Swedish Sexual education

[Ape]

http://www.thelocal.se/23032/20091102/

Carnal knowledge: A sex scandal made in Sweden

Published: 2 Nov 09 17:57 CET
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/23032/20091102/

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Classroom warfare has erupted in Sweden as conservative commentators are appalled by what they view as a "try everything" approach to sex education in the nation's schools, writes The Local's Christine Demsteader.

    * More Swedish women surfing the web for sex: study (21 Oct 09)
    * Teacher who paid for sex with minor 'can't be fired' (15 Oct 09)
    * Young sex offenders escape investigation (11 Oct 09)

A is for anal sex, B is for blow job and C is for clitoris; the ABC of sex education in Swedish schools has been branded by some as carnal knowledge too candid for the classroom, following an exposé on Swedish television.

A war of words broke out recently after cameras followed a lesson at an Uppsala school for the TV programme Skolfront, which was recently aired on public broadcaster SVT. The report was billed as a behind-the-scenes look at sex education today.

There's an echo of giggles from a group of 9th-grade boys when asked for slang terms to describe their genitalia. Meanwhile, girls stare at a whiteboard drawing to correctly locate the clitoris. The tutor sings a fanfare as she hits the spot with her marker.

This is Sweden's take on human biology; the birds and the bees are banished and replaced with the topics of 'cock knowledge and cunt facts' (kukkunskap och fittfakta).

Helpful tips are bandied about as free condoms are handed around. "The anus doesn't have any natural lubricant," the tutor tells them. "So that's important if you are thinking about having anal sex."

The class is run by the Swedish Association for Sexuality Education (RFSU) who have been offering the service to schools for the last 13 years. Sex education has been mandatory in Sweden since 1956, but some schools opt to outsource lessons to the organisation.

The programme also interviewed shocked parents who labelled the lessons, "vulgar," and "too advanced."

The debate was then taken up in the media with outcries that studies of "sexual techniques" are not suitable for 14-year-old students who are under the legal age of consent.

Further criticism suggesting that the lessons fuel a "sexualised society" has come as a surprise to RFSU.

"I didn't expect that kind of reaction," Pelle Ullholm, teaching officer at RFSU told The Local. "I thought we could broaden the subject and talk about sexual practice as a subject for knowledge, not only values."

Their philosophy maintains that knowledge empowers young people to get to know their body in a healthy manner.

"For example, there are many people in Sweden that don't know the clitoris is 7-10 centimetres long," Ullholm adds.

"By giving young people information they can make their own decisions, feel good about themselves and take responsibility. In that way we can prevent unwanted pregnancies and the spread of sexual diseases. "

According to RFSU, the need for their services comes from a lack of expertise in the existing education system.

"Sweden has a reputation of being open about sexuality but we don't talk about it," Ullholm says.

"Only six percent of teachers are qualified to give sex education classes. Schools invite us to do this because they don't have the means to do it themselves."

Tutors are typically in their early 20s and the teaching style is on a level with the youth of today.

"We use their kind of language," he adds. "We talk about what happens when you get sexually aroused and then you don't tend to think of genitals in a biological way."

Ullholm says the fear of promoting sex this way is largely unfounded.

"We don't think that abstinence is a method," he says. "But we know that with the right information young people tend to become sexually active later in life. And studies show the school is the best environment to get these messages across."

Yet, the privilege of educating their children on such issues should remain with the parents, according to journalist and commentator Roland Poirier Martinsson who joined the debate in the Skolfront programme.

In a follow up article in the Svenska Dagbladet newspaper he considers the lessons nothing short of sexual propaganda and compares the style of teaching to what can be found on the sports field.

"Try everything, train hard and specialise later, like a decathlete," he wrote. "Do parents know that schoolchildren are learning anal sex techniques in the classroom?"

Since the lessons have come to light, Poirier Martinsson advocates the management of sex education by schools alone.

"An organisation with liberal ideals should not be brought to run classes like these," he tells The Local.

"It would be equally wrong to bring in the Catholic Church to teach the subject.

"A lot of people in Sweden don't reflect much on these matters," he adds. "But if this were to happen in the US there would be outrage."

While admitting his view is shared by a minority in Sweden he maintains there is a consensus that basic morals are at stake.

"The conservative religious faction is small in Sweden," he adds. "But the opinion that sex should not be perceived as a hobby – like playing soccer – is something a lot of Swedes agree with. Children should be taught to abstain from sex until they are older," he says.

In his article, Roland Poirier Martinsson encourages parents to contact schools to control the way sex education is being conducted.

However, new legislation to be introduced in June 2010 will lessen the power of parents to remove their children from class, Bertil Östberg, state secretary at the Ministry of Education tells The Local.

"All students have a right to the knowledge as stated in the curriculum," he says.

"So the possibility to skip certain parts of the curriculum in school will be reduced in the future. How sex education lessons are implemented remains something that the individual schools can decide for themselves."

RFSU have no plans to change or review their approach. "We are staying with our programme," Pelle Ullholm says.

"And we will be happy to continue this debate because we are sure we are doing it in the right way."

Those at Sweden's Ministry of Education and other government officials can take the opportunity to brush up on their own cock knowledge and cunt facts this week: RFSU is staging a special sex education lesson for politicians in a makeshift classroom at the Swedish Parliament.

The aim is to further discussions to make sex education mandatory in teacher training courses.

It is unclear as to whether anal lubrication is on the agenda.

Christine Demsteader ([email protected])

I just love the Swedish educational system 

[stjaba]

"The anus doesn't have any natural lubricant," the tutor tells them. "So that's important if you are thinking about having anal sex."

[Camerus]

I'll throw this out there because I'm sure there will be someone around here who disagrees:

While I'm in favour of teaching students the importance of safe sex, the basics of sex, and to be OK with their sexuality, there is a level beyond which it is not needed in the classroom. 

If indeed high school students are learning anal sex techniques as the article alleges, than I'm not sure what the point or value of that is.

Also, I'm not sure why abstinence should simply be dismissed out of hand.  For many teenagers it isn't a realistic option, but on the other hand, for others, it is.  By removing that option (and it should IMO be presented as only one option out of many) from the conversation, it demeans the choice of those students, who, for whatever reason, choose not to be sexually active.

[Eddie Teach]

Also, I'm not sure why abstinence should simply be dismissed out of hand.  For many teenagers it isn't a realistic option, but on the other hand, for others, it is. 

And for some it's mandatory.

[Josquius]

Meh, the kids will know about this stuff anyway, it makes sense to tell them to do it safely.

[Berkut]

Meh, the kids will know about this stuff anyway, it makes sense to tell them to do it safely.

The question isn't whether or not to tell them to do it safely - as far as I know, most of the non-US Western world pretty much agrees on that, excepting probably BB, it is whether or not to tell them how to do it "well".

[Martinus]

Another thing is that teaching about some sexual practices may be seen as "unusual" or unnecessary for straight kids but could be essential for gay kids - the question is how do you address it? I mean, people seem to be ok with teaching children how to properly engage in a vaginal intercourse (i.e. what to do, what not to do, how to protect yourself) but seem to balk at teaching the same about anal sex.

[Martinus]

Meh, the kids will know about this stuff anyway, it makes sense to tell them to do it safely.

The question isn't whether or not to tell them to do it safely - as far as I know, most of the non-US Western world pretty much agrees on that, excepting probably BB, it is whether or not to tell them how to do it "well".

Isn't the difference a bit blurry, though? I mean, do you find teaching that you need to use lubricant for anal sex to be about doing it "safely" or "well"? Failure to use a lubricant may lead to damage and/or infection.

I mean, it's not like they are teaching them about aphrodisiacs or Kama Sutra.

[Martinus]

"The anus doesn't have any natural lubricant," the tutor tells them. "So that's important if you are thinking about having anal sex."

What's so funny about it?

[Josephus]

I'll sort of agree with PP's post. The question becomes, then, if we  teach kids about anal sex, why stop there? Why not courses on how to stick a gerbil up your arse, safely? How to ejaculate on a woman's face without messing her hair? How to safely do a double penetration?

[Eddie Teach]

What's so funny about it?

You don't find the idea of hearing that in a classroom amusing?

[Syt]

http://www.sexwecan.at/

An Austrian web offering - click star => Sex We Can to see three badly animated 3D episodes about two teens around 14 and their first love/first time (contains partial pixel nudity of underage people). Includes information about contraception (pill & condom) etc. Same site also has "Cool, verliebt - passiert" (cool, in love ... it happened) as info for pregnant teenagers.

[Martinus]

I'll sort of agree with PP's post. The question becomes, then, if we  teach kids about anal sex, why stop there? Why not courses on how to stick a gerbil up your arse, safely? How to ejaculate on a woman's face without messing her hair? How to safely do a double penetration?

Uhm, did you not read what I said? There is a bit of a difference between anal sex and sticking gerbils up your anus.

I explained why stop there - because anal sex is for gay people the equivalent of vaginal sex for straight people. Unless you propose that sex ed. should be for straight people only, it seems pretty sensible to tell kids the basics about gay sex as well.

[Martinus]

What's so funny about it?

You don't find the idea of hearing that in a classroom amusing?

Not really. Unless you find telling kids about using condoms when penetrating a vagina amusing as well.

As I said, this is a health comment - if you try to engage in anal sex without a lubricant, both the active and the passive partner risk serious injury. Since the same risk does not exist when it comes to vaginal sex, clearly that comment is not necessary there.

[Malthus]

When I was a kid, I'd have died of embarrasment if some teachers tried to teach the finer points of anal sex.  Strikes me as something more likely to be fodder for juvinile hilarity than a serious teaching moment, though I can't see any real harm in it. Maybe some kid will pick up useful pointers.