No: 20 ID: 6231006124 Nickname: Sab

No: 26 ID: 6231006161 Nickname: Mai

Title: The Importance of Teaching Teenagers about Sex Education

Have you ever considered the importance of sex education? When should teenagers start
learning it? Sex education is the study and teaching about sex topics, human anatomy, sexual relations,
and other elements of sexual behavior. The goal of sex education is to provide knowledge, skills,
attitudes, and values to everyone, especially teenagers that will empower them to recognize their health,
well-being, development respectful social and sexual relationships. Moreover, they consider how their
choices affect others. Currently, premature pregnancy and sexually transmitted illnesses are widespread;
therefore, sex education is essential to understand in every teenager’s education in order to comprehend
the statistics. As shown in the new research from Georgetown University researchers (2014), teenagers
between thirteen and nineteen years old should start to receive knowledge about sex to significantly
reduce the rates of unintended pregnancies, unsafe abortions, maternal deaths, and sexually transmitted
infections around the world. On the other hand, some parents disagree with their teenagers being taught
about sex education because they believe their teenagers lack the ability to think critically and they
believe that teenagers are purely learning about having sex, and it is uncomfortable talking about sex with
their teenagers.
This concern is understandable because some people think that sex is a personal matter and a
sensitive topic. Talking about sex with teenagers their parents may feel uncomfortable and embarrassing,
so they avoid talking about it. This is why some people think that sex education is not appropriate to teach
teenagers between thirteen and nineteen years old. However, a recent survey published in the Canadian
Journal of Human Sexuality (2020), found that a very large majority of people believe that sex education
is important enough to talk and teach teenagers. Sex education is not purely about having sex and
encouraging teenagers to have sex early. Furthermore, it may helps some of them delay their first sexual
experience, and it also helps some teenagers postpone their first sexual encounter and reduces the risk
of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) or unplanned pregnancy. Tenagers will learn about sex from their
friends, from browsing the internet, and television. These behaviors may lead to receiving wrong
information because teaching teenagers to think critically is essential as critical thinking is the foundation
of everything; and it is possible to teach teenagers to be able to think critically. Therefore, sex education
is as essential as critical thinking because both of them can make teenagers receive accurate
information about sex.
One of the important reasons to support this idea is that educating teenagers about sex
education, while teaching critical thinking to them enables teenagers to comprehend and
recognize. Critical thinking can encourage teenagers to analyze, examine, deal with life's challenges and
trouble. Teenagers can study more effectively by combining critical thinking skills with sex education.
Morin illustrates that “information can be misunderstood when people don't think critically and have
misunderstood information can lead to issues in school, work, and relationships” (as quoted in Gordon,
2021). For instance, some people have incorrect understanding, such as they believe that condoms can
be protected hundred percent from communicable diseases or contraceptives when having sex. However,
this is wrong information about safe sex, but the fact is that condoms can only protect a portion of the
body. Consequently, this can be seen demonstratation of not having a knowledge of sex and a lack of
critical thinking can lead to a problem.
The second important reason is that the lack of sex education has direct impacts on
health. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are diseases that can be infected by sexual relations. One
of the causes of STIs is a lack of knowledge about safe sex. Sex education can assist in lowering the risk
of illnesses because if teenagers do not have enough knowledge about sex protection, and it can lead to
serious problems. According to Kumar et al (2017), teenagers need to know how to protect themselves
from HIV/STDs and premature pregnancies, and the best way to do this is through sex education. Sex
education should be a lifelong learning process based on knowledge, skills, and a positive attitude, and it
can assist teenagers in safe sex and relationships based on positive qualities, such as positive
knowledge, mutual respect, and trust. Therefore, sex education is essential for every teenager to learn
the right ways and it can also reduce the risk of sexually transmitted diseases and premature
pregnancies.
All in all, we believe that sex education is significant knowledge for teenagers between
thirteen and nineteen years old and it appropriate for teaching. Therefore, sex education should not
be considered a shameful or an uncomfortable topic for talking. Teenagers can study more effectively by
combining critical thinking skills with sex education. Moreover, the issue of sexually transmitted infection
[STls] can be reduced through sex education. “Regarding sex education is no secret” said by Albert
Einstein.
[ 810 words]

References

Gordon, S (2021, Sep 20). How to Teach Your Child to Be a Critical Thinker. Retrieved from
https://www.verywellfamily.com/how-to-teach-your-child-to-be-a-critical-thinker-5190765

Kumar et al. (2017, March 1). Knowledge Attitude and Perception of Sex Education among School Going
Adolescents in Ambala District, Haryana, India: A Cross-Sectional Study. Journal of Clinical &
Diagnostic Research, Doi: 10.7860/JCDR/2017/19290.9338

Silverberg, C (2017, June 26). Why you should talk to your kids about sex earlier than you think.
Retrieved from
https://www.todaysparent.com/family/parenting/why-you-should-talk-to-your-kids-about-sex-earlie
r-than-you-think/