Body Autonomy Theme 3
The decision to have sex or not is deeply personal, and yet it is also socially influenced. In this topic, we address self-empowered decision making, body autonomy, peer pressure, and gender inequities.
Some health educators argue that an abstinence-only approach to sex education ensures that young people do not have sex. They are wrong. Research from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention consistently shows that sex-affirmative comprehensive sexuality education helps young people make more informed choices about their sexual health, which in turn leads to better health outcomes, such as reductions in STI/HIV transmission, unwanted teen pregnancy, and risky sexual behaviors. It is not our job to judge students or impose our own beliefs on them. Students should have as much knowledge as possible so they can choose when and how they have sex, whenever they decide they are ready. If we can teach our students to not be afraid of their own curiosity about sex, and give them the tools to make informed decisions, just imagine how much positive change we can create!
Pre-Video Activities Prepare
Get ready to teach using tools provided in this section.
The Right Moment Partial Class
Brooks tells the story of a situation that compromised his commitment to waiting for the right moment to have sex.
V Card Full Class
Dean shares why he chooses to be abstinent in this message to educate about HIV.
Beat Box Multi-Class
Carlo struggles to tell his partner that he’s not ready to have sex.
The Double Standard Multi-Class
Jessica shares a spoken word piece about her experience as a pregnant Latina student and how she and other women deal with the double standard of gender.
Statistics Resources
Reference these key facts as needed to support discussions throughout this lesson.