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The (im)possibilities of feminist school based sexuality education

  • Ann Weatherall
Research Output: Contribution to journal Article Peer-review

Abstract

A feminist school based sexuality education needs to be both gender-focused and critical. In this paper, we investigate the (im)possibilities of feminist sexuality education by exploring instances of its practice in New Zealand. Using a poststructuralist discursive framework, we use the theoretical concepts of ‘doing’ and ‘undoing’ gender to examine how students (aged 13—16) responded to progressive and liberal ideas presented by sexuality educators. Our findings paint a complicated picture. On some occasions, participants used traditional discourses of sexuality to counter educators’ use of progressive notions. At other times liberal and feminist ideas were embraced by participants and resourced awareness of possibilities for positive female sexuality. Our work shows traditional sexuality discourses are a continuing limitation to incorporating a discourse of pleasure in sexuality education even in the presence of feminist content. Nevertheless feminist discourses were present and enabled students to think about female sexuality in new and encouraging ways.

Publication Information

Output type

Research Output: Contribution to journal Article Peer-review

Original language

English

Pages from-to (Number of pages)

Pages 165-185

Journal (Volume, Issue Number)

Feminism and Psychology (Volume 20, Issue 2)

Publication milestones

  • Published - 21/05/2010

Publication status

Published - 21/05/2010

External Publication IDs

  • handle.net: 10547/625732
  • Scopus: 77952791795

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