Slater 1

Skylar Slater

Professor DiGerlando

Writing For Emergent Media 6400

12/1/24

Comprehensive Sex education (Pro)

Sex is too taboo in our society. Yes, we are progressing, but many people still see sex as something

we should not talk about. We even censor penis and vagina when we talk about them even when it is not

related to sex. Penis and vagina are just like any other organ and should be treated like such. Sex being taboo

is affecting our sex education. Lots of kids in this country is either not being taught proper sex education

(Abstinence) or not taught safe sex at all. This is why I am for Comprehensive sex education.

Comprehensive sex education is the type of sex education that not only teaches safe sex, but anything

related to our reproductive system, consent, gender, and sexual orientation. It covers more topics as well.

Children should be taught Comprehensive sex education because it helps lessens sexual abuse, avoiding

sexual transmitted diseases (STDs), and preventing teenage pregnancies. Some might say we do not need

this type of sex education because children should just be taught how to prevent sexual encounters which is

a close-minded opinion to have. Comprehensive sex education covers different types of topics children

should know.

Becoming a parent is a life altering event. Parents will have to take care of their defenseless child

until the day they turn 18 which is honestly unrealistic. College students know why I said "unrealistic".

Parents have to spend over $15k a year to support their child. Parents reading knows that their underage

child cannot support themselves let alone another child. This is why Comprehensive sex education is

important. Comprehensive sex ed can help teens know how to prevent teen pregnancies. Sex ed for Social

Change (SIECUS) mentions how Comprehensive sex education helps decrease teen pregnancies better than
 Slater 2

other approaches. The article states that, "Young people who received comprehensive sex education were

significantly less likely to report a teen pregnancy compared to those who received no sex education" (Pg 1,

SIECUS). This explains how Comprehensive sex educations helps teens in the long run. Some might think

that not mentioning sex at all helps teens, but it does not. In fact, it makes their sexual decisions worse.

Teens will have sex whether we like it or not, so the best thing we can do is educate them on preventing

pregnancy.

STDs are not fun to deal with. STDs are one of those types of diseases that can be easily prevented.

The problem is teens are not being taught preventation. Some STDs can be cured while others like HIV

cannot. STDs such as HPV is known to cause different types of cancers. When someone already has a issue

with their immune system and catches a type a HPV, it can make the battle of fighting off different diseases

harder than before. The page called "Cancers caused by HPV" backs me up. The text states that, "People

with weakened immune systems (like people living with HIV/AIDS) may be less able to fight off (clear)

HPV infections, and more likely to develop health problems caused by HPV" (Pg, CDC). This shows how

important Comprehensive sex ed is. If this type of sex education is taught, then parents would not have to

worry about their children fighting off a disease or living with one. Comprehensive sex education can help

increase your child's physical and mental wellbeing.

Words like "Pee Pee" or "Cookie" to name children's genitals does not help them at all. Children

will likely not know what is happening to them, or think if this is normal, or how to tell anyone about what

is happening. People when hearing "He touch my cookie" might interpret the statement as being innocent

without realizing the child is trying to say they are being sexual abused. It causes miscomputation and that

gives predators an advantage. In "Why We Should Teach Children Proper Names for Private Body Parts', it

talks more about this and backs up my claim. The text states that, "If children believe they cannot even say

the names of their private parts, they send a message to abusers that they are safe targets" (Pg 1, Unknown).
 Slater 3

This explains how by not teaching children their parts, it puts them more at risk. If we started using Penis

and Vagina more then we can prevent or at least catch sexual abuse early. I would like to add something

from my personal life. My maternal family heavily religious, so sex before marriage is seen as a sin. One of

my family members was sexual abused inside the family and it has been going on for years due to the fact

they had no sex education and did not know how to approach the situation. Sexual abuse is not something a

child can just let go. Sexual abuse has long term effects such as mental health problems and trauma. This

takes away a child's innocence forever. This is why Comprehensive sex ed is important for all ages, not just

teenagers.

Some people might disagree with my argument. There are many reasons why people disagree. One

point I would like to stick too is the fact that children should know be taught how to say no. In "TEN

GOOD REASONS TO OPPOSE PUBLIC SCHOOL SEX EDUCATION", they talk about many reasons

why sex educations should not be taught, but I will put out one of them. The text states that, " it states that,

"Children don’t need sex ed, they need chastity ed. Kids need to learn how to say no and why saying no is in

their best interest – physically, emotionally, spiritually" (Pg 1, Catholic Parents). This type of argument

makes sense when it comes to children of all ages because taken advantage of, but what about the 16+ teens

that are consenting to teens their age? This argument only looks at one point of view instead of others. It

creates this idea that if their children (Teens) engage in sexual activity, it must not have consent.

Comprehensive sex education should 100 percent be taught in schools. It comes with more pros

than cons. STDs such as HIV is a real thing and should be treated just like any other diseases. It should not

be hidden from children. Sexual abuse is another scary reality that is hidden from children. Parents might

not think their children is being sexually abuse, but there is a chance that, that could be the case. It might

even come from inside the family. Parents should not have to worry about parenting for 16 years only to

have to re-parent again to their newborn grandchild. Children can live with teenage years peacefully without
 Slater 4

having to watch over another child. Comprehensive sex education is needed, and we should promote it

more. Maybe step by step, start teaching children the right names for their genitals. Then teach teen proper

sex education. Keep all types of sex in mind, not only penis-in-vagina. It makes children likely open up

about their sexuality. In the future, I hope all these problems are not as common as now.
 Slater 5

Cite Page

“Cancers Caused by HPV.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for

Disease Control and Prevention, www.cdc.gov/hpv/about/cancers-caused-by-hpv.html. Accessed

4 Dec. 2024.

“National Data Shows Comprehensive Sex Education Better at Reducing Teen Pregnancy

than Abstinence-Only Programs .” SIECUS, National Data Shows Comprehensive Sex Education

Better at Reducing Teen Pregnancy than Abstinence-Only Programs - SIECUS.

“Ten Good Reasons to Oppose Public School Sex Education.” Catholic Parents OnLine,

16 Nov. 2020, catholicparents.org/ten-good-reasons-oppose-public-school-sex-education/.

Lindsay. “Why We Should Teach Children Proper Names for Private Body Parts.”

Enough Abuse, 12 July 2024, enoughabuse.org/why-we-should-teach-children-proper-names-for-

private-body-parts/#:~:text=Clinicians%20generally%20agree%20that%20using,vagina%2C

%20vulva%2C%20and%20breasts.