescent Health reveal about American teen relationships?
Autonomy in the Teenage Sleepover reading
- steady romantic relationships are common among American teens, with many having their first sex with someone they are dating.
- after becoming sexually experienced, many also engage in sex with friends or acquaintances, often while seeing other people.
How do Dutch teens’ sexual experiences differ from American teens’?
Autonomy in the Teenage Sleepover reading
- middle-class parents accept their teens’ sexual autonomy but avoid detailed discussions
- working-class parents more likely to impose norms around sex only in steady relationships.
- 2/3 of 15-17-year-olds were allowed to have sleepovers with their partners + boys and girls equally likely to get permission
What were the major changes in Dutch sexual attitudes since the 1950s?
Autonomy in the Teenage Sleepover reading
- massive shifts due to deliberation among the general public, health professionals, and the media about the need to adjust the moral rules governing sexual life to real behavior.
- new moral rules cast sexuality as part of life that should be governed by self-determination, mutual respect, frank conversation, and the prevention of unintended consequences.
- new rules applied to minors and institutionalized in Dutch health care policies that removed financial/emotional barriers to accessing contraceptives
How do religion and economic security explain the differences in sexual attitudes between the U.S. and the Netherlands?
Autonomy in the Teenage Sleepover reading
- Religion plays a significant role in the U.S. whereas many Dutch distanced themselves from religious institutions in the 1960s- ’70s.
- ## Economic security in NE, with government-provided social rights and healthcare, reduces the risks of teenage parenthood, unlike in the U.S.
How do American and Dutch parents differ in their approach to teen sexuality?
Autonomy in the Teenage Sleepover reading
- American parents often view sex as dangerous and something that must be controlled, leading to strict gender roles.
- Dutch parents normalize sexuality, emphasizing emotional and physical aspects and trusting their teens to know when they’re ready
How does the acceptance of adolescent sexuality affect girls in both countries?
Autonomy in the Teenage Sleepover reading
- Netherlands: girls can integrate their sexual selves with their roles as family members due to family acceptance of adolescent sexuality.
- U.S: girls often feel the need to separate their sexual selves from their roles as daughters, creating psychological and physical bifurcation.
What is approached in Dutch sex ed?
- For young children, explicit references to sex are avoided, and focus is on having open, honest conversations about love, relationships, and respect for all sexual preferences.
- skills to protect against sexual coercion, intimidation, and abuse.
- body awareness, communication about boundaries, and understanding the difference between good and bad intimacy
How do Dutch schools involve parents in sex education?
Dutch schools hold parent nights to equip parents with the tools to talk to their children about sex. Public health experts recommend ongoing conversations with children rather than a one-time “birds and the bees” talk.
