Sexuality is broader than sexual activity. It encompasses all the things that make us who we are. Shaped by culture, history, values, education and experience, our sexuality influences our views of individuality, family, parenthood, and community.
From a young age, children are exposed to sexual imagery and language in their environment, and their bodies experience and develop sexual responsiveness. Their curiosity is inevitable, and the answers they get should clarify—not confuse—the issues for them.
Adolescence is a particularly stressful and confusing time as both physical and cognitive aspects of sexual expression begin to align, and the opportunities for personal decision making expand. Sexuality begins to be a significant part of relationship experiences. We want those relationships to be healthy and safe, as they are the training ground for life as an adult.
Teaching about sexuality encourages students to develop a coherent set of personal values based upon respecting themselves and others.
Sex education encompasses a range of relationships, not only sexual relationships. Children are aware of and recognise these relationships long before they act on their sexuality and therefore need the skills to understand their bodies, relationships and feelings from an early age.
Sex education provides opportunities for students to develop media literacy skills which are essential to help children and young people understand, interpret, and evaluate media messages and imagery related to sexuality, relationships and gender. A teenager is at a very vulnerable stage and thus needs to be guided at every stage of their life. In today’s world, the word “sex” is as common as the word “play”. Children are very internet friendly and it is very easy for them to have an access to anything. It is very important for institutions to give them all the knowledge they need to have. It is important for children from the age of 10 years to 16 years to gain knowledge about sex. It teaches them the skills they need to protect themselves from:
- Communicate about sexuality and sexual health.
- Delay sex until they are ready.
- Understand healthy and unhealthy relationships.
- Understand, value, and feel autonomy over their bodies.
- Respect others’ right to bodily autonomy.
- Show dignity and respect for all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender equality.
- Protect their academic success. In a world like ours it is very important to make children aware of the right and wrong because it takes fraction of a second for a person to get influenced, this is the power of education, it makes everyone have their own opinion and makes them decide their right and wrong.
By, Alisha Bhasin, Writer – DU Times
