Comments on: is australia leading the way in teen sex ed? http://www.tinynibbles.com/blogarchives/2008/07/is-australia-leading-the-way-in-teen-sex-ed.html Journalist and author Violet Blue's site for sex and tech culture, accurate sex information, erotica and more. Tue, 26 May 2015 17:18:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Ms Naughty http://www.tinynibbles.com/blogarchives/2008/07/is-australia-leading-the-way-in-teen-sex-ed.html/comment-page-1#comment-1943 Ms Naughty Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:18:49 +0000 http://www.tinynibbles.com/?p=1978#comment-1943 My take on it is this: most Australians are actually fairly relaxed about sex. The majority of us are fine with the idea of sex education and 70% of us are not offended by porn (ACNeilsen poll, 2006). The problem lies in 11 years of conservative government and a few very vocal prudes who rely on the general population's embarrassment and hesitation to speak out. It doesn't help that our new Prime Minister is a happy clapper who is just as conservative when it comes to sex issues. His government is currently planning to make ISPs filter all content and if we want to see boobies it will be an "opt in" system. On top of that we don't have a bill of rights so freedom of speech is not guaranteed in Australia. The government "classifies" written and visual material, ostensibly to provide a guide for people to make informed choices - provided that choice doesn't involve watching explicit sex or bondage. I should add, the OFLC has just pissed off gamers here as well. It's banned the game Fallout 3 because it contains morphine use. So it's OK to shoot people but not use drugs... http://www.smh.com.au/news/articles/fallout-continues-from-ban-on-game/2008/07/15/1215887586091.html So yeah, we're conflicted... and most likely frustrated. It's possible that if the ISP ban goes ahead it will make the masses rise up. I'm sure most Aussies won't like having their net porn taken off them. I have considered moving to Amsterdam lately :) My take on it is this: most Australians are actually fairly relaxed about sex. The majority of us are fine with the idea of sex education and 70% of us are not offended by porn (ACNeilsen poll, 2006). The problem lies in 11 years of conservative government and a few very vocal prudes who rely on the general population’s embarrassment and hesitation to speak out.

It doesn’t help that our new Prime Minister is a happy clapper who is just as conservative when it comes to sex issues. His government is currently planning to make ISPs filter all content and if we want to see boobies it will be an “opt in” system.

On top of that we don’t have a bill of rights so freedom of speech is not guaranteed in Australia. The government “classifies” written and visual material, ostensibly to provide a guide for people to make informed choices – provided that choice doesn’t involve watching explicit sex or bondage.

I should add, the OFLC has just pissed off gamers here as well. It’s banned the game Fallout 3 because it contains morphine use. So it’s OK to shoot people but not use drugs…
http://www.smh.com.au/news/articles/fallout-continues-from-ban-on-game/2008/07/15/1215887586091.html

So yeah, we’re conflicted… and most likely frustrated. It’s possible that if the ISP ban goes ahead it will make the masses rise up. I’m sure most Aussies won’t like having their net porn taken off them.

I have considered moving to Amsterdam lately :)

]]> By: violet http://www.tinynibbles.com/blogarchives/2008/07/is-australia-leading-the-way-in-teen-sex-ed.html/comment-page-1#comment-1941 violet Wed, 16 Jul 2008 18:48:54 +0000 http://www.tinynibbles.com/?p=1978#comment-1941 Tony, you've had some experience with your films there that attests to this, no? yes -- you won a major award in Australia for "Damon and Hunter" and then the censors came down on you: http://www.comstockfilms.com/blog/tony/2006/09/08/an-open-letter-regarding-the-cancelled-queerdoc-screening-of-damon-and-hunter/ Tony, you’ve had some experience with your films there that attests to this, no? yes — you won a major award in Australia for “Damon and Hunter” and then the censors came down on you:

http://www.comstockfilms.com/blog/tony/2006/09/08/an-open-letter-regarding-the-cancelled-queerdoc-screening-of-damon-and-hunter/

]]> By: Tony Comstock http://www.tinynibbles.com/blogarchives/2008/07/is-australia-leading-the-way-in-teen-sex-ed.html/comment-page-1#comment-1938 Tony Comstock Wed, 16 Jul 2008 13:49:42 +0000 http://www.tinynibbles.com/?p=1978#comment-1938 Australia would seem to have a rather conflicted attitude about public discussion of sex and sexuality. Australia would seem to have a rather conflicted attitude about public discussion of sex and sexuality.

]]> By: Amy http://www.tinynibbles.com/blogarchives/2008/07/is-australia-leading-the-way-in-teen-sex-ed.html/comment-page-1#comment-1937 Amy Wed, 16 Jul 2008 08:22:43 +0000 http://www.tinynibbles.com/?p=1978#comment-1937 I was also very excited to read this one. It is so gratifying to see that this age group (16-25) is being specifically asked what they want in regards to sex education and information, becuase for quite some time, it has seemed that the usual program was missing the mark. Makes me proud to be an Australian! Especially compared to the woeful sex/sexual health/sexuality education and information/misinformation that seems to be the main-stay of most of the states in the US. I can only hope the programs that stem from this research catch on. And fast. I was also very excited to read this one. It is so gratifying to see that this age group (16-25) is being specifically asked what they want in regards to sex education and information, becuase for quite some time, it has seemed that the usual program was missing the mark. Makes me proud to be an Australian! Especially compared to the woeful sex/sexual health/sexuality education and information/misinformation that seems to be the main-stay of most of the states in the US. I can only hope the programs that stem from this research catch on. And fast.

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