Debunking Sex-Ed Myths
Adapted from the Action Canada Article
MYTH: “Sex-ed encourages young people to have sex and have more risky sex”
Educating young people on sexuality (and all the topics that fall under sex-ed) does NOT make them more likely engage in sexual activity or engage in risker sexual behaviour. In fact, comprehensive sex-ed reduces the average age students begin to engage in sexual activity, results in more positive sexual experiences, and increases the effective use of contraception.
MYTH: “Sex-ed is just about sex”
Sex-ed is not just ‘sex’ education, it is ‘sexuality’ education meaning that the lessons and values taught through sex-ed are about social, emotional, biological, and psychological experiences essential to young people (not just sexual experiences). Sex-ed teaches students important lessons including: how their bodies work, how to have bodily autonomy, how to keep themselves safe, how to develop boundaries, how to respect others, how to identify and express themselves — and teaches all of this through many different contexts.
MYTH: “Sex-ed is not compatible with faith”
Sex-education is meant to be inclusive, informative, and unbiased, therefore, when taught right, sex-ed does not conflict with religious beliefs and values — it includes them. Equipping students with information about sexuality, sexual health, gender, relationships, consent, sexual violence does not undermine any spiritual beliefs they may already have. Just as sexual practices informed by religious beliefs are valid, experiences that are not informed by religious beliefs are valid as well. All students should be aware of the various experiences, beliefs, and practices of those around them.
MYTH: “Sex-ed that is LGBTQIA2S+ inclusive is only good for certain kids”
Having a safe and inclusive learning environment is beneficial for all students. Learning about gender and sexuality spectrums helps all students better understand themselves and those around them. Learning about LGBTQIA2S+ identities and experiences can also encourage students to challenge binaries and norms to make themselves and others feel validated, accepted, comfortable, and confident being who they are. More importantly, EVERY student should feel informed about their own body, identity, and experiences; EVERY student should see themselves reflected in what they are learning; EVERY student should feel validated, loved, and accepted — this includes those who do not identify as heterosexual or cis-gendered. Including more identities, bodies, and experiences does not exclude the ones we already learn about most often.
MYTH: "Sex-ed pushes propaganda on young people"
Many fears associated with this myth stem from teaching students about gender and sexuality spectrums. Those who are not involved in the development and teaching of sex-ed are under the impression that inclusion of such topics will ‘turn’ students into queer-identifying people or encourage students to engage in sexual activities. Sex-ed only INFORMS students about the variety of experiences, expressions, beliefs, and bodies that exist in the world around them (and it does this in an inclusive, respectful, factual, unbiased way). Sex-ed DOES NOT force students to act or identify in any particular way. Sexual and gender diversity are present with or without education; therefore, the more diverse sex-ed is itself, the better prepared it will make ALL types of students.
MYTH: "Sex-ed is not as important as math, history, or English"
Sex-ed helps students build skills for all aspects of their life including: communication skills, respect for others, building healthy relationships, having bodily autonomy, keeping physically healthy, discovering personal identity, expressing oneself as an individual, etc. Therefore, sex-ed is just as important, if not more important, than any other subject learned in a classroom!