There has always been an argument over sexual education, mostly about when and what to teach the youth about sex and their own sexuality. However, this discussion usually takes a turn to a completely different topic, such as religion or parenting, and we lose track of the actual conversation at hand. Not only do we need to decide when the right time to talk about sex with young adults is, but what aspects of sex and human sexuality do we need to talk to them about.
My personal experience with sexual education was slim. I went to a Jewish Day school until 8th grade and while yes, we did have a “sex-ed” class, it focused mainly on the body itself. Oh and it was separated into boys and girls which already set a tone for the way this topic “should” be discussed. It wasn’t until I took a Human Sexuality class in college that I was shown even a glimpse into the world of sexuality at all. This class started to open up my mind, but once I began working in the business end of the Adult Entertainment Industry, I actually began learning things about this subject. I had no idea the number of different genres and categories that exist in porn or the insane amount of sex toys that can be used. This was a whole new world to me and I was ready to explore it.
Now, having worked in the industry for about two years, my entire perspective on sex and human sexuality has opened up and changed in many ways. Although sex and porn have both started to become less of an “unspeakable” topic, they still aren’t being discussed in ways that will inform people about sex rather than scold them for wanting to know more. It’s perfectly healthy for young adults to educate themselves and explore their sexuality.
Having come into the industry never watching a porn in my entire life, I can understand why people who don’t actually know anything about the industry would view it as raunchy or explicit. On the other hand, had I been more taught more about sex years ago, I probably wouldn’t have been so surprised by what I was seeing.
It’s not the actual world of porn that is problematic, it’s how and what people discover through various adult sites that makes it seem risqué. If you’ve never had any education on sex and you come across some extreme porn, of course it will shock you. But had someone informed you of all the various types of sex in an educational manner, this wouldn’t be seen as so crude. Whether or not we want to believe it, the youth is going to discover sex sooner or later, and it should be introduced to them in an informative way. Educating young adults on sex and human sexuality is not only important to how the industry is seen by people looking in, but it is also n extremely valuable part of growing into whatever type of person it is they want to be.