… this assembly must not be done…
We are in April 2022 and in the local newspapers of Latina comes out the news of the cancellation of an assembly related to sex education in a well-known high school in the city The Assembly had been organized by the students and should have seen the presence of doctors, psychologists and prominent guests but the indignant reaction of some parents, supported (alas!) by some teachers, it resulted in its temporary suspension. An inadmissible act that has aroused scandal and bitterness in the students who have been denied the legitimate desire to confront, to understand, precisely by those institutional environments whose task would be to promote knowledge and formation! The so-called “reference adults” (at least some) have got in the way, the same ones who then build the usual narrative on young people (young people do not study, young people do not get informed, young people are careless …) and instead they are the first to clip their wings.
A few days later, as a cherry on the cake, in the same Institute during the day of awareness against homophobia, biphobia and transphobia, a teacher asked the students to remove from the wall the multicolored flag symbol of the day, as offensive to their sensitivity.
But why can’t we talk about sexuality at school?
Sexuality is a fundamental aspect of the human being, which does not concern the act aimed at reproduction or the search for pleasure, only, but involves important psychological aspects such as identity, emotions and the deepest reality of the individual. Therefore, in our opinion, to talk about sexuality we cannot ignore the face of more articulated and complex discourses that go beyond the mere physical question … in short, it is not a question of “sex” but of sexuality …. who travels with his twin sister: affection. However is this the problem? Of course, dealing with these topics in school can be difficult because sometimes false fears or ideological attitudes risk creating forms of mental closure that degenerate into censorship.
Personally we believe it is absurd that even today, someone can consider sexuality something indecent, to be hidden or to be ashamed of. But if sexuality is a way to express oneself within relationships, why can’t we talk about it? And if the sphere of sexuality is linked to that of affectivity it is clear that it plays a fundamental role during adolescence, so not only would it be essential to talk about it but it should have a dedicated space within the formation .
Perhaps then the problem is not only of certain zealous parents or teachers but of an entire society that does not normalize these issues and that, when legislative proposals that increase human rights are rejected in parliament, rejoices instead of crying. The problem is one of those who remain anchored to traditions of the past without seeing the future. As Quasimodo says” You are still the one of the stone and the slingshot, man of my time”. Young people, however, together, thanks to the privilege of study and knowledge, of comparison and knowledge, can learn to reject the “fathers” and build a new world made of beauty, love and diversity. Faced with adults who oppose the new, who see the future as an element of terror we must be determined to defend curiosity and knowledge…. perhaps with the support of those adults who, instead, make their presence felt without judgment, remaining close to us as we walk our way.
Daria Augusta Butas
Desirè D’autilia
Sara Nulli
Leave a Reply