Room 140 of the Instructional Centre was filled with whispering as students entered to hear Carlyle Jansen’s presentation, “What you wish you had learned about sex: all your questions answered and more”, hosted by UTM’s Sexual Education Centre.
“Don’t be shy to ask questions. Asking questions [is] important to have a good understanding of sex and sexual health,” said Jansen. “Don’t let people shame you. Find a trusted place to ask questions, where you feel comfortable being open.”
Jansen covered myths and misconceptions about sex, ranging from pregnancy to BDSM to basic anatomy.
“Sex is a skill,” said Jensen. “It takes time to develop it. It’s not something we learn from our parents. People have a lot of misconceptions about sex, and it can lead to relationships breaking up.”
She added, “Some people base their sex life off of porn, which is really unrealistic and fake. There is no stuff that people are ‘supposed to do’ during sex, like they see in porn. They sometimes think that the sex they are having is not good sex, or not ‘real’ sex, since it’s different than what is seen in porn movies.”
Jansen compared how misconceptions about sex spread to the familiar game of broken telephone.
“I thought the event was great,” said Andriana Jouk, a fourth-year biology and chemistry specialist. “It was very informational. I learned a lot, and it was very entertaining at the same time, and was not dry and boring.”
“The vast majority of the student body has legitimate questions about sex and sexuality,” said volunteer coordinator Tristan Rashad. “The problem is, most people find it difficult to discuss these topics. That’s why we’ve brought in Carlyle. She is truly amazing at what she does, and knows how to address questions about sex in a way that is fun and entertaining.”
