Let's forgo the foreplay and jump right in, shall we? Here are 12 confessions (some dark, some deep) of a professional Sex Educator:
1. I have a really hard time with violence - even watching it on TV and in movies upsets me. The first time I saw people engaging in S&M I was surprised to discover that I felt happy. I realized it was because everyone involved was enjoying themselves. Witnessing S&M taught me that inflicting pain is not the same as violence.
There’s more to talking about sex than telling children about their body parts and where babies come from. Throughout their childhood and adolescence, our kids deal with all manner of things including dating, gender, sexting, consent, sexual orientation, puberty, safer sex, pregnancy, Internet porn, social media, abstinence, peer pressure, and more.
When the Ontario government released an updated Health and Physical Education curriculum in 2010, I was thrilled. Then, almost as quickly they repealed it and I was UP-set! The existing curriculum, written in 1998 predated social media, barely mentioned sexual orientation and started teaching about puberty in grade five...even though a lot of kids starting going through puberty earlier.
After family, friends, and talking about sex, watching TV is the greatest pleasure of my life. So I was super-jazzed to find out about a new television documentary called The Truth About Female Desire, which airs Thursday, February 12th at 9p.m. EST on CBC. I was even more excited when director/producer Maureen Palmer agreed to talk to me about the film. This was our first (over-the-phone) meeting, but I certainly hope it won’t be our last.
The thing I like best about porn is also the thing I like least about porn - there’s a LOT of it! From ancient times to today, erotic material has proliferated every medium from Greek vases to the Internet and if you’re a fan of adults-only entertainment, the tyranny of choice can be oppressive. If you’re into something other than hair-free, surgically enhanced, hetero-centric sexy times, finding porn that really excites you can be challenging.
Charles McVety is a Canadian Christian advocate, and he's pretty worked up about Ontario premier Kathleen Wynne’s decision to teach first graders about consent as part of the revised sexual education curriculum in Ontario schools.
My mom gave me my first-ever book about human sexuality, and it was wonderful for three reasons: 1. Reading about sex was fun; 2. I learned some really useful things; 3. My mom had given me a pretty clear sign that she was comfortable with me learning about sex.
Sex Ed books for kids can help provide answers to their questions and prompt further discussion with parents and caregivers. As a parent, they’ve helped me develop child-friendly language so that I can talk to my own kid about sex without totally going over his head.
I love sexting...in theory. Perking up an otherwise dull day by exchanging naughty messages with my partner would have total appeal if I only I weren’t so erotically inarticulate. Yeah, I know; sex-educating writer here. But talking about sex professionally is different from dirty texting as a means to arousal. It’s easy to think of sex words when I’m working. When I’m hot and bothered and the blood starts flowing south it’s a lot...more harder...to word...good.
California recently passed legislation requiring Universities receiving State funds to use a standard of “affirmative consent” in disciplinary hearings about sexual assault. The new law has resurrected conversations about sexual permission, what it means and why it’s so important.
In my work and my writing, I often refer to the terms sex-negativity and sex-positivity. Both concepts have had tremendous influence on my life, both personally and professionally. Although I’ve tackled these topic before, I thought it would be helpful to revisit my take on these terms and define them clearly for anyone who isn’t familiar with their meaning
In light of recent news events and the unprecedented popularity of books like 50 Shades of Grey, kink has suddenly become a mainstream topic of conversation. Terms like BDSM are being heard on the six o’clock news and it’s not only adults who are listening. Children and teens are also picking up on this very public story. If your kids are asking questions about BDSM, you may not be sure what to tell them. here’s some information and a few tips to help you with your answers.
It’s cliche, but true — almost everything changes when you become a parent. I knew having a baby would affect my sex life, but I wasn’t prepared for how profound, and sometimes absurd, those changes would be.
When I look back on my early days as a mom, it definitely took me a while to figure out how to be a parent and maintain a sex life. If you’re a new parent, your experiences may not be exactly like mine. But as I consider the things I know now that I wish I knew then, perhaps something will resonate with you.
I've been reading a lot of articles about how parents can keep the spark alive in their marriage. Something that stands out to me is that a lot of the advice is about keeping sexuality and parenting separate. Intimacy, romance, and connecting with partners is acknowledged as important, but acting on it is supposed to happen after the kids to bed early or during date night.
My son is still a child, but time flies when you’re raising kids. I’m already looking ahead to his adolescence and thinking about some of the parenting issues I may face as The Bean starts to mature sexually. According to research published by the American Academy of Pediatrics, by the time they’re 19 years old, approximately 71% of teens have engaged in partnered sexual activity.
One question parents of tweens and teens often ask me is how and when they should bring up the subject of condoms. Condoms can be a great contraceptive and/or safer-sex option for youth having partnered sex. They’re reasonably cheap, they’re available without a prescription, and when used correctly, latex condoms are up to 98% at reducing the risk of pregnancy and the risk of transmitting certain sexually transmitted infections
