This article is part of a series created for Sexual Health Week.
What was your sex education like at school? Did you even receive sex education? For many students, if they did have any; it was minimal. In fact, RSE (relationships and sex education) has only just been made mandatory for all secondary schools in England. 2020. This means that too many students of Cardiff University have come to a place where hooking up is glorified, without a fair and safe background of knowledge. Spotlight wanted to know what sex education was like across the globe, so we asked some writers to share their own experiences with RSE:
England
Sex education teachers in England still have a lot to learn. My memories of sex education in school, like many English students my age, consist mainly of a room full of 14 -year olds throwing condoms around the room. For a few weeks before, the rumours had started that we were soon going to be putting condoms on cucumbers. When the day came, we were actually provided with model penises for our condom practice. However, we were also provided with very limited practical information. ÔÇÿSex educationÔÇÖ was more like ÔÇÿcontraception educationÔÇÖ. We were told that protection was important, that without it we could become pregnant unintentionally or contract a variety of diseases. I donÔÇÖt remember being taught that most of these diseases could be treated, and so I am sure we all left the classroom that day a little more afraid of the ÔÇÿsÔÇÖ word than we had been before.
There was a distinct lack of mention about LGBT+ relationships, so I, as a young bisexual girl, was left with a lot of questions. Overall, sex education in my school was treated as one awkward hour that we just had to make it through. Then we would never have to talk about it again. In the end, we all ended up learning a lot of the important information from Youtube and other pages on the internet. Information like the wide range of sexualities that people can identify with, the fact that sex can be fun, how to talk about sex, and how to not stigmatise sexually transmitted diseases. Without the internet we would have been left confused, embarrassed, and in the case of LGBT+ students, with no relevant information at all.
ÔÇÿSex educationÔÇÖ was more like ÔÇÿcontraception educationÔÇÖ
By Summer Griffin
Malaysia
ÔÇ£Once you got STIs, your private parts would turn into broccoliÔÇØ, one of my teachers told us in class when we were 12, and I remember it so clearly. We were disgusted, some were laughing, undeniably, we all thought sex was terrible and dangerous, as it would rot our reproductive organs.
In Malaysia, we have sex education since primary schools, or to be more specific, it is called Physical and Health Education, and ÔÇÿsex educationÔÇÖ is only one of the chapters since fifth grade. However, school authorities have never paid much attention to it. In my experience, teachers would take those periods to teach Mathematics, English, Science or other languages as ÔÇ£exams are coming and we are way too behindÔÇØ. When teachers finally had time for it, we were taught based on myths and stereotypes. ÔÇ£If you have sex, youÔÇÖll get pregnantÔÇØ ÔÇ£If you have sex, youÔÇÖll get HIVÔÇØ ÔÇ£If you have sex, it is a shameÔÇØ ÔǪ Instead of getting the right information about sex and ways to protect ourselves, we were scared to avoid sex at all cost, ignoring the fact that we exist because of sex.
It got better when I was in secondary school. We had counselling lesson once a week for two years, and yes, sex education was one of the chapters. Teachers in secondary schools were more professional and they took it more seriously. We learned about our private parts, the importance of safe sex, sexuality and so on. However, teachers were not able to deepen the teaching as 45 minutes a week was apparently not enough. We then stopped getting sex education when we were 15.
We were taught based on myths and stereotypes
Two years of getting scared, and another two years of getting basic knowledge, this is sex education in Malaysia. It results in unnecessary panic, fear and shame towards sex. Still, sex is still treated as a sin instead of a part of our physiological needs. The only way to change that is through a professional and adequate sex education which my country lacks.
By Amos We
Poland
I feel like my contribution to this piece is a bit out of place, because sex education in Poland doesnÔÇÖt exist ÔÇô at least not in schools. We have ÔÇ£education for living in a familyÔÇØ (W.D.┼╗ for short). It starts in 4th grade in gendered groups. My group learned about periods ÔÇô mostly how to mark them in your calendar and put a pad on. I stopped attending a year after when a religion teacher became our W.D.┼╗ teacher and demanded we use a coursebook with Jesus on the cover.
This year the government tried to make sex education illegal
Two years later ÔÇô in middle school, we ÔÇô again divided into two groups ÔÇô were supposed to design a perfect mate ÔÇô boy for girls and a girl by boys. No word about LGBTQIAP+ community. About STIs, I learned by myself for my biology class. I got told off for choosing syphilis for the assignment.
ThatÔÇÖs how I got most of my sex ed. knowledge. On my own. I remember buying Bravo and Popcorn ÔÇô magazines for teenagers with advice from which I learnt how big is an average erected penis. Then I started watching porn for research and searching YouTube for more reliable sources.
When I was finishing high school ÔÇô top model and activist Anja Rubik published a series of conversations with specialists ÔÇô #sexedPL. After The Art of Loving written in 1950s, itÔÇÖs first well-known, up to date ÔÇ£coursebookÔÇØ for sex education written originally in Polish.
This year the government tried to make sex education illegal ÔÇô claiming it was immoral to ÔÇ£teach 4-year-olds masturbationÔÇØ ÔÇô clearly not understanding what sex education tailored to age is about. If this law had passed ÔÇô people could start having sex at 15 but wouldnÔÇÖt get educated until 17. And honestly ÔÇô it made me even more happy (in the most terrified way) IÔÇÖve joined Sexpression Cardiff so that I can gain experience and try make a change in Poland as well.
By Maja Metera
India
Students in India learn about sex from every source except the correct one! Starting from 13 years, when sex and porn are very new and exciting topics, everyone you see is curious to know more and have sex themselves till 15 years, where we are taught about reproduction in biology marking our favourite picture in the book (either boobs and an image of penis).
At home, it is considered a taboo to even say the word condom or sex, let alone the possibility of actually learning about it from our parents. Most teenagers will agree to the fact that watching porn has helped them understand what sex is and in their initial teens sex was held on a high pedestal in their life.
At home, it is considered a taboo to even say the word condom or sex
The LGBTQ community was never talked about, but lesbian sex was one of the top searches of every porn site. The real sensitivity and knowledge about the LGBTQ community comes in when our friends start to open up or social media hits us hard.
I am sure every Indian has seen a condom in their dadÔÇÖs drawer or motherÔÇÖs dresser and would be surprised by the thought of them having sex. When jokes like ÔÇ£you are born because your parentÔÇÖs condom broke or I wish they had used condom that nightÔÇØ started floating around, it was then when we all understood the importance of condoms. Nonetheless, every teenagerÔÇÖs google searches are mostly about sex, condoms and pregnancy. We have never known or been taught any other way of protection than condoms, the concept of pills was brought by the American movies.
I can safely comment that all our friends grew together, mocked together, and learnt together about sex and the LGBTQ community. Nonetheless, times are changing and we hope for a time where sex education is made compulsary and that porn is not the teacher!
By Muskan Arora
Ukraine
I was born and raised in Ukraine, living there for 12 year before permanently moving to the UK to continue my academic journey abroad.ItÔÇÖs been quite some time since my departure but even 6 years later, I still remember how fascinated I was with the divergence between academic curriculums in the UK and Ukraine, upon my arrival to my new English school ÔÇô no wonder British education is a long-lasting trend in Ukraine!
ÔÇÿPDÔÇÖ (Personal Development) was one of the subjects, previously unknown to me, the presence of which pleasantly surprised me. It goes without saying that everything discussed in those classes concerned the topics the understanding and awareness of which would commit to our personal growth that, in its turn, would form us as individuals: social issues and their impact on the societyÔÇÖs moral values, as well as sexuality and sex ed. ÔÇô these are just a few most common examples of matters that weÔÇÖd extensively learn about.
Most often, during my PD-classes, I kept wondering how come IÔÇÖve never had anything similar in Ukraine. Our school possessed of a totally unnecessary class ÔÇô something along the lines of ÔÇÿThe foundations of HealthÔÇÖ (it does make more sense when pronounced in Ukrainian), where weÔÇÖd learn things like how to ride a bike, what to do if you get bitten by a snake and how to identify poisonous mushrooms (given that the school found itself in the city center, where the space to ride a bike wasnÔÇÖt ever planned for, and there most certainly were no forests with potentially poisonous mushrooms and snakes in the neighborhood, or anywhere actually, this subject was absolutely inapplicable to real life), but no word about sex.
Given UkraineÔÇÖs highly homophobic mindset, there was no mention of LGBTQ+ community whatsoever, hence, not a word about same-sex sexual relationships. I guess there might have been a mention of contraception at some point but given that I canÔÇÖt even remember whether or not that was the case, itÔÇÖs clear that Ukrainian Sex-Ed is in much need of significant improvement!
By Lisa Levystka
Sexpression Cardiff
Sexpression: UK is a near-peer independent UK charity with the goal of empowering young people to make decisions about relationships and sex by running informal and comprehensive RSHE in the community.
Here at Cardiff University, we have a branch of the RSE student-run charity ‘Sexpression: UK’. Spotlight spoke to Branch Co-ordinator James Pasint-Magyar to learn more:
What is Sexpression, what do they do?
Sexpression: UK is a near-peer independent UK charity with the goal of empowering young people to make decisions about relationships and sex by running informal and comprehensive RSHE in the community. It has many branches that operate across different universities throughout England, Scotland, and Wales, including a Sexpression branch here in Cardiff!
Why is it so important to have sex education, and not only that, good sex education?
With the recent news of RSE becoming compulsory in England this year and Wales to follow suit in 2022, it is important we discuss why sex ed is so important. Relationships and Sexual Health Education is vital for ensuring young people are empowered to make informed and healthy decisions whether that be on sex or on matters such as consent. Comprehensive education will allow young people to protect themselves and others. Education is also the key to breaking down stigma, which often negatively affects those who need the most help. Good RSHE will also cater for all genders, races and sexualities to reflect the diverse society we live in and to help everyone to understand the different experiences and needs of others.
Is there anything you recommend to university students that want to gain more knowledge/learn more for themselves when it comes to sex ed?
With so much content online it can be hard to know where to start and also where to get reliable information.
In order to find out more about STIs (Sexually Transmitted Infections) and Contraception a brilliant website to go to is Sexwise.
For those in wales please check out Frisky Wales, which details the new Free Test and Post system in Wales for STIs. The website also contains information about STIs.
Some good Instagram/Facebook accounts to follow:
- Sexpression: UK! (and also your local Sexpression branch which can be found on the Sexpression: UK website) -> here you will find lots of advocacy work related to all topics surrounding Sexual Health, LGBTQ+ issues and much more.
- Fumble (also go to their internet blog page)
If you’re a Cardiff University student that would like to get involved in Sexpression, go to the Sexpression page on the Students Union website.
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