What does sex-ed mean, and why should it matter to you?

A review of Manitoba's K-12 education system is currently underway, offering several opportunities to give feedback both in person and through online surveys. Although this review is not specifically regarding sex and health education, this is a critical time to give voice to how we equip children to navigate an increasingly complex world.

While Manitoba experiences a syphilis outbreak including a spike in congenital syphilis cases, we also have the country's fourth highest teen pregnancy rate. Meanwhile, the sex ed curriculum was last updated 12 years ago and therefore does not reflect the sexual behaviours of the young people it is supposed to be reaching (what about sexting?).

The curriculum must address more than just behaviours, but also attitudes, skills and the environments where students are experiencing these behaviours.

We don't feel that sexuality education is a niche interest in the education system, but a core subject in dire need of attention.

In Manitoba, human sexuality falls under the larger Physical Education and Health curriculum. The curriculum says it addresses five major health risks including "sexual behaviours that result in STIs and unintended pregnancies" which is currently the basis for teaching about sexuality. To address these behaviours, there must be a comprehensive approach; the best sexuality education is the truth.

Sexuality is complex and includes many components: bodies, relationships (of all kinds), gender, consent, our thoughts, feelings and values, to name a few. When viewing sexuality holistically, education is more effective, has more relevant applications, and is more approachable. Because of this, we don't feel that sexuality education is a niche interest in the education system, but a core subject in dire need of attention.

In addition to working in schools, Sexuality Education Resource Centre Manitoba works with individuals who did not receive sex education or what they did receive was not inclusive or accurate.

The truth is that we could do better, and we need to. Positive health outcomes benefit everyone. I encourage you to consider adding your voice during this review process. Below are a few recommendations that we have for more comprehensive sexual health education:

1. Manitoba needs to move from a risk-based sexuality education curriculum to a balanced comprehensive approach that includes consent, pleasure, rights and harm reduction. Comprehensive sexuality education goes beyond the science of how bodies work and how babies are made. It includes rights, consent, pleasure and harm reduction. This approach has shown to create healthy behaviour change.
2. The sexuality components of the Manitoba Physical Education and Health Curriculum need to be updated. The curriculum hasn't been updated since 2005. The Manitoba Teachers Society recommends updating any curriculum more than seven years old.
3. Sexuality education needs to start before Grade 5, and should be woven throughout multiple subjects. This sentiment of early years education is backed by the province's website.
4. Manitoba needs to provide resources (financial and otherwise) to decolonizing curriculum, including sexuality education. The TRC calls to action #62 and 63 mention training for teachers to include Indigenous knowledge. This would include knowledge around sexuality education. Sexuality can be different for different cultures, and for some may carry some trauma history that needs to be carefully unpacked.
5. Curriculum, resources and all supporting documents need to reflect sexual, gender and relationship diversity to provide relevant education for all students. Current provincial sexuality education resources display a bias to uphold heterosexual ("straight") and cisgender ("non-transgender") identities that leaves many students without relevant education. This does not live up to school's respect for human diversity policies or the province's own Supporting Transgender and Gender Diverse Students in Manitoba's Schools document.
6. Sexuality education needs to reach all students in every school throughout Manitoba. Differing policies asking families to opt-in or opt-out of sexuality education creates inconsistencies in the quality of education division-to-division, school-to-school and student to student.
7. Sexuality education needs to address gender and power in relationships. Sexual health outcomes are impacted by personal identity. Without an analysis of how gender, masculinity and power impact relationships we are not setting up young people, especially girls, women and gender diverse students, for success.
8. Manitoba needs to provide culturally safe and trauma-informed training for teachers. By being trauma-informed, lessons will be accessible to more students.

The public school system is the largest platform to provide this education to the residents of Manitoba and young people deserve inclusive and accurate sexuality education. To access the survey, visit: https://forms.gov.mb.ca/education-review-public.

Happy Pride Winnipeg! So many ways to celebrate, starting with supporting inclusive education. 

Sexuality Education Resource Centre Manitoba (SERC) is a community-based, non-profit, pro-choice organization, dedicated to promoting sexual health through education. Each year we make contact with students and teachers seeking to further their education around sexuality. We have been doing this work for 85 years (formerly known as Planned Parenthood Manitoba).

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