The Sexual Pleasure Gap: Exploring The Connection Between Gendered Pleasure Disparities And Sex Education

Abstract

Current sex education curricula in American public schools fails to adequately equip students with knowledge about their bodies, leading to poor pleasure outcomes– – particularly amongst students assigned female at birth (AFAB). This research seeks explore the impact sex education has on the sexual pleasure gap, evaluating its potential as a tool for closing this gap. Additionally, it aims to move beyond traditional gender binaries present throughout prior research by making space for people assigned female at birth who do not identify as cisgender women. In order to evaluate the aforementioned connection, a survey was distributed which questioned respondents about their sex education experiences and the quality of their sexual experiences, as well as their understanding of their anatomy and pleasure preferences at the time of sexual debut. Responses revealed a need for curricula that moves beyond cisheteronormative ideals and combats stereotypes based in gender roles, improved anatomy lessons (particularly as it relates to female genitalia), and an increased focus on healthy communication and relationship dynamics–– among other improvements. These findings suggest that sex education in American public schools does not positively contribute to students’ sexual wellbeing and pleasure, but instead negatively impacts them in various ways. Additionally, the connections drawn between sex education and the pleasure gap imply that, if adjusted to meet student’s needs, sex education could possibly serve as a tool in closing the sexual pleasure gap as it currently exists. This leaves numerous further directions to be explored including analyzing the impact of “hidden curriculum” in sex education, the exploration of sexual pleasure beyond orgasms, and the specific experiences of LGBTQ+ students.