What does “inclusive” mean when it comes to sex ed? 

For the last several years, Health Connected has put particular focus on LGBTQ-inclusivity to ensure that students of all sexual orientations and gender identities feel included, reflected, affirmed, and safe in our curricula. But LGBTQ-inclusivity is not the only set of identities that we want to be inclusive of. Every student arrives in the classrooms with identities informed by th...

Penis! Vagina! Sex! Oh my! The dominant discourse about sexual health education in the U.S. is often boiled down to giggly conversations, embarrassing anatomy lessons and condom-sheathed bananas. But at Health Connected, we understand the importance of treating sexual education like a living, breathing, ever-evolving creature in need of constant updates. This summer, I worked alongside two student interns– a high school senior and a u...

If you follow current affairs in the U.S., you have probably heard the phrase “unaccompanied immigrant minor” many times over the last few years. The Trump administration’s focus on the issue of immigration has intensified public discourse and left many immigrants feeling uncertain about their future prospects in the United States. At Health Connected, we serve a diverse cross-section of students across the Peninsula and San Francisco...

When I tell people that Health Connected has a sexual health curriculum for special education (SPED) students (Teen Talk: Adapted for All Abilities), I often get one of two responses. People either say, “This is great! I’m glad these students are getting the information,” or they say, “Why do you need a class for special education students on sex?” In response to the latter, I always ask, “Why not?” People often seem surprised that st...

Several months ago, I read an article in the San Francisco Chronicle about Facebook advertising. No, this wasn’t an article about privacy or data security, this was an article that illuminated the challenges of Facebook’s advertising artificial intelligence algorithm that interprets “explicit” images. Now, I will be frank. Normally I tune out as soon as someone says “artificial intelligence.” I know this is practically blasphemy here...

Yesterday I was sitting at my desk in the Health Connected office, when I overheard two fellow health educators on the phone. “13,” they said, and then, “I’m not sure of their name, we received the comment anonymously, via the Question Box,” followed by, “We told their teacher, and they told the principal…”  The conversation continued as I kept writing. I wondered which school they’d been at, in which class, and in what grade when the...

A new school year is upon us! As we re-enter a time of year that feels familiar, it recently had me thinking that despite the predictability of the seasons, we're actually always grappling with an element of uncertainty. This includes the ways in which we approach challenging issues in sexuality education.

Recently, I was faced with a question that prompted a great deal of reflection. An inquisitive and concerned parent asked, "...

Inclusion, respect, healthy relationships, equity...These are the topics I’m starting with when I bombard (er...talk to) my children this October for #LetsTalkMonth.

Yes, October is #LetsTalkMonth. Originally coordinated by Advocates for Youth, it’s a month dedicated to frank conversations between young people and the adults they trust about sexual health. It’s a great time to start the conversation about sexuality with your kids, if y...

What?! Talking to young children about porn? You can’t be serious?! Fair enough. I get it, it sounds inappropriate to talk to a 5 year-old about pornography. However, with the average age of exposure being 11 [1], parents need to be proactive; they need to be the first voice children hear about the subject. As a part of an ongoing dialogue about bodies and babies, the porn talk can be a relevant protective inclusion.

As with any sexual...

Health Connected is based in Redwood City, in the heart of Silicon Valley – the tech capital of the world. Each year, tech companies invest significant resources in establishing and sustaining computer science programs and coding experiences in Bay Area schools and camps. For these companies, this is not only an altruistic service to schools to ensure that young people have skills they’ll need for the jobs of the future, this is also...