TY - JOUR
T1 - How men and women learn about sex
T2 - multi-generational perspectives on insufficient preparedness and prevailing gender norms in Scotland
AU - Patterson (nee Martin), Susan
AU - McDaid, Lisa
AU - Hunt, Kate
AU - Hilton, Shona
AU - Flowers, Paul
AU - McMillan, Lesley
AU - Milne, Dona
AU - Lorimer, Karen
PY - 2019/11/7
Y1 - 2019/11/7
N2 - Attitudes towards sexual health and relationships are learned from a young age, and there is an ongoing need for innovative and comprehensive approaches to sex education that keep pace with rapidly changing contexts of people’s lives. We used thematic analysis of data from two qualitative studies in Scotland to explore learning contexts from a multi-generational perspective, as well as the influence of different socio-cultural factors on provision, access to and experience of sex education. The importance, but inadequacy, of school as a source of learning, was a persistent theme over time. Participants’ strategies to address perceived gaps in knowledge included experience, conversations, vicarious and online learning. Gender and age differences emerged, with younger participants more likely to go online for information, and prevailing gender norms shaping attitudes and behaviours across both study groups. Participants who identified as gay, lesbian or bisexual described feeling particularly unprepared for sex and relationships due to the narrow, heteronormative content received. Although schools continue to be a common source of information, it appears that they fail to equip young people for their post-school sexual life-course. We recommend the mandatory provision of comprehensive, positive, inclusive and skills-based learning to improve people’s chances of forming and building healthy, positive relationships across the lifespan.
AB - Attitudes towards sexual health and relationships are learned from a young age, and there is an ongoing need for innovative and comprehensive approaches to sex education that keep pace with rapidly changing contexts of people’s lives. We used thematic analysis of data from two qualitative studies in Scotland to explore learning contexts from a multi-generational perspective, as well as the influence of different socio-cultural factors on provision, access to and experience of sex education. The importance, but inadequacy, of school as a source of learning, was a persistent theme over time. Participants’ strategies to address perceived gaps in knowledge included experience, conversations, vicarious and online learning. Gender and age differences emerged, with younger participants more likely to go online for information, and prevailing gender norms shaping attitudes and behaviours across both study groups. Participants who identified as gay, lesbian or bisexual described feeling particularly unprepared for sex and relationships due to the narrow, heteronormative content received. Although schools continue to be a common source of information, it appears that they fail to equip young people for their post-school sexual life-course. We recommend the mandatory provision of comprehensive, positive, inclusive and skills-based learning to improve people’s chances of forming and building healthy, positive relationships across the lifespan.
KW - gender norms
KW - life course
KW - relationships
KW - school
KW - sex education
KW - Sexual health
KW - young people
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85074967928&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/14681811.2019.1683534
DO - 10.1080/14681811.2019.1683534
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85074967928
SN - 1468-1811
VL - 20
SP - 441
EP - 456
JO - Sex Education
JF - Sex Education
IS - 4
ER -