The Sex Talk - With a Focus on Respect

By Christine Cupaiuolo — April 14, 2009

Do boys and girls need to be taught different lessons, particularly about sex? Pediatrician Perri Klass talks to other doctors about the lessons they share with their patients about sex and respect for their partners.

Her conclusion:

As a pediatrician with two sons and a daughter, I acknowledge the need to emphasize manners and respect as boys maneuver into adolescence and adulthood, and to help them understand the implications and obligations of their increasing size and strength. And I acknowledge that for their own protection, boys need to understand that there are people — male and female — who will see them as potential predators, and judge them automatically at fault in any ambiguous situation.

But I am enough of an old-fashioned feminist to want to teach daughters the same fundamental lessons I teach sons: err on the side of respect and good manners; understand that confusion, doubt and ambiguity abound, especially when you are young; never take advantage of someone else’s uncertainty; and, just as important, remember that adolescence should be a time of fun, affection, growth and discovery.

It’s too bad that one side of teaching our children about sex and relationships means reminding them that there are bad people in the world; stay away from them, stay safe, speak up if someone hurts you or pushes you. But everyone needs that information, and that promise of adult support. We have to get that message across without defining some of our children as obvious perpetrators and others as obvious victims, because that insults everyone.

One response to “The Sex Talk – With a Focus on Respect”

  1. Thanks for sharing this.

    I’ve been a fan of Dr. Klass for years – I love her short fiction…

    She’s spot-on regarding this issue.

Comments are closed.