U.N.: Comprehensive Sex Ed Should Include Info About Masturbation

Religious and social conservatives are alarmed at a new U.N. report that recommends teaching children about human sexuality from an early age, using a curriculum that includes information about contraception, STDs, and masturbation.

Conservative Web site CNSNews.com, which purports to combat "liberal bias" in the media, posted an Aug. 25 article in which it was reported that the U.N.'s Economic, Social and Cultural Organization--known by the acronym UNESCO--had issued a report, the "International Guidelines on Sexual Education, in which a comprehensive education plan was detailed, including age-appropriate material for children at different developmental stages, starting as young as five.

The report, made available in June, was created by UNESCO along with another U.N. entity, the Population Fund (UNFPA), which, the article noted, promotes the ability of people worldwide to reproductive health care.

The site referenced the report's claim that it was "essential to recognize the need and entitlement of all young people to sexuality education."

The report also noted that the report cited the International Planned Parenthood Federation, which said that the world's nations "are obligated to guarantee sexual rights," including "sexuality education," which the IPPF called "an integral component to human rights."

The article reported that the report included material about masturbation intended to address the educational needs of children as young as five.

But not everyone is convinced that children ought to be taught about sexuality at such a young age. And topics like masturbation, STDs and contraception (which is included in material deemed appropriate for 9-to-12 year olds), and abortion (which the report said older children said learn about) are especially sensitive areas, given the strong religious and moral objections some people have to those subjects.

Other material the article selected for inclusion in the article addressed "gender-based violence," the parenting of children by individuals of diverse ethnicities, religions, and sexualities, and the role of culture in transmitting attitudes about sexuality.

The material is purportedly intended to acknowledge children's curiosity and need for agenda-free information; however, some seemed to see an agenda at work, with intimations that entities associated with the U.N. were attempting to promote abortion.

Others worried that U.N.-associated groups were "against traditional marriage and morality."

The CNSNews article reported that the report was written in consultation with the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS), which the article claimed had the "stated concern [about] the 'depletion of natural resources'--which is reduced through access to abortions."

The article carried quotes from the director for media of the Population Research Institute, which the article said was committed to combating "the myth of overpopulation."

The director for media for the group, Colin Mason, was quoted as saying, "We are definitely appalled, but not surprised" by the U.N. agencies' report.

Mason went on to characterize UNFPA as "one of the original population-control groups," and said that "most of the things they do stem from that lens."

The article cited Mason as speaking out against such early sexual education, as well as denouncing the idea of a "right" to abortion.

The article also carried comments from the director of the UNESCO Division for Coordination of Priorities in Education, Mark Richmond, who stated, "Neither UNESCO nor the International Guidelines is making a case about sexual activity being a right."

Richmond attempted to return the focus to educational goals, saying, "Instead, the International Guidelines are focused on the importance of children and young people acquiring--through age-appropriate education programs--knowledge and information that will enable them to better understand themselves and others so that their conduct is not based on ignorance, factual error or misunderstanding."

Read the CNSNews.com article, "Asked whether UNESCO has a bias against traditional marriage and sexual values, Richmond pointed to the caveat on page 60 of the report: 'It should be noted that abstinence is often taught as one option for safer sex as part of a comprehensive sexuality education programmes.'"

The article returned to the question of offering five-year-olds information about masturbation.

Said Richmond, "It takes, as a starting point, that this is a time when children are known to be curious about their bodies, it explains what masturbation is, that not all people do it and that it should be done in private."

Richmond pointed out that the topic was revisited in material designed for the next older age bracket, from 9 to 12 years.

"The topic is addressed again in the next age range," Richmond wrote.

"This is intended to ensure that children develop a more complex understanding of sexual behavior as they progress through each stage in the transition to adulthood."

Masturbation is understood by medial professionals to be essentially universal, and part of a healthy individual's sexual development.

Religious and social views have also adjusted over time, with the view that masturbation is sinful giving way to a more comprehensive understanding of human sexuality.

However, parents who are uncertain about the appropriateness of teaching children about sexuality in schools still balk at the idea that the topic of masturbation might be addressed in the classroom.

In 1994, then-Surgeon General of the united States, Dr. Joycelyn Elders, was asked at a U.N. AIDS conference about the viability of addressing masturbation in sex education as a means of encouraging young people to avoid sexual contact with others that might expose them to HIV.

Elders replied, "I think that it is part of human sexuality, and perhaps it should be taught."

The remark caused sharp controversy. Among opinions being given voice on the subject was the view that Elders was advocating that children be instructed in how to masturbate, not just educated about masturbation as a concept. Elders was dismissed by then-president Bill Clinton, with critics also calling for her dismissal as a professor at the University of Arkansas in order to "protect children."

Conservative chat site Free Republic.com offered readers an interpretation of the U.N. agencies' report by posting a 1963 quote, purportedly from the Congressional Record, by Florida Rep. A.S. Herlong.

The quote attributed to Herlong was a reading into the record from a book called "The Naked Communist," by Cleon Skousen, including claims that communists intended to destroy American society by "Break[ing] down cultural standards of morality by promoting pornography and obscenity in books, magazines, motion pictures, radio, and TV," as well as by "Present[ing] homosexuality, degeneracy and promiscuity as 'normal, natural, healthy.'"

The comments posted at the site displayed a similar level of relevance to the topic. Wrote one individual, "These perverted bureaucrats, mostly from third world countries and living like potentates in America, spend most of their spare time wanking and think the idea of this idle habit that brings them pleasure should be spread to the world's babies."

Opined another, "These warped UN pervs need to go get their jollies somewhere else."

Another seemed to have taken the opposite meaning from the CNSNews.com article as that seemingly promoted by the site itself, writing, "The third world population isn't already exploding fast enough to suit these perverts?

"They need to get kids oriented toward sex earlier in life because there aren't enough people starving to death around the world?" the posting continued.

"AIDS isn't spreading fast enough?" the posting added.

Wrote another chat participant, "No 5 year old has the 'right' to play with themselves!

"You teach them to keep their hands out of their pants not in them," the participant added.

Another adopted the Free Republic's implied view that the U.N. was a communist bastion, writing, "My guess is that the Marxist [sic] wish to destroy childhood."

Continued the posting, "I do not know how you teach a five year old sexual pleasures, but whatever the program, I guess by 14 they are indoctrinated into anything the Marxist thugs want them to be."

Another summed up the views of many readers, offering the concise comment, "Satan is hard at work, I see."