"CSE should be based on a holistic concept of well-being, that includes sexual health. It should address all aspects of sexuality, including pleasure, as well as social norms and gender roles. It should be firmly rooted in self-determination, gender equality and the acceptance of diversity, free from judgement and stigmatization. It should be mandatory, starting in early childhood, and be provided in accordance with the evolving capacities of young people. Finally, CSE should deliver scientifically-accurate information on sexual health and rights, including on contraception, abortion and STIs.
CSE should aim at empowering young people so that they acquire the means and skills to fulfill and advocate for their rights, to live and express the sexuality freely, to develop critical-thinking and to exercise full citizenship and autonomy in all aspects of their life. It should be understood as a way to create a safe and respectful environment, preventing discrimination and violence based on gender and/or sexual orientation." (emphasis my own)So I pretty much think it's the bees knees. It goes so much further than just talking about sex or about how abstinence is the only way until marriage and goes into relationship negation and many other things (more on that later).
Well anyway, the Nebraska Board of Education had a work session meeting today discussing a grant that the Department of Education received that is doing some CSE work (nothing has actually been done about teaching students about sex at all…it's been about LGTB inclusiveness, bullying, learning about your own school's policies about sex ed or creating one, involving community partners, etc).
And I went to go give public comment in support of CSE. Here's what I said (minus a few things that I ad-libbed that I don't remember…) :
Hello my name is Jenny Sharrick and I am a public health student at UNMC. Thank you to the board for this time to speak.I just thought I would share. In the 5 minutes I spoke, I couldn't touch on all of the points about CSE that I think are so beneficial, but those were some that people often don't think about. It was an awesome experience and fun to network with some of the organizations in Omaha that are also doing amazing work in this area.
Just last month I attended the UN Commission on the Status of Women in New York City. This year's commission was a 20 year review of the Beijing Platform for Action. We have made a lot of progress in the past 20 years to achieve gender equality and gender equity globally. But there are still many things to be achieved for the improvement of women and girls' lives; specifically the U.S. struggles with sexual assault and gender based violence. This fact was emphasized and re-emphasized at the meeting.
Returning to my life in Nebraska, I have done CSE for almost a decade now. In that time, it has taken many forms but for now I spend lots of time in the Douglas County Youth Correctional Facility and Omaha Home for the Boys transitional living home doing CSE. At the Youth Facility, too many of the detainees are there because of sexual assault or gender-based violence. Over 90% of them are sexually active; many even have children. These are not adults, these detainees are aged 8-18. The youth at OHB are very similar in their experiences moving through the foster care system in Nebraska. Just this week I had a conversation with a 19 year old at Omaha Home for the Boys who was worried about taking a paternity test for a child with his ex-girlfriend. He's not ready to be a father because he understands the weight of that, but no one talked to him before they were sexually active about what the possible ramifications of unprotected sex could be. These youth are eager to learn about their own health and how CSE affects their lives. These youth are no different than any of the other youth in Nebraska.
CSE is so much more than talking about dichotomous ideas of being sexually active or not, using contraception/protection or not, being abstinent or not. CSE IS about partner negotiation, what is and what isn't consent, what qualifies as good touch and what is bad touch, goal setting for your own life, and knowing your own body and your limits. Most of these things don't even have to apply to sexual health, but rather are important in overall health and well-being. But ALL of these things need to be discussed in a safe space to heave healthy relationships before the real life situation arises.
These topics are essential to youth growth and development. They are also in line with the Millennium Development Goals, the upcoming Sustainable Development Goals & the Beijing Platform for Action, which are frameworks that guide us globally. Nebraska is working to be in-line with these aforementioned goals because of the WISE method and the funding from the Grove Foundation. Continuing these programs is imperative for the youth of the state. And hopefully, as a secondary benefit, we can also affect the state's teen pregnancy and STD transmission rates and reduce sexual violence in Nebraska. But first and foremost, we empower our students and youth to make the best health behavior decisions they can.
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