how do I become a sex educator?
Question:
So I am a senior in college and my major is art history, but I’ve always been interested in studying human sexual health. I believe that one day I would like to be a sexologist or sex educator. I just can’t find the steps to take to become one. I’ve been teaching sex education on my IG but I would love to do more. I found out about Afrosexology and love everything that you are doing! How do I get into this kind of career? Why did you choose it? Exactly what did y'all major in and participate in to get to where you are today?
Answer:
Hello love,
Thank you so much for affirming our work and congrats on getting closer to figuring out your interests -- welcome to the sex-ed community! As you know, the sex education that many of us received and others will continue to receive is harmful. It ranges from non-existent and unacceptable to neglectful and violent. This means the world definitely needs more sex-positive educators.
why be a sex educator?
We often say that Afrosexology represents what we wished we had growing up and what we need as we continue our journey in sexual liberation. Right after finishing our graduate programs, and just before creating Afrosexology, we were looking for organizations that were doing the work that we wanted to do so that we could work there. We didn't immediately decide to start a business of our own because we questioned if we had enough experience. We soon realized that what we were envisioning didn’t really exist. So, we had to be the ones to create it -- and we did! If you read our About Us on our website it talks more about the personal reasons why we wanted a community like Afrosexology to exist.
choosing the path as a sex educator
People in the sex education field range from sex workers and activists to those who graduated with their doctorate degree. We have met other social workers who provide sex, couple, and family therapy, as well as met sex toy shop owners who love selling products and facilitating workshops. The options can be as narrow or wide as you want them to be. One of the important things to discover is the purpose and drive behind whatever it is you want to do.
We love the resources in, So you want to be a sex educator, which offers additional insight around the career diversity in the sex education field. If you haven’t heard of Sexual Health Includes Pleasure (SHIP), formally known as The Center for Sexual Pleasure & Health, you should check them out. They offer many workshops and courses for careers in sexuality.
We can’t give anyone a play-by-play guide on how to be a sex educator because we believe we are still creating ours as we go. Although our mission and vision remains the same, the work we are doing now and the plan we originally created has slightly changed over the years. We imagine that as we and our community continue to learn and grow, so will our work. But, we’ll share some background about our journey so far.
Dalychia began advocating for condoms and comprehensive sex education at her abstinence-based highschool. In college, she majored in social work and co-created anti-human trafficking university-wide programming. She also interned at a crisis psychiatric center supporting children and adults with a history of sexual violence. Today, she is a graduate professor teaching courses on social justice and sexuality.
Rafaella began teaching sex education in high school, mostly in the form of facilitating conversations about healthy relationships, safer sex, and relationships with younger peers. She majored in psychology in college and taught monthly enrichment programs that included sexuality and sexual health as a Resident Assistant. She is now a sex therapist at her own private practice and provides professional training to other mental health clinicians and sexuality educators.
We both obtained a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree, with Dalychia concentrating in Social Justice and Rafaella in Mental Health. While graduate students, we participated in professional education programming through the American Association of Sexuality Educator, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT) as both students, presenters, and organizers. Since then we have attended several local, national, and international conferences for sexuality educators of all types.
where to go from here
One of the best things you can do right now is continue educating yourself. Find a way to insert sex and sexuality into your assignments to make sure you are researching your interests, even if the class isn’t centered on sexuality (trust us, sex can be tied into just about everything!). Though we obtained a MSW, you do not have to be a social worker to be a sexuality educator. There are a few universities that offer a sexuality education program and professional organizations that offer education, certification, and membership opportunities.
Attend workshops that both interest you and challenge your knowledge of sex. Follow a variety of educators in the field and explore your options. The field is so diverse and you may find you are interested in many things. If you know you want to create a business or already have one and need support, we recommend Cameron Glover, who offers business coaching for sex educators.
Here are a few organizations to keep on your radar as you move forward in pursuing your own sex education:
Association of Black Sexologists & Clinicians (ABSC)
Institute for Sexuality Education & Enlightenment (ISEE)
North Carolina Sexual Health Conference
Women of Color Sexual Health Network (WoCSHN)
World Association for Sexual Health (WAS)
The Society for the Scientific Study of Sex (Quad-S)
We hope that was helpful -- good luck!
With peace, power & pleasure,
Dalychia & Rafaella