Question

First watch Julia Sweeney's "Mulan Sex Ed" and "Last Week Tonight: Sex Ed," then answer the following questions:

1) How did the conversation about sex between Julia and her daughter begin?

2) According to Julia, what advice had she read in parenting books about how to answer her daughter's questions? What approach was recommended in these parenting books?

3) Do you think that recommended approach is a good approach? Why/why not?

4) Although Julia (who is a comedian) tells this as a funny story (and it is very funny!), in your view, did she make any mistakes in her conversation with her daughter? Explain.

5) Do you think parent/child interactions like Julia's and her daughter's are common in America? What do we have to learn about our society, if anything?

6) According to John Oliver (in "Last Week Tonight: Sex Ed"), what is wrong with sex education in America? List his multiple criticisms.

7) What are "WAIT Training," "Go APE," and "No Screwing Around?"

8) What criticisms does Oliver have of Pam Stenzel's approach? In your view, is her approach effective? Why/why not?

9) Explain the "used shoes" metaphor that's discussed. According to Oliver, why are the messages sent to girls especially troubling?

10) How is the sex ed video at the end of Oliver's piece different from the messages typically sent in sex education?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0jQz6jqQS0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ry-LwxR746s

Answer 1

1. The conversation between Julia and her daughter about sex began when her daughter told her she studied about frogs during her classes. Her daughter then asked her how frogs reproduced and whether it was the same in case of human beings as well.

2. All the parenting books that Julia had read thus far gave the advice that if their children ask anything about something complicated and multifaceted like sex, it was best to address their question only, without delving into further details unless they are asked for.

3. I do not fully approve of this approach as I would equate it to telling the half-truth, which is almost like lying. It is better that parents communicate such topics themselves in a straightforward fashion, rather than offering partial information that would induce the child to seek out the information themselves, possibly from unreliable sources.

4. Julia did make certain mistakes while conversing with her daughter about sex. She followed the method prescribed by the advice books by divulging only partial details. But because her daughter was curious and asked more questions in response, the was compelled to finally explain the process to her. In my opinion, she could have got straight to the point in a sensitive fashion without beating around the bush and hoping to move on to another topic.

Please post the other questions separately as we are supposed to answer just question or four sub parts of a question.