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
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
Signs That Puberty Is for Real Happening
How do you know your pre-teen is going through puberty? I chatted with health educator Lori Reichel of the Puberty Prof podcast for her 44th episode! Tune in below to hear us talk about some of the basic physical changes pre-teens experience as they enter puberty, and to learn what you can do to support them. … [Read more...] about Signs That Puberty Is for Real Happening
Why It’s Never Too Early to Start Sex Ed With Your Kids
You’ve likely seen the headlines: Adolescents Receiving Less Sex Ed Than 25 Years Ago. Teens Not Receiving Enough Sex Education. Adolescents Doomed Because Sex Ed Is So Darn Underwhelming. (That last one is mine. It represents the thoughts screaming through my head.) Just this past November, researchers published a paper in the Journal of Adolescent Health that compared … [Read more...] about Why It’s Never Too Early to Start Sex Ed With Your Kids
Sex Educator Spotlight: Saleema Noon
I probably "met" Saleema Noon for the first time on one of the very first Sex Education Alliance (SEA) Zoom chats. From the beginning, she showed herself to be a levelheaded and articulate educator who was all the things like it was NBD, and who knew her shit. Basically, the type of person who wouldn't have a panic attack while teaching a room of high schoolers … [Read more...] about Sex Educator Spotlight: Saleema Noon
Sex Educator Spotlight: Shafia Zaloom
Those of you who have perused my site or who know me outside of Guerrilla Sex Ed likely know that I'm a bit bookish. So it should come as no surprise that I reached out to Shafia Zaloom after reading her 2019 book Sex, Teens, and Everything in Between. What follows is a good chunk of our conversation about everything from how good sex ed takes a village, to how she meets … [Read more...] about Sex Educator Spotlight: Shafia Zaloom
Sex Educator Spotlight: Justine Ang Fonte
Those of you who have been reading the Sex Educator Spotlight series know that I always ask my interviewees about their sex ed superheroes. Back in the spring, Al Vernacchio gushed about the glories of Justine Ang Fonte. About a month or so later, Fonte ended up in the news when she was the target of a smear campaign from those angry about her lessons on pornography literacy … [Read more...] about Sex Educator Spotlight: Justine Ang Fonte
Sex Educator Spotlight: Lori Reichel
Here I am, continuing to pester my fellow Sex Education Alliance (SEA) members. My latest interview is with Lori Reichel, Ph.D., also known as The Puberty Prof. I'd seen Lori's name and mentions of her podcast floating around. When I explored her site a bit more, I saw that she had created a ton of tools for parents and their kids. Aside from her podcast, she's published a … [Read more...] about Sex Educator Spotlight: Lori Reichel
Sex Educator Spotlight: Julia Feldman
Joining the Sex Education Alliance has suddenly put me on a first-name basis with many of the sex educators I had previously only known through their websites or their Instagram feeds. Which is why I felt comfortable reaching out to this month's spotlight: Julia Feldman of Giving the Talk. I discovered Julia through her Instagram feed, which is a delightful mix of vibrant … [Read more...] about Sex Educator Spotlight: Julia Feldman
Full Disclosure: Sex Ed in the News | May 2021
It's been a terrifying time for reproductive rights. Over the past few months, politicians across the country have proposed, debated and, in some cases, passed bills restricting access to abortion. And several states, such as Texas and South Carolina, have managed to pass near-total bans. And now, with the Supreme Court agreeing to hear a case on Mississippi’s 15-week … [Read more...] about Full Disclosure: Sex Ed in the News | May 2021