Beyond Eurocentrism: lack of social justice and non-western perspectives in sexuality education classes

Abstract

ABSTRACT To date, there has been very little discussion about social justice and non-Western, European and Anglo-American perspectives in formal sex and sexuality education courses. However, engagement with these issues is vital to counter ever-growing health inequities due to class, race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality and ability in the USA. This commentary highlights the importance of efforts to improve the quality of the sex and sexuality education provided to offer a more nuanced picture of issues studied. It argues that the use of a Eurocentric framework in sex and sexuality education maintains, supports and reproduces racist stereotypes and racism, and serves as a barrier to understanding and addressing health disparities and other key aspects of sexuality. The article also critiques the biomedical model which connects poor health outcomes to individual lifestyle choices and downplays the importance of economic, political, social, environmental and historical factors in creating fragmentation, stratification and exploitation. To advance the aim of achieving accurate, unbiased and more inclusive forms of sex and sexuality education, and to achieve a just and fair society, it is important to include non-Western and social justice perspectives in teaching and learning. Doing so will help make classrooms and courses more inclusive.