Introduction

Hester Prynne, for a vast number of American teenagers, stands at the intersection between literature and sex education. Popular media in the United States is filled with sexual clichés, distortions of fact, patriarchal gender norms, and vague innuendoes. This chapter introduces some prominent examples of the impact of problematic approaches to sex education. It describes how the absence of discussion in the sex education field about dominant culture gender socialization, sexism, heteronormativity, transphobia, white supremacy, sexual violence, the intersection of racism and sexism, violence against women of color, and pornography negatively impact those who do not fit dominant culture norms. The limited scope of sex education fails to address sexual violence and any intersectionality found therein. A broader and more inclusive view on healthy sexuality allows for a safer education and understanding of the variations of romantic and sexual relationships.