Sex Education for Liberation
What would sex education rooted in liberation look like, and what does it have the power to do?
Madison Moore
Sexual wellness is everywhere right now. Sex positivity is booming topic with Netflix shows about building the perfect sex room to being able to find vibrators at our local Walgreens. I feel incredibly lucky to be born into an era where talking about sex is as commonplace as what you ate for dinner last night.
Growing up in this environment is what inspired me to become a sex educator. However, when I think of what sex education is being marketed as versus its actual ability to respond to the societal deficiencies that make sex education needed in the first place, I still see a lot of gaps. This may be the reason that, despite having a lot of casual conversations about sex in America, in the last year, we have seen the overturn of Roe v. Wade and the rise of anti-trans legislation.
I believe mainstream sex education, while provocative, lacks the depth to impact the wellness and safety of many marginalized people. Sexual health and wellness is such a powerful channel to promote individual health, interpersonal health, and community health targeted towards those most marginalized. Studies show that assisting youth in confronting societal systems that perpetuate discrimination and oppression due to gender and sexual orientation is vital for their sexual, emotional, and social growth and well-being. Therefore, sex educators must step back and think about how they are challenging the structural inequities for who can access pleasure and sexual health in their daily lives. Leaders in the field also must consider how oppression (which is often directly linked to sexual safety and well-being) cuts off inherent and rightful connections to pleasure and well-being. A clear example of this is how a history of enslavement and sexual abuse has led black Americans to struggle in talking about sex and pleasure as a subconscious way of challenging their historical lack of bodily autonomy. The roots of oppression continue to live in our bodies, and reclaiming sexuality is our way to exorcise it.
Unfortunately, the popular frameworks of sex education cannot do this. In our schools, sex education is limited to discussing sex in risk-related terms, instilling fear and stigma in our young people who want to experience intimacy and pleasure. Mainstream media’s discussion of sex goes to the other side of the spectrum, promoting an orgasm centered capitalist agenda where we must buy things to feel good in our bodies and commit to the linear experience of sex where pleasure is qualified solely through the final big “O”.
What is needed in our society is curriculum, programs, and trained facilitators that are rooted in decolonized, comprehensive, pleasure-centered sex education. This entails a paradigm shift from the traditional, fear-based approach to one that embraces sexual diversity, challenges oppressive systems, and centers on the holistic well-being of individuals.
By comprehensive, I mean it covers a broad spectrum of topics, including anatomy, relationships, contraception, sexual orientation, and consent, aiming to provide individuals with the knowledge and skills necessary for informed, responsible, and healthy sexual behaviors throughout their lives.
By pleasure-centered, I mean an approach that draws upon the benefits of sex rather than only talking about the risks and dangers of sex.
By decolonized, I mean it recognizes and challenges the historical impact of colonialism on sexuality, seeking to dismantle ingrained power dynamics, confront inequalities rooted in race, gender, and sexuality, and shift the focus from Global North narratives and knowledge to center information and perspectives that come out of the Global South and colonized communities existing in the Global North.
As important as it is to end the orgasm gap or succeed in the other witty promotions of this sexual revolution, topics like these do nothing to respond to the needs of sexual and gender minority groups whose lived experience has them in a constant state of survival mode. When we utilize a framework that puts the most oppressed group at the forefront of the conversation, we are responding to the interlinking systems that oppress us all, such as capitalism, patriarchy, and racism. This liberation is not merely about sexual pleasure but extends to empowerment, bodily autonomy, and the dismantling of oppressive structures that perpetuate health disparities and violence.
As we advocate for a wide-ranging sex education rebrand rooted in social justice, decolonization, and pleasure, we envision a society where sexual health is a catalyst for broader societal benefits. It challenges norms, fosters healthy relationships, prevents sexual violence, and promotes inclusivity. The power of sexual health and wellness lies not just in individual well-being but in its potential to drive social change. It's a call to imagine a society committed to the liberation of all, where individuals are equipped with the skills to access their pleasure and foster positive relationships with their bodies and peers.
