Guerrilla Sex Ed

For those seeking out better sex ed...

Steph Auteri

The Growth of the Book Sanctuary Movement

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Last spring, Mark Adler noticed a dramatic uptick in attempts to ban books at the Paris–Bourbon County Library in Paris, Kentucky, where he is the director. Before that, library staffers fielded the occasional request for a book to be removed from shelves. But by the fall of 2023, they had already received requests to pull 102 titles from the library’s collection. “Watching … [Read more...] about The Growth of the Book Sanctuary Movement

Some Top-Notch Middle Grade Fiction That Sneaks in Sex Ed

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Because I write about sex for a living—and because I maintain an online database of sex ed resources for parents and other caregivers—publicists often send me stuff that is sex- and sex ed-adjacent. You know. PMDD devices. Lazy eye lifts (?). Every CBD product known to man. (Seriously. Stop sending me CBD pitches.) On top of all these, there are also the middle … [Read more...] about Some Top-Notch Middle Grade Fiction That Sneaks in Sex Ed

Conservatives and the Lie of “Parental Rights”

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I’ve been writing about sex ed for nearly a decade now. It began when I landed a gig with AASECT, the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists. While with that organization—my child just an infant—I learned a lot about the state of sex ed in the United States, and about the role it could play in the overall health and well-being of my … [Read more...] about Conservatives and the Lie of “Parental Rights”

Our Red Book and the Power in Our Period Stories

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For over eight years, I didn’t menstruate. First, because I was pregnant. And then, because I got an IUD. Lemme tell you, I loved having that IUD. Suddenly, I no longer had to deal with heavy flows, heavy cramps, and poop problems. Period? What period? Sure, I was completely disconnected from the inner workings of my body, but that was a small price to pay for a period-less … [Read more...] about Our Red Book and the Power in Our Period Stories

We Want Our Kids to be Safe; Comprehensive Sex Ed Is the Answer

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This past summer, as students were released into the heat of summer, into weeks at art and soccer camp, into weekends down the shore, school districts began a mad scramble. You see, back in 2020, my home state of New Jersey had adopted the updated Student Learning Standards for Comprehensive Health and Physical Education. Those new standards are due for implementation this … [Read more...] about We Want Our Kids to be Safe; Comprehensive Sex Ed Is the Answer

Sex Educators Are Not ‘Grooming’ Your Kids—But That’s What Conservatives Would Have You Believe

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As a sexual health educator, Kerri Isham is no stranger to pushback from parents and administrators. Sex education had always attracted controversy, and there had always existed a fear of what children might learn in sex ed, and what it might inspire them to do. But when one angry parent shared an out-of-context page from Isham’s Body Smart workbook on … [Read more...] about Sex Educators Are Not ‘Grooming’ Your Kids—But That’s What Conservatives Would Have You Believe

These Frequently Banned Sex Ed Books Are Required Reading in My House

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The other month, my local comic shop posted that they’d received copies of the updated, deluxe hardcover edition of Maia Kobabe’s Gender Queer. I raced over to the shop to pick up a copy, even though I’d just re-read the book in egalley form the week prior. The new cover was gorgeous, the new intro from Nate Stevenson made me a little … [Read more...] about These Frequently Banned Sex Ed Books Are Required Reading in My House

Sex Educator Spotlight: Deborah Roffman

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When I learned I was finally pregnant nearly a decade ago, my priorities shifted quickly from fertility treatments to parenting prep. As a long-time sex writer who had recently become passionate about sex education, I was particularly concerned with how to be a sex-positive, askable parent who raised a sex-positive, healthy child. Deborah Roffman's books were essential to my … [Read more...] about Sex Educator Spotlight: Deborah Roffman

How the Anti-LGBTQ+ Movement Co-opts the Language of Anti-Violence Advocates

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Just last month, I hopped onto a meeting of the Sex Education Alliance (SEA) to talk about the most recent onslaught of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation sweeping across the U.S. The Alliance is a membership organization for sex educators who are focused on family and child education and we spend a lot of time supporting each other in various ways. But we also look for ways to push the … [Read more...] about How the Anti-LGBTQ+ Movement Co-opts the Language of Anti-Violence Advocates