“When parts of our bodies go undescribed, we often feel they are wrong or forbidden. Outspoken Sex Ed is a step toward universality and acceptance – for ourselves and for each other”
– feminist icon Gloria Steinem
NEWS YOU CAN USE
Actor Saoirse Ronan, age 30, on thinking about using a phone in self-defence
“[During a TV talk show] That’s what girls have to think about all the time. Am I right, ladies?
[After her 10-word comment went viral] It felt very similar to like when I’m at dinner with a bunch of my friends and I always make the point that this is actually an experience we go through every single day, 100%.
There’s something telling about the society we’re in and about how open women want to be with the men in their lives. It’s opening a conversation and allowing more women to just be like: ‘Let’s talk about our experience’”
(Daily Mail, 31/10/24)
MAYDAY MOMENTS
TIPS BY TOPIC
Browse information, advice and resources on every topic under the sex & relationships sun
Making babies, puberty before it hits and
teenage development
Seeking out healthy, respectful relationships from childhood on
Knowing what you like
and being able to tell others what you want
The impact of porn on kids’ attitudes & behaviour and navigating sexting
Becoming who you are
and accepting others’ sexual identities
Critical thinking and resilience in the face of limiting stereotypes
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Whether your child is into Transformers or texting, age-specific help is at hand
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What is age appropriate? Click here to read about the “life course approach”
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING…
“When parts of our bodies go undescribed, we often feel they are wrong or forbidden. Outspoken Sex Ed is a step toward universality and acceptance – for ourselves and for each other”
Gloria Steinem – feminist icon, leading social political activist, speaker and author of My Life On The Road
“We’re all trying to figure out how to talk to our children about this tricky stuff, and I’m turning to Outspoken Sex Ed for a few tips”
Anna Whitehouse – author, columnist and founder of Mother Pukka
“The best support and protection parents can offer young people is ensuring they have all the information they need to make decisions about their health, body, sexual exploration and emotions – which is what Outspoken is all about”
Sara Pascoe – comedian, author and member of Outspoken Advisory Board
”As a parent I felt enabled and empowered to have age-and-stage appropriate conversations with my children after the Outspoken Sex Ed workshop. This suddenly felt like a challenge I could take on with gusto rather than shying away from”
Dr Pooky Knightsmith – child and adolescent mental-health expert and author
“I totally love Outspoken Sex Ed and everything it stands for! This is wonderful work and very much needed”
Dr Naomi Sutton – NHS sexual-health consultant on E4’s The Sex Clinic and member of Outspoken Advisory Board
“Misinformation about sex has always been part of teenage life. But today, with pornography and social media, young people are exposed to a tsunami of false and damaging ideas and information. It’s therefore our duty to provide young people with a healthy counter-narrative. The work of Outspoken – which provides resources for parents and teachers to have open, honest conversations about sex and relationships – is therefore more crucial than ever”
Natasha Devon MBE – mental-health and body-image campaigner