Goals for sex equitable sexuality education

Sex Education as Moral Education: teaching for pleasure, about fantasy, and against abuse

“…Critics have argued that the implicit message for girls is one that denies pleasure in sexuality as well as subjectivity. The argument has been that boys are portrayed as sexual subjects, as "expressers" of sexuality, whereas girls are portrayed as recipients or as victims rather than as active sexual agents (Rury, 1989;Whatley, 1989;Fine, 1992). This argument is well taken and will not be reviewed extensively here; but what has received less attention is that the portrayal of boys as sexual agents and pleasure seekers is very limited.…”

“…Others have argued eloquently for sex education to include sex equity education (Greenberg & Campbell, 1989;Whatley, 1989;Sears, 1992;Trudell, 1992) and…”

“…have pointed out that to teach children about sex reinforcing double standards and sex role stereotypes is wrong and dangerous (Whatley, 1989). This paper goes further to examine the abusive acts that stem from dangerous forms of gender role socialisation and centres the discussion on the importance of this kind of sex education (one that includes issues of sex equity) for boys, in particular.…”

Chapter 4: Teen Mothers in High School: Tracking Their Curriculum

“…Although this review does not attempt to address the literature on sexuality education and family life curriculum, much critical work is emerging (Fine, 1988;Fine & Zane, 1989;Sears, 1992;Trudell, 1993;Whatley, 1987), work that is both directly and indirectly connected to the way in which school is experienced by pregnant high school women. Teen pregnancy and its consequences and prevention are topics generally covered as part of sex education or family life education courses or units in the official school curriculum, and sex education is usually located as a separate unit in health, home economics, science, or physical education.…”

Stereotypes in Four Current AOUM Sexuality Education Curricula: Good Girls, Good Boys, and the New Gender Equality

“…Whatley, one such critic, wrote that "sexuality education that simply reinforces double standards of sexual behavior and restrictive sex role stereotypes may be worse than none at all" (Whatley, 1987, p. 60). Whatley (1986Whatley ( , 1987Whatley ( , 1988Whatley ( , 1989) and other researchers (e.g., Schwartz, 2005) concentrate their critiques on biological determinism in sexuality education curricula. They write that these curricula present biology as destiny with regard to the sex roles that girls and boys must fulfill.…”