“The sex-ed you always wanted in high school, but you never got.”
This is how OUTreach Director Donna Braquet described “SexEd Queered,” a weekly education program that aims to present an inclusive approach to sexual safety and knowledge. Co-sponsored by the student-run Sexual Health Advisory Group, the class plans to continue its unique educational approach this semester following its initial run last year.
Braquet said the program deviates from the traditional approach to sexual education, which she said has become all too commonplace among college students.
“It’s basically sexual health information that is inclusive of LGBTQ identities,” explained Braquet, noting topics of discussion range from fertility prevention to sexually transmitted infections protection. “It’s not ‘abstinence only’ like you might have been taught in high school. You might have only talked about these things in a very awkward sort of setting with your teacher in high school.”
While many topics of discussion will focus on LGBTQ sexual issues and concerns, Braquet stressed the class is open to anyone, as long as they are accepting of differing lifestyles.
For Kayla Frye, a junior in global studies and co-chair of the Sexual Health Advisory Group, the mission of providing a safe space for LGBTQ students to learn about sexual education has proven a success.
“(SexEd Queered) has been especially useful in making sure that its target audience, LGBTQIA students, know that it will be safe space for them to learn about and discuss topics pertaining to all facets of sexuality education,” Frye said.
Originally, the class was held in the OUTreach Center, but larger than expected crowds led to the moving of the class to a larger space in Melrose Hall.
To critics of SexEd Queered’s approach to sexual education, Frye offers her own set of criticism as to what it means to be LGBT in the Volunteer state.
“In the state of Tennessee ‘traditional sexuality education’ means that anyone who isn’t straight and cisgender is excluded,” Frye explained. “Like it or not, many people of all genders and orientations do have sex and romantic relationships. When they aren’t equipped with the knowledge to do that safely, people are put at risk for disease, higher rates of domestic violence, and unintended pregnancy.”
The first SexEd Queered class of the semester is set for 6 p.m. Wednesday. The program is free and open to the public.
