Because They Don’t Know Bits from Bobs: Exploring the Hows and Whys of Teaching Sex Ed Alongside Sexual Ethics

Abstract This paper will examine why professors and religious educators who plan to facilitate discussions on sexual ethics or morality should also be prepared to teach “sex ed” content to their learners, who otherwise may have inconsistent or incomplete knowledge about the biological and emotional realities of sex and sexuality. This piece will propose three areas–vocabulary and language, pleasure, and risks and rewards of sexual expression–where teachers can offer informational knowledge that will scaffold learners’ critical thinking around sexuality, with examples of activities to facilitate discussion.