Sarah's sexual words of wisdom

Because I'm hilarious, this had to be done.

Here are some Dr. Seuss-isms for you all, related to sex education, of course.


If you want to get on him, use a condom.

Communicate before you fornicate.

Educate before you fornicate.

Nothing rhymes with chlamydia, indicating that no one wants it.

Bunnies have sex, so it's not THAT bad.

(Did she just say 'bunnies have sex'? What a perv!)

Gonorrhea is the vaginal flu. Medicine and time will cure it.

Silly rabbit, Trix are for kids! Trich(omoniasis) is not...

Clap your hands, not your vag.

Sex can wait, masturbate! (heard this on SNL. Hilarious. Wish I thought of it first.)

Masturbate before you fornicate.

If you can't say 'penis', you shouldn't 'use' your penis.

If you are afraid to buy condoms, don't get on him.

Be mature if you want some from her.

Masturbation: rub it until you smile.

Dental dams have nothing to do with the dentist or 'beavers'.

And then there's the ever popular:
Don't be a fool, wrap your tool.
Don't be a punk, cover your junk.
Don't be a noob, use that lube.
No glove, no love.




Add your sexual education hilarity. Kids remember rhymes, so teachers, parents, and other enthusiasts, think up a rhyme to promote safe sex and knowledge. Remember: ABC, 123, you me and safe sex makes three. Precious.

Stay safe. Don't chafe.
<3

So tell me what you want, what you really REALLY want

Educational policy and curriculum drafts are heavily influenced by social factors. Such as? Um, society. Yes, this means YOU and ME.

We have the power to influence education because we are a part of it. As learners, we get a say in what goes down, to a certain extent.
Who are the 'we' folks I am specifically referring to?
*Parents
*Students
*Community
*Teachers
*(other educational authority/influences)


Therefore, I have posted a vlog to express some of the desires of the community in terms of sexual health education and want WE want to know!! Also, I am wearing a gold tie. A video had to be made. You understand.

Stay safe. Sexually speaking.

Sexual Salsa

Because I know everything, I decided to write up a nifty little "Hot or Not" column, Cosmo style. It came out in the school paper yesterday. Take a look! :)

http://www.thephoenixnews.com/articles/38806


Hot.


Also hot.

Enjoy the hotness and stay safe, sexually speaking. I guess otherwise as well. I don't want you to get hit by a bus. Stay safe!

Exploring, Questioning, Reflection - Am I ready?

Resources are a beautiful thing. In this world wide web of knowledge, one can find everything from blogs about paste to encyclopedias with words that are 67 letters long. It's fantastic.

Everyone is a sexual being, and thus, since we all have that common thread, one would think that this means there are a lot of sexual resources out there. Yes... there are!!

I recently stumbled upon this gorgeous site called www.TheSite.org http://www.thesite.org/ which is a site that claims to be "your guide to the real world". Naturally, I assumed there would be comprehensive, down to earth, sexual information. I was right... as I typically am.

On this site, one can find facts about sex and relationships, STIs, general health and wellness, safer sex, virginity facts, menstruation myths, and more!



I want to make reference to the section "Risky Sex", because it makes me laugh.

He says he'll pull out before he cums.
You trust a man to have willpower whilst he is orgasming? You shouldn't. Would you remember to do anything other than 'enjoy it' whilst orgasming?

I don't have any diseases. I don't screw around.
HAH! Stop kidding yourself. People lie all the time. Go get a physical.

You'd do it if you loved me.
Slap any bitch who says this to you. You'd not use that line on me if you loved me, douchebag. *rolls eyes*. Love can cloud your judgment, and I understand this, but be aware of love's shade over your eyes. Don't let manipulative lines like this fool you. Know your values and your stance, and make sure your partner knows them too.

I was so out of it, I can't really remember.
I'd advise you to go get checked and check if the condom in your purse is gone. Be careful mixing booze and sex. If you are not aware, anything can happen. Sketch.


Another interesting section to read on this site is Sex with a new partner. When you change partners, make sure you discuss values, limitations, and stances regarding sex. Not everyone is the same and you'd be surprised what you cannot 'read' on someone. I'll give you a clue: their sexual preferences! Be open, honest, communicative, and confident about where you stand.

This site also mentions something I truly believe in:
When assessing whether or not one is ready for sex, think of this:
Are you afraid to carry a condom in your purse/wallet?
Are you afraid to talk about sex?
Comfort is key... so get comfortable about it.

Much more to come from this site, but check it out! It's fantastic. Much like sexualityandu.ca, TheSite.org is the reason I get up in the morning.

Advocating for staying safe, sexually speaking, TheSite and I bid you adieu... for now.

And now, I'm off to give a chat about Sexual Health and Relationships! Ah, Sex Week. :) Gotta love university.

Click, click, gasp: Pornography. There. I said it.

The Good, the Bad, and the Sexual




Ladies and gentlemen, here’s a well-known fact,
Lots of people use pornography in various ways. Pornography is a popular form of sexual gratification. Pornography is a safe way to have a pleasurable experience, unless one is viewing violent and/or illegal pornography that leads to illegal acts. That is where the line is drawn. Nevertheless, porn is real and it is out there, and yet, porn is stigmatized and taboo. *sigh* Some people may think it vulgar to watch/listen to/look at porn. The media portrays viewing pornography as a bit of an abnormal thing. Why? Let’s uncover the taboo and embrace the various categories of safe, legal, and respected pornography.

Let me now entertain you with a discussion about people being naked and videotaped.
As requested by a friend who said “I dare you to write about porn”, let me now entertain you with a discussion about people being naked and videotaped. Dare me? Psh. I double-dare me:

The porngasm: How pornography has enhanced sex lives across vaginas everywhere! (Alright, penises too).

This article will explore some of the pros and cons of pornography and its access. It will also make reference to sexual expression over the internet in general. I will argue that in moderation, sexual expression over the internet (such as viewing pornography), as long as it remains autonomous (ie: masturbation and/or fantasy), is a healthy alternative for youth to release their inner sexual tendencies without the risk of unwanted pregnancy or STIs. CRABS! Stay in the ocean where you belong!

Sweet Jesus there is a lot of porn out there. My theory is if it exists all over the place, there must be good in it. Porn can be a sexual aid, a masturbatory aid, a hobby on Tuesday afternoon, or something that you don’t expect when you google sex education (I speak from experience).



Porn. When I say porn, I mean a plethora of things. Erotica, for example. Erotica is such a sophisticated word, and thus I use it often to sound like an academic.
Pornography can be viewed in a gendered lens when one considers the type of porn one uses. Word on the street is women are detailed creatures, and thus we softer sex enjoy us a good story... one where we can become the heroine, perhaps? Absolutely. Like when I read books (I am always Hermione whilst reading Harry Potter), women like to play the role in their erotic fantasies. Why think up something crazily hot when you can just read a harlequin novel that does all the wording for you? “And then Raul took Cora’s breast in his hand and slowly started to...” OMG!!!! I know, right? Hot.

Guys on the other hand enjoy them some sex. Fair enough. I can appreciate this directness. The zoom in of the genitals as they embrace is a little much for me, but hey, this is porn! There are no sexual rules! Guys are all about videos and sounds, whereas girls opt for stories and even pictures. The research I read distinguishing the gendered preferences of porn was quite fascinating; however, it is not always this way. Guys read. Girls listen. It’s all relative. Either way, porn is vast and both males and females enjoy the sexual seed planted in their mind via image or text. That is a hot ass pun right there.

Did YOU know that according to some potentially non-credible source (although it sounds believable), “every 39 minutes: a new pornographic video is being created in the United States” (Ropelato)? Really? Industrious. We know who the hard workers are in this society! Porn stars!! A girl’s gotta eat.
This site claims that the porn industry has a larger revenue than some top computer sites combined. Gasp? No. This makes sense. Porn is about sex. Who wouldn’t pay to watch a naked woman do things? Yahoo.com isn’t about sex. You can search for sex, which one can argue is better and makes you feel like you’ve earned something, but still. Porn is everywhere and it’s enjoyed by a kajillion people all the time (right now, at least 6 people in my building are viewing porn... ten bucks says). Hey! Someone had to invent it. I wish it was me. I’d be eating gold and riding my pet dragon to my secret island in Fiji. Basically, I’d be so rich, people would cry from all the money I threw at them. And who doesn’t want to be the badass known for inventing pornography? Everyone wants to be that badass. Trust.

Sarah’s words of enchantment... and wisdom:

Here’s the thing about porn:
Although it’s cool and enjoyable to be able to google yourself an orgasm, beware of addiction. Online poker? That stuff is addicting. Porn? Even more so. Everything should be in moderation. Like masturbation, which I am a huge advocate of, these things should not impede your life. While you are in class, do not google porn, for the love of God. Especially in Calculus 101 because really, what does pornography have to do with Calculus?! It’s just my opinion, but as per usual, I am correct. If you are going to porn it up, do it in the comfort of your own home (or at the library... who am I to restrict), but just make sure to be aware of the fact that you probably have something important to do tomorrow. Porn yourself to sleep? It beats counting sheep.

Here’s the scoop

The good: Staying virtual is staying safe, sexually speaking.
The bad: Missing lunch AND dinner because of porn addiction. Yeeeesh.
The sexual: Sasha Grey.

Oh no you di-in't just say penis to my 6 year old!

Friends, family, lovers and other strangers,

How would YOU sculpt K-12 sex education?
I know how I would... something similar to my bffs over in Helena, Montana. Check out my article. Await more bitching over the topic.

Andddddd enjoy:
http://www.thephoenixnews.com/articles/36671


Huh?! Oral?

Pardonez-moi? ANAL?!

OMGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG. Whatchusaaaaay????

PS. The "So it it" typo is not 'wrong'. It's a puzzle to challenge YOUR intelligence. That is how proofread savvy I am. I left one in there. And/or: Clearly, something demonic swooped down and changed it to weaken my credibility, and/or: nobody's perfect.

PSS. How hilarious is this dog's face?

ABC, 123, you me and safe sex makes three!

I decided to cute it up a bit and create a safe sex sing-a-long song. Much like times tables and french verbs, things are easier to remember when a fun song is involved.

This song will be played in Kindergarten Sex ed classes for generations to come. I can taste it. It tastes like spaghetti and meatballs. I must make dinner.

So enjoy my enchanting video and my ever-increasing technological badassery.
As the Disney princesses always say:
Stay safe, sexually speaking... and never forget your footwear (Cinderella...)

PS. The reason the sound is super soft is because of any reason other than anything that has to do with my inadequacy. It is supposed to be soft... for stylistic effect. I'm learning...

Sex ed controversy. Oh no you di-in't!

Greetings folks!



So I haven't uploaded a video in a while, and/or experimented with my movie making device for quite some time... SO I DID! I learned how to make pretty word slides, so I did! Here is a video of me talking briefly about the "outrageous OMG" sex education curriculum in Helena Montana. The article I am referring to is below:

http://www.resistnet.com/group/iresistradicaleducation/forum/topics/outrageous-sex-ed-program-in?xg_source=activity

And here is one of the youtube responses to the curriculum:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTvlL_Hen3c&feature=related
^Y'all are uptight!

Anyway, keep reading and checking in for updates about this HORRENDOUSNESS. Teaching homosexuality to little kids? As if... calm down... go walk around in the real world and stop being so limiting and disrespectful, you giant ostriches...

<3
Sex. (ed).

PS. Forgive the cut off of the words. This video is a whore. Click on the youtube one for a full size. Forgive its dumb ass.

To be or not to be KINKY

Friends, family, lovers, strangers...

I wrote an article for the paper on breaking down social taboos in terms of sex. Sex is not as simple as insert and thrust. It really isn't.



In our beautifully diverse world, there are thousands of ways to gain pleasure from another, or others... if you catch my drift.

Enjoy my article. I wrote it for YOU. Yes, you. The person reading. :)

http://www.thephoenixnews.com/articles/35476

PS.
http://www.thephoenixnews.com/articles/35476

PSS. Barbie bondage? Does it get more Fisher Price meets BDSM than THAT? I think not. Maybe bondage bear. My goal was to make the taboo things cute. I think I accomplished it. And/or freaked you out more. Either way, mission accomplished.

Stay safe, sexually speaking.

Let's talk about trust, baby. Let's talk about sex, just a little

I have recently been emailed with a document on Sex Education practices in Malaysia.
Intrigued? Yes.

Alright, so my research is narrowed down to Canada, looking contextually at North American culture, values, and sex education practices. I find cross-cultural studies of sex education to be incredibly fascinating; however, I anticipate that writing on sex education and the world would be a hefty PhD task... not a teeny tiny Masters.

Instantly, one expects sex ed to be completely different on the other side of the world; in a Muslim country no less.

This article talks about using education to fight social ills. It also discusses the necessity of having safe and open environments for girls to discuss healthy relationships and sexual safety (ie: counselors).

One of the quotes that stood out to me as a parallel of Western cultural sex education practices was "with a holistic approach to sex education, we are presenting young people with the information and knowledge for them to make better choices when it comes to sex".
^ Ummm, Canadian Guidelines for Sexual Health Education ring a bell?! Chyea it does!!!

It does not surprise me that there are some universal policies in respect to sex education. Obviously, culture, environment, upbringing, and values play a very substantial role in the sex education instruction in Malaysia. For example, there is a strong sense of using education in order to stay away from sex. The goal is to reduce premarital sex, and specifically rape.

The similarity to Western culture is the emphasis on an open environment and someone to talk to about safety, specifically.
Also, how to have a healthy relationship without sex.

I think this is beautiful. I love that we are similar in our approaches, because as human beings, we are similar in our make up, regardless of values and external nurtured factors.

I highly support sex education for the purposes of reducing rape and being healthy and safe. This would be the top priority, of course! We all need a proper education on this stuff.

Step one: Encourage confidence, security, satisfaction, and empowerment within the student to comfortably make his/her own decisions


Read more: Teenage rape: Counselling, education vital to fight sex-related social ills http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/12xe/Article/#ixzz12S2aZ2Fr

Sex (ed) with Sarah: male edition

Good morning all!

Last night, I was honoured with the privilege of going to one of the residences at school and speaking to guys about safer sex. I brought oodles of pamphlets and a carton of condoms, and it was all very well received.

At the end of the demonstration... clearly, I rocked the condoms on a banana ordeal...
After that, I was interviewed by the lovely Brian about what I brought and some of my views about safe sex.
How celebrity am I? SO celebrity, it scares people.

So here is the "male edition" of Safer Sex ed. The female edition will be coming soon.

Stay safe! (sexually speaking).

Awareness is a beautiful thing

I recently submitted an abstract for a paper on redefining gender roles, specifically in relation to gay and lesbian parenting for a Women's Worlds conference in April 2011.

I would like to post a link to the website where you can educate yourself about various issues surrounding women's rights.

My paper will focus on women's reproductive and sexual rights with a lesbian focus. I have read a lot of articles about parenting and the necessity of gender roles (or lack thereof), and it is very interesting to me that gay/lesbian rights is still a fairly prominent issue in today's current society.

Have we not accepted diversity yet? Be aware.

Autonomous sex makes the world go 'round

Okay so I wrote an article about masturbation in the school paper, and it's on the internet! WOOOOOHAAAA! :D

Happiness = me.

Instead of rewriting my glorious article, here is a link to the Phoenix news where you can peruse all of the articles, if you so desire. I highly recommend the one on vajazzling and pubic hair. Hah, vajazzle.

So yes... feast your eyes:
http://www.thephoenixnews.com/articles/34473
(and/or click on the title of this article)


FEAST THEM AGAIN:
http://www.thephoenixnews.com/articles/34473

So good you should read it twice.

Also, enjoy the picture... I wanted a picture that signified the nontabooness of self pleasure, so I think this is fairly subtle.

To answer everyone's question: this is not me. My legs aren't that smooth.

I like her underwear. Now I'm on a mission to find them. If you find them before me, message me the location and you'll win a car!

Also, word to the wise: Do not "google image" masturbation. Or at least, be warned before you do.

Masturbation: the way to stay safe, sexually speaking. :)

Since the beginning of time... the history of sex ed

Alright, I know history can be a little... for lack of a better word, UGH, but this will be fun, trust!

I am currently paging through a book entitled Twentieth-Century Sexuality: A History by Angus McLaren. Although I am analyzing the here and now curriculum in BC, I wanted to gain a contextual background of where did sex education begin.

Many moons ago, there was a little 'scare' people liked to refer to as venereal disease (now known as STI). Well, this is how it all started. The subject matter was essentially hygiene. You know, brush your teeth, comb your hair, and oh! watch out for venereal diseases. How? Don't have unprotected sex.

Early twentieth century
The age of innocence? And/or the age of planning to spill milk on the carpet and pull his sister's hair?
Innocence. Pffft. "Children are naturally innocent" is an interesting concept to me. I mean, okay, they are ignorant to sexual knowledge, yes, but STILL.

This book discusses the old school idea that masturbation is perilous. Apparently, this is one of the first concerns that pertains to a child: the masturbating child. No one wants that!
The majority of physicians thought it was safer to adopt a conservative position surrounding sexual issues. This does not imply that masturbation is wrong; however, it does imply that society THINKS it is wrong, and thus doctors are conforming to the norm.

THIS IS INTERESTING.... aka, a tad ?!
So physicians adopted a conservative stance... alright?
Circumcision was popularized in the US in the 20th century in part because "doctors viewed the operation as a way of preventing self-abuse" (McLaren, 1999, p. 26). SAY WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTT???

This seems like a small breach of human rights, no? Where is the freedom of choice in THAT?!
So, as to be expected by THIS sexpert *points to self*, the early sex education times were times of restriction, caution, and fear. They viewed any knowledge of pleasure in the genitals as immoral, vice, unnatural, and unspeakable. Children were left puzzled, curious, and ultimately worried (p. 24).

Enter Havelock Ellis... Mr. Wait a second, what's so bad about exploring the body?

More on this later. I have class.

I leave you with this:
Like the article I wrote for the paper last week, it is not that masturbation is bad, but one needs to regulate. Like anything. An apple a day. Touch it periodically... fine. NOT in church, NOT at Aunt Cindy's dinner party, and NOT on the school playground. We should teach children that their bodies are THEIRS only and they have the right to know themselves; however, it should be a private thing.

Like I always say: Sex can wait. Masturbate! (PS. this genius statement is from SNL. I can't give myself credit, even though I REALLY want to).

Condoms: All the cool kids are Doing It

Alright, so I submitted an article to my school newspaper about condoms and their beauty, and it was very well received... at least by the people I spoke with who read it, and me.

So I have decided that since it is not in like Cosmo or elsewhere easily accessible to people NOT at UBC Okanagan campus, I am going to post it here... like a wonderful person.

Enjoy <3

The Good, the Bad, and the Sexual
Condoms: All the cool kids are doing it

You know what is so great about university? Condoms. Not just condoms, but the friendly, open atmosphere surrounding vaginas and the like. Some people can be really uptight when it comes to sex. When I was a kid, I thought sex was a swear word. Hilarious. Now, I say it hourly (mainly because of my research, but sometimes just for fun on the streets to make people turn their heads in shock). I’m just a regular sexuality enthusiast preaching the idea of safe sex and sex-positive education. You know why? Because sex is inevitable. You are a sexual being. I am a sexual being. Let us embrace this similarity by rejoicing in the existence of condoms: nature’s way of saying “worry less about chlamydia”.

I am here to tell you that condoms are “in”. All the cool kids are wearing them! Like baggy pants and fashionable belts, condoms are just hip.



There are a plethora of cons associated with unsafe sex. In this day and age, there are condoms everywhere (especially on a university campus), so there really is no excuse for gonorrhea. Did you know that the birth control pill, although acting as a satisfactory baby repellant, actually increases the risk of STIs? WHAT DID SHE JUST SAY?! A great way to keep the sperm at a distance, but the pill needs a helping hand in keeping the STIs from coming out to play.
My motto: If you want to get on him, use a condom. (I love things that rhyme). If Dr. Seuss said this, kids would NEVER have unprotected sex. One day, I hope to be as famous as Dr. Seuss. Green Eggs and Ham? A classic. Green Eggs and Condoms? Next best seller. Wait for it.

I’m a big fan of condoms. So simple. So compact. So effective. I often walk the streets throwing them at teenagers who look ‘excited’. Go to the health centre right now and grab yourself a condom. Keep it on your kitchen table like a centrepiece to entertain (freak out) guests. You do not have to be a sexually active person to appreciate condoms. Give them as gifts! Don’t have any stamps and want something to collect? You read my mind: condoms!
Multipurpose. Decorate your Christmas tree. Have yourself a sexually safe Christmas!

Keep yourself protected. There’s no excuse not to. Safety first! Think of it like wearing a seatbelt in a car. Necessary.

Sarah’s words of wisdom:

People often complain that having to stop in the middle of foreplay to grab a condom is unromantic and takes the spontaneous component out of sex. Spontaneity? Please! Here’s an idea: Keep the foreplay going by talking dirty whilst your guy fumbles through his sock drawer for some contraceptive! Patience is a virtue. If you think you are mature enough to have sex, you are definitely mature enough to wait 15 seconds for the unwrapping of a condom. It’s like unwrapping a present, and who doesn’t like presents? Condoms are beautiful. Use them, and use them wisely.

So here’s the deal:
The good: condoms
The bad: chlamydia
The sexual: STI-free sex with a condom!

Something 'bout emotion

So I'm sitting in Starbucks right now, sipping on a green tea latte, because I'm artsy like that. There's a song playing, and this woman is singing "something 'bout emotion, ooohhh yea, it's something about emotionnnn".

SO, because my mind never veers from sex education, I continue to assume she means "do you need to be emotionally invested in someone to have sex with them?"

I think this is an issue that should be addressed in schools. We have emotions. They are powerful. Why does he cry when we make love?!?!?!

IN MY OPINION, teens should not be having sex (no one should for that matter) unless they are comfortable in their own skin. Because it can be a very emotional situation, student A should love herself, know herself, know her body, and love her body before she lets student B all up on it.

This is just an opinion, but you dear reader, must remember that I am studying sexual health education in the classroom and curriculum, and general successful comprehensive sex education...
WHAT DOES THIS MEEEEAAAN?

It means I'm right. Or at least, my opinions should be considered.
Sexual expression can be simply pleasure, for sure. I would still suggest that student A confront herself before she lets student B confront it for her.

Let's all embrace the self knowledge. One day, I'll teach a course for girls called "My vagina. Your vagina". It will involve a mirror and a pencil and paper. You do the math. Body knowledge is NECESSARY. Understanding oneself... is that not like, a puzzle piece in the puzzle of life??

I'm been in Starbucks too long. Hello philosophy.

MORAL OF THE STORY:
You cannot escape emotion. Especially if you are a pubescent girlio. Be careful when you sexperiment.

Emotions are as real as chlamydia. So not only must you cry it out when you need to, but use a condom. <3

Stay safe! Sexually speaking. :)

Sex-positive Education

Alright,

Let's be real. Sex is nice. Sexual things are nice. These are the realities of sex. And so is this:

I'm just mad about safe sex!

Greetings my people,

Okay, so I have been reading a lot about abstinence-only, comprehensive, and broad-based sex education and what parents, students, and teachers have to say about all of these forms. I have decided to make a video of me dishing out some issues in a scattered manner. I am getting better at my video making skills, so I have a feeling you will enjoy this whether it is because I'm wearing a hat, or because I have interesting things to say.

Condoms are beautiful!!!! Alright. Enjoy. (Part 2: Sex-positive Education, will be uploaded shortly).

Snoop Dogg likes safe sex

Alright all you risk takers who refuse to load up on Trojans:

I know you're trying to look cool in front of your friends by having unprotected sex. Well, you're not! I can say this, because the coolest of cool says so too! Rapper badass Snoop Dogg raps about using contraception in his song Nuthin but a G Thang (I'll give him a grammar lesson later). Here are the words:

But, uh, back to the lecture at hand
Perfection is perfected, so I'ma let 'em understand
From a young G's perspective
And before me dig out a bitch I have ta' find a contraceptive
You never know she could be earnin' her man,
And learnin' her man, and at the same time burnin' her man

YES!!!!!!!! Now I don't know what a G is, and I have some issues about his sentence structure, but the bottom line is, Snoop Dogg cares about his sexual health, and he's rapping about it for all the world to hear.

Snoop Dogg... I have new respect for you. Mad props. KIDS! Look! Everyone likes safe sex! I'm so thrilled, I will video it!

Sex it right, Sex it safe

Yo kids,

Here's a rap about safe sex.



So I've been reading a lot of information about sexual health from the Public Health Agency of Canada and sieccan.org, and I decided that there needs to be a safe sex rap.. not song. Rap.

One day, schools will make this mandatory to view and analyze. Sigh. That's the dream.

Video killed the radio star, sexually speaking

Greetings!



So I have decided to beef up my blog by adding videos. How exciting!

This video will be one of many highlighting the following:
a) how entertaining I am
b) how sex education can be fun
c) the beauty of my bedroom
d) the fact that I wear glasses

I am hoping to devote at least 5 minutes of video time a month. By 5 minutes, I realistically mean a couple of hours, as I tend to videotape, screw up, and then videotape again, at least 7 times.

Through our time together, I will learn the ways of the world, video wise, and amuse you with my technological suavity.

So sit back and take a load off your eyes from reading, and educate yourself via this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYpQejZ4mwI

We are living in a sexual world

Sandra L. Caron is the author of a captivating statistical phenomenon, Sex around the world...
(For author and book information, see previous post)

So I talked about the majority of the countries in general in the last post. Now, I want to focus on our home and native land, and the land closest to that in values, culture, and lifestyle... one may argue. Canada and the United States.


In Canada, the age of consent for engaging in sex is 14 years old, or 18 years for "gay male sex" (14-vaginal intercourse, 18-anal intercourse).
Caron (2007) estimates that 50% of teens are sexually active by grade 11.

In Ontario specifically, the locations that have access to contraception facilities have lower teen pregnancy rates. (Re: my thesis that talks about harm reduction. You don't want kids to have sex? They will. Reduce the babies and the STIs by throwing condoms and pills at them! Trust...)

In Canada, in most provinces, the law permits each regional school board to set its own guidelines. (This is similar to the States. Each one has a vastly different sex ed curriculum than the next. Interesting... it's culturally and value-based, me thinks)

A youth and AIDS study found that most teens do not use condoms. From this musing, a plan was fashioned to install vending machines and improve sex ed programs (Mad props).

So Canada is pretty progressive. Way to go Canada! And Happy Birthday, yesterday :)

Interesting...
Human rights laws provide protection based on sexual orientation in all provinces ***except Alberta, Newfoundland, And Prince Edward Island***
Say whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat? Really? That's news to me! What happened Newfies? I thought we were bros.

This is interesting to me. I found a website (I will hunt down the link another day...) that listed the difference in sex ed curricula based on province. Very cool to see that Canada is different, depending on province... much like the States. It's weird though. I would have that Canada to have a more united front...
No pun intended on the fact that the States aren't really 'united' in their sex ed perspectives. HIYO!

Did you know?
In 2003, British Columbia and Ontario legalized gay marriage, and in 2005, the rest of Canada followed suit.
*** Canada was the fourth country to legalize gay marriage *** Again, PROPS CANADA!!!

In the US, only 19 states require schools to provide sex education. Thirty-six states provide abstinence-only. Hmmmm.
I think this is very interesting. USA has how many states? A million? Haha, I kid. But still! I find it very interesting that if you drive a couple of hours, you will find a completely different set of values. I guess it's the same as in Canada. This book has really made me think about that. If we are all sexual beings, how come we are taught about it so differently? I guess technically you could ask the same question about math... I teach long division differently than some teachers...

It's an interesting world out there, but again, I must reiterate: Sexuality is an important concept and N/A or "No information found" does not cut it. Let's talk about sex! In some way or another... let's talk about sex.

PS. http://www.sieccan.org/
http://www.sexualityandu.ca/home_e.aspx <-- LOVE!

Food for thought? Next post maybe?
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2004/11/12/sex-education-new-brunswick041112.html

It's a sexual world out there!

Sandra L. Caron is a professor of Family Relations and Human Sexuality at the University of Maine.
Her main focus on human sexuality is that of social-sexual development of young people, with an emphasis on sexual decision-making, safe sex, sex education, and cross-cultural perspectives.

I feel like I'm looking in a mirror!

Her book Sex around the World: Cross-cultural perspectives on Human Sexuality was just staring at me in the library, so I HAD to pick it up! Very interesting.

Caron (2007) lays out her book statistically, listing countries and their views of Sexual Activity, Contraception, Abortion, Sex Education, STIs and HIV, Sexual Orientation, Prostitution, and Pornography.

I took a specific interest in Canada's statistics, but I am going to share with you some interesting facts from around the world. Canada will be a separate blog post (soooo much to say).

Interestingly so...

In Greece, there is no sex education in schools. According to Caron's (2007) findings, ***Greece is one of the few countries in Europe to have yet to adopt a liberal embrace of sex ed***

In Denmark, sex ed has been compulsory since 1970. Sex ed has been a long standing tradition. ALSO, Denmark was the first country to allow contraceptive availability to youth without parental consent. This began in 1966.

Like Denmark, in Poland, sex ed has been compulsory since 1972, but there is still a strong church influence.

Intriguingly, in Finland, when an adolescent turns 16, they are sent a package with information about STI/HIV, general sexuality, and condoms. Cool? Yes! Sex ed is also very prominent in Finland.

Who takes the cake?
In Sweden, sex ed has been compulsory since 1955!!!!! Also, when an adolescent decides to go on the pill, the first three months are free. WHAAAAT? Like subscribing to a cable company! YAY Sweden. I'm moving there tomorrow...

Along with Denmark, Poland, Finland, and Sweden among others, the Netherlands too has a very positive sex education curriculum with an abundance of contraceptive availability. Using contraceptive is just normal and seems to be done by most. :)

Weird...
In Romania, sex education was removed from the school system in the 1980s. I wonder why...

Honestly, this book is delicious. Sandra L. Caron has written other books that centre around cross-cultural patterns in sexuality. It is really neat to see that even though we live in a big, crazy, different world... there are loads of similarities when it comes to sex ed. AS THERE SHOULD BE. We are all the same anatomically... and that's just the beginning.

Canada and the US to follow. There are some JUICY stats there my friends. Some I didn't even know!

Save your Cherry... or Banana!

Says Chapter 5 of my new favourite novel. LAID is a book about "young people's experiences with sex in an easy-access culture". It is brilliant.

The book opens with some goals, expectations, and questions. In short, read this book!

Every experience imaginable is illustrated in this book. Its stories are positive, negative, and neutral in nature. The audience is straight, gay, bi, trans, black, white, orange, female, male, s/he... it's a glorious world of diversity in sex.

I'd like to think of this book as Chicken Soup for the Sexually Charged Person's Soul.

Shannon T. Boodram (2009) does an excellent job of selecting realistic stories, poems, and tales about first, last, and in between sexual experiences. This book is a HUGE asset to anyone with sexual questions who wants a "for example..."

In between the chapters, Boodram (2009) beautifully articulates the introductions and conclusions to each section in the book. She also addresses a series of questions which she and the author of the story answer. BEAUTIFUL!

I am not finished the book yet. I want to bask in its glory some more. I checked it out of the library, but this should be a permanent book on my shelf. AND YOURS! Whether you are a teen, a parent of a teen, a sexuality enthusiast (like me), or a person with a sexual organ (guessing that's 99.9% of readers, give or take a few), put this gorgeous piece of work on your shelf... beside the rest of your chicken soup books. (I love Chicken Soup for the Soul).

More on this sexual merriment to come! I am not finished with this book yet.

http://laidthebook.com/

Hot topic

Practice what you preach.

Thoughts?

Example: People who preach abstinence-only need to be exemplars of this method of contraception. Yes? No?

Thoughts?

To be discussed...

Don't shy away from things that exist... here's some food for thought!

I have an excellent idea. Beyond excellent idea.

So I was recently encouraged to read a lovely journal entitled Our Schools Our Selves "Sex Ed and Youth". Not only do I adore this journal, but I adore every author in it! It's a journal about sexuality and minority communities. A beautiful read, if I do say so myself. I am currently reading Volume 18, Number 2 and I'm excited to get my hands on the other volumes!

So I was reading an article by Alexandra Looky who speaks about the differences in the sex education curricula of North America and Togo. So as I'm reading her article, I keep thinking about ways to improve current sex education (as is my usual train of thought). THEN, my new best friend Alexandra Looky (2009) lists her thoughts on how to approach sexual education. I enjoy them all and I agree wholeheartedly with the general theme, which is a positive vs. negative approach. Also, the inclusion of other aspects of sex rather than the consequence of pregnancy. <-- THANK YOU! What about STIs? Hmm?? What about Susie's broken heart when Jared gets up and says "Alright, I gotta peace. Thanks for the sex"? OR.... what about the satisfaction Molly gets from making the decision to express her love towards her boyfriend? OR... what about Billy confronting his boyfriend about wearing a condom, which shows his self worth in wanting to keep himself healthy and safe? Anyway... Looky's article (2009) raised a lot of interesting points for me, as did almost every article in this journal! One of the things Looky (2009) states is that "the average Canadian is still ignorant when it comes to sexual and reproductive health but is living in a country where countless resources are readily available..." (p. 95).



Absolutely. There are pamphlets about everything under the sun these days, and SO.... get ready:

Sarah's words of wisdom:
TEACHERS. Why not craft an assignment that encourages students to pick from a variety of pamphlets about sexually related subjects (anal sex, rape, sexual harassment, orientation and harassment, sexual dysfunction, sexual diversity, etc) and ask them to do a presentation/other form of critical assignment on one issue of their choice. THIS WAY the students who are like "aaahhh, I don't need to know about HIV" can present on something else. It sounds to me like this would be a value friendly assignment. Maybe? Also, have all these pamphlets (hopefully one day crafted by me or another superior mind) readily available in the school. ALL of these issues are important. If a student wants to shy away from COMPLETELY knowing everything about anal sex... fine. Don't present on it. Yes? Thoughts?

ALSO!!!!! by having each student present on something different, it allows you as a teacher to get through more material and thus, be a more comprehensive sex educator. AND!!! since the students are teaching each other, hopefully there will be more accessible language used, trust, less embarrassment, and an opportunity for students to talk to other students about sex! Whoa. Yes.

So, read this journal. Do it. It is filled with many educated voices from SO many perspectives. These are the people in our communities, in our schools, bravely speaking about something soooooo important. LISTEN. Aka, read. :)

"No sex vs. Safe sex" Teachings. Throw in your two cents

So I'm writing a paper on school culture and how it reflects the curricula of that school, and thus I began to ponder the differences between a school that teaches comprehensive sex education and a school that teaches abstinence-only education.
I personally believe there are pros and cons to both teachings (as there is to most everything!!!), but I'm all about the comprehensive everything. Straight up.

I found an article written by my new best friend David Salyer on The Body. com, which is a site promoting the education of HIV. He talks about American's funding for abstinence-only education and how A-O is not living up to its expectations, so why is America still tax dollaring to the max???

http://www.thebody.com/content/art32403.html

PS. The comic is supposed to be funny... I'm not saying that abstinence-only education is going to promote teen pregnancy, at ALL.... however...
"Even if you happen to believe teenagers really shouldn't be having sex, consider that around age 13, they stop caring what you think, anyway" (Salyer, 2004).

^ This, my friend, is true. Teens WILL rebel, so you may as well lay out all the options.
Okay. Like my friend David states in the article, I'm not saying don't teach abstinence, I'm saying teach MORE than JUST abstinence.

So one of the things most prominent in my thesis will be to strengthen a student's self awareness, self esteem, and self respect in order for them to make strong, informed, knowledgeable, healthy decisions on their own. I read this passage when I recalled this emphasis on the self:

The thing about teenagers is that when you give them no information, they start making things up all by themselves. That's why 16-year-old girls end up with gonorrhea of the throat -- somehow they determine that oral sex isn't real sex because no adult has ever told them otherwise. Comprehensive sexual education can dispel sexual myths, acknowledge the potential consequences or risks of sexual behavior and explain what's going on with teenage bodies. And because abstinence-only education places everything in the context of a monogamous, heterosexual marriage, America's gay and lesbian youth are dismissed, thus reinforcing feelings of isolation or shame (Salyer, 2004).

My issue about abstinence-only education and the promotion of a certain rigid form of sexuality is that it does not fit with every student. The last thing I would want to do in my classroom would be to isolate or shame a student. Let's be realistic my friends. Not everyone is going to have the same values about sex, and so a comprehensive sex education ensures that most of the values are met by addressing different POVs.

Don't dismiss anyone. Talk it out. Talk it ALL out. Props David. You know your stuff. I agree. Stop funding for something that just does not work. Rather... HERE'S an idea:

Sarah's words of wisdom:
Incorporate abstinence into the already existing sex education program. OH WAIT... this is the way it already is in a comprehensive sex ed curriculum. I just got my wish. Now let's implement this business everywhere, shall we?

Sexuality, the friendly ghost

So I've recently been reading a lot about curriculum. There are many different types of curricula that take place in schools. I took a curriculum course last semester, and one of the most intriguing curricula to me was the notion of the hidden curriculum.

Hidden curriculum is what is learned without us knowing... so to speak. For example, 2+2=4, yes. This is probably what was written on the overt curriculum. BUT, Bobby and Susie discussing a parent's divorce on the playground; this is hidden curriculum. What students learn (and trust me, it's a lot!) that is unintentional.

Now ladies and gentlemen.... Let me introduce you to the biggest ghost in the world: Sex Education

Okay:
If we do not teach kids about sex in schools, they WILL learn it anyway. At lunch when Bobby holds Nicole's hand and she blushes. BAM... that's a sex education lesson. At a girl's sleepover on Saturday night when they giggle and talk about boys. BAM... lesson two.

Rest assured, it is not only sex education that is a hidden curriculum. And rest assured again that hidden curriculum is not necessarily a BAD thing. The majority of the things I deemed valuable in high school were not things on the overt curriculum. My grade 10 history teacher gave me some study tips inadvertently that really stuck with me. As I educate, I find myself reiterating these tips to many of my students. Thanks Ms. Morrison!

The hidden curriculum. Be aware of it! It's not all bad. Actually, most of it is incredibly inspiring. So, don't be afraid of all the invisible sexual knowledge. Key word there: all. You can be afraid of some!
(***Parents: Note the privacy/safety tool on Google***)

Not all ghosts are malignant ghosts. :)

I think my teacher skipped this part. WARNING: This clip says the word 'sex' in it.... a few times

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbPowCASKoM&feature=related
*** See Pop culture teachings about sex education for link ***

So I couldn't upload the video (I will try to upload it in the left side column), but this is a trailer for the movie Skipped Parts. It's an adorable movie (and by adorable, I mean you should probably be 18+ as this movie is kind of rated R...)
Anyway, it's an adorable film about a boy who is naive about sex, except for what he reads in books.

He meets this chick next door who is all like "pfft, I know more than you", so they decide to "educate" each other about sex, aka have it.

This movie illustrates the lack of information about sex education in youth and how it can be detrimental. Obviously, it is a little extreme and intended to be comedic and not entirely truthful, but STILL.

Pop culture addresses issues that are prominent in society, so let's all listen to the media! It knows.... sometimes.

Anyway... I think this clip is hilarious. I recently bought this movie. I watched it when I was .... 13 I think, because I had an irrational crush on Bug Hall, and then I watched it again when I was about 16 or 17. Then I bought it this year and watched it again. Every single time, more and more was revealed to me about sex (the lingo, the myths, the norms).

I think this movie is very interesting.

I'm quoting it in my thesis. Straight up. Check out the link to the trailer! It's a good one. Kind of weird... but hey... that's good TV! :) Enjoy.

Moral of the story (in my opinion), don't be afraid to ask questions about sex... unless your mother is Jennifer Jason Leigh. HAH! Her character is a little intense.

Moral #2 of the story: Just because it is not taught in school doesn't mean kids won't try to learn about it. TRUST! Kids think about sexuality. It's sex for crying out loud!

PS. I still think Bug Hall is cute.

It's Perfectly Normal.... Damn straight it is!

Kids kids kids!!! I have found you a sex education book, completely real, completely chill, completely value-free! Robie H. Harris (my new bff) has crafted a gorgeous comprehensive sex education book for kids titled It's Perfectly Normal: Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex, and Sexual Health.



This wonderful book does not highlight a specific age it is intended for, but as the reader, I'm going to suggest ages 9-14...? Yes. It is written very matter-of-fact-esque with adorable visuals and simple explanation. Harris (2004) broadens her focus as she moves from birth to adolescence, talking about how the body differs and what one can do with his/her body. It's very "what? when? how? why?" which I like.

And here's the delicious portion of the pie:

This book includes masturbation and sexual orientation.

Say what?!?!?! Robie H. Harris first published It's Perfectly Normal in 1994 and revamped it for 2004. I got my hands on the 2004 copy. I am curious to see if the 1994 copy has similar content. Thoughts?

The author of this delicious informative treasure won the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association Award for outstanding education. Of course she did! And it is well deserved from reading this masterpiece! :) Well done girlfriend!

I picked up another sex education book at the library that was written from a Christian perspective. Definitely informative and written well, but I was in search for a value-free text. Now I know everyone is biased, but the Harris book is just so diversity friendly talking about culture, orientation, differing bodies, etc. I was impressed.

Mad props to you Robie H. Harris. I am a fan of your book.
When I teach all your children sex education (fear the day), I will use this book as a written curriculum. Straight up.

Thanks for keeping it real like so many neglect to do. Verrrry nice.

Your clitoris is the reason I'm in jail --- Now that I have your attention... !

So I went to the local library the other day to find a pleasure read (pun completely intended). I wanted something challenging and wordy with a sexual undertone.
Enter Federico Andahazi. Hey Sarah! Read my book! It's all old worldly and sexual!
Okay!

So I picked up The Anatomist with the picture of a naked woman and grapes over her vagina in the cover. Winner.

This book was intense. Intense is the right word. Trust me.
Now, I am going to review this literature from a sexpert POV as much as possible.

The novel is essentially a parallel between the protagonist Mateo Colombo and Christopher Columbus. Each discovered something. Columbus, of course, discovered America. Colombo, however, discovered the clitoris. SERIOUSLY?! YES! YES ANDAHAZI!

So this guy gets the hots for a prostitute and he all tries to pursue her and she's all pshhh.... So he meets this other woman who he thinks has a penis. So he touches it and she goes crazy and he's like GASSSSSP. THE CLIT!

Anyway, long story short... this book was a little strange and kind of hard to, pin down if you will. I enjoyed it. The writing is beautiful and the story line is pretty fluent.
So in the end, everyone's all "WITCHCRAFT" and they want to sentence Colombo to death because of his WITCHCRAFT and essentially, I *think* the moral of the story is that the clitoris is both amazing and evil in the same breath.

Applause.

I kind of agree. Putting this to a sex educator's POV, the clit is awesome because it has been created for the sole purpose of pleasure (I love you God), and yet, when one touches it, it could promote other touchings of other areas, potentially without a condom? Thus, STD? Thus, baby? I don't know. It's a stretch, but it's possible.

I see what Colombo is saying, but it's hilarrrrrrrrrious to me. It just further proves that sex equated with pleasure is a taboo issue. Sex does not always equal unwanted pregnancy. It also equals an amount of pleasure. We cannot deny it, and kids know this. Why not give them all the facts.

So I know this didn't have a lot to do with sex ed, but this book had an amaaaaazing quote from it that I had to share:

What would happen if the daughters of Eve were to discover that, between their legs, they carried the keys to both Heaven and Hell?

How coooooooooool is that quote? It's chilling, isn't it? It really makes me think about my vagina and how it's a metaphor for everything. Humans = complex.

Food for thought:

Vagina > Penis

?

HAH! Philosophy. It's a beauty.

Dear Parents

Alright,

I've read some heated discussions surrounding whether or not a parent should be responsible for the sex education over a teacher.
If a parent wants to tackle that issue with his/her son/daughter, MAD PROPS!

Seriously? I think it would be a tad awkward to sit down with mom or dad and be all like "condoms"... It's just awkward.
Studies have shown that most parents (approximately 80%) in Canada like the idea of a comprehensive sex education to be taught to their child at school. Trust me... these people know what they are talking about. Teachers are trained to deliver information to people in a certain brilliant way. There are sexual health education certificates available for teachers who specifically want to teach sexual health.

Teachers know safe sex and how to approach it!

I agree wholeheartedly that a parent is the primary educator of his/her child. There is NO questioning there... but teachers are around for a reason. We rule, that's what!

Also, parents are biased. If a parent is uncomfortable speaking about sexual orientation, a teacher will tackle it. Teachers are comprehensive and parents are selective, in my opinion. Kids need all the facts. If we teach kids all the facts, they will be like "oh wow... this adult trusts me with this information". In turn, they will be confident and equipped with making healthy and (hopefully) well-informed decisions. Clearly, I cannot read a 13 year old's mind, but I'm just saying... studies have shown... and this is the data we can rely on.

Also, I've talked to kids, teens, and the general youth. Trust me. They think about sex, and they WISH we would talk about it like it's not that big of a deal.

New sex ed curriculum? C'moooooooonnnnn....

Hey there McGuinty! Mad props for ALMOST being awesome.

You know, I definitely cannot be pissed for the abrupt turn around and lack of change in the sex ed curriculum in Ontario. There are some radical people out there who are just NOT having any of it and are freaking out over the possibility that their little 9 year old Susie will be educated about masturbation.

For the love of Nancy!

Still, it's an awesome prospect to think that these reform ideas are bubbling.

http://communities.canada.com/VANCOUVERSUN/blogs/reportcard/archive/2010/04/21/ontario-sex-ed.aspx
^ This is BC's response to the possible reform (until it was later taken away... like candy from a baby, in my opinion).

So this curriculum being thought of, and then decided on for like five seconds, and then taken back made me think of differing sex ed curricula depending on which province one is in.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/ontario-near-middle-of-canadian-curve-in-content-of-its-sex-ed-program/article1542651/
^ Why oh why are these so different!?
Props to BC for addressing the issues fairly early, and mad props to Ontario (home sweet home) for addressing sexual identity in grade 3. Will it happen, though? Is this realistic to think that teachers will address these issues and parents/government/society/Aunt Mae won't get all "SAY WHAT?!" about it?

Okay, here's the deal:

I took a Psychology of Human Sexuality class that addressed virtually all issues of sexuality throughout human development. I have also read like 4738920768354 books/articles/words on page about sex and sex education. I know my stuff. Trust.

Talking about something does not mean that person is going to do it.
Take anal sex: "Now kids... there are a variety of ways people get intimate. Here they are: blah blah blah, anal, blah blah blah"
What's anal sex? "Anal sex is stimulation of the anus with male genitalia or a toy such as a dildo or vibrator".
And?
How is this scary? Of course it's a little scary, but so is hearing about quadratic equations!!! C'mon now. Kids are GOING to hear it. Why not hear it from a trusting adult.

Punchline:

If kids hear these scary details they *may* not want to hear from a respectable, knowledgeable educator, they will trust the information and not view it as taboo as it could be. If a kid googles "anal", they are NOT going to get a simple matter-of-fact family friendly definition. Trust THAT.

Bottom line:
Sex is everywhere. It's coming around earlier. This is the way it is. Accept.
Denial is not a very reliable coping mechanism.

More to come about this HOT TOPIC. Sarah has lots to say. Trust.