Sexuality Education
In various institutions, sexuality education has been a queer subject in the academic landscape. This is because sexuality education involves the teaching of human sexuality in multiple aspects, including human anatomy, intimate relationships, reproduction, gender identity, contraception, abstinence, and gender orientation. Sexuality education integrates embarrassing, private, and sinful elements, which makes it a subject most teachers, parents, and students tend to avoid. Therefore, leading to the gradual spread of sexuality education to various institutions. While sexuality education is constrained in gaining ethical approval, it has multiple general importance, human lifespan stages, and it requires a proportional balance of cultural, religious, and scientific beliefs on its creation.
Importance of Sexuality Education
Although sexuality education covers similar topics as sex education, sexuality education further integrates attitudes, roles, and relationships. Besides, Young adults grow up facing multiple challenges in deciding about sexual habits and relationships (‘Sexuality education for children and adolescents,’ 2016). As such, sexuality education is fundamental to the wellbeing of individuals in multiple ways. Firstly, it assists young adults in understanding their body structures and gain knowledge about birth (‘Sexuality education for children and adolescents,’ 2016). It is thereby enabling them to undermine the negative health consequences such as teenage pregnancy and HIV infections. ‘Sexuality education for children and adolescents’ 2016, illustrate this by explaining how in the United States, there is a higher percentage of unintended teenage pregnancy aged between 15 years to 24 years.
Furthermore, sexuality education advocates communication about sexuality and sexual health. Although throughout an individual’s life there may be open communication between parents, guardians, teachers, and partners about sexuality, talking about other aspects of sexuality, for example, condoms may be delicate (‘Sexuality education for children and adolescents,’ 2016). Through sexual education, individuals get comfortable opening up much more about sexuality topics such as HIV, unintended pregnancy, and STIs. This assists the parents, teachers, guardians, and partners in helping to explore and identifying the right choices applicable to the relevant situation. On advocating sex education as a medium of communication, ‘Sexuality education for children and adolescents further’ explains there is an introduction of various effective programs aimed at discouraging sexual acts among the youth.
One of the essential concerns of sexuality education is relationships. Various young adults face challenges in determining unhealthy and healthy relationships (‘Sexuality education for children and adolescents,’ 2016). Relations refer to the connection between two individuals, particularly those with sexual and romantic feelings. Although skills, including decisions, communications, and conflict managing, are essential in a healthy relationship, most young adults do not have the skills (‘Sexuality education for children and adolescents’, 2016). This has led to an increase in unhealthy relationships. According to’Sexuality education for children and adolescents'( 2016), sexual education promotes the acquiring and understanding of the critical elements of maintaining healthy relationships and strategies for avoiding unhealthy relationships.
Finally, according to ‘Sexuality education for children and adolescents’ 2016, comprehensive sexuality education advocates identification, respect, and understanding of gender roles. Over the years, individuals with various sexual orientations such as gay, lesbians, and transgender have been experiencing discrimination. Sexual education encourages the respect and dignity of these individuals, regardless of their sexual orientation. As a result, the deteriorating rate of discrimination has increased performance among students. Besides, sexual education discourages engagement in health risk habits, which are known cause of truancy and school absenteeism.
Benefits of Sexuality Education on Stages of Human Lifespan
With the advancement in technology, there is an increasing urge among children and young adults to have much information about sex. Therefore, parents, guardians, teachers, and counselors have the responsibility of instilling the correct sexual concept to help the children and young adults from misleading information. Essentially, sexual education is beneficial in all stages of human development. From ages 3 to 7, children are much more introverted, but as they increase growth, they become more social (Taylor & Francis, 2015). At this early age, children tend to gain experience in masturbation and look at the genitals of other children. Also, they approve the understanding of gender roles; for example, when playing, they are fond of gender-specific toys. At this age, sexual education educate children on different parts of the body, friendships, and emotions.
Adolescence ranges from around thirteen years to nineteen years, and it features the transition from childhood to adulthood. Adolescent, early, and middle stage comprises social, physical, and emotional changes (Taylor & Francis, 2015). Adolescents experience behavioral confusion due to hormones that encourage development and desires. Because at this stage, children are more sexually active, they have increased exposure to risky sexual acts that have adverse effects on the individual and society. According to Taylor and Francis (2015), Sexual education on this stage instills an understanding of how to practice responsible sexual behavior, understand their body autonomy, and identification of gender roles. Thus, sexuality education helps in the prevention of HIV, STIs, and unintended pregnancy among adolescents. Similar to adolescents, young and middle adults, sexuality education, is beneficial to late adults.
Adult sexual behavior relies on sexual and sexuality education and practices during childhood and adolescents. Still, in adulthood, there is confusion on conflicting information about sexual issues such as infertility, childlessness, and challenges in pregnancy (Taylor & Francis, 2015). Unlike other stages, sexuality in education aims at influencing adulthood behavior and mindset on using contraception, testing STIs, and access to abortion care. Also, sexual education assists in correcting sexual challenges such as erectile dysfunction and ensuring there is an understanding of the public policy relative to health. Therefore, through sexuality education in adulthood, there is understanding pregnancy care, discouragement of obstetric violence, respect and recognition of family planning forms, and improvement of general sexual health of an adult.
Creating a sexuality education program
Sexuality education impacts science, religion, and cultural beliefs. Creating a sexual education program requires consideration and balancing of all these elements. Beginning with faith, most churches have views that conflict with specific topics combined in sexuality education, for example, same-sex marriage. Various communities have distinct cultural values; also, scientific principles are essential in the sexuality education program. On developing the program, the aim should be to disseminate factual information about sexuality, assist both children and adults in understanding the values of various communities on sexuality, and encouraging responsibility practice (Components of sexual health education, n.d.). Therefore, on balancing science, religion, and cultural values and beliefs, the program during development should feature scientific and modern techniques in training and learning. Also, the program should focus on age-appropriate education, encourage connection and influence from others, identify social pressures and forces, should be researched-based, and incorporate learning and teaching techniques that are culturally inclusive.
Conclusion
Although sexuality education is an odd topic in various institutions, its application is massively beneficial. Sexuality education is fundamental in all the stages of human development from childhood to adulthood for it encourages communication about sexuality, identify healthy and unhealthy relationships, and promotes the recognition of gender roles. Besides, scientific, religious, and cultural beliefs and values are essential in the creation of a sexuality education program. Thus, the program should combine experimental and modern strategies, identify social pressure and influences, and, most importantly, should be research-based.
References
Components of sexual health education. (n.d.). CT.gov – Connecticut’s Official State Website. Accessed from: https://portal.ct.gov/SDE/Publications/Sexual-Health-Education-Component-of-Comprehensive-Health-Education/Components-of-Sexual-Health-Education#:~:text=Sexual%20health%20education%20addresses%20the,personal%20skills)%E2%80%9D%20(SIECUS%2C
Sexuality education for children and adolescents. (2016, August 1). American Academy of Pediatrics. Accessed from: https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/138/2/e20161348
Taylor & Francis. (2015, November 26). Sexuality education – what is it? Accessed from: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14681811.2015.1100599