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| Yes | 24% | 44 votes | Total: 183 votes | |
| No | 76% | 139 votes |
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Add to FavoritesOur children are learning how to identify with their sexual self from television, magazines, music and their friends. Many parents are uneasy with discussing sexuality or are unaware of the current need. There is a crisis looming in the United States today, as our children are learning about sex through popular culture. Make sexual identity an elective or a section in health class, but school is the only forum with enough access to the next generation and the capability to stave off this crisis.
Our children must be taught to value themselves for their gender and sexuality. The discussion should include education and the self-respect required for abstinence. Let a child feel that his strength is the cause for his virginity, because society is telling him he is less manly for it. Both sense of self and sex are easily exploited. We need to give our children the tools to protect themselves
First, it is important to consider what sexual identity entails. Simply, sexual identity indicates what one thinks of him or herself as a woman or a man. There has never been a time of more confusion on this issue. Our children are being taught by this culture that a girl's ONLY value is her sexual desirability. They are being taught that if a boy is not tough and rude, he must be gay.
There are so many beautiful personality types in this world that our popular culture ignores or shuns. The chubby, smart girl is somehow less of a woman. The poetic, artistic boy is less of a man. It is important that we teach these children to celebrate themselves. Even if a parent is aware and talks with his or her child, often the child feels they are out of touch. A school classroom with discussion will allow our children to be aware of the confusions and insecurities of their peers. It can open eyes and offer a sense of value.
Another thing to consider is the changing landscape of our culture. It is no longer acceptable to be intolerant and judgemental. To many, political correctness is an inconvenience and a joke, but it has served a great purpose. Hurtful words and phrases that were part of polite conversation fifteen years ago have been banished from most vocabulary. Although there are negative influences in today's society, there are also positive ones, and our children need to be prepared to live in that environment.
An individual who is attracted only to members of the same gender should not have to feel an omnipresent shame from puberty through his or her entire life. The gay and lesbian community has made large strides against an intolerant society, but they still suffer from discrimination. Often, the secondary shame causes temporary relationships and stops individuals from committing long-term. Damage to the psyche and culture of one segment of our society injures our entire society.
Sexual orientation should be openly discussed in class so that it can then be dismissed as a personality virtue or flaw. Nobody wants to be judged based on what happens behind their bedroom door.
There is also a section of our population that struggles against prejudice for being transgender. The American Psychological Association discusses these issues in their article "Answers to Your Questions About Transgendered Individuals and Gender Identity". This article can be found at http://www.apa.org/t opics/transgender.ht ml. These individuals have a long and difficult road in order to fit into society and are often met with open scorn and ridicule.
A major cause of the sexual confusion and exploitation of this age is the lack of discussion. Sex becomes taboo... and attractive in its mystery. A frank, clinical discussion may debunk the myths and offer our children the opportunity to value their sexuality. A person who values his or her sexuality does not share it lightly. Without the veil of secrecy, sexual exploration is not nearly as attractive.
The majority of our children will eventually mimic our morals, so the moral influence of a school class is inconsequential. However, we want our children to be better people than we are, and education is the surest path to that growth.
Learn more about this author, Kimberly Devine.
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No
It would be difficult to teach something like sexual identity in a single course. And it would be difficult to stop there when there are so many other issues that are equally important. At what age level would such a course be taught? And how much ground could one course be expected to cover? What would the goals of such a course be?
Obviously discrimination is still an issue. So is poor self esteem. But if every other subject in schools must be broken down into several categories and taught at many different levels of difficulty, then how could any real good come from teaching this in a single class? There is no doubt that there is a need for sexual identity to be taught to students, along with a whole host of other social issues. But this need stems from lack of respect for others and ourselves, and lack of tolerance for those we do not agree with.
If we instead taught our children to respect themselves, including their own bodies and to respect others rights to be individuals we would not have to teach them to understand sexual identity and expression. The result of teaching the next generation to respect others would be a decrease in bullying and hate. And by teaching our children to value themselves we would help avoid drug use, sex at increasingly younger ages, and many other self destructive activities that are sometimes a result of wanting to fit with others and belong.
And teachers alone are not enough to drive these points home. The issue is far too confused by pop culture and the way parents raise their children. Many of us have stereotypes now of buff lesbians, soft-spoken and fashion conscious men, and over-painted and over sequined drag queens. And next to these are almost always ridicule, shame, and even violence. If we want the next generation to see sexuality differently then we need to change the images we are projecting as a society. And the idea is not to convert' our children to any of these groups, but to teach them to be what they are and to let others do the same without fear or shame.
Perhaps the first step is not in teaching this to children currently in school. Why not first try to condense it as much as necessary and teach it as a required course for our future teachers? Then starting at the kindergarten level, we might teach an age appropriate class on respecting oneself and other human beings. This could be continued through elementary school and all the way through high school. Instead of merely teaching acceptance on this one issue, why not teach it on all?
These may seem to some to be unrealistic ideals, but the fact is if we can help this generation to look at humanity a little differently then they will in turn teach the next one the same. This may not change a great deal now, but gradual improvement is still improvement.
Learn more about this author, Marie N. Riddle.
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