Is sex education also political education?

What is this episode about?
It quickly becomes clear that sexual education is political when you look at the controversies surrounding this area of education - but can you therefore say that sexual education is always also political education? We think so. In this episode, Danilo Ziemen, a trained sex educator, takes us step by step into the world of sexual education. He explains which topics are important in this context and what all this has to do with political education.

Before we get started:
This episode of Evening School is 35 mins long.

The central question is:
What is sexual education and what does it have to do with political education?

Who is speaking?
The author of this evening school piece is Danilo Ziemen. He is a lecturer at the Institute for Sex Education(isp) and a freelance sex educator - at the same time, he has extensive experience in the field of political youth and adult education in Saxony thanks to his many years of work at the Network for Democracy and Courage(NDC), as a freelancer at the German Hygiene Museum Dresden(DHMD) and as a psychosocial consultant at Gerede e.V.(gerede e.V.). You can find out more about him here.

Read-along manuscript

Literature for further reading:

Martin, Beate/Nietschke, Jörg (2017): Sexual education at school. Topic-oriented introduction and methods, Stuttgart

Sielert, Uwe (2015): Introduction to sexual education, Weinheim and Basel

Tuider, Elisabeth/Müller, Mario/Timmermanns, Stefan/Bruns-Bachmann, Petra/Koppermann, Carola (2012): Sexual pedagogy of diversity. Practical methods on identities, relationships, bodies and prevention for schools and youth work, Weinheim and Basel

Valtl, Karlheinz (2006): Sexual education as a new paradigm of learner-centered sexual education for all ages, online: https: //www.isp-sexualpaedagogik.org/downloadfiles/Vortrag_Karlheinz_Valtl.pdf, 13.05.24

Voß, Heinz-Jürgen (2022): Introduction to sex education and sexual education. Basic book for study and further education, Stuttgart

Self-assessment tasks

QUESTION 1: Can you recall any sexual education programs you have received? What questions were at the center of these offers and what would you say was political about them with a little distance and looking back at that time? What would an offer of sexual education have to look like today for you to find it good?

QUESTION 2: Does sexual education become better or worse if it sees itself as political education and political questions and controversies are addressed in the educational program itself? Give an example of your reasoning.

QUESTION 3: German political education actually struggles with questions about emotions, the body and corporeality. Why is this the case and what could be done to improve this? (Tip: We have another evening school play that might help you if you find answers.)