[nabs-l] Sex Education Curriculum

Fri Jul 13 02:44:17 UTC 2012

I've been reading this thread and have a few comments:
1) I think this is a valid topic of conversation for this list, so long as
we can proceed in a civil and intelligent manner.
2) I think sex education is very important - for everyone.  It has been
stated that humans don't need to be further educated in matters of sex, but
I would have to disagree.  We probably don't have to learn about HOW to
have sex, but there are lot of implications - namely, unsafe sex is  HUGE
public health issue.  We need to focus on teaching people the implications
of having unsafe sex and TEACH them HOW to have SAFE sex.  I am not a
proponent of abstinence-only education, as people will always have
pre-marital sex and have been doing so since the dawn human existence.  The
question is, how can we educate people to proceed in a safe manner and
avoid STDs, pregnancy, and emotional damage?  This is not an issue just for
the blind and VI, but for everyone.
3) I think someone made a good point about how the blind and VI need better
access to what sex education is available already. For example, there are
anatomically accurate and useful 3D models of various body parts. These are
often used in biology classes and in med schools.  I think these could be a
very useful, non-offensive way of presenting the material.  Further, they
could be used to teach people how to put on a condom, for example. This is
important, regardless of if you're planning on having sex before or after
marriage. A lot of sex ed is not really about anatomy, however.  This
information can take the form of graphs and charts, open discussion with
teachers and peers, and reading assignments.
4) I think the use of words such as penis and vagina are perfectly fine, as
they are anatomically accurate and informative.  We shouldn't be afraid of
stating what these things are.  Part of sex education is to get people to
feel that they can talk about it.  This is important if, for example,
someone is being sexually harassed or abused.  If we are ashamed of talking
about sex and the body parts involved, how can information be passed on?
5) I took the survey in less than 20 minutes and think it ca be potentially
useful.  It's not offensive or graphic, so don't be afraid to fill it out.

In the field of observation, chance favors only the prepared mind.
    ~Louis Pasteur, lecture 1854

On Thu, Jul 12, 2012 at 9:29 PM, Ignasi Cambra <ignasicambra at gmail.com>wrote:

> Ashley,
> I believe you didn't know about any of these things because you didn't
> inform yourself, not because you are blind...
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On Jul 12, 2012, at 4:23 PM, Ashley Bramlett <bookwormahb at earthlink.net>
> wrote:
>
> > Sophie,
> > I, too, took a sex ed class and it was useful. But, we still lack
> knowledge usually. I don't think this replaces school education, it
> supplements it.
> > Having nonvisual access such as a description, diagrams, or model would
> further aide in  our understanding of such a matter.
> > Guys you may want to skip the next paragraph.
> >
> > For instance, My brother's wife just had a baby; having not seen or been
> explained what the birth process is, I don't have a clue what its about.
> What are contractions? What is ambiotic fluid and what is its role in
> supporting the fetus? I still don't understand how a baby gets nurishment
> as its in the mother. I know from the mother's food, but just how I don't
> understand.
> > They told me Steve, my brother, cut the umbilical cord.
> > But where is that on the baby and mother? Kasey told me she started
> labour in the evening and went to the hospital; she did not have the baby
> til next afternoon! I asked her how she managed it; wasn't she tired? She
> informed me she slept a little during the night. She told me the baby's
> head came out first which was normal. I did not know this. I learned from
> her as I held my nephew that the head came out first and then the trunk and
> limbs. I learned that babies cried after they came out of the womb. I
> learned that infants needed to get milk very often. I am hoping Kasey will
> tell me more about her pregnancy and the beginnings of it, AKA, the sex
> part sometime.
> >
> > I think I'll take that survey that started this.
> > Ashley
> >
> > -----Original Message----- From: Sophie Trist
> > Sent: Thursday, July 12, 2012 1:37 PM
> > To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
> > Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Sex Education Curriculum
> >
> > Dave, I'm a little confused. I'm going into tenth grade, and I
> > took a sex ed class in seventh grade. I found it to be very
> > informative despite my blindness. I don't understand why we need
> > a special curriculum for sex ed.
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: David Andrews <dandrews at visi.com
> > To: nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> > Date sent: Wed, 11 Jul 2012 20:52:03 -0500
> > Subject: [nabs-l] Sex Education Curriculum
> >
> >
> > I have been asked to circulate the following:
> >
> >
> > Dave
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Dear NFB Member,
> > The National Federation of the Blind has been gracious enough to
> > help us with a current project.
> >
> > We are currently seeking your opinion in a survey that will help
> > us
> > write a curriculum for students with low vision and blindness in
> > the
> > area of sex education.  Currently no curriculum exists for
> > students
> > with low vision and blindness that reflect current education
> > standards.  Young people, educators, and professionals have all
> > indicated that there is a desperate need for such a curriculum.
> > We want your voice to impact our work!
> > Please take the time to fill out the survey at the link found
> > below:
> > <https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/sexeducationsurvey>https://www.su
> > rveymonkey.com/s/sexeducationsurvey
> > <https://maverick.hec.ohio-state.edu/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=ht
> > tps://www.surveymonkey.com/s/sexeducationsurvey
> >
> >
> > Thank you for your time and consideration of this project!
> > Tiffany Wild, Mollie Blackburn, Stacy Kelly, and Caitlin Ryan
> >
> >
> >
> > Thank you,
> > Mika Baugh
> > National Federation of the Blind
> > 200 East Wells Street
> >     at Jernigan Place
> > Baltimore, MD 21230
> > P: (410) 659 9314 ext. 2371
> > E: <mailto:mbaugh at nfb.org>mbaugh at nfb.org
> > W: <http://www.nfb.org>www.nfb.org
> >
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