Abstinence makes the heart grow fonder..

Its all very well gawping in disbelief at America’s insistence on teaching their young that abstinence is the only way forward, when I wonder if we really have a leg to stand on here in the UK?

Are we really that far ahead in the sex education stakes?

Rose Hacker doesn’t think so. And she should know. A month ago, this writer, therapist and dress designer turned one hundred and one years old.

Fifty years on from the publication of her book, ‘Telling The Teenagers’, a rare excursion into the realms of sex and personal relationships, she asked the question in her fortnightly column for the ‘Camden New Journal’, ‘how can our society still be failing children and young people in so many ways’?

She’s got a point. Whilst sex education may be compulsory in UK secondary schools, the curriculum still focuses largely on the reproductive system, along with the physical and emotional changes that take place in adolescence. Anything beyond this is discretionary, including lessons about contraception and safe sex.

Davina McCall made a fine effort to re-dress the balance recently in a documentary for Channel 4 entitled ‘Lets talk about sex’. In classic McCall style, she got straight to the point and shipped a couple of head teachers, one of whom asked the reasonable question, ‘what is controversial about teaching somebody how their body works and how to protect themselves?’ and a group of teenagers, out to a Dutch school for a few days investigation.

My heart did go out to them a little as they sat and squirmed at the fairly explicit sex education cartoons that their Dutch counterparts watch as a matter of course…but…this is the physical reality. This is the nuts, so to speak, and the bolts. Our natural instinct as human beings is to mate. And by pretending that it’s not, we communicate an unhealthy message to healthy teenagers with healthy hormone levels.

And the Dutch teach it all within the context of love, friendship and emotions.

Top all this off by comparing our lousy teenage pregnancy figures with Holland’s – lets just say, Holland - 5, United Kingdom - Null points, and I think you see where I am going with this.

I realise I am preaching to the converted, so, just to make things a little more interesting on a Thursday afternoon, put yourself to the test:

This is the same test that Davina McCall, the pupils, and their teachers sat in the aforementioned documentary. Anyone with a commonsense knowledge of sex should, apparently, be able to get 35 of the questions right….

How did you score?

If you tell me yours, I’ll tell you mine!

Comments

[Cathy Lewis]

I'm rather embarassed to admit that I scored below average in this test, which I'm guessing is aimed at teenagers half my age. I didn't think I'd know everything, but I thought I'd know more than I did.

Most of what I didn't know, I thought I should know. But not everything. For instance, does it really matter if I know how fast sperm leaves a man's penis?

The test has an odd tonality. It veers between the serious and the flippant, rather disconcertingly, producing a jokey flavour which sometimes seems misplaced.

Overall, though, this seems like a good way to both educate people about important sexual matters and get them interested to find out more.

What do you think the purpose of this test is, Kate, and do you think it serves it?

[mariemarie]

I got 35 which means I have common sense. But I don't think that a lot of questions were about common sense - how fast does sperm travel after ejaculation - for instance? Knowing that isn't common sense - even if it has ever hit you in the eye!

[Kate monro]

I scored 32!!
I think the test is designed for people much younger than me.
Thats my excuse.

[Paul Ainsworth]

I scored 29. I did really badly with the questions about abortion and STIs because my partner and I have only ever had each since losing our virginity and we don't agree with abortion.

Pathetic excuse I know.