What does sex education fit for the 21st Century look like?
Illustration by Evie Karkera
We live in an age of increasing digital connectivity: we no longer develop our relationships, or express and understand our identity through face-to-face interactions alone. Particularly for those at school, online and offline worlds are no longer distinct entities, and play ever more significant part in their learning, personal interactions and well-being.
But, this change is taking place at such a rate that we are failing to adequately support young people to navigate digitally-facilitated issues such as unsolicited dick pics, online harassment, image-based abuse, trolling, targeted advertising, body shaming posts, internet misinformation and more.
This year, our annual conference asked how we can provide sex education fit for the 21st Century; what does this need to address and how can we do that? Below are the talks, panels and workshops which tackled this from various angles:
Protection vs. Rights: Reducing risk and harm in young people’s sexual cultures through discourse of rights by Dr Emily Setty
Felt-tip dick pics: exploring digital intimacy and sexting amongst young people today by Sophie Whitehead and Nathaniel Cole
Period Trackers: Intimate Friend or Corporate Spy? Dr Emma Chan & Ronald Stewart
Pornography: a reflection through collage by Gayathiri Kamalakanthan
Self care & digital habits by Sarah Adefehinti
Panel: Pornography as pedagogy: what young people learn abut sex from mainstream porn, Chair - Almaz Ohene, Panellists - Gayathiri Kamalakanthan, Anastasia Meredith-Goujon, Nadia Deen, George Karkera
Forever on Fortnite: How to talk to young people about Gaming by Andy Thornton
Navigating Queer Spaces Online by Adam Clarke & Andy Thornton
Internet is a dangerous place: online communities & sexual content by Dr Enrico Mariconti
Digital sex ed and the issue of misinformation by Lucy Whitehouse
Re-framing “Revenge Porn” as Sexual Violence: Girls and Women Speak Out by Dr Tanya Horeck.
Panel: Digital Dating: Navigating first dates and relationships in the era of swipes, Chair - Becky Lund-Harket, Panellists - Diana Scott, Erdvile Girininkaite, Sarah Adefehinti, Leah Kurta.
During the day, School of Sexuality Education’s Andy Thornton created the fantastic images below, capturing the discussion and themes explored.
For more information about our events please contact info@schoolofsexed.org
Our book ‘Sex Ed: An Inclusive Teenage Guide to Sex and Relationships’ is out now.