Norm critical sex health education for all teacher training programs
Every fifth adult woman and every twentieth adult man have been subjected to severe sexual violence during their life. In the aftermath of #metoo and in accordance with the new legislation regarding sexual violence, there is a need for a meaningful and direct effort to change sex health education in Swedish schools. As it is today, sex health education in school does not teach the needed skills and knowledge to engage in a healthy sex and love life. To be effective, sex health education needs to have a norm critical perspective with analysis of power, consent and inclusiveness at its ground. Every pupil should feel included regardless their background, gender identity, sexuality or ability. With this in mind, teachers have to be given the means to provide such an education.
The open letter to Sweden’s minister of higher education and research, Helene Hellmark Knutsson, can be read here (in Swedish).