Questions and answers about sex education and LGBT+ education
Questions and answers about sex education and LGBT+ education
LGBT+ education is important as it addresses diversity, respect, and the importance of working against prejudice. In all preschools, primary schools, and recreational activities, there are children who are in some way connected to the LGBT+ community. Research has shown that LGBT+ children feel worse in the school system than other children, and it's important to address and try to correct this reality. LGBT+ education gives all children the opportunity to understand diversity, to understand that everyone has the right to be as they are, and the importance of rejecting and working against prejudice. In LGBT+ friendly school and recreational activities, children connected to the LGBT+ community can have the opportunity to reflect their realities and experience the same safety and recognition as other children. With LGBT+ education, all children and adolescents receive important information about LGBT+ issues and explanations of terms they might not otherwise understand. Lack of knowledge promotes prejudice and fear, but with the right information, it can foster a deeper understanding, respect, and safety for everyone in the educational environment.
LGBT+ education is not sex education. LGBT+ education, like all education, is always conducted in accordance with the age and maturity of each group of children.
Sex education is about enhancing the sexual health of children and young adults by examining social, emotional, physical, and mental aspects. Sex education is an important prevention against harassment, gender-based violence, and sexual violence as students learn the difference between healthy and unhealthy relationships, how to set and respect boundaries, and to respect themselves and others. Research has shown that targeted sex education reduces the risk of sexually transmitted infections, unintended pregnancies, and delays the first sexual experience of young people.
Article 34 The Convention on the Rights of the Child would be violated if sex education was NOT taught in primary schools. The book 'Sex is a Funny Word' was published in connection with parliamentary resolution No. 37/150 (2020) on prevention for children and young people against sexual and gender-based violence and harassment. The book discusses sexual abuse prevention, teaching children how to set and respect boundaries and to speak up if they are violated. All primary schools in Iceland should have an active prevention team responsible for ensuring that children in every grade receive education on gender-based and sexual violence annually. It's part of protecting children from any form of sexual exploitation or abuse.
Teachers, administrators, and other professionals involved in LGBT+ education and sex education always consider the interests, health, and welfare of the students. Individuals who enter schools to provide LGBT+ education all receive the same training, follow the same curriculum, and always teach the same educational content. The curriculum and how the education is conducted are accessible to everyone on the Samtökin '78 website.
When individuals come to schools for sex education, it is almost exclusively offered to older classes at the mid-level or adolescent level, not to younger students. In such cases, it is always conducted by professionals, and parents are informed of these visits.
When individuals outside of the school staff come to provide sex education or LGBT+ education, teachers are always present. Teachers are professionals in the upbringing and education of children and always have their best interests in mind, so the idea of bringing other professional groups into the classroom has not been discussed.
The National Curriculum, the Act on Equal Status and Equal Rights Irrespective of Gender, and Reykjavík City’s Human Rights Policy oblige schools to consider and teach about LGBT+ people and issues.
Samtökin '78 and Reykjavík City have entered into a partnership agreement that includes offering staff and students free access to request LGBT+ education. The organization has developed a sound educational plan based on experience, knowledge, and research, and teachers find it beneficial to seek their expertise on LGBT+ matters.
Children are not being taught about BDSM or sexual fetishes. A poster produced by Samtökin '78 and the Reykjavík City Human Rights & Democracy Office in 2019 was part of the LGBT+ education for adolescents. That year, Hatari represented Iceland in the Eurovision Song Contest, which led to a significant discussion about BDSM. Adolescents frequently asked what BDSM was, and it was considered that the following sentence (see the end of the text) would be a sufficient explanation to prevent them from seeking answers online. Young people ask questions, and by responding in an open but age-appropriate manner, one can prevent worse and often distorted answers that lurk online. BDSM is not part of lectures or other teaching materials in LGBT+ studies. Educators from Samtökin '78 do not discuss BDSM with children or adolescents. If asked, they respond with the same sentence as on the poster.
The sentence on the poster states: BDSM orientation: attraction to people who share desires for consensual and conscious power exchange.
We are not pornifying children in primary schools. Instead, we are responding to the pornification occurring in society. Pornographic material and access to it have significantly changed in recent years. According to a 2022 Media Commission study, nearly all children (95-100%) aged nine to eighteen have smartphones, and the majority of children in primary school mid-levels are on social media platforms that are banned for children under thirteen. Therefore, it is inevitable that children will experience significant pornographic exposure through their smart devices. Icelandic youth studies (2023) show that 35% of girls in 8th grade and 56% of girls in 10th grade in Reykjavík have at some point received unsolicited pornographic messages.
It is therefore essential to address this trend and train children to distinguish between sex and pornography with quality sex education.
Isn't it within the parents' role to discuss and educate their children about these issues?
Sex education is not optional in primary schools. Icelandic authorities are legally obliged to ensure education on sexual health, human rights, and gender equality in the school system, so it's not only the parents' responsibility but also the school system's. It is important to provide purposeful and evidence-based sex education so that children and adolescents are less likely to turn to pornography for information about sex. It’s beneficial when parents discuss sexual health with their children, but the school system does as well. Teachers are encouraged to inform parents about the curriculum being used in school, which is often done in parent letters or during school presentations. Good cooperation between home and school is always most successful.
If parents remove their child from school during LGBT+ education and/or sex education, their child risks missing out on important information they are entitled to receive. Schools often send notifications to parents when external educators are expected, and parents also have the right to inquire with the school to check if such education is planned. It's important to note that there is mandatory schooling in Iceland, and students are entitled to all the education that takes place within schools.
The Child Protective Services annual report from 2022 indicates an increase in reports of sexual abuse against children in recent years. The stereotype of perpetrators in sexual abuse cases has been that the greatest danger comes from strangers. However, Save The Children – Iceland's website reveals that 60%–70% of those who subject children to sexual abuse are family members or are friends and acquaintances. With these figures in mind, schools have notified parents following sexual abuse education sessions because it's essential that no child be kept from school during such education.
There is NO encouragement for 7-10-year-old children to try all kinds of kisses. The posters are designed for adolescents, not for children. If children see them, it's important to clarify that they are intended for adolescents and to move the poster to an adolescent area.
Sex education is not a separate subject for the youngest level in primary schools. However, certain topics blend into other subjects. Like other subjects, sex education builds on basic knowledge throughout primary school. Teachers use various teaching materials and methods today. They aim to provide students with different ways to meet the national curriculum's competency goals. This can include parts of specific books, like pages or chapters, interactive online materials, videos, readings, creative activities, games, and much more.
According to the national curriculum for primary schools at the youngest level, the main focus is on helping students understand body awareness and private body parts, and explaining physical differences between individuals. Students learn to respect themselves and others, express emotions, empathize with others, and discuss their rights and responsibilities.
Main topics covered at the youngest level:
- Families are diverse, and family members have different needs and roles.
- Friendships, love, and relationships come in many forms and involve different kinds of love. There are healthy and unhealthy relationships. Friendship should be based on trust, respect, empathy, and solidarity.
- Different manifestations of communication, healthy and unhealthy interactions, and the right to privacy.
- The difference between biological sex and gender identity.
- Every individual is unique and deserves respect regardless of sex, gender identity, or sexual orientation.
- Important values related to equality, respect, and tolerance.
- What gender-based violence is and where to seek help. Everyone has the right to protection and support.
- Boundaries and consent. Everyone has the right to decide who can touch their body, where, and how.
- Safe use of information and social media (children this age should not be on social media).
- Habits and peer influence on behavior, understanding peer pressure, and identifying positive and negative peer influences.
- The human body and development.
- Concepts and terms for reproductive organs.
- Reproduction (the union of an egg and sperm, and the fertilized egg nesting in the uterus).
- Puberty and the physical, social, and emotional changes that come with it.
- Body image and the importance of students learning that all bodies are unique and it is important to be comfortable in their own bodies.
- Sex and sexual behavior.
- Some children may find it enjoyable to touch their genitals, which is considered normal sexual behavior in children. If this behavior occurs in a preschool or primary school, it is acknowledged but children are encouraged not to do it in school. There is no encouragement or teaching of masturbation at these levels.
It is common for children at this age to have heard the word "sex," even if it only takes one student hearing it in their environment to spread it to the entire group, leading to discussions and questions among the children. Most teachers have encountered this at some point. It is therefore considered a good tool for teachers to have a book to explain a complex concept. Children know the word "play" and understand that it can mean various things, such as indoor games, outdoor games, hide-and-seek, computer games, and more. The book explains to children that the term "sex" has many meanings, just like the word "play." A common misconception is that the word "sex" always means intercourse. It is certainly not telling children that sex is a game for them. It is simply stating that some words have only one meaning, while others can mean many things. Another word besides play” could have been chosen, but it is a word that most children are well acquainted with and relate to. Teachers are educationally trained individuals whom we trust to explain complex concepts clearly and carefully to children.
A pamphlet from the Children's House (I. Barnahús) on children's sexual behavior states that the act of 'putting something against/on one's own genitals/rectum to feel a sensation in the body, out of curiosity, or for self-exploration' is considered normal behavior for children aged 6-9. This means that such instances regularly arise in schools and teachers need to be able to respond and discuss the behavior with the children. It's not about teaching or encouraging children to engage in such behaviors, but it's important to talk to them about these activities as a normal part of life, while also making it clear that such behavior does not belong in school. It's crucial that children do not experience shame, and therefore the book can be a valuable tool for teachers to facilitate a discussion with students if necessary. It's also important to emphasize general hygiene to children and to remind them of the importance of washing their hands.
The questioner refers to this Act:
According to Article 210a of the General Penal Code No. 19/1940, it is punishable by law to produce, import, acquire for oneself or others, distribute, or have in one's possession visual material that depicts sexual abuse of a child or that portrays a child in a sexualized manner, with penalties of up to six years in prison. Article 209 of the cited laws further states that anyone who with lascivious behavior injures the modesty of others or causes public scandal shall be subject to imprisonment for up to four years.
In the book 'Sex is a Funny Word,' sexual abuse is discussed in a preventative context in such a way that children are taught to set boundaries, respect them, and to speak up if someone violates those boundaries. Nowhere in the book can illustrations be found that depict a child in a sexualized manner. Showing illustrated buttocks or genitals is part of natural science education and is not considered sexual.
Criticism of the book 'Sex is a Funny Word' on one hand, and criticism of the posters on the other, has been intertwined in discussions with LGBT+ education from Samtökin '78, resulting in increased animosity towards LGBT+ people. LGBT+ individuals have faced disparagement both online and on the streets, which has escalated following recent discussions. Additionally, some of the criticism of the book has focused on the wording regarding gender identity; however, the book is inclusive and acknowledges the existence of transgender people. The same applies to the posters, which depict same-sex couples among others, and these too have faced criticism from some of those who have expressed their opinions about them.
Therefore, it's not as clear-cut as is implied in this question that the discussion and criticism have nothing to do with the rights struggle of LGBT+ individuals. However, we know part of the criticism of sex education materials comes from people who truly support LGBT+ individuals and their fight for rights.
- a. What educational materials are that specifically?
- b. How is it 'taken out of context'?
- c. How was this educational material 'framed in a dubious way'?
The Sexual Health Campaign Week6, initiated by the Gender Equality Academy of Reykjavík, including educational posters and the publication of the sex education book 'Sex is a Funny Word' by the Directorate of Education, as well as an educational poster on LGBT+ created by Reykjavík City's Human Rights & Democracy Office and Samtökin '78, has been misrepresented in discussions. It has been inaccurately presented as if the material was produced and targeted at the youngest primary school students, which is not the case. Children are not taught about BDSM, they are not encouraged to engage in 'playing doctor', to masturbate, or to insert fingers into their own anus, as has been falsely claimed on social media.
The posters are designed for adolescents, not children, and accompany other educational content. Week6 is developed by experts in collaboration with young adults, who have significant input on where to place emphasis each time. The work is always based on the interests and welfare of students, with education provided by teachers and other professionals. The only connection of Week6 to pornography is teaching children the difference between sex and pornography and providing counterbalance to the distorted and harmful messages pornography conveys about sexual health, relationships, and communication.
BDSM is neither taught in lectures, education, nor books in primary schools, despite repeated claims on social media. There is only one sentence on the poster about LGBT+. In Iceland, BDSM falls under the LGBT+ umbrella. This inclusion was voted on in a democratic meeting within the organization, which defines BDSM as a sexual orientation. Therefore, it's not for schools to dispute or decide whether it is an orientation or a fetish. Adolescents regularly ask what BDSM is and seek information about it online. Such questions peaked after the participation of Hatari in Eurovision in 2019. To address adolescents' questions, it was deemed that this sentence on the poster was sufficient explanation and would reduce the likelihood of them seeking answers online. Young people ask questions, and by responding in an open but age-appropriate manner, one can prevent worse and often distorted answers that lurk online. It should be noted that the poster has been displayed in various locations for the past four years, and not a single complaint was received about it until now.
The book 'Sex is a Funny Word' is just being released these days. It was translated following an action plan accompanying a parliamentary resolution on prevention among children and adolescents against sexual and gender-based violence and harassment (No. 37/150, 2020). The book is not taught in its entirety; some chapters are suitable for children aged 7, while others are not appropriate until about the age of 10. Teachers select the pages to work with each time, as the book is a valuable tool for them to rely on in handling sensitive discussions. Teachers have the discretion to skip certain pages if they deem them inappropriate for their student group. Teachers can also focus on specific pages if circumstances require it. (See the answer to question 3.)
It has also been falsely claimed that the World Health Organization (WHO) is behind the sex education material offered in Icelandic primary schools and that the purpose of sex education is to prepare children for pedophilia. These are serious allegations and are entirely false. Therefore, the educational materials have been questionably portrayed by spreading misinformation on social media and in letters to public institutions.
Recently, words and drawings from the book 'Fávitar' (Idiots) were added to the discussion, with the claim that it was educational material for young children. That book was not published as a textbook but as a community project, and it has never been taught to young children in primary schools.
One school in Akureyri has offered an elective for young adults where they analyze the book ''Fávitar' (Idiots). It's important to note that the book is based on real questions from hundreds of Icelandic adolescents and has been very popular among the youth.
A pamphlet from the Children's House (I. Barnahús) on children's sexual behavior states that the act of "Putting something on/in one's own genitals/rectum to feel sensations in the body, out of curiosity or for self-exploration" and "Touching/massaging one's genitals during the following activities: when going to bed or when a child is stressed, excited or scared" is considered normal behavior for children aged 6-9 years. Such instances regularly arise in schools, and teachers need to be able to respond and have a conversation with the children about the behavior. Children are not being taught masturbation, and the discussion is not framed in a way that would be seen by the children as encouragement. It is essential to talk to children about these behaviors as normal, while at the same time making it clear that such behavior is not appropriate at school. It's crucial that children do not experience shame, and therefore the book can be a valuable tool for teachers to facilitate a discussion with students if necessary. It's also important to emphasize general hygiene to children and to remind them of the importance of washing their hands.
Children are NOT being encouraged to take nude pictures of themselves! The poster is designed for the adolescent level, with messages specifically selected to convey certain information. Digital sexual violence has increased significantly in recent years. Thousands of images of Icelandic adolescents can be found on pornography sites online after they have been violated digitally and the images distributed without the owner's consent. Conversations with adolescents revealed that many victims did not dare to disclose that their images were being distributed or had appeared on such sites. They were afraid they would be blamed for having taken the photo of themselves. Victims feared being shamed, even prosecuted, and losing their honor for taking a picture of themselves. It should be noted that in adolescent culture, there is great pressure, especially on young females, to send sexual pictures and they often feel trapped. According to the laws on sexual privacy, it is not illegal to take a picture of oneself. Adolescents are reminded that they OWN their body and CAN take pictures of it but there is NO requirement to do so. Knowing they are not to blame provides them with the security to speak out if they are violated. Lower on the poster, definitions are provided for what constitutes a violation of the law, what is harassment and violence, what to watch out for (for instance people who misrepresent themselves), and where to seek help. This poster was created specifically to teach adolescents about what is and isn't legal regarding photo sharing and where to get help if they are victimized. The poster encourages children to recognize digital violence and know they can safely report it and receive assistance.