Innovation and Integration of Sexuality in Family Life Education

Abstract

As a fundamental aspect of the human experience, sexuality is experienced at every stage in the life span. Sexual values, behaviors, and health are important components of individual and family well‐being. Educating about such a fundamental aspect of life is both obvious and crucial. In this article, we consider the potential of sexuality education in the field and profession of family life education (FLE). We critique sexuality education in the United States and the marginal place of human sexuality in the FLE field. We then offer recommendations for incorporating life span, socioecological, family systems, and intersectionality perspectives into sexuality education, and recommendations for FLE and sexuality education research and practice. We argue that educating about sexuality in the context of FLE—and activating the profession of FLE for sexuality education—will strategically advance sexuality education, sexual health, and the field of FLE.

Adolescent Sexual Development: A Family Perspective

“…Much of the research on parent-child relationships and sexual behaviors reviewed above uses samples of heterosexual youth or does not include sexual orientation, reinforcing the assumption of heterosexuality. Family science aims to disrupt the heteronormative narrative of adolescent sexuality research (Russell et al, 2020;Watson et al, 2020). Recent research has emphasized the diverse trajectories of the development of sexual orientation in adolescence and extending into early adulthood for some (Kaestle, 2019).…”

Advancing Publicly Engaged Sociology1

“…2020a, 2020b; Russell 2015, 2016; Russell et al. 2020, 2021). Analyze inequality of opportunity or exclusion in ways that will cause institutions to reflexively learn .…”

“…Nalani et al (2021) LGBTQ youth to tell their stories and advocate for the right to be recognized as themselves and to be as deserving of dignity as their peers. Recent work discusses why inclusive enumerated policies matter, and offers storytelling toolkits for LGBTQ youth, families, and allies (Bishop et al 2020a(Bishop et al , 2020bRussell 2015Russell , 2016Russell et al 2020Russell et al , 2021.…”

Introduction to the Special Issue: Advancing Publicly Engaged Sociology

“…The Stories and Numbers project, described by Meg Bishop, Rachel Gonzalez, and Stephen Russell in this volume, is a collaboration of three groups: Out Youth, a community-based nonprofit serving central Texas LGBTQIA+ youth and allies; Equality Texas, an advocacy organization working to secure equality for LGBTQ Texans; and the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) Health and Rights Lab at the University of Texas, Austin, led by Russell. Stories and Numbers draws on strong, cutting edge, research on sexual orientation and gender identity and its impacts on well-being, safety, and health, much of it done by researchers at SOGI (see, e.g., Bishop et al 2020aBishop et al , 2020bRussell et al 2020Russell et al , 2021.…”