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Canada: Let’s talk about sex

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VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – Canadians do not shy away from controversial sexual topics, unlike our neighbours to the south. An Angus Reid poll says some of us even want the kids learning about sexuality earlier in school.

One in four Canadians would start sexual education in school at the age of nine, or younger.  Compare that to Americans where a third would wait until the age of 12 or 13.

We are also more likely to discuss contentious topics. Over 80 per cent of us want the curriculum to include (among others) homosexuality, abuse, abortion, venereal diseases and non-penetrative sex.

“Canadians and Americans want to talk about abstinence,” says Mario Canseco with Angus Reid, “This is one of the issues we have in the States because they are basically choosing between abstinence and even discussing anything else. Canadians tend to believe abstinence is an option but so many things are options as well.”

Even though less than half of Americans would touch upon it in classes, sixty-nine percent of Canadians believe sexual pleasure should be included.

But school is not where we get most of our education. It’s our third source after we turn to friends or family and the media.

Almost one in ten Americans think kids shouldn’t learn about sexuality at school, at all.

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