Teenagers Are Turning to TikTok for Intercourse Schooling
The Verge recently wrote about the dangers of misinformation on one of TikTok’s most popular topics: sex education – or how the app would censor it as “Seggs Education.” The advent of 15-second videos on everything from sexual wellbeing to kinks has given teens a perspective on sex that is rare in traditional sex education covers. In fact, the rise of these TikToks points to a huge void in typical sex education: the female orgasm and anatomy.
A recent study by professors evaluated the sexual topics that most teenagers are attracted to on TikTok. The researchers pointed out that not only are female orgasm and anatomy the most desirable content, but also important topics that are missing in traditional sex education.
Sex education is defined as “including healthy sexual development, gender identity, interpersonal relationships, affection, sexual development, intimacy and body image for all adolescents,” especially those with special needs. However, traditional sex education doesn’t even include authentic pleasures or even methods for disabled people. His approach is actually similar to the parody scene from Mean Girls, in which the “sex teacher” is the gym teacher who boldly says, “Don’t have sex because you will get pregnant and die.”
From the perspective of sex educators, the emergence of new forms of sex education is exactly what future generations deserve. Sexual wellbeing and pleasure have not been given the attention it deserves for far too long due to stigmatizations enforced by tradition and taboo. This lack of information forces individuals to find information in every possible way. Case in point: young people turn to TikTok. It is truly admirable and innovative to see younger generations acknowledge the void in traditional sex education and learn elsewhere. If you don’t prioritize your orgasms, who will?
The problem, which The Verge and other sex researchers are right to point out, is that none of the sex education content on TikTok is actually fact-checked or peer-reviewed. With over a billion users, misinformation on TikTok could be just as problematic as traditional sex education.
Health policy researcher Marco Zenone suggested a research-based team to fact-check all shared medical advice – including sexual health – about TikTok. This means that in the app, users can potentially experience everything from their sexual anatomy and how it works, to authentic gratification for themselves and partners.
However, until society moves with the times, The Verge suggests the idea of a “consult with your doctor first” attitude. Misinformation is dangerous, and after all especially when it comes to your precious pleasure.
