2008 Woodie Awards
Sex mis-education
MSU Professor Susan Freeman has written book about the history of sex ed
by Nia Jonesz
Issue date: 8/28/08
Section: Campus News
When it comes to sex, perhaps grandma and grandpa really do know best.
Minnesota State women's studies professor Susan Freeman recently wrote a book about sex-education programs offered in the 1940s and 1950s, and the results of her research surprised even her.
"During that time period they wanted to have more discussion," Freeman said. "Rather than lecturing young people and telling them what they shouldn't do, they were having conversations about messages the media was sending."
Freeman decided to write "Sex Goes to School" as part of her dissertation because she was curious where people get their ideas about gender and sexuality. For better or worse, school is one of those places.
Freeman began researching old sex-education films, textbooks and archives containing teachers' documents. She said some of the most interesting materials found were a teacher's anonymous question box, with the students' questions still in it, and a young girl's sex-education workbook. She was also able to speak with a woman who taught sex education during the era.
"She actually called herself a family-life educator," Freeman said. "I think she got more conservative as time went on."
If Freeman's research is any indication, the "family-life educator" is not the only one getting increasingly conservative.
The research she did gave her insight beyond society and into individuals' feelings.
Freeman said she was especially interested in searching beyond the perception of the '50s as a "Leave it to Beaver" era in the sense that no one thought about sex.
According to Freeman, the belief that the '40s and '50s were a pure and chaste time is a stereotype.
"Imagine if people looked at something like 'Desperate Housewives' and used it to reflect what our culture is like today," Freeman said. "[The show does] sort of, but not exactly."
Sex and sex education might get more media coverage now, but the public opinion of sex education seems increasingly critical.
Freeman said media coverage about sex education in the past was generally very positive on the whole.
"They viewed it as something a progressive society should do to educate their children," she said.
As the 1960s came sex education became more controversial. Freeman indicated that as time went on conflicting groups - those in favor of changing sexual values and norms and the people who were opposed - became more organized.
Freeman said current implementation is more regulated by the federal government than it used to be, and that abstinence-only education comes from a political agenda.
Statistics indicate that agenda coincided with a downward spiral of less thorough sex education.
According to statistics from the Guttmacher Institute, a worldwide sexual and reproductive health research center, in 2002 62 percent of sexually-experienced girls had received instruction about contraception before they first had sex, compared with 72 percent in 1995 and higher rates of instruction before that.
In addition, the institute reports that more than nine out of 10 teachers believe students should be taught contraception but one in four are prohibited from teaching it.
Freeman said presentation of material about topics such as homosexuality is another example of current students receiving a less extensive sexual education than earlier generations.
She said while there is presently more discussion about homosexuality, it was treated less condescendingly in the '40s and '50s.
"Currently, seven states in this country do not allow any positive mention of the LGBT community in the classroom," Freeman said.
Freeman's new project involves gay and lesbian perceptions at a university level.
Nia Jonesz is the Reporter news editor
Minnesota State women's studies professor Susan Freeman recently wrote a book about sex-education programs offered in the 1940s and 1950s, and the results of her research surprised even her.
"During that time period they wanted to have more discussion," Freeman said. "Rather than lecturing young people and telling them what they shouldn't do, they were having conversations about messages the media was sending."
Freeman decided to write "Sex Goes to School" as part of her dissertation because she was curious where people get their ideas about gender and sexuality. For better or worse, school is one of those places.
Freeman began researching old sex-education films, textbooks and archives containing teachers' documents. She said some of the most interesting materials found were a teacher's anonymous question box, with the students' questions still in it, and a young girl's sex-education workbook. She was also able to speak with a woman who taught sex education during the era.
"She actually called herself a family-life educator," Freeman said. "I think she got more conservative as time went on."
If Freeman's research is any indication, the "family-life educator" is not the only one getting increasingly conservative.
The research she did gave her insight beyond society and into individuals' feelings.
Freeman said she was especially interested in searching beyond the perception of the '50s as a "Leave it to Beaver" era in the sense that no one thought about sex.
According to Freeman, the belief that the '40s and '50s were a pure and chaste time is a stereotype.
"Imagine if people looked at something like 'Desperate Housewives' and used it to reflect what our culture is like today," Freeman said. "[The show does] sort of, but not exactly."
Sex and sex education might get more media coverage now, but the public opinion of sex education seems increasingly critical.
Freeman said media coverage about sex education in the past was generally very positive on the whole.
"They viewed it as something a progressive society should do to educate their children," she said.
As the 1960s came sex education became more controversial. Freeman indicated that as time went on conflicting groups - those in favor of changing sexual values and norms and the people who were opposed - became more organized.
Freeman said current implementation is more regulated by the federal government than it used to be, and that abstinence-only education comes from a political agenda.
Statistics indicate that agenda coincided with a downward spiral of less thorough sex education.
According to statistics from the Guttmacher Institute, a worldwide sexual and reproductive health research center, in 2002 62 percent of sexually-experienced girls had received instruction about contraception before they first had sex, compared with 72 percent in 1995 and higher rates of instruction before that.
In addition, the institute reports that more than nine out of 10 teachers believe students should be taught contraception but one in four are prohibited from teaching it.
Freeman said presentation of material about topics such as homosexuality is another example of current students receiving a less extensive sexual education than earlier generations.
She said while there is presently more discussion about homosexuality, it was treated less condescendingly in the '40s and '50s.
"Currently, seven states in this country do not allow any positive mention of the LGBT community in the classroom," Freeman said.
Freeman's new project involves gay and lesbian perceptions at a university level.
Nia Jonesz is the Reporter news editor
Be the first to comment on this story