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Is Porn the Only Option for LGBTQ Sex Education?

Is Porn the Only Option for LGBTQ Sex Education?

When it comes to sex education in schools, people automatically assume they will be learning about heterosexual sex. For the most part they are right, as schools still focus on sex between men and women as “the norm.” LGBTQ sex might even be something that makes some teachers uncomfortable to talk about as it’s rarely, if ever, discussed in the classroom. However, it’s becoming increasingly important that sex education should encompass anyone who is going to engage in sex.

Sex education is intended to encourage safe sex, help people to know what to expect, and to ensure that young people know how to handle situations that might make them uncomfortable. Put like this, it’s clear that all these factors are important to anyone who is going to have sex. However, without access to sufficient sex education, more and more people in the LGBTQ community are turning to porn to understand, learn about, and experiment with their sexuality.

While the changes might be slow, each year, people feel more comfortable indentifying as LGBTQ. In 2012 it was estimated that there were nine million people in the U.S. who were out and proud, identifying themselves as LGBTQ. With the idea that this has risen even more now in 2018, it is a clear indication that society is moving into a space that encourages people to be open about their sexuality. The numbers also show how many people are excluded from sex education and how many people need to look for other ways to gain information about sex.

Purely focusing on heterosexual sex is unfortunately one way that many in the LGBTQ community feel they are encouraged to stay “in the closet,” as they are repeatedly talked to about something which is neither relevant to them nor recognizes them.

As such, porn has grown in popularity as an industry that accepts, welcomes and displays all types of sex. This year, the internationally acclaimed LGBTQ adult entertainment website, Xtube, will be attending New York’s Gay Pride. Their campaign and float this year will promote the importance of LGBTQ sex education and current trends. Here, they have offered an expert insight into their experiences with sex education and the porn industry’s involvement in it.

It makes sense
Quite simply, sex education for all types of people just makes sense. With one in twenty people between the ages of 16-24 now identifying as gay or bisexual, it’s almost certain that at least one person in a classroom will benefit from LGBTQ sex education. If schools aren’t ready to start discussing it, then it also makes sense that young people should be able to access information elsewhere.

Online forums
Unfortunately, LGBTQ sex education just isn’t readily available at school, and if it is, then it’s being introduced slowly. Luckily, a number of online forums now offer advice for those looking to experiment with sex or explore their sexuality. These sites aren’t seedy either; student advice forums have noticed the importance of including everyone, and this is something we hope to see a lot more of in the coming months, especially now that the age limit for porn is a requirement when accessing pornography online.

Education should get that people want to have sex now
Educating people about sex that might happen in the future in order to prepare them is all well and good, but when educating teenagers, quite frankly, it’s likely they are already having sex, if not thinking about it. Although sex education might be being introduced slowly, for some people this isn’t happening quickly enough. Porn is so popular because it’s immediate; if someone needs to know what to expect next weekend, it’s no wonder they are turning to porn, so they can research what they need to know right away.

The internet has become a more comfortable space to discuss sex
In some cases, teachers don’t even know if they can talk about LGBTQ sex in the classroom. The internet can be a great space, as people can ask all kinds of questions and find like-minded people, letting a lot of people know that LGBTQ sex isn’t something weird! Of course, we also know about the dangers of the Internet, so safe sex education on a variety of platforms is a real positive. 

TattTwink, one of Xtube’s most featured gay porn stars, shares his experience with gay sex education and what role porn played in it:

“Gay sex education was definitely something that I felt like I was on my own to learn. Coming from a private catholic school background, there was never information readily available from my teachers or peers. It definitely felt like a taboo topic; I knew there were risks but I wasn’t quite sure what was fact and what was myth. Fortunately, for my generation, we had access to the web and I managed to educate myself through the power of the internet. It didn’t fully prepare me by any means, but it gave me the basics and courage to venture out into exploring my own sexuality.

With amateur porn, I quickly realized that I needed to be on top of my sexual health because there wasn’t going to be anyone else looking out for me. I think by asking questions and making my own sexual health a priority, it made venturing out into the porn realm a little less daunting. I think porn is great for opening up the conversation about sexual health, fears and concerns that we all have in our sexual lives.”

Column provided by Xtube 

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