Andrew Lavallee at WSJ online takes on the snarky and funny podcast, turned online video show that is shaking up the world of abstinence-only education and has become widely popular. If you have not already seen the Midwest Teen Sex Show, please put some time aside and check it out. It is smart and FUNNY. I am still laughing at this episode on birth control.
Now, you know what we at Feministing think of most sex ed that is out there and it ain't cute. Most of it doesn't not apply, does not work or ignores the real ways that young people are living. Mainly it doesn't respect the choices they make or treat young adults as people that can think. But Midwest Teen Sex Show makes fun of all of it, while smartly including some tips on safe sex and other such things.
That sort of wry, pointed presentation has helped the show lure thousands of viewers since its debut this past summer. Some may have been attracted by the provocative title, but this isn't pornography. Instead, it aims to teach teenagers about sex using risqué sketches, explicit language and anecdotes that draw on the teenage experiences of its two 28-year-old creators -- host Nikol Hasler, the aforementioned woman, and Guy Clark, an aspiring filmmaker.The two felt that existing sexual-education efforts were far too prim -- and boring -- to be useful to teens. Their podcast focuses less on birds-and-bees basics and more on real-life scenarios teens are likely to face.
Yeah, but interestingly, sex educators are not into it as much. The fear is that it is too satirical and humorous, while holding back hard truth. I don't think that is necessarily true though. Most of popular culture is snarky, sarcastic and full of inside jokes. Young people know how to decipher these messages and will still make their own conclusions. I think that if this has the ability to reach wide audiences it will still be more effective than, "save it for marriage." Let's be real. When I was young, I didn't always listen to the facts, especially when someone was forcing them down my throat. I listened to people I trusted and definitely paid attention when they made me laugh. But more importantly, I learned from watching other people and making some mistakes myself.
Midwest Teen Sex Show is using real world experiences with snark to get a point across and I think that is a lot more effective than many of the other types of snoring sex ed that is out there.
Thoughts?
Thanks to Shilpa for the heads up.
0 TrackBacks
Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry: Snarky sex-ed..
TrackBack URL for this entry: http://www.feministing.com/cgi-bin/movabletype/mt-tb.fcgi/6338
I'm amused that the website is blocked at my office for "Adult/Mature Content."
I've been watching the Midwest Teen Sex Show for a while now...IT'S GREAT! Smart, funny, provacative, educational...I could go on. Thanks for spreading the word about this awesome podcast. EVERYONE, GO WATCH IT NOW!!
Man, it's good stuff. I'm divided, though, with how helpful. On the one hand, it's in the tiny, budget amounts that pander well to an individual with a short attention span, and it punishes the important issues (abstinence until marriage is unrealistic, wait until you feel ready, always use a condom, etc). On the other hand, I feel like there isn't that much info there. But maybe that's for the best! Less chaff to get in the way of the important messages.
Scary, scary side note...the comments section on this article in the wsj. I hate comments. Why do I read them?
http://blogs.wsj.com/juggle/2007/11/09/more-talk-about-sex/
School sex ed classes may offer up facts, but most teens don't digest them. They just learn what they need for the text, regurgiatet, and forget. Then think you can't get pregnant standing up because they 'heard it from a friend.'
School sex ed classes may offer up facts, but most teens don't digest them. They just learn what they need for the test, echo, and forget. Then think you can't get pregnant standing up because they 'heard it from a friend.'
Witty. I actually enjoyed watching these videos.
I've always wondered, who the hell perpetuated that "If you stand up while you have sex you can't get pregnant"?
MTSS is absolutely fantastic. I'll agree that there aren't so many facts in there, but it does make you think about the issues they bring up. Maybe it's more of a starting point than the be-all-end-all.
Besides the obvious reasons, I hate the "save it for marriage" attitude because it assumes every couple wants lots of babies and wants them immediately. Uh, some couples don't want kids, as TOTALLY INSANE as that seems to the abstinence-preaching Bible-beaters. Some want them eventually but not right now, and some want one or two but not one or two A YEAR.
It's just so typical of how they see the world, as if everyone fell into one of 2 extremes: fornicating, aborting sluts; or chaste married couples who pop out a baby every 9-24 months.
Sorry for going a little offtopic there, but it's been bugging me more and more lately.
The comments (Nick's link) ARE pretty bad. Not sure why I can never resist reading them either. The clueless parent-types who think they're raising a clan of perfectly abstinent offspring are the reason we need alternative forms of sex ed like this in the first place.
I didn't think the comments were that bad, by internet standards. There seemed to be a pretty good balance of opinions going on.
Also, I loved this:
"Do you know what mothers who promote abstinence-only education for their children are called?
Grandma."
Oh yeah, and the "no babies if you do it standing up" comes from the body of old wives' tales that ruled contraceptive efforts before contraception was scientifically understood. My personal favourite is woman-on-top = "trying for a Bishop." How.. specific!
OMG! MTSS FTW!
i wanted to see how many acronymns i could use...
seriously...loved it...and i think that i would have paid more attention if watching this in high school...it was so funny, and very in your face...
btw...i didn't know norplant was banned in the US. silly me.
Wow, I really want one of their 'Thanks Masturbation!' t-shirts!
Funny stuff.
I listened to people I trusted and definitely paid attention when they made me laugh.
Me too! If a presentation was funny, it would keep my attention and I would actually take it to heart. I trust funny peope! (Which is why I trust feministing!)
Thanks for sharing this site. I've sent it to everyone I know. My boyfriend and I have been watching them all night!!
I love that show!
However, as a sex educator, I don't think it's a viable option for teaching high school kids about sex.
I used the Expect Respect curriculum throughout my agency's Northeast Georgia seven county service area. Definitely not the sexiest of programming but full of honest, straightforward, thought provoking information and was able to secure approval from school officials.
MTSS not a viable option because parents and teachers would never go for it. When discussing possibilities for sex education, it's important to keep in mind that you're likely to be teaching in public school classrooms and that the you're going to need your curriculum pre-approved. This is a pragmatic criticism about programming logistics. Fundamentally, I think the show, its style and philosophy are great.
I also really like the Planned Parenthood site for teens, www.teenwire.com. I wish I would have had the Behind the Fig Leaf animation when I was an adolescent.
This is the funniest thing I have ever seen! I am still laughing about not having sex outdoors because of insects, wildlife, and sasquatch.
I think material like this is much better as an underground resource as opposed to trying to use it in schools. I agree that it would never fly in schools, but if it gets enough attention from kids on the internet...it could have a huge impact.
Personally, I am in my 30s and will probably watch it multiple times...because it is just that funny.
k, i love MTSS too (and i love that it is from IL/WI). i was actually a bit scared that WSJ would take a pot shot, but i think i agree with some of the critiques.
humor is definitely a great tool, but i wonder what the average age of a MTSS viewer is? i'd guess the humor is more interesting to a college age kid than a middle schooler.
as far as who finds it funny/helpful, I'm a highschooler and absolutely love it. It's hilarious and relatively informative. For students recieving abstinence-only education it at least acknowledges that other issues exist. Definately not the end-all be-all. definately still awesome.