Reimagining sexuality and relationships education
What more can sexuality and relationships education become in an era of consumption and digital technologies?
That’s the focus of the State of the Art: New Directions in Sexuality Education/ Current Social Science Theories In Practice Symposium at the University of Canterbury on 15-16 March.
The symposium will see international and national researchers, local youth workers and the public, through panel
presentations and interactive workshops, draw on cutting-edge international and Australasian research and local
initiatives to explore directions in sexuality education that can better equip diverse young people to engage
meaningfully in the challenges of crafting intimate relationships.
UC Associate Professor Kathleen Quinlivan says research shows that school-based sexuality education programmes struggle
to engage with contemporary sexualities and relationships issues with children and young people.
“Sexuality and relationships education is paradoxically both everywhere and nowhere in today’s world. A lot of anxiety,
and sometimes panic, surrounds learning about sexualities and relationships both within and outside schools.
“Sexuality education sits uncomfortably as a school subject. Programmes are under-resourced and under-valued and
research shows that the curriculum struggles to make itself relevant and meaningful to young people in terms of their
lived experiences of negotiating intimate relationships, particularly in a digital world.
“Young people can feel frustrated with the emphasis on the biological aspects of sexuality, and want to learn more about
gender diversity, violence in relationships, intimacy, sexual pleasure and love. Parents too, feel out of their depth
with knowing how best to educate their children and young people about sexuality and relationships in an era of
consumption and digital technologies.”
Assoc Prof Quinlivan says digital technology puts previously private topics like sexuality, relationships and gender
politics into the public domain. Dating apps and TV programmes such asMarried at First Sight show adults negotiating the complexities of intimate relationships, including in some cases, relationships as
commodities to be ‘shopped for’.
Digital campaigns such as #metoo are calling out gender and sexual harrassment, as are campaigns for sexual and gender
diversity that question heterosexuality and gender normalcy.
Issues like sexting, which has increased amongst teens in recent years, largely as a consensual activity, and primarily
in the context of an intimate relationship, are also relevant – a recent Australian survey shows that young women aged
18-19 in digital spaces are more likely to be on the receiving end of degrading comments about gender, sexual harassment
and unwanted sexual advances.
“In an era of social and digital media, it’s not surprising to see diverse young people are increasingly taking
sexuality education into their own hands. Sexuality education researchers suggest that sexuality education needs to
focus more on helping young people to imagine and participate in conversations related to sexualities and relationships
both within and outside school,” she says.
For more information and the event programme visit:
art-new-directions-in-sexuality-education-current-social-science-theories-in-practice-symposium.html
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