What is Feminist Sex Education?

I've been doing a lot of thinking lately about the specifics of what it is we do here, about how it is I define what our aims are, and about what it means to be a comprehensive, feminist sex⁠ (sex: Different things people choose to do to actively express or enact sexuality and sexual feelings; often this involves genitals, but not always. ) education resource. To that end, I've been milling around what exactly feminist sex education is, because believe it or not, it's not really been defined very clearly anywhere else yet. Consider this a work in progress.

Feminist sex education:

• Emphasizes -- for all sexes and genders, not just one or two -- autonomy⁠ (autonomy: The state or condition of being independent and/or having the right to independence.) , personal responsibility, full and active consent⁠ (consent: To freely and actively agree to do a specific thing with someone else with all the information about what that thing is, and the right to change your mind.) , sexuality in the holistic context of a whole, well-rounded life and healthy, equitable relationships self-esteem, nonsubordination and nonviolence, safety, health , happiness and pleasure and very real equality in sexuality, in which equal voice and accord are given to and issues from any and all partners in sexual⁠ (sexual: About or relating in some way to sex or sexuality.) partnerships and sexual activity.

• Operates under the given that all people have an inalienable, inarguable right to the complete, inarguable ownership of their own, individual bodies and desires, and that sexuality and sexual pleasure is a positive and valuable experience in its own right, not merely or only a side effect of reproduction, health, biology or romance, nor a means for material exchange.

• Recognizes the sexual desires and sexuality of women as complete on their own, rather than as an answer to or product or adjunct of men's sexuality, sexual partnership or marriage, as well as acknowledging a wide diversity of sexual desire⁠ (desire: A feeling of wanting something. In the context of sex or sexuality, desire can be a feeling of a physical and psychological want for any kind of sex or way of being sexual.) , experience and identity⁠ (identity: The defining character or personality of an individual; who we feel like we are as a person.) among women and all peaople.

• Recognizes the bodies and genitals⁠ (genitals: Body parts that are generally, culturally, scientifically or personally considered to be external sexual or reproductive organs.) of all people as active, engaged parts of a whole, rather than passive or as object.

• Understands and presents sexual activity, with or without partners, as a choice, not a requirement nor an obligation. Encourages consent as active, not passive: not as a not-no or compliance, but as a complete, informed and enthusiastic yes, and encourages open, honest communication⁠ (communication: Various ways we express ourselves to others, such as through speech, written words or symbols, sign language, body language, touch or art.) in all sexual activities and with all sexual partners.

• Is pro-choice, supporting the right of women to have complete sovereignity over their bodies at all times, including during pregnancy⁠ (pregnancy: The state of carrying a developing embryo or fetus within the uterus. Medically, someone is considered to be pregnant when an egg has been fertilized by sperm, cells divide, and the fertilized egg is implanted within the lining of the uterus.) , and equally supporting the right of those who do or can become pregnant to choose abortion⁠ (abortion: A procedure to intentionally end a pregnancy before a birth. Miscarriage is also sometimes called "spontaneous abortion," even though it is usually not intended.) , adoption or parenting -- whichever is best for them by their own determination -- in the event they become pregnant. Supports the use of, and encourages complete access to, contraception⁠ (contraception: Devices, medications or behaviors used to intentionally aim to prevent pregnancy, including the condom, the cervical barrier, the implant, the patch, the pill, the rhythm method, the ring, the shot, the IUD, spermicide and withdrawal.) , safer sex⁠ (safer sex: Practices which aim to reduce the risk of sexually transmitted infections, such as use of latex/nonlatex barriers, regular testing for infections and limiting the number of sexual partners.) and preventative, holistic sexual healthcare for all, and the position that public policies for women should not be made exclusively or primarily by men.

• Does not treat gender⁠ (gender: Characteristics that are seen or presented as distinguishing between male and female in a society. Gender may or may not include assigned or chosen: social roles, feelings, behaviors and/or presentation or appearance.) or sex as binary⁠ (binary: Made up of two things or parts; a system with only two possible options or parts.) , and acknowledges gender as constructed, not essential, biological or assigned and recognizes that anatomical or biological sex is an often-problematic or meaningless distinction.

• Recognizes the strong and pervasive effect of cultural and personal sex and gender roles on the individual and interpersonal sexuality, and educates readers about those roles and their right to choose sex and gender roles which are desired, not merely assigned. Addresses cultural inequalities of sex and gender which effect sexuality, such as the effects of commodifying women's bodies, the glorification of sexual violence, objectifcation, other minorities and sexuality in the media, economic divides, the greater sexual burdens some groups bear, the greater rates of sexual abuse⁠ (abuse: Purposeful harm or mistreatment of another person, which can be verbal, emotional, physical or sexual. An ongoing pattern or cycle of such mistreatment or harm can characterize an abusive relationship.) and rape⁠ (rape: When one person does a sexual act to, on, or inside another person who does not want to participate; who refuses to participate and/or who does not or is unable to fully and freely consent to take part in that activity.) among some groups, as well as the detrimental effects of patriarchy upon men, male sexuality, identity and relationships.

• Acknowledges the reality of sexual and other interpersonal abuse and violence and works to counter and prevent those abuses among all sexes and genders, as well as recognizing that many women have survived these abuses, and that this needs be a consideration with sexuality education and understanding of human sexuality.

• Presents partnered sex broadly, acknowledging the wide array of sexual activities which may be "real" partnered sex, not merely intercourse⁠ (intercourse: When people interlock their genitals and move together as feels good to them for the purpose of sexual stimulation and/or reproduction.) among hetereosexual or gendernormative⁠ (gendernormative: What is considered "normal" for a given gender or sex, even if it's not. These ideas may be widespread, or may be specific to a given group, area or historical period of time.) people. Presents sexual anatomy⁠ (anatomy: The body, parts of the body, or physical structure of organisms like people, animals or plants.) more broadly, including that of women, than as to pertain only to heterosexual⁠ (heterosexual: Someone who is only or mostly emotionally and sexually attracted to people of a different sex or gender than they are themselves.) intercourse or reproduction.