Make a list of body parts and functions and sexual practices. Next to each, write all the slang (or “dirty”) words you know for them. Put an asterisk next to the words you cannot say aloud in front of a class. Identify those words or practices that make you uncomfortable. The discomfort you feel is a value, not a fact. Just because you feel the word “jiz” is disgusting doesn’t mean that semen is disgusting or that people agree with you that “jiz” is disgusting. Different people have different values about different words.
Think about the fact that most swear words have to do with religion, excrement, and sex.
You can practice saying words aloud. Simply knowing what makes you uncomfortable will help enormously. You don’t have to change your values about any words. What is important is that you be able to hear these words from students and talk about the subject without giving away your personal prejudices.
There are some words you have to be comfortable saying, so you may need to practice saying them while you’re driving the car, or with a friend, or in front of the mirror. These words include penis, vagina, vulva, testicles, testes, semen, scrotum, ejaculation, menstruation, breast, intercourse (practice saying what it is), cervical mucus, vaginal discharge, pubic hair, genitals, labia, clitoris, urethra, anus, rectum, hymen, erection, epididymis, vas deferens.
(figure available in print form)
It is to be expected that students will be embarrassed and giggly when the unit begins. One activity to use to help everybody get beyond this is described by Lynda Madaras in the
What’s Happening to My Body
books.
Each person is given a sheet which has labeled drawings of male and female external genitalia (see below). Each also receives two colored pencils or a box of crayons (using only two colors makes the following directions simpler).
The teacher talks about how uncomfortable most people feel about sexuality, explaining that giggling is a natural reaction but that the group is going to go beyond this discomfort. It is the task of the group to talk about sexuality. Being able to talk about sexuality is a positive goal in itself.
The teacher names body parts and their functions throughout the lesson. She uses as much slang vocabulary as possible, continually repeating the technical terms. She begins to give directions such as: locate the penis in the picture of the male genitalia. Color the penis blue and white striped. While the students are doing this exercise, the teacher talks about that body part and its function: the penis has many names. You have probably heard several like dick, bone, Peter, Jimmy, wang, prick, etc. The penis is made of spongy tissue . We recommend this exercise to those teachers who would feel comfortable teaching it.
For all teachers we recommend that the labeling exercise continue through the external and internal ale and female genitalia.
An alternative exercise to teach body parts and functions is to list on the chalkboard as many slang terms as the class can think of. Students can each have their own charts of male and female genitalia to label. (see appendix regarding resources). This exercise can also be done in small groups, with a time limit to create competition. As before, the object is to increase comfort and knowledge.
The purpose of these exercises is twofold: for students to become more comfortable with the terms of sexuality and to identify and label body parts and functions. The following is a list of vocabulary which must be included:
Male
|
Female
|
genitalia
|
vulva
|
penis
|
vagina
|
scrotum
|
labia (inner and outer)
|
testicles or testes ovaries
(testicle or testis)
|
mons veneris
|
vas deferens
|
fallopian tubes
|
epididymis
prostate
|
cervix
|
urethra
|
urethra
|
bladder
|
bladder
|
anus
|
anus
|
rectum
|
rectum
|
pubic hair
|
pubic hair
|
glans
|
clitoris
|
breast
|
breast
|
nipple
|
nipple
|
(figure available in print form)
(figure available in print form)