Sex Education, Sex and Sexuality - Essay Example

Growing up means becoming aware of sex and sexuality and curiosity on this topic would lead a teen to find out more about sex and sexuality. There are many sources of information available inside and outside the house regarding sex and sexuality but most of these sources are not sure to be the good or proper sources of information. Sources of information in the house would come from the family. Teens have contact with these sources almost everyday and influence the way we think about sex and sexuality. Information from the family at times is not enough because some parents are not comfortable in discussing sex and sexuality with children. Sometimes, when children ask where babies come from, parents would respond that babies come from storks and would stop at that explanation. Seeing that there is not enough information about sex and sexuality from the family, a teen would turn to other sources of information such as the television, movies, music, magazines, the internet, friends and even boyfriends and girlfriend. The television, movies, and music most of the times treat sex and sexuality as something that can be done anywhere, with anyone, and can be done without any responsibilities. Most of these media sources also show sex and sexuality as a way to be cool, is equal to showing affection to someone, and can be done without worry-free and without risks. Some even exaggerate about sex and sexuality and as a result they send off the wrong information. Some examples of these false information are having more than one sexual partner is alright, protection against sexually transmitted diseases is not necessary, you look cool and you become a hunk when you have had sex with lots of girls, having sex with someone you had just met is cool and acceptable, and other false beliefs about sex and sexuality. Magazines and the internet are also the same with television, movies and music. However, magazines and the internet are more popularly known to have been used for improper information about sex and sexuality that at times these materials are classified as illegal. In magazines and the internet, sex and sexuality is simply naked bodies of men and women and no scientific or academic explanation can be obtained from these sources. Though some magazines and some sites from the internet are educational and can be sources of proper explanation for sex and sexuality, those providing incorrect information are more common than those that give the right information. Some false information we get from magazines and the internet is that it is normal to be seen by other people while having sex and that to be loved a person should see you naked so that this person would be attracted to you. Information we get from friends and girlfriend or boyfriends are sometimes inaccurate too. This is because friends and girlfriends or boyfriends also get their information from sources such as televisions, magazines, movies, music, and the internet. Learning from friends, girlfriends and boyfriends most of the time would lead to mistakes because these people are just the same age as we are. Friends would say that masturbating too much will make a penis longer and having sex would prove that a boy is now a man. Another is that a girl will still be a virgin if the guy will not use his penis to have sex with the girl. With girlfriends and boyfriends, experimentation may also happen because of curiosity to try having sex and explore sexuality of the opposite sex. This sometimes result to pregnancy at a young age and would sometimes cause a girl to stop going to school. At school, sex and sexuality are also discussed even diseases transmitted through sex are also discussed. Though much information is given at school, it seems not to be enough to teach teens to be responsible when having sex. Some teachers are sometimes uncomfortable to discuss sex and sexuality with the class so students are not given a chance to ask all the questions they have in mind. From these numerous sources, those that came from the school turned out mostly to be true. Some information from the internet, movies, television, magazines, and from friends, girlfriends and boyfriends are also true but most of them gave information that were false such as it is acceptable to have sex with several people, having sex with a number of people does not require protection from sexually transmitted diseases, and taking a shower or a long bath after having sex would help a girl not get pregnant and not to get infections. At first, this information about sex and sexuality were amusing but later on you learn to compare the information you are getting and analyze that most of the information you got where wrong and are not proven. The stork explanation from parents turned out not to be true because storks are simply just birds and do not actually deliver babies. While explanations coming from the television, movies, music, magazines, and the internet turned out that the people who have different partners and who engage on partners whom they just met are either mentally or emotionally unwell and some are being paid for this kind service. Some end up having incurable diseases and even die because of these sexually transmitted diseases. Many couples end up breaking their relationships or sometimes their marriages because they were just attracted because the woman was pretty or the man was handsome and reason this out so they can get divorced. While the information from friends, girlfriends and boyfriends at times results to getting unplanned pregnancies and confusion over one’s sexuality. Some friends would give an advice to take a shower or a bath after having sex but still the girl ends up being pregnant and the guy confused of what happened with the girl. Information from school is very informative and would make you compare the ‘facts’ you have learned over the years. Being informed at school may encourage some to think twice before engaging in sexual relationships while some react unfavorably because they get more curious. Getting information from these sources and learning that most of these sources are actually incorrect and exaggerated is at some point shocking but some are very helpful. Learning from school the true facts about sex and sexuality is shocking because other sources show sex as fun, worry-free, and harmless but learning that you can get infected and may even die because of being infected sexually proves that it is not just all fun. Also, learning from school that taking a long shower or a bath would not prevent a girl from becoming pregnant makes you laugh and wonder why someone would give such advice. It is also funny when you are informed that a penis will not get longer from too much masturbation but would still remain the same size as it is and having sex does not prove that a boy has now become a real man but being a real man would mean having the guts to be responsible in every move you make. Learning all of these true facts had helped a lot to understand better sex and sexuality and to be responsible when in a relationship. Read More