Those of you who are aged between 7 to 11 years of age learn about the subject of sex in many ways sometimes before your parents or school teachers can confirm or teach you the correct information. Television, books, newspapers, internet and aquantances such as friends of your own age, can incorrectly provide the wrong information about the subject of sex. Therefore why do we need to know about sexual health when we have not been official taught or started taking part in sex. In the past schools were teaching the subject of sex education too late or simply just confirming what knowledge and understanding pupils may have acquired on the subject of sex.
Learning about sexual health needs to be taught before children have the opportunity to be misinformed, experiment or make mistakes. In law no child should be taking part in sexual activities before their 16th birthday in fact some countries the age is much higher. GTR promotes that the start of sexual activity should not be based on a date of birth but within a meaningful relationship where mental and emotional maturity levels are prepared, to respect and be responsible. If there are adults out there who are over 21 and are also imature emotionally or mentally they should not be seeking or taking part in sexual activities.
So what is Sexual Health?
Traditionally in schools it’s about two main subjects pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections. Relationships appeared to be given little importance in sexual health. The main reason being that relationships would need to address the subject of sexual orientation. Heterosexuality, Bisexuality and homosexuality. Therefore the majority of schools were failing to address the subject of sex within relationships and promote only the heterosexual point of view. This excluded the gays and bisexuals groups to the point that sexual health did not apply to them or even recognise that they exist.
It is understandable why HIV and AIDS caught the world by suprize and the gay community appeared to be most vunrable when the infection in the 1980’s was finally recognised. A poor and non- comprehensive sexual health in schools did not help. Even today some schools continue to fail by not delivering a fully comprehensive sexual health policy.
Sexual health must also include sexual orientation partically with religious schools who have been opting out.
So at 7 and 11 years of age what should your knowledge and understanding be of sexual health.
Some 7 year olds do watch televisions and may read newspapers, some of the subject content is likely to raise sexual health issues.
The death of Freddie Mercury the lead singer of the rock group Queen who died of HIV/AIDS in 1991. Raises the sexual health subject on HIV and AIDS.
A 7 year old is unlikely to know what HIV/AIDS is or the rock band Queen the only recall would be a singer had died.
Even the words ‘Sexual Health’ the majority would not know what it means but at 11 years of age they should understand the concept of sex within meaningful relationships.
