The Role and Significance of Sex Education - Research Paper Example

?"How is Sex Education Important?" Introduction Information regarding sex, sexual and sexuality has been prevailing in the societies since the dawn of human civilization, deficiency of appropriate orientation creates perplexity, curiosity, behavioural problems and lack of expression. Children rely on family atmosphere to assist them to interpret and understand the messages that they witness through media, peers or surroundings. Sex education, also known as sexuality edification or sex and relations teaching, is the procedure of attaining information or developing outlook, or convictions related to sex, or sexual distinctiveness, associations and closeness. Education related to sex is for mounting youthful proficiencies so that they formulate knowledgeable preferences about their activities, and sense assurance and familiarity about performing on these options. It is extensively established that individuals possess right to be educated about their body and also should be imparted sex education as it is a method that aids them to safeguard and protect self in opposition to mistreatment, utilization, unplanned pregnancies, or from sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), HIV and AIDS. Apart from family atmosphere and preaching, school atmosphere also plays an essential role in educating students about sexuality. Some schools educate their students about the subject as they are well equipped and feel it is necessary for the child development, while other schools never like to handle the subject (Kirby, 1999; Ketterman, 2007). According to Wight and Abraham (2000), it is necessary to extend sex education on the basis of theoretical knowledge, but it is difficult to translate research based conclusions drawn regarding imparting sex education into acceptable, replicable and potentially effective classroom lessons require high precision and care to create an awareness in the classroom culture. Sex education is required to develop a healthy approach as well as to afford the budding young minds with a vision and an attitude so that the mistakes that were done in the past could not be repeated. The mistake encompassed the birth of AIDS and STDs; had sex education would have gained magnitude in the past and concern about educating individuals would have been started a few decades earlier, prevailing dreaded diseases could have been prevented (Ketterman, 2007; Bryan, 1996). To culminate this, sex education is gaining prevalence. According to Eyre and Eyre (1999), essentially, children must be educated in an explicit manner about the sex and sexuality and it is always better to start early as soon as the child is three years of age, by the time child is eight, awareness generated about many issues is imperative in life. This enables the child to grasp the situations, happenings going around and act accordingly to protect self and peers. Sexuality begins at birth. As soon as the child is born everyone likes to know- "a boy or a girl?" Children are classified by their gender and thus they learn to discriminate between the two sexes quite earlier in their lives (Chrisman, 2002). It is observed that toddlers frequently touch themselves when they are unclothed, as in bath tub or otherwise, as they do not possess modesty. The reaction of parents is important here, as it informs them about the acceptance of their deeds. Reprimand of any kind conveys a worst message rather acknowledgment about their action is necessary. Parents must explain the secrecy and confidentiality of doings (Kids Health). The basic motive of imparting sex education is to diminish the jeopardy and probability of unconstructive incidence due to sexual behaviour or out of curiosity, culminating to accidental pregnancies or victimizing oneself with HIV or STDs. Appropriate knowledge will not only minimize such incidence but also provide positive experience about their sexuality, safeguarding children and young population in an effective manner. Sex education is important as families have their own standards for nudity and privacy. It is directly imparted to the child and guides the child how to behave in the society and with everyone in the social sphere or in that culture. Sex education are connected with development of skills to converse, giving an ear, discuss with others and to seek sources to get appropriate advice, thus they empowers the children with decision-making declaration and understanding (Sex education). Sex education enables an individual to grow to their full potentials in every field and develop a sense of understanding as well as maturity towards various aspects of life including sexuality. Culture and moral plays an imperative role in imparting sex education. Parental bias is observed in many cultures towards sex education. They are restricted to discuss many issues that otherwise need an appropriate guidance. In a survey conducted, parents have rated mothers as the prime educator about the sex but eventually they were found to be restrained in many aspects especially issues related to masturbation (Shaieb, 2009). Essentially a need to frame an appropriate and methodological teaching of sex education to guide the individuals in necessary and natural manner is desired. Sex education enables the individual to understand the pressure and also provides means to resist such pressure, it enables individuals to contract with and demanding chauvinism, it provides confidence to discuss the issues with the elders such as parents or teachers or caretakers to overcome numerous misnomers and beliefs with reference to sex and sexuality (Sex education). Cultural beliefs, moral framework and meanings like relationship, misconception are essential especially in the present scenario where open discussions are prevailing. To understand the parameters one need to follow within the culture paradigms, sex education is highly imperative. Culture relates to marital rituals, abortion, sex before marriage, contraception as well as birth control subjects. All these are possible through suitable education about sex (Sex education). Procuring information from other means like media, internet, advertisements or from their peer group would not contribute to healthy sexuality as these means may not provide appropriate information and otherwise lead to the development of wrong notions which are difficult to deal with (Chrisman, 2002). Effective sex education provides an opening to investigate the reasons why people have sex, and to understand what are emotions, admiration for self and others, respect for decisions and bodies are all associate with sex education. Sex education allows them to take decisions about themselves in a positive manner and inculcate an understanding to respect relationships. It prevents them from bullying, stereotyping, maltreatment and utilization which can harmfully sway relationships (Meyrick, 1998). Education about sex should onset early since it overlays the foundation for the complicated information. With live examples how child grows into adult or how babies grow gives them idea of puberty, when they reach teens they are able to grasp more information about these facts. With time they are being taught about keeping themselves clean and away from germs and bacteria. Thus, paving the way for gradual talks about the infections that that are sexually transmitted. The basics taught during childhood lays the foundation for a healthy mentality and prevents an individual from any erroneous involvement (Mueller, 2008). Family interaction plays a pivotal role in educating a child and aids in creating awareness about sexuality. A bond of love, affection, sensitivity, responsiveness in the process of nurturing a child creates a bond of trust and empathy. This developing bond lays the institution to build a positive relationship with whom the individual is associated; encompassing adults, siblings and also the peers. This bonding aids in interaction with others, also plays an important role in social predisposition as well as enable the individual to progress in different aspects encompassing physical, cognitive, social and emotional. All these means facilitate in promoting healthy sexuality development, a well developed outlook and a positive mindset for the growth of a decent personality (Chrisman, 2002). Curiosity to know cannot be confined to know the surroundings but also incorporate to know about one's body and also of other's. Essentially parents should take a lead role in educating sexuality to have a sound personality with least mental turbulence (Duquet, 2003). Parents understanding in dealing with the issues should also be taken into consideration for cognitive development of the child. Community involvement is also required teacher's approach of skipping off the topic generate vague thoughts and leave a room for further discussions and explorations which may not be good for the child and personality development (Witt, 2002). Sexuality is not confined to sexual training and genitals but encompass feelings and affiliations. It does not entail a restricted growth of puberty. Humans are sexual right from birth and then by means of surroundings, upbringing and education their personalities take the shape. Sexual development should not be overlooked upon a particular age. Sex education is an unremitting process and it should carry different levels during the course of development. It directly influences self-worth, self-affirmation, companionship, love, body representation, peer stress, progress of significant thinking, admiration meant for closeness and diffidence, wisdom of wittiness, compassion, contentment and joy, physical information, accountability for maintaining good sexual wellbeing trouble resolving abilities and individual compassion (Duquet, 2003). Sexuality is the creation of a multifaceted associations encompassing private understanding, outside pressures as well as communal and ethical state of affairs. It is a multidimensional phenomenon encompassing poignant measurements, tranquil of approaches, worth and emotions for self as well as those associated. It illustrates on awareness, methods of judgment along with a diversity of notions (Shimizu, 2004). The phenomenon is purely biological but highly manipulated by civilization in where the individual is being nurtured, as culture controls way of life, affiliations flanked by assemblages and personalities and religious and ethical principles. It also encompasses performance that displays the physical or psychological predispositions. The extensive range and prosperity of sexuality essentially necessitate appropriate understanding about self, required holistic, spontaneous amalgamated move. It enables children to have good sexual health and in case if they witness any problem then they have the wisdom how to contact or get connected to the links (Martin, 2010). In the present scenario people are well aware about the dark side of sexuality, this has also made sex education as an imperative part of normal growth and development. It is necessary to impart sex education to help children and adolescents stay away from certain complicated or hassle oriented situations. The motive of sex education should be to aid in the cognitive development, to develop a better understanding and to accomplish and affirm their sexual uniqueness (Duquet, 2003). As an age old saying states "Knowledge confers power in life", so a better understanding empowers individuals to better understand the sexuality and also ascertain the respect for feelings. This removes bias and hindrance of young minds and helps them to express themselves to seek counsel. Ample of understanding provides them maturity to deal with the situation and prevent themselves from the mishap (Buston, 2002). Gradual teaching becomes part of life and in this case parents as well as educators have to take extra efforts to educate the child about sex and sexuality. Educator to promote the students to ask their doubts and not to keep quiet or avoid raising a question as this could be disturbing. Superfluous knowledge must be avoided (Denzin, 2000). Adolescent pregnancy is becoming the major issue of concern. It is on a rise in European nations. Besides the introduction of sex education in these nations the rise of unsafe sexual activities and rise in the percentage of adolescent pregnancy and single mother is mounting. It is the need of time to provide them perfect understanding about sexual activities. This could have benefitted if the education is persuaded right from the age of 3 years (Philliber, 2002). It is essential to tell the kids how to differentiate between fine contact and awful handle. It is important to tell them that there is no right given to anyone to handle or contact their intimate organs. Individuals must develop healthy and clean lifestyles with immense self control and self discipline (Rogers, 1974). The emancipation of sexuality emphasize numerous sexual incidence that were otherwise been masked beneath forbidden or stillness, and gained an impetus about foreground. Sex education is a continuous and cumulative participation of society, community, cultural backing and the school administration and teachers. It requires intellectual and emotional honesty to take hold of the intricacy and affluence of human sexuality. With the accurate amalgamation of plainness, clearness and kindness, educationalists should be enchanted along with the marks, as a substitute for information (Abraham, 2004). References 1. Abraham, C., Henderson, M., Der G. "Cognitive impact of a research-based school sex education programme". Psychology and Health, 19 (6), pp. 689-703. 2004. 2. Bryan, A. D., Aiken, L. S., West, S. G. "Increasing condom use: evaluation of a theory-based intervention to prevent sexually transmitted diseases in young women". Health Psychology, 15, 371-382. 1996. 3. Buston, K., Wight, D., Hart, G., Scott, S. "Implementation of a teacher­delivered sex education programme: obstacles and facilitating factors". Health Educ Res, 17, 59­72. 2002. 4. 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