Sex Education… As I’ve Known It

Living in Mississippi, my experience with sex education in school has been limited to little to none. This is not because I have never been introduced to the concept in Human Anatomy or General Health Science, but simply, in full, I have never  been taught the “ins and outs” of sex, which is what would make up an education.

My Public Sex Education Timeline

• When I was about 8 years old, I was told not to do “it.”
• Moving along to fourth grade, there was an all girls seminar with district-wide school nurses discussing puberty.
• In ninth grade, I took my first genera health class where the teacher mentioned, “Dont’ do it, because you will either become pregnant, get an STD or a broken hearted.
• In ninth grade, health council decided there was a problem with men aged pregnancy, and since then, and we hosted numerous seminars with teen parents to discuss the positive and negatives aspects of their living.
• In eleventh grade, I was introduced to the Youth Action Council, where I had my first experience with being taught real, sexual education that I did not have to search for.
• Now as intoi my senior year, I must take the initiative to find sex information.

For many people, this storey is not the case. Self education is a privilege that not many Mississippi students  get to experience. Teaching in schools would eliminate the blurred lines concerning truths and myths behind sex.

 

Why doesn’t MS have comprehensive sex education?

IMPORTANCE: Sexual education has always been an important topic as it concerns public discretion, and non-parental teaching. Especially in a conservative state such as Mississippi, where teen pregnancy, unplanned pregnancy and STD rates are among the highest in the country.

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In June of 2012, Mississippi approved  House Bill 999 which prohibits comprehensive sex education in public schools, favoring abstinence-only and abstinence-plus education.

What does this mean for sex education?

• Teachers are able to teach students of the benefits of abstaining and only the negative aspects of non-abstinence.
• Teachers have an option of teaching about contraception, yet sexually transmitted diseases must be taught.
• Classes providing sex education must be separated based off gender.
• The state ensures school’s sex education curriculum meets these criteria so a community decision cannot be made concerning the necessity of different methods.
• Legalization of religious propaganda education.

 

What does this mean for students?

• Students will be subject to learn surface information on reproductive and sexual health.
• A greater influence of conservative, non progressives on unsuspecting teenagers.
• LACK OF KNOWLEDGE ON SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH

Explain Human Sexual Anatomy.

Anatomy is the branch of biology concerned with the study of the structure of organisms and their parts. Anatomy is inherently tied to embryology, comparative anatomy, evolutionary biology, and phylogeny, as these are the processes by which anatomy is generated over immediate (embryology) and long (evolution) timescales. Human anatomy is one of the basic essential sciences of medicine.Human Sexual Anatomy includes the physical schematics and processes that make up the reproductive systems of both male and female.

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Female Anatomy

The female reproductive system is designed to carry out several functions. It produces the female egg cells necessary for reproduction, called the ova or oocytes. The system is designed to transport the ova to the site of fertilization. Conception, the fertilization of an egg by a sperm, normally occurs in the fallopian tubes. The next step for the fertilized egg is to implant into the walls of the uterus, beginning the initial stages of pregnancy. If fertilization and/or implantation does not take place, the system is designed to menstruate (the monthly shedding of the uterine lining). In addition, the female reproductive system produces female sex hormones that maintain the reproductive cycle.

 

Male Anatomy

The male reproductive system consists of a number of sex organs that play a role in the process of human reproduction . These organs are located on the outside of the body and within the pelvis.The main male sex organs are the penis and the testicles which produce semen and sperm, which, as part of sexual intercourse, fertilize an ovum in the female’s body; the fertilized ovum (zygote) develops into a fetus, which is later born as an infant.

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What is sex education?

Sex education is any instruction on issues relating to human sexuality, including emotional relations and responsibilities, human sexual anatomy, sexual activity, sexual reproduction, reproductive health, reproductive rights, safe sex, birth control and sexual abstinence. There are three most important areas of study of sexual knowledge, including but not limited to abstinence-only, abstinence-plus and comprehensive sex education.

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Abstinence-Only Sex Education

Abstinence-only sex education is a form of sex education that teaches not having sex outside of marriage. It often excludes other types of sexual and reproductive health education, such as birth control and safe sex.

 

 Abstinence-Plus Sex Education

Abstinence-Plus Sex Education categorizes programs which include information about contraception and condoms in the context of strong abstinence messages. Unlike abstinence- only education, some contraceptive and preventive methods of birth controlled may be studied.

 

Comprehensive Sex Education

Comprehensive Sex Education teaches about abstinence as the best method for avoiding STDs and unintended pregnancy, but also teaches about condoms and contraception to reduce the risk of unintended pregnancy and of infection with STDs, including HIV. It also teaches interpersonal and communication skills and helps young people explore their own values, goals, and options.

 

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What is Human Sexuality?

Human sexuality is the capacity of humans to have erotic experiences and responses. A person’s sexual orientation can influence their sexual interest and attraction for another person. Sexuality may be experienced and expressed in a variety of ways; including thoughts, fantasies, desires, beliefs, attitudes, values, behaviors, practices, roles, and relationships.

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Importance

Teaching about sexuality encourages students to develop a coherent set of personal values based upon respecting themselves and others. Students who understand and value themselves and others are better equipped to develop meaningful and respectful relationships as well as respecting others’ personal sexual experiences. They are able to take a positive approach to managing their lives and develop the necessary skills to prepare them for current and future life challenges.

Categories of Sexual Orientation

 Heterosexuality-  Is the sexual attraction between members of the opposite sexes  such as man attracts to woman and woman attracts to man sexually.

Homosexuality- is the sexual attraction between members of the same sexes such as man to man and woman to woman sexually.

Bisexuality– Is the sexual attraction to both the opposite and same sexes such as man to man and man to woman, woman to woman and woman to man.

Asexuality- Is also known as nonsexuality which is the lack of sexual attraction and sexual interest towards others.

Polysexuality-  Is the sexual attraction to more than one gender but do not wish to be known as bisexual as it implies that their are only two binary sexes, do not confuse this with pansexuality (Pan meaning All) and (Poly meaning many).

Pansexuality- Is the sexual attraction towards people regardless of gender also known as omnisexuality, some pansexuals refer to themselves as gender blind as to them gender is  insignificant in determining whether they will be sexually attracted to others.

Transexualism – Is when a person identifies themselves with a physical sex that is different to their own biological one, A medical diagnosis can be made if a person experiences discomfort as a result of a desire to be a member of the opposite sex. for example a person may be born male, and is uncomfortable with their gender as a male  and changes to a female, or a female may change to a male. It is a long process that they will go through and an expensive one too.