How to be a sex educator
I get to experience the joy of being a sex ed teacher, in K-12 classrooms, local organizations, presenting at conferences, and now online through this website and YouTube. I love what I do and want to share what I know, including how to become a sex educator.
What is sex education?
Sex education can include a wide variety of topics around sexual health including: birth control, puberty, menstruation, Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) consent, healthy relationships, dating online, sexuality and gender identity, and more!
Oftentimes when I tell people about my job, they respond in surprise or discomfort: “Uh… wow.” Or sometimes with “oh, so you’re the one with the condom and banana.” And on occasion, a chauvinistic response like “you must be really great in bed.” All of these types of comments reveal the reductive and uncomfortable ideas we have about sex, sexual health, and sexuality education.Sometimes that comes from our own experiences with very limited sex ed, stigmatizing or shaming sex ed, abstinence only education, or nothing at all.
My experience teaching sexual health both in West Africa and in the United States is that the content and pedagogy can really vary, depending on the educator, school policies, culture, and audience.
However, my personal philosophy in teaching sexual health is to cultivate a space to discuss topics related to sex, intimacy, relationships, and identity, that is accurate, nuanced, diverse, pleasure centered, and culturally responsive.
Sexual education is not just about the act of sex. It’s not just about preventing pregnancy or sexually transmitted infections (STIs). It is about exploring ourselves, our boundaries, building relationships that feel good to us, developing compassion and empathy for others. I want to provide all the information, and facilitate conversations and reflections so folks can decide how to use that information in whatever way is best for them.
Sex education needs to be intersectional and expansive. It needs to understand and integrate education around systems of oppression. Deeply rooted societal inequities impact a person’s identity, relationships, and experiences in the world around them.
How can someone become a sex educator?
I did not expect to teach sex ed as a career. I didn’t even realize that it was a career.
I started gaining teaching experience when I was a Peace Corps Volunteer. Sexual health - no matter where you are - is an important topic, so I started to teach that too.
Although I received better sex ed in school than some, there was still so much I didn’t know about anatomy, contraception, STIs, gender, and sexuality. So a lot of the preparation to teach was about learning the information myself!
I would start with learning as much as you can. If this is something you’re passionate about, this can be a really fun part! I have a notes app where I write down topics I want to learn more about or questions that come up so that I can refer back. I highly recommend you check out my book library if you’re looking for resources for your learning!
Remember, no matter how much you know or how much time you spend researching, there will always be something that you don’t know. Nearly every time I teach I get questions that I don’t know the answer to. Part of being a good educator is admitting when you don’t know something, and then making sure you follow up with an answer and resources.
Can you be a sex educator without a degree?
In the United States, there is no official certification or licensure that you are required to obtain to become a sex educator. And you can absolutely be a sex educator without a higher education degree, or a degree specific to sexuality education.
I do have a bachelor’s degree, which led me to opportunities at various organizations that require a four-year degree. However, my bachelor’s is in journalism, which isn’t even in the realm of public health or education. Some people, like myself, find organizations that offer training in education and/or in sexual health for their staff, so that they can start to learn more about pedagogy and other foundational skills.
Some universities have programs specifically for sexual health, like University of Michigan or Widener University. But people can also pursue degrees in gender studies, human development, biology, education, psychology, sociology, social work, or public health, and they would all connect to a future in sex ed.
The American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT) is an organization that offers certification in all the aforementioned fields, and training opportunities. Here is a list of education providers that might be helpful. AASECT is also the largest, and most well known certifying body for sex educators in the United States. This is something that I will be pursuing very soon, and will track the process if you are interested!
What are the different types of sex educators?
You can work with an organization that offers sexual and reproductive health education, either to patients in a healthcare setting, or in classrooms and similar learning spaces.
I am a sex educator that goes into schools to teach grades 5th up to high school, parents or caregivers, I train teachers and other youth-serving adults, and educate adults with disabilities about sex ed. I work as an employee of another organization as well as independently.
But here are some other ways to teach sex ed:
Some people go the academic or researcher route. Perhaps they’re a professor of gender and sexuality studies or public health.
Authors who write books or blogs about sexual health.
Health care providers that specialize in reproductive health.
Sex and relationship therapists can provide sex and intimacy education.
Sex workers are some of the original, first ever sex educators.
Folks who work in sex shops or sell sex toys provide a lot of education about the body and how to have healthy, fulfilling sex lives.
Employees at nonprofits or schools who work with youth end up having some very important sexual health conversations.
Parents! Kids can start asking questions at a very young age! And their parents are navigating ways to respond to these tough questions.
Content creators can make content about anything, and there are some really great online educators out there.
Truth be told, there’s a niche for everyone within sexual health. And whether you want to be a full-time educator or just learn a little bit more, I am happy you are here.
