I have a rant about sex ed because i never got one as a kid and im just realizing how much danger that could have put me in
My parents/ family is highly religious so the extent of my sex ed was "dont do it until your married" thats it. No explanation. No anatomy lessons. Nothing about how to have safe sex.
We desperately need better sex ed in schools. age appropriate, obviously. In kindergarten, kids need to be taught that they shouldn't be touching their genitals by anyone except parents, doctors, or nurses, etc., and even then, they should ask. They need to be told what their body parts are called. I know kids are strange, and having a 7-year-old yelling about his penis in the grocery store is awkward and embarrassing, but when a kid tells their teacher 'My neighbor touched my prince parts, and I didn't like it' they may not understand what they mean.
This is the point, where in age appropriate terms, COCSA should be explained and that it isn't ok.
The only way to keep kids safe is education. Protecting their innocence means shit if they get raped because they didn't know it was wrong.
It should also be made clear that while sex, genitals etc are private they are not shameful. This shluld be repeated often through all of their sex ed and adjusted once kids hit puberty to include pleasure or desire is not shameful.
As kids get older the lessons should become more in depth. Some kids hit puberty or even discover masterbaitng as young as 8. Avoiding everything to do with the pleasurable parts of sex can lead to them injuring themselves or even takkng advantage of others without meaning too. Periods from an anatomy standpoint should be discussed as well. Through all of this kids should be reminded often if they have questions or concerns they dont want to bring up in class to speak to the teacher privately.
Ive also seen someone do an anonymous sex ed questions, just written down and answered without revealing names. That could also be an option. A deeper discussion of rape is and what counts as rape should be added here.
Once their in high-school the lessons should evolve more. Both boys and girls should be taught about anatomy for both genders as well as trans people and biological outliers like people born with both sets of genitals.
They need to teach about consent, protection for straight or gay intercourse. teach about sexually transmitted diseases, how to prevent them, how to recognize if you have them and how to treat them. Incest should be discussed, specifically *why* it's bad. Not just because it's taboo but the negative consequences of babies born from such relationships. Just saying 'it's icky' both oversimplifies the situation and shames people who may have those desires. I'm not advocating for insect here just saying that fantasy kinks exist and being turned on by taboo things dosent make you a horrible person.
This is also the point where masterbaitng should be included in lessons. The fact that it's natural and normal, how to do it safely etc. It should also be explained as to why such things need to be done in private. People who walk in on your have not consented to be part of this experience.
Continuing on, kinks/ fetuses should be discussed: what they are, what situations they are appropriate in, and how to safely approach trying them out. For example, what kinks can be safely explored IRL and what should stay firmly in the realm of fantasy.
Porn should be explained as well as sex work the dangers of engaging in such activities and jobs and the emphasis that people who do work in such feilds should not be bullied or shamed for it.
Sex toys need to be explained: where you can buy them, what 'things' can safely be used as substitutes, and things that should never ever be used as substitutes. What lube is for, where you can get it, what you can use instead, and what you definitely shouldn't use instead.
Sex safety online should be discussed, why MDNI are important and should be listened to, what fetuses mining is, and how to avoid it.
Rape and assault need to be added here. How to stay safe, how to keep your friends safe warning signs that someone might be being abused in such a way. Along those lines the process of reporting an assault needs to be explained, as well as your rights if you do.
I have a lot of opinions on this.
