Strategies for inclusion and equality – ‘norm-critical’ sex education in Sweden

Abstract

This article examines the tactical (counter) politics of inclusive and 'norm-critical' approaches in Swedish sex education, focusing on the enactment of this critical agenda in sex education practices and how teachers interpret and negotiate the possibilities and pitfalls of this kind of work. The analysis draws on participant observation in sex education practices and in-service teacher training, as well as interviews with educators. Three recurrent strategies lie at the centre of the analysis: the sensitive use of language to achieve inclusion; the organisation and incorporation of 'sensitive' content to resist stigmatisation; and the use of different modalities to produce a specific knowledge order. The analysis shows how these strategies are grounded in norm-critical ideals, which become partly inflicted with tensions and discomforts when acted out in practice. The analysis further shows how an inclusive and norm-critical agenda runs the risk of becoming static, in the sense of providing students with the results of critique rather than engaging them in it.

Échale Neurona and contextual barriers to sex and sexuality education in Mexico

“…Finally, socio-educational barriers restricted the time available, health promoters' autonomy to carry out their work and the organisation of student groups. This made it hard to create a supportive educational environment in which adolescents and young people feel comfortable talking about their sexuality (Bengtsson and Bolander, 2020).…”

Preventing Violence toward Sexual and Cultural Diversity: The Role of a Queering Sex Education

“…Although sexual and gender diversity is absent from SE, the absence of cultural diversity is even greater [ 49 ]. Even in countries such as Sweden or Canada, where SE is more inclusive regarding sexual diversity than in other countries, cultural diversity is still neglected.…”

“…Even in countries such as Sweden or Canada, where SE is more inclusive regarding sexual diversity than in other countries, cultural diversity is still neglected. In fact, notions of cultural difference are ignored or converted into superficial complements of gender and sexual diversity at best [ 49 , 50 , 51 ]. However, as reported by Mukoro [ 52 ], when you address sexuality in education, you inevitably deploy a specific sexual culture.…”

Modelling the Spatial Distribution Differences of Compulsory Education Resource

“…e equilibrium of educational resource allocation is educational equity's basic premise [1]. It responds to the relationship reaction, measurement, and evaluation of interpersonal scholarly interests [2].…”