I have just got my hands on ‘Pleasure’, a new National Health Service leaflet that is advising school pupils that they have a ‘right’ to a fun and enjoyable sex life.  The leaflet tells schoolchildren that ‘an orgasm a day keeps the doctors away’, hence linking regular sex with improved cardiovascular health.  This is part of a new drive to ensure our schoolchildren have a better sex education as teenage pregnancies soar!

The main thrust of this leaflet is that sex education has been too focused in the past on ’safe sex’ and building loving relationships.  The authors of this leaflet, drawn up by NHS Sheffield, state that sex education has been ignoring the main reason we all love great sex….it’s fun and a major source of human enjoyment.  The leaflet contains lots of helpful advice for parents and teachers to pass on to schoolchildren.  I am sure the schoolchildren of Great Britain, their hormones raging will love to receive the following advice from their teachers & parents:  (these are direct quotes):

Masturbation

‘Promote masturbation and its benefits to young women and men, such as it can feel really good and pleasurable and (it helps) to explore and find out about your own body’

Body Parts

‘Ensure that age appropriate attention is paid to the role and functions of the different body parts, for example, mentioning the clitoris as opposed to just focusing on the vagina’.

Experimentation

‘Ensure discussions take place with your people that cover experimentation in sexual relationships to try and dispel the myth that there is only one way to have ‘proper sex’ (ie penetration)’.

Condoms

‘Promote discussion about how condoms/femidoms can be used to enhance sexual pleasure; talk about, show and demonstrate the variety of condoms available and link them to increased sensation & pleasure’.

An Orgasm a day keeps the doctor away’

‘Health promotion experts advocate five portions of fruit and veg a day and 30 minutes’ physical activity three times a week.  What about sex or masturbation twice a week?’

So…does this liberate and promote sex or does it educate children to be more sensible and prepare themselves for sex in a loving relationship.  Given children’s emotional maturity, the answer depends on the individual, but one thing is for sure, we will have a nation of schoolchildren more prepared to experiment; more willing to enjoy the pleasures of condoms; more men & women who can map out where the clitoris is and ensure due care & attention, (women the world over cheer!); and of course schoolchildren all across the UK who are busily masturbating away in their bedrooms to understand their bodies……

What’s your view?  Money well spend by the NHS in commissioning this leaflet?  Or a Kama Sutra for kids?