Sex sounds pretty simple when you say it out loud. It’s just something that two people do when they are attracted to each other, right? At least that’s what we’re taught in the classrooms.
Looking back, it all seems so….male gaze
In 2017, the government passed a law which made sex education compulsory in all schools, and we were taught the basics. The mechanics of the act, and the fact that it can lead to pregnancy. Looking back, it all seems so…. male gaze.
The reality is that sex is not such a simple process. As well as being a physical act, sex is invariably dependent upon the mentality of the people involved. It can cause feelings of love, lust and even regret. Yes, I left school almost three years ago, but my memory of anything along these lines being taught is non-existent- most-likely because it was never mentioned.
Educating boys and girls on the difficulties women face when it comes to contraception would help men understand their partners' needs
Let’s talk about contraception, because the only time I remember learning about it was when I was prescribed a hormonal pill to take at fourteen years old. Fourteen is a young age, and girls often start contraception even earlier. Women and girls are immediately expected to fill their body with anti-pregnancy medication from day one, and many are unaware of the potential consequences. Looking back now, if the British education system had made me aware of contraception's hormonal side effects, the whole process would have been far less intimidating. In addition to this, educating both boys and girls on the difficulties women face when it comes to using contraception would certainly help men better understand their partners' needs.
As a woman, it's hard to be optimistic about sex education when, despite males and females being educated on every type of STD possible, female STD's are rarely touched upon. It is startling that 60% of women commonly contract water and yeast infections from sexual intercourse, but are not aware of their existence until they are forced to deal with the resulting excruciating pain. Men know that condoms protect them from contracting Chlamydia, so why is it so difficult to remind girls that they must urinate after sex?
LGBTQ+ representation in sex education is incredibly beneficial to both queer people and straight people
This male-centric aspect of sex education is also arguably very straight male- focused. If over 1.2 million people identify as being LGBTQ+ in the UK alone, then surely it should be compulsory to provide students with the necessary sex education? There would be no radical change to the curriculum - recent studies show that simply including LGBTQ+ people in sex education is incredibly beneficial to both queer people and straight people, and that it is effective in reducing homophobic harassment. The link between sex education and the taboo of gay sex is uncanny, and things need to change.
It’s all very simple, really - sex education is not extensive enough. Women and queer peoples’ needs are neglected, and the system is appearing more and more archaic. In 2023, it should be a given that providing an inclusive, diverse experience for all in sex education is compulsory. If things do not change, then misogyny and homophobia will continue to haunt people’s attitudes towards sex.