Fertility, the Reproductive Lifespan and the Formal Curriculum in England: A Case for Reassessment

Autor/in	Littleton, Fiona Kisby
Titel	Fertility, the Reproductive Lifespan and the Formal Curriculum in England: A Case for Reassessment
Quelle	In: Sex Education: Sexuality, Society and Learning, 12 (2012) 5, S.483-497 (15 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1468-1811
DOI	10.1080/14681811.2011.627724
Schlagwörter	Pregnancy; Sexuality; Females; Evidence; Sexually Transmitted Diseases; Sex Education; Foreign Countries; Hidden Curriculum; History; Adolescents; Prevention; Birth; Educational Attainment; Role; Personal Autonomy; Age; Well Being; Health; United Kingdom (England) + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Schwangerschaft; Sexualität; Weibliches Geschlecht; Evidenz; Sexual transmitted disease; Geschlechtskrankheit; Sex instruction; Sexualaufklärung; Sexualerziehung; Sexualkunde; Ausland; Heimlicher Lehrplan; Geschichte; Geschichtsdarstellung; Adolescent; Adolescence; Adoleszenz; Jugend; Jugendalter; Jugendlicher; Prävention; Vorbeugung; Geburt; Bildungsabschluss; Bildungsgut; Rollen; Individuelle Autonomie; Alter; Lebensalter; Well-being; Wellness; Wohlbefinden; Gesundheit
Abstract	Historical studies have shown that, since its beginnings, sex education in England has mostly focused on "damage limitation", emphasising only the dangerous inevitability of pregnancy and childbirth after unprotected sex and the hazards of sexually transmitted diseases. This approach is largely based on restrictive notions of teenage sexuality, characterising teenagers as hypersexual beings for whom sexual drives continuously threaten to produce unwanted babies unless preventive action is taken. Analysis of current materials from many curricular areas reveals that this is still the case. Yet, recent demographic evidence shows that educated women in Europe continue to delay first childbirth for a number of reasons. At the same time they are also subject to seductive and deceptive media messages about the possibilities of conception at late reproductive age through reporting on "older" celebrity mothers, and the role that reproductive technologies play in conquering infertility. In the light of these demographic trends, and the misleading hidden curriculum, this paper contends that discourses of damage limitation are no longer appropriate in sex education. Instead, if educated women are to gain full reproductive autonomy then new, more balanced conceptualisations of sex education that also incorporate appropriate messages about the finite nature of the reproductive lifespan are needed. Not only will this help schools provide comprehensive, quality, progressive sex education, it will also ultimately contribute to future national health and well-being. (Contains 2 notes.) (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 325 Chestnut Street Suite 800, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Fax: 215-625-2940; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10