Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Sexual Literacy
I do not know if there was something wrong with how I performed my Internet search, but for some reason, i had a little difficulty finding a definition for "sexual literacy." With that being said, I found that "... sexual literacy is the knowledge you need to promote and protect sexual wellness and rights. Check back each month for new articles and information" on this website (http://www.igda.org/sex/archives/2005/12/link_of_the_day_116.html). Because I am such an open and straight forward person, if i had to initiate a conversation about sex or sexuality with my best friend, i would just ask her what she thought about the topic. To random people though, i would first start by asking them , how they define, sex and sexuality, what their understanding of the two is, how they relate to the concept, and then finally what their over all feelings towards the subject is. You could make a game, which would also be very interesting to see how people verbally or artistically express their views on sex and sexuality.
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Sexual literacy is not just being aware of the act of sex. It does involve a great knowledge of the act of sex, but it also involves the many aspects that go into the final action of sex. Sexual literacy touches on the ways in which one expresses their sexual desires and needs, the way we determine our sexuality, and the many repercussions that can result from the act of sex. I recently attended a lecture given by Maryland Sex Expert Dr. Sawyer who pointed to Americans' love for sex, but the complete hatred for talking about it. He suggests several ways of bringing up the topic in his humorous lectures, but the main suggestion he has for bringing up the topic of sex is to simply talk about it. The ability to be mature about this very serious act is simply the best way to avoid possible repercussions associated with the act including STIs, unplanned pregnancy, and the always present possibility of rape and sexual assult.
Sexual literacy is the ability to understand, acknowledge, comprehend, and communicate about the various aspects of sex. Sex is a very complex topic. There are many different aspects involved. Some are good, while others can be harmful. It can be very difficult to talk to somebody about sex. It is interesting how our culture seems to be full of sex, yet people do not like to be serious and actually talk about the issue. One way to potentially talk about sex with a young child may be to ask them if they noticed a pregnant woman, because her stomach appeared to be quite large. This could be followed by the question “do you know how the baby is in their stomach” which can lead to a discussion about sex. Another possibility for teenagers may be to tell them about an embarrassing moment that you had, or that individuals that you know had. This is maybe an easy introduction into the topic. It is very difficult to talk about sex, but sometimes it is necessary to talk about the subject no matter how awkward it is.
Sexual literacy is about more than just understanding sex. It’s about being comfortable with our sexuality and understanding how our sexuality fits into the greater schema of things. Its also about having greater awareness about sexual health, education, and rights. I think that an effective way to bring up sexual literacy is through interaction with both parents and friends. It’s important to talk about sexuality with your parents because they’re in a different generation---they have had more experiences so they can teach more than probably one of your friends. On the other hand, it’s not always easy to talk about everything with your family. It’s important that you’re able to talk with your friends as well because they may be having the same questions as you since you are probably going through the same experiences as them. There is no way to one way to bring out because its a topic that is just naturally going to feel uncomfortable. The only way to talk about sex is to just throw it out there and talk about it.
I had a tough time searching for a definition of sexual literacy that hadn't already said, and I think the motto of the National Sexuality Resource Center (NSRC), at San Francisco's State University, is a simple way to think about a very broad topic. They said that sexual literacy is "the knowledge needed to advance and protect one’s own sexual health and well-being." Although I agree with everyone else that sexual literacy more in depth than just one sentence, I thought it would be good to consider the NSRC's perspective, since it's their focus of study.
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