Growing up in a small conservative town in Mexico teaches you many things... One of them NOT being sex-ed.
Despite having gone to a non-faith school, religion seeped into pretty much anything to do with gender roles and sexual education. I remember fifth grade was the only school year in which we got an in-depth talk about how our bodies would begin to change with puberty, and that was it. Sex was not discussed, MUCH LESS birth control— resulting in extremely erratic behavior from girls such as taking Plan B like 15 times a month [1] because taking the birth control pill meant you were "slutty" (?!)— and other nonsensical misconceptions such as that. I was lucky enough to grow up in a household where these things were talked about, but I know that in most of Mexico, whether it be because of religious reasons or limited access to information, people are kept in the darkness when it comes to sexual health; which might be the reason why one in three pregnant women in Mexico are under the age of twenty [2].
In the USA, sex is discussed more openly, yet there is still much work to be done all over the world to promote a more healthy and informed approach to our bodies and our sexuality. In California, "Yes Means Yes" sexual consent lessons are now to be implemented in schools, which will hopefully help combat the alarmingly rising numbers of sexual assault victims[3]. We need more programs like this— it's been proven time and time again that when it comes to sexual health, honesty is the best policy.
People will always have sex, whether you like it or not. People that choose to be celibate, will do it whether you like it or not. The age-old attempt at controlling people's sexuality is futile at best, deadly at worst.
Those of us privileged enough to have access to the internet[4] have a huge tool at our disposal. We now have an enormous database of information regarding sex— from reproductive health to the entire Kamasutra— at our fingertips. I recommend you always go to trustworthy sources, such as the verified website of a specialist you trust, like planned parenthood. The internet can be a rabbit hole of false information and dangerous DIYs.
The videos below are gender-inclusive, light-hearted, easy and humorous yet remain educational and reliable— perfect for sharing important info with a person who might need it, or brushing up on your sex-ed. There are many helpful videos out there, and you might find these foolish, but you'd be surprised how many people have not been exposed to even the most elementary information. These are merely to get you started, and watching all of them takes less than 10 minutes! Let us know what some of your fave sex-ed sources are in the comment section below!
The Simple Concept of Consent
Safe Sex Encouragement
Real Sex vs. Porn Sex
Parody of Sex Ed Video, With Actual Helpful Information
A Note On Gender-Based Sex Education...
[1] Recommended dose is a maximum of once per cycle.
[2] According to the National Health and Nutrition Survey (ENSANUT), 51.9 percent of sexually active females aged 12 to 19 have become pregnant in their teens or younger.
[3] https://www.rainn.org/statistics/victims-sexual-violence.
[4] Only 40% of the world population has an internet connection today. (http://www.internetlivestats.com/internet-users/)