Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, May 11, 1993 TAG: 9305120016
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JESSICA MARTIN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Another doesn't know the function of her breasts.
A male student hasn't ever talked to his parents about sex.
Countless others wonder how they can talk about sex with a potential partner.
When it comes to sex on campus, misinformation is as common as talk. But colleges and universities have been trying to educate students about sexual issues.
Human sexuality classes, often misinterpreted by outsiders as "how-to" classes, cover a variety of topics. Courses offered at Virginia Tech, Roanoke and Hollins colleges give students information about biology, behavioral psychology and cultural aspects of sexuality, which educators hope will allow them to make more informed decisions concerning sex.
But many wish sexuality had been addressed sooner in their lives.
"In high school we were not told anything about sex education, except what was covered in our 10th-grade biology classes," Hollins senior Sarah Brown says. "We were never told about birth control or sexually transmitted diseases. It's as though not talking about sex would prevent it from happening."
Brown's experience seems to be typical.
Lynn Coward, a doctoralal candidate in marriage and family therapy at Virginia Tech, said she continues "to have a hard time with the real lack of information that 20-, 21-, 22-year-olds have."
Students and faculty agree that sex education needs to be taught before students become sexually active.
"This is a very, very important topic that is not addressed well in our society," he says. "Time and time again students ask why they're not taught this material in high school."
Biology Professor Bruce Young teaches the human sexuality course at Hollins. "I had become alarmed because some of the questions students asked made it clear that this aspect of their lives was something they knew little about."
Nelson Duranceau, who graduated from Roanoke College last weekend, says the class has allowed him to talk more freely about sex. "Sex shouldn't be so taboo to talk about. It affects us all."
But classroom discussion can be hampered by class size; Tech's class has had two sections totalling 830 students. Hollins' class has more than 50 students, and Roanoke College has had an enrollment cap at 40 with a waiting list.
The class at Roanoke College has three females to each male.
"There's still a social expectation of who is supposed to be the sex expert," says Galdino Pranzarone, a psychology professor at Roanoke College. "Women are self-informers, which shows in the enrollment."
Pranzarone hopes to convey to students in his sexuality class that an "I'm better off not knowing" attitude is dangerous. "Mystery is synonymous with ignorance, and where there is mystery there is the potential for making wrong choices and assumptions which can lead to misery."
The human sexuality course at Hollins includes seemingly elementary information to ensure that everyone has accurate information. They begin with biology and then move to studying behavioral issues.
"The first quarter is to discuss the physical differences between males and females; the second quarter is about sexual behavior," says Young.
Our society tends "to view our sexuality and our sexual behavior as normal, something that is inborn. We fail to appreciate the distinct cultural influence society has on our sexual behavior," he says.
Pranzarone says the textbooks he uses in class have gotten away from biology, and focus on psychological aspects of sexuality. "It's no longer `this is this part' and `this is what you should do with it . . . ' but more about the feelings involved and different relationships."
Everything is discussed
What students do with their bodies is a separate issue. Coward says it's impossible to "teach a human sexuality course effectively without addressing moral issues that may upset some people."
Moral issues - which may include the decision to become sexually active, abortion and pornography - are discussed, with students free to express their opinions.
The professors say they try to remain objective.
"I want students to be informed, but as an educator I'm not concerned with their behavior," Young says.
"Nothing I can do will change my students, but the class will make them more informed and maybe more tolerant of others," Pranzarone says.
Whether to become sexually active and forms of contraception are topics for debate in class at Hollins.
Male and female students are taught to assume responsibility for their actions.
"It's up to you to protect yourself. If your partner won't take responsibility, then you have to," Brown says. "Contraception is for avoiding diseases and preventing pregnancy. But women are more aware that pregnancy could happen to them than that they could get a sexually transmitted disease."
Abortion also is discussed in human sexuality classes. Roanoke College's class studies the legal aspects and the possible ramifications of having an abortion.
Videos and guest speakers often supplement textbook learning. Videos provide information and encourage class discussion about controversial issues.
But the videos themselves often contain an element of controversy. Many students left class early the night at Hollins when Young showed three movies about male/female relations, one being an X-rated video.
"No one was required to watch anything that offended her," Young says. "The contrast provided by the movies was used as a basis for discussing obscenity, erotica, exploitation and pornography. Many of the students in class hadn't seen what the societal definition of pornography is."
Young says the objective of showing the movies was to discuss male and female stereotypical roles portrayed in films, not to make students feel uncomfortable.
But the movies did make some feel uneasy. "I was offended. I don't believe there was a reason why I had to sit and watch the whole movie. I don't enjoy watching graphic sex. Watching the whole movie wasn't necessary to discuss it," Brown says.
Date rape is another issue discussed in class: when "no" means no, when mixed messages are sent and what are the laws regarding rape. Young expresses surprise that only 41 percent of students surveyed said they had felt endangered in a dating situation.
The right information
Health issues, specifically sexually transmitted diseases, with a focus on AIDS, are the focus of a class session at Tech.
Issues concerning who should be tested for diseases, who is at risk and what can be done to protect oneself are discussed.
Brown says Hollins' discussion of AIDS "helps people who have been misinformed and think you can get AIDS from touching a person with AIDS or from toilet seats."
Students say human sexuality courses seem to help people communicate about sex, and that benefits not only the students enrolled, but their friends, families and sexual partners
Professors agree that students passing information to others is good; accurate information circulates, and others can make informed decisions about sexuality. "It's obvious from the comments I receive from students that they discuss information they learn in class with students who are not enrolled," Coward says.
As for communicating about sex, Duranceau says his relationship with his girlfriend has improved because of the course. He said they are able to talk about sex with more comfort than before. "We talk about sex on a more mature level."
Brown says that by taking the class she can tell her partner what she wants from him, but that she's also "more open with my friends about sex in general. I even call my mom sometimes after class and tell her interesting items we've discussed that day in class."
by CNB