ABSTRACT
Viewing films about sex has made a significant contribution to both our formal and informal sexual education. Many individuals or couples depend on adult films as their only visual role models for sexual behaviour. In this chapter, the author outlines the evolution of sexuality education films, from the disease model of the early 1900s to the anything goes model on the Internet. He then argues for the use of sexually explicit film as a learning tool in sexuality education in schools, for those intending to work in a professional arena where sexuality is a core issue. The author provides an example of how sexually explicit film can help individuals and couples without the help of a therapist. In the early 1900s, sex education films used the “disease model” that addressed issues of sexuality only because of sexually transmitted diseases. During the 1970s and 1980s, the use of Sexually explicit media was largely limited to university settings and sex therapy clinics.
