Technolandy

Day 162 (of 2024/25) #tcaf #booktok – closing keynote share on Cory Silverberg and Fiona Smyth: Sex Is A Funny – and Complicated – Word

Got a copy of the book of the Closing Keynote on the Toronto Comic Art Festivals “Education Day” (when I’m talking about our school’s Comic-Con and Comic Book Library!)

Teaching Sex Ed is always… complicated… it is a mix of funny, discomfort, judgements, and bias. Should it be taught at home? Should everyone have the same information? (When I was a student, we were separated by gender and did not learn much about the other biologies). It has gotten more controversial as some don’t like the better differentiation and sharing that is going on to better include #SOGI (sexual orientation and gender identity – who you are attracted to and who you internally identify with as your gender) The more we know and learn, the easier it becomes to talk about sex and all the drama around it!

The graphic novel by SIlverberg and Smyth shows the complex nature of this topic in a very affirming way… it is easy to access (some will immediately object to some of the drawings even though not sexual) but there is definitely a lot of text embedded into the novel. Nor does it try to ensure that reading a single book will answer all your questions about your body, your feelings, and sex in one day. 

But it doesn’t cover some of the topics that adults are often uncomfortable talking to youth about…the table of contents shows what’ll be covered: What is Sex; Learning about bodies; Boys, Girls, All of Us; Touch; Talking about sex; Crushes, love and relationships; what’s next?

Admitting the complexities of the seemingly simple three letter word. Many meanings and definitions and assumptions.

What ‘private’ means – in spaces and in parts…

Why it is normal to be curious and ask questions… and seek answers and be uncomfortable asking others…

And yes – they go into the nitty gritty in a plain spoken (and drawn) sort of way… 

And take on the ‘boys vs girls vs ???’ In a supportive way (makes me think about the silly fad of gender reveal parties… why does gender matter?) especially at questioning why gender sometimes makes it difficult for those that don’t like being told you can’t do something because of your gender…

And the different ways ‘touch’ works… and doesn’t work… and how what is okay for someone does not make it universal

And talks about bodyland (great illustration for masturbation)

And a warning about ‘secret touching’ and how difficult it can be to reveal what has been happening…

And a nice callback to the complexities of a four letter word: sexy

And a great description about ‘crushes’ (and love and relationships in general) – and the way we have feelings can be different – not better – than how others feel.

I do like how they reinforce some key elements of a healthy relationship – that you like them, trust them, feel safe, feel joy… and don’t have to include crushes, love, or sexy feelings… but do need to include respect.