Self-determination
Current sexual health policy focuses primarily on self-determination. This principle promotes people's sexual rights, but at the same time requires people to have control and make sensible, responsible choices. Cense: “For example, there are still too many prejudices about teenage mothers or young people who contract an STI. This is often regarded as their own fault, while the influence of their environment is systematically underestimated. I have therefore developed a new model that makes visible how young people's sexual choices are connected to social norms and expectations, moral frameworks and available narratives.”
Sexual development
The life stories of young people, and the way they talk about the choices they make, make it clear that young people are very concerned with finding social support, both among peers and within their families. They take their reputation among others into account, as well as the impact of their behaviour on their family. The research shows how environment, culture and religion influence the way people deal with sexuality.
Developing sexually and becoming sexually resilient is a challenge for all young people, but the challenge is not equally great for everyone. “The path is more difficult for young people who deviate from what is regarded as culturally normal, for example because they identify as non-heterosexual or transgender, or because they do not fit into cultural ideas about ‘proper girls’ and ‘real men’. They have to make more effort to maintain their connection with family and peers, they hear fewer stories through school and the media that they can identify with, and they are more likely to encounter negative judgements and social stigma,” says Cense.
Sex education
Sex education should not focus solely on making sensible, individual choices, but should also question social norms and promote reflection. Recognising that sexuality is often a bumpy road provides new insights for sex education.
Cense: “In sex education, young people need not only information, but also room to practise in order to develop the ability to navigate. Individual freedom of choice is a wonderful thing, but it is not always easy. Young people should learn to deal with conflicts between different norms and desires. Learn to navigate.
Collaboration with Rutgers
Cense is a senior researcher at Rutgers. Her doctoral research is based on qualitative research that she conducted at Rutgers. The insights from the doctoral research are incorporated into Rutgers' work and therefore influence the direction of sex education.
In addition, these insights contribute to a more realistic view of young people's freedom of choice and a reduction in the social stigma faced by young people who encounter problems, such as a forwarded nude photo or an STI.
Download the doctoral research ‘Navigating a bumpy road Young people’s negotiation of sexual agency in a normative landscape’ here.