Sex education experts take aim at Hong Kong authorities over ‘unprofessional’ teaching materials
- Education Bureau slammed as out of touch after advising secondary school students to go and play badminton instead when sexual desires arise
Sex education experts have accused Hong Kong authorities of being “very unprofessional” and reinforcing a victim-blaming bias after teaching materials advised secondary school pupils to control their impulses, refuse premarital sex and “avoid visual stimulation from sexy clothing”.
The sharp criticism on Saturday came a day after the Education Bureau defended suggestions released last month in teaching materials for the citizenship, economics and society subject for Form One to Three pupils, stressing the need to enable students to “make responsible decisions”.
The materials said students should define their boundaries and control their sexual impulses, and that if a boy and girl had intimate physical contact that induced desire, they should either “leave the scene immediately” or go to play badminton together.
The 70-page document said those unable to cope with issues “such as unwed marital pregnancy, legal consequences and emotional distress” should “firmly refuse” to have premarital sex.
The Reverend Peter Koon Ho-ming, a lawmaker and a former Curriculum Development Council member, saw merits for the authorities to “draw a line” on premarital sex and uphold a more conservative stance in face of the rebellious teenagers.
“If you talk about this in a university course, of course, they will think you are a fool and it won’t work. But if we talk to children of 12 to 14 years old who are in the middle of puberty, you would be better off setting a more stringent [standard],” he said.