Bad news on the sex-education front. A veto by Governor Brian Sandoval torpedoed a bill passed by the Nevada legislature last week (AB348) for an evolved and accountable sex-ed curriculum—including “current, age-appropriate and ... medically accurate” content—with an easier opt-in route for parents. Clark County School District’s own sheepish, celibacy-filtered program is considered outdated and incomplete.
Thankfully, there’s a workaround for parents who want their kids to learn the up-to-date birds and the bees, but shudder at discussing it themselves: Pornhub. No, we’re not referring to the tube site famous for its X-rated content, but an ancillary site called the Pornhub Sexual Wellness Center (pornhub.com/sex). It’s a legitimate and comprehensive platform that eschews dirty videos and employs pedigreed psychologists and academics to professionally explain nearly every aspect of human sexuality, in language that doesn’t talk down or insinuate the worst of their students.
Parents can preview the numerous subjects, choose the ones they’re comfortable having their kids read and—assuming they use Internet parental controls—whitelist the pages. Besides the obvious tutorials on reproductive anatomy and function, PSWC exhaustively reviews safer-sex and contraception, hygiene and self-examinations, and LGBTQ sexual health. It covers abstinence in one post, “outercourse”—a non-procreative alternative—in another. There’s nuanced discussions regarding love, relationships and intimacy. It defines sexual consent and assault in no uncertain terms. And the rare explicit post comes with a clear NSFW warning.
Questions can also be sent anonymously to PSWC director and clinical psychologist Dr. Laurie Betito, who publishes some of her responses in an informative Q&A section. Sure beats raising your hand in class—for all the questions and subjects your instructor can’t address.
Story updated Friday, June 9.
