Sex Tech Is Transforming Sex Education for the Better
Five experts share insights about emerging, tech-based trends in sex education.
Sex education remains a hot-button topic in the United States.
According to a blog post from Planned Parenthood, “While 37 states have laws requiring that abstinence is included in sex education, only 18 states require educators to also share information about birth control.”
However, experts in the sexual health and wellness space are hopeful that the future of sex education is bright. Some suspect that new technologies will enable new forms of learning that were previously unimaginable.
To get an idea of what lies ahead, we asked four experts to share where sex education currently fails, and where it's headed in the near future.
Dr. Kenael Segal, Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist and owner of Lotus Physical Therapy and Wellness
“Sex education should begin earlier, discussing body parts and function in a way that is age appropriate.
“Anatomy, function, hygiene, and sex should be part of regular and daily conversations because it’s no different than taking care of your mouth. It’s just another thing you do to have good health and no shame should be attached to it.”
Taylor Sparks, [She/Her] Erotic Educator and Founder of Organic Loven
“The most amazing trends have been the different niche areas of sex education that different educators are now addressing.
“Sex education is no longer a one-stop-shop for vulva and penis owners. There are sex educators that focus on the LGBTQ+ community, those who are healing from trauma, divorce, or holistic sexual health and wellness, like myself.
“There are now sex educators who are assisting black and brown people to discover their own sexuality and how it differs from the ‘normal white societies’ take on our sexuality and/or stereotypes.
“[Additionally,] sex tech has taken the best of science and engineering and partnered with sexual education, thereby giving actual ‘proof’ to how we, especially us vulva owners, are pleasured.”
Kristin Fretz, [She/Her] Co-founder and CMO of Emojibator
“I think the next wave of sex education will be a trickle-down effect from how much access to sexual wellness products or information we do or don't have as a society.
“My story is the perfect example for how sex ed has been modernized. In 2005 I was in middle school, and the ‘bring your daughter to the assembly about periods' was the only memorable sex education I had.
“My friends and family were shy about masturbation, so I had curiosities but no facts.
“Fast forward to 2011, and my college friends gifted me a candy cane vibrator for my 19th birthday. I credit all of my pleasure confidence and sex education to those friends who weren’t afraid of what society told them to think about masturbation.
“Sex tech leaders have a responsibility to empower consumers with education, but it’s also on the media and educational institutions to tell people the truth: Masturbation and pleasure are natural and important, not strange or shameful.”
Jeff Bennett, Founder and CEO of Morari Medical
“As technology and social media continue to evolve and reach more consumers, sex education will be much more accessible in a personal and private forum.
“The methods of education in the past will be replaced by such things such as apps, interactive videos, and virtual reality.
“In addition, we will see continued efforts to gamify sex education which will make it a more interactive and fun experience for all.”
Kenneth Play, Sex Educator and Sex Coach
“I think VR (virtual reality) will be the next big revolution in terms of how we are able to teach about sex! I’m currently working on combining the largest research study on squirting with a new VR course on squirting! I think all of these advancements are very exciting.”
The above response is an excerpt from a longer article penned by Play on the direction he believes sex education is headed.
Image source: CollegeDegrees360
