What does sex mean to you? I’m a sex educator – here’s why I don’t define it at all
The Guardian
Overall Assessment
The article is a first-person essay advocating for expansive, self-defined understandings of sex, grounded in sex education practice and expert input. It prioritizes inclusivity, autonomy, and emotional resonance over neutrality. Its editorial stance is progressive and pedagogical, aiming to challenge rigid norms rather than present a balanced debate.
"Self-definitions in sex can be a form of liberation, particularly for Black women and femmes who’ve faced a long history of sexual violence and disempowerment"
Loaded Language
Headline & Lead 95/100
The headline is engaging and accurately reflects the personal, reflective nature of the article. It avoids sensationalism and aligns well with the body, though it frames the piece as opinion rather than straight reporting.
✕ Headline / Body Mismatch: The headline poses a personal, reflective question and identifies the author as a sex educator, which accurately sets up the first-person essay format of the article. It does not overpromise or misrepresent the content, though it leans into personal narrative rather than hard news. The 'I' voice is appropriate given the genre.
"What does sex mean to you? I’m a sex educator – here’s why I don’t define it at all"
Language & Tone 80/100
The tone is supportive and educational, with intentional use of affirming language. It prioritizes inclusivity and self-determination, which aligns with sex education values but reduces strict objectivity.
✕ Loaded Language: The article uses emotionally resonant and affirming language such as 'liberation', 'empowerment', and 'harmful' to describe sexual norms, which reflects a values-based perspective. While appropriate for a first-person essay, it departs from strict neutrality.
"Self-definitions in sex can be a form of liberation, particularly for Black women and femmes who’ve faced a long history of sexual violence and disempowerment"
✕ Sympathy Appeal: The article appeals to empathy, particularly around marginalized identities and historical disempowerment, which supports its educational mission but introduces emotional framing.
"We had labels put on us of being hypersexual, being lewd and lascivious, and our bodies really were not our own."
✕ Glittering Generalities: Phrases like 'more pleasurable, exciting and aligned sex' and 'stronger relationships' function as positive but vague ideals that encourage agreement without detailed argument.
"Individual benefits include more pleasurable, exciting and aligned sex – and also each individual having more power over their own experience and body."
Balance 90/100
The article draws on a diverse, credentialed set of voices in sexuality education and public health, enhancing its credibility and representational balance.
✓ Comprehensive Sourcing: The article cites multiple experts in the field—Dr Bianca Laureano, Dr Varuna Srinivasan, Dr Damon Constantinides, and Dr Wendasha Jenkins Hall—each bringing distinct perspectives on sexuality, identity, and health.
"Dr Bianca Laureano"
✓ Viewpoint Diversity: The sources represent diverse identities and specializations, including work with queer and trans communities, Black women, and public health, contributing to a well-rounded expert perspective.
"Dr Damon Constantinides, a sex therapist who specializes in working with queer and trans people"
✓ Proper Attribution: All key claims and definitions are attributed to named experts or the author’s professional experience, avoiding vague or unverified assertions.
"Dr Varuna Srinivasan, a physician turned public health expert and writer, uses the word 'friction'"
Story Angle 85/100
The story is framed as an invitation to reimagine sex beyond traditional definitions, emphasizing autonomy and inclusivity. It does not engage opposing views but is coherent within its educational intent.
✕ Narrative Framing: The article is framed as a personal and pedagogical journey encouraging expansive definitions of sex, which is appropriate for its genre but presents a predetermined narrative rather than exploring counterarguments.
"I don’t tell you what to do with that information or what value to assign that information."
✕ Framing by Emphasis: The piece emphasizes self-definition and autonomy in sexual meaning, centering personal experience over societal norms. This is consistent with sex education goals but minimizes potential concerns about ambiguity or communication challenges.
"what 'counts' as sex is up to only you to decide"
Completeness 90/100
The article offers rich context on how cultural norms shape sexual definitions and why expanding them matters, though it could deepen historical analysis in places.
✓ Contextualisation: The article provides historical and cultural context for dominant sexual norms, including how PIV-centric definitions marginalize other experiences and identities.
"For many, initial encounters with the concept likely revolved around penis-in-vagina (PIV) penetration between a man and a woman."
✕ Missing Historical Context: While historical disempowerment of Black women is mentioned, the article does not elaborate on specific policies or time periods, which could deepen understanding.
"Black women and femmes who’ve faced a long history of sexual violence and disempowerment"
Personal pleasure is framed as a safe and valid foundation for sexual meaning
The article consistently affirms pleasure as a legitimate and secure basis for defining sex, using glittering generalities and expert endorsement to normalize non-traditional experiences.
"Thinking about sex as pleasure allows for a 'more open and less rigid' interpretation"
Sex education is portrayed as effective when it centers autonomy and inclusivity
The article positions the author’s approach—resisting fixed definitions and emphasizing personal exploration—as superior and transformative, framing this model of sex education as successful and necessary.
"I don’t tell you what to do with that information or what value to assign that information."
Black women and femmes are framed as historically excluded and now reclaiming bodily autonomy
The article highlights historical disempowerment and harmful labeling of Black women, then positions self-defined sexuality as a form of re-inclusion and liberation, using sympathy appeal and loaded language.
"We had labels put on us of being hypersexual, being lewd and lascivious, and our bodies really were not our own."
Traditional sexual scripts are framed as harmful and unfulfilling
The article uses loaded language and framing by emphasis to depict conventional definitions of sex as limiting and potentially damaging, contrasting them with expansive, self-defined alternatives.
"Such scripts might be accessible and familiar, but can be ultimately unfulfilling or even harmful if presented as having no alternative."
Religious institutions are framed as sources of restrictive and illegitimate sexual norms
Religion is cited as one of the formative sources of narrow, PIV-centric definitions of sex, implicitly undermining its authority in shaping sexual understanding.
"Think about the formative moments where you first heard sex being talked about, like in a TV show, or at church or by a middle school teacher."
The article is a first-person essay advocating for expansive, self-defined understandings of sex, grounded in sex education practice and expert input. It prioritizes inclusivity, autonomy, and emotional resonance over neutrality. Its editorial stance is progressive and pedagogical, aiming to challenge rigid norms rather than present a balanced debate.
A sex educator describes using open-ended questions to help students explore diverse understandings of sex, emphasizing consent, pleasure, and individual autonomy. The piece includes perspectives from multiple sexuality experts on how definitions of sex vary culturally and personally.
The Guardian — Lifestyle - Health
Based on the last 60 days of articles
The Guardian
No related content