life & style // 16

Lies sex ed. taught me

» What misinformation about doing the dirty did you learn in school?

Brittney MacDonald
Staff Writer

hen I was in high

school I trusted that
the education I was receiving
would be based on facts,
especially when it came to
important matters like sex.
Unfortunately as I got older I
discovered that a lot of stuff I
learned in “sex education” just
wasnt true. So I’m here now to
put your worries at ease, if you
were worried about sex at all—
which, given our young adult

are.
The hymen myth. The
hymen, otherwise known as
the “maiden head” is a thin
membrane that covers the
opening of the vagina. In ye
olden times, as well as in some
more oppressive countries
and lifestyles, people would
check to make sure the hymen
was intact in order to ensure
that a girl was a virgin before
marriage, or they would
check after the wedding night
to see if there was blood
on the sheets. The blood
comes from the hymen being
broken or popped; hence the
term “popping your cherry.”
Nowadays the hymen doesn’t
play a major role in sex ed.
Basically all I was taught was

that it existed, was delicate, and :
could be broken in any number :

of non-penetrative ways, such
as biking or horseback riding.
Now for the truth: the
hymen does not cover the
opening of the vagina, at least
not completely. The hymen is
a membrane that covers only
the top portion of the vaginal
opening. This is why you can
still be a virgin with an intact
hymen, and menstruate. The

size of the opening varies, some :

age demographic, you probably

: ooh

=

girls aren't even born with a

: hymen at all, and others can
: retain it even after sex. Also

: that whole thing about the

: blood? Not necessary! The

: hymen is extremely flexible
and can be stretched to

: accommodate sexual activity

: during foreplay, without any
: need for it to be “popped” or :
: broken. And it’s definitely nota : released during child birth
: marker of virginity.

: The oxytocin myth. | :
: went to a fairly progressive high : released during sex in both
: school, so I never experienced
: this particular miseducation,

Ve.

 

: but I do know many who
: have. Oxytocin is a hormone

: that helps mothers bond
: with their children. It is also

: partners to help with pair

theotherpress.ca

: In abstinence-based sex ed.

: programs, the teacher will

: inform the students that after

: sex the release of hormones

: will result in over-attachment,

: especially in women. The

: lesson is that for women, casual
: sex doesn't exist.

I don’t think I really need

: to point out where the lie is

: here—I mean, this myth was

: constructed to blatantly deny

: or restrict feminine sexuality in
: order to slut-shame and scare

: students into not having sex.

So here are the facts: yes,

: oxytocin is released during

: sexual contact (not intercourse
: specifically). But the amounts

: are negligible and only

: increase during a prolonged

: relationship. So someone

: going out fora one-night

: stand will receive significantly

: less oxytocin than someone

: ina committed relationship.

: Oxytocin is also not something
: to be feared; in fact, studies

: now show that it might have a

: correlation with both the male
: and female orgasm.

So there you have it: a

: couple myths busted. I think

: it’s important to note that the
: current guidelines according

: to the BC Teachers’ Federation
: do not stipulate that a teacher
: must be formally educated

: in sexual health in order to

: teach it. Also, the current

: guidelines emphasize age

: appropriateness, which is never
: specifically defined within the
: guidelines themselves, and is

: instead left to the educator or
: the school’s discretion. What

: this means is that if a high

: school or community believes
: that it is never appropriate to

: teach teenagers about certain

: elements of sexual health, then
: they don’t have to—which is
probably why there is so much

: bonding and social recognition. : misinformation going around.

 

L&S Listed: 10 road signs that you could be

Sophie Isbister

.. Life & Style Editor
i Wlifeandstyle

@theotherpress.ca

 

D on’ you hate that feeling
of anxiety you get when
youre at a party and someone
asks you, “If you could be any
road sign, what would you be?”
I know that deeply personal
questions like that always
make me nervous and unsure.
Here’s a handy list of 10 possible
answers to give to anyone who
makes such prying queries.

1. Yield
2. No stopping on tracks
3. Dangerous curves ahead

4. Slippery when wet

5. Left turn only

6. No parking

7. Pavement ends ahead

8. Soft shoulder

9. Watch out for falling rocks

10. Thank you; resume speed