How to Be a Sex-Positive Christian
I teach sex-ed to teens at church — here are some of the key lessons
When I tell people that part of my job as a youth leader at my church is teaching sex ed to middle schoolers, I get one of a few reactions:
“Well. I’m glad someone is doing it.”
“Middle schoolers? That must be awful!”
“At a church? What are you teaching them?!”
“…” (no words, just some blushing and desperately trying to escape the conversation)
Understandably, my job is met with either confusion, suspicion, or embarrassment, though most often it’s a combination. It’s no wonder since so many Christians or people raised in the church would never have had the opportunity to take a class like the one we teach.
Growing up in a conservative-ish United Methodist church with a liberal pastor, I didn’t hear much about sex. I vaguely remember signing a chastity pledge as a middle schooler, but not much beyond that. That was not the case at the Catholic high school I attended after attending public school my whole life.
I was in a health class that taught that condoms were less than 50 percent effective and that birth control pills can increase your risk of cancer. After my then-boyfriend walked me to my…
