INFLUENCE OF SEX EDUCATION ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS (EDUCATION PROJECT TOPICS AND MATERIALS)
CHAPTER ONE
- INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
According to WHO, Sexuality is a central aspect of being human throughout life and encompasses sex, gender identities and roles, sexual orientation, eroticism, pleasure, intimacy and reproduction. Sexuality is experienced and expressed in thoughts, fantasies, desires, beliefs, attitudes, values, behaviours, practices, and relationships. While sexuality can include all of these dimensions, not all of them are always experienced or expressed. Sexuality is influenced by the interaction of biological, psychological, social, economic, political, ethical, legal, historical, religious and spiritual factors (WHO, 2006). Collins (2008), argued that sexuality education encompasses education about all aspects of sexuality including information about family planning, reproduction, body image, sexual orientation, sexual pleasure, values, decision making, communication, dating, relationships, sexually transmitted infections and how to avoid them, and birth control methods.
Human sexuality has biological, emotional and physical or spiritual aspects. The biological aspect of sexuality refers to the reproductive mechanism as well as the basic biological drive that exists in all species, which is hormonally controlled. The emotional or physical aspect of sexuality refers to the bond that exists between individuals, and is expressed through profound feelings or physical manifestations of emotions of love, trust, and caring. There are several suggestions on when to give a child sex education. The present researcher feels that sex education should commence as soon as the child begins to talk. For instance, it is not unusual to see a child of 2 to 4 years asking his / her parents why mummy is having. However it has been observed that some teacher’s attitude towards sex education have not been very supportive. While some lack necessary skills for imparting the knowledge, some others out rightly become very passive towards it implementation. This is supported by the position of who states that teachers who teach sexuality education are either passive or they present the subject matter of sex education within a wider context that it loses its focus at the end of the day.
