For strong development, young women must have access to accurate information about sex. Conversations about consent and how to deal with the pressure to become sexually active before they’re ready can help them develop the skills necessary to make the best choices for themselves. But the conversation shouldn’t stop at sex; for the best education, girls must also learn about healthy relationships and intimacy.
When intimacy and sex education are taught early, young women often develop a strong sense of self and emotional skills to become confident and empowered. Here are four reasons why teaching young women about intimacy and sex help with strong development.
Know the differences between healthy and unhealthy relationships
Comprehensive sexual education should include information about gender and power dynamics in relationships because sex is a relationship issue. Programs discussing gender and power in intimate relationships were five times as likely to be effective as those that did not. Education should include discussions about:
- Exploring the ways that sexual activity may impact your health and emotions
- What healthy intimacy looks like
- Whether or not you should be intimate with someone
- How harmful gender stereotypes and dynamics reinforce unhealthy relationships
A significant example of this would be sexual consent in a man-woman relationship. Sexual consent is traditionally taught as “women must consent, but men must convince them to consent.” This dangerous thinking reinforces that men must prove themselves to women, and women must be “won over” by a man to have sex with him. This is not consent but, instead, mutually reinforced manipulation. When a young woman learns how to deconstruct this way of thinking, she learns that it is unhealthy and can avoid it in her relationships.
Feel comfortable with communicating about sexuality and sexual health
Teaching young women about intimacy and sex helps them feel comfortable communicating about their sexuality and sexual health. Sexual shame culture forces young women to hide their intentions and desires, resulting in communication breakdowns, or worse, later in their relationship. An example is learning how to negotiate with their partner who does not want to wear a condom or practice safe sex.
When young women feel comfortable communicating about sexuality and sexual health, the following happens:
- They feel empowered to ask for what they want from their sexual partners
- They build confidence to be assertive with their partners
- They learn to accept their sexual identities, which helps them respect people with different sexual identities
Help them understand, value, and feel autonomy over their bodies
When girls learn how their bodies work and that all bodies are unique, they know how to value and feel autonomy over their bodies. Some examples include:
- Genital health and hygiene
- How their body parts function
- How their bodies will change over time
- How to protect their bodies physically and mentally
Sex-ed is directly linked with increased levels of the following:
- Autonomy
- Confidence
- Emotional well-being
- Better communication
- General health and hygiene
- Dignity
- Self-reliance
- Self-esteem
When young women understand, value, and feel autonomy over their bodies, they know their bodies are normal, beautiful, and functional. They know that it is theirs, and only theirs, and how to care for it.
It can help avoid some of the negative health consequences associated with sex
Providing young women with medically accurate and age-appropriate information does not indoctrinate or sexualize them; it simply provides them with as much knowledge as possible to be empowered to make healthy decisions.
When sex-ed is inclusive and honest, girls are taught how to avoid some of the negative health consequences associated with sex. Comprehensive sexual and intimate education encourages responsibility and good judgment while supporting society.
Studies show that comprehensive sex education programs reduce the rates of:
- Sexual activity
- Sexual risk behaviors
- Sexually transmitted infections
- Adolescent pregnancy
Echo 4 Us encourages strong development
By teaching young women about intimacy and sex through our workshops, mentorships, and virtual guides, Echo 4 Us is encouraging strong development. Our community of young women and girls from all backgrounds helps navigate the tricky path from girlhood to adulthood with empathy, understanding, and support.
Learn more about the ECHO sisterhood and how it could help with solid development.
