The Role of Media in Sex Education

Everybody, not only kids and young adults, uses either the television or the Internet on a daily basis. And these types of media are jointly considered as two of the most used sources of sexual health facts and data of young adults. And if these are used properly, then they could be very powerful tools in disseminating information that pertains to sex education.

Today’s modern media had certainly evolved to become a central part of a person’s life, no matter what age bracket he belongs to. Statistics show that most teenagers spend at lease three hours a day listening to music, and watching television shows, music videos, and films. As for web surfing, young adults do that four times in a week with an average usage of two hours per session.

It is then quite safe to say that young individuals have the tendency to turn into media for answers to their individual sexual health questions if and when their parents fail to teach them such things. But then again, parents can always take advantage of what they see on TV about sexual health as something to discuss to their children with. It is just a matter of fostering an open communication with them.

Responsible media campaigns about sex and sexuality could definitely produce positive results as far as guiding and teaching a teenager’s mind is concerned. But then again, media cannot be controlled at all times and the freedom of speech is always observed. It is a sad fact that not everything that children see on TV, more especially the Internet is right. It is therefore safe to conclude that parents should not leave teaching sex education to their kids with the boob tube. They should not even let schools do that important job for them.

In the same way, teenagers should not always believe what the TV or the Internet says about sexual health information, or any other topic for that matter. It is always proper to consult with a knowledgeable adult before accepting the facts presented to you. And there’s no one better than your parents to ask the questions to.

It’s a good thing though, that media advocates and watchdogs are always there to monitor television ads that come out every now and then. These groups give much of their time and effort in making sure that only the most accurate information about sexual health are fed to the viewing public, most especially the children.