Sex-education: A series of lectures concerning knowledge of sex in its relation to human lifeBigelow, Maurice A. (Maurice Alpheus)
Science
Sex-education: A series of lectures concerning knowledge of sex in its relation to human life
Bigelow, Maurice A. (Maurice Alpheus)
Sex instruction
But while there is something attractive in this larger interpretation
of sex-education as looking forward to the highest adaptation of sex
and life, I realize that as a practical matter we must first of all
work with young people for sexual morality as defined by the accepted
code. We must remember that the vast majority of people are not yet
ready, and will not soon be ready, for a code of super-morality.
Confusion might result from an attempt at wholesale teaching of such
idealism of sex relationship. Certainly, so far as sex-education aims
to help immature young people, there is nothing to do but hold up
monogamic marriage as the basis of our accepted morality; but the
higher view of super-morality should be promulgated as rapidly as
possible among people who are advanced enough to understand that
morality as defined by church and state is not the best interpretation
of life's possibilities. To many it is a significant fact that we now
find numerous young men and women ready to stand for super-morality as
a foundation for monogamic marriage. Fortunately, such individuals need
not wait for the world to grasp the idea of super-morals; and already
there is many a home in which the higher view of life and sex prevails.
[Sidenote: Cautious teaching concerning immorality.]
Immorality in sexual lines should not be overstressed when teaching
young people. Rather should there be emphasis on the moral, the normal,
the healthful, the helpful, and the aesthetic processes in human life.
We should emphasize sexual health and morals, not disease and
immorality. Concerning immoral living in general, young people should
know only enough for necessary warning. Curiosity derived from
extensive knowledge of immorality has drawn many a young man into the
whirlpool of sexual depravity. It is beyond question that in sexual
lines there is the danger that Pope saw when he declared that vice is a
monster that seen too oft, we first endure, then pity, then embrace.
Sex-education should guard against such dangerous familiarity with
vice.
Sec. 11. _The Sixth Problem for Sex-education: Sexual Vulgarity_
[Sidenote: Present attitude.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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