
IT’S ALL
CHANGING
SO FAST
Your child, your connection to them, the sex ed landscape
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NEWS YOU CAN USE
A schoolboy speaks out about rape culture
“Boys, for me it cuts too close to home. Even my own mother, at the age of 10, against her will, was sexually abused before she learned about the birds and the bees.
Are you brave enough to ask your mum about her experiences? What about your sisters? Friends? You shouldn’t have to ask women these questions.
This rape culture is so deeply ingrained into today’s world, and it needs to be addressed. As good as this message is coming from public speakers or staff, it’s up to us: the boys.
To all my friends that are girls, thank you for being so strong. To all the mother figures, especially in the boarding house… thank you for being there for me.
And to all women, I am so inspired by you.
To Mum, I hope sharing your story helps boys understand how close this issue really is to home.
Love you always, Mason”
“Stop being boys, be human”: Mason Black’s speech to his classmates at Brisbane Boys’ College – excerpts plus hear his 6-minute speech (Guardian, 19/3/21)
MAYDAY MOMENTS
“Why can’t I be a girl/boy?”
Your 9-year-old starts expressing dissatisfaction with their gender
How do you react?
TIPS BY TOPIC
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Making babies, puberty before it hits and
teenage development
Seeking out healthy, respectful relationships from childhood on
Knowing what you like
and being able to tell others what you want
The impact of porn on kids’ attitudes & behaviour and navigating sexting
Becoming who you are
and accepting others’ sexual identities
Critical thinking and resilience in the face of limiting stereotypes
TIPS BY AGE
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What is age appropriate? Click here to read about the “life course approach”
WHAT OTHERS HAVE SAID

Anna Whitehouse – author, columnist and founder of Mother Pukka
“The best support and protection parents can offer young people is ensuring they have all the information they need to make decisions about their health, body, sexual exploration and emotions – which is what Outspoken is all about”
Sara Pascoe – comedian, author and member of Outspoken Advisory Board
”As a parent I felt enabled and empowered to have age-and-stage appropriate conversations with my children after the Outspoken Sex Ed workshop. This suddenly felt like a challenge I could take on with gusto rather than shying away from”
Dr Pooky Knightsmith – child and adolescent mental-health expert and author
“This is wonderful work and very much needed”
Dr Naomi Sutton – NHS sexual-health consultant on E4’s The Sex Clinic
“Misinformation about sex has always been part of teenage life. But today, with pornography and social media, young people are exposed to a tsunami of false and damaging ideas and information. It’s therefore our duty to provide young people with a healthy counter-narrative. The work of Outspoken – which provides resources for parents and teachers to have open, honest conversations about sex and relationships – is therefore more crucial than ever”
Natasha Devon MBE – mental-health and body-image campaigner