I was recently introduced to AMAZE, an online sex ed resource providing accurate and relatable information to 10-14 year-olds.
The timing couldn’t be better, after all, I have two kids in that age range and I often wonder what they need to know from me and my British-born husband (who does not happen to be very open about these kinds of things). While they do receive sex ed in public school where we live, I’m not 100% sure that it’s enough.
I remember what it was like being their ages. I had a lot of questions. One day while watching an after-school special, Marlo Thomas’ “My Mom’s Having a Baby,” I managed to learn more about periods and changes in our bodies. It was so much easier for my mom to have someone else do the job, and visual definitely made it easier.
Recent studies have revealed major short comings in sex education across the United States, and young people are demanding access to better, more relatable information. Answering this call, the AMAZE video series launched today takes a fresh look at presenting a wide variety of complicated subjects through humorous, non-judgmental, uniquely styled videos. Formatted as a YouTube playlist, the series is an easily accessible tool, given that teens and preteens are spending an increasingly significant amount of time online and is the go-to place for young people seeking to find answers to the questions they are most curious about.
AMAZE Videos
The videos address a range of critical topics about puberty and relationships in a way that—to young people’s relief—is less awkward, less weird and can help start important conversations with their parents and teachers. Speaking directly to 10-14 year olds, the videos cover a range of topics related to puberty, sexual orientation and gender identity, friendships, relationships, and more. By offering an alternative to thesea of misinformation, rumors, and porn, AMAZE is an important and inclusive resource for young adolescents, parents, and educators seeking a way to open lines of communication honestly, factually, and with a good dose of humor. The videos were produced by a team of animators (with input from young people) from around the world, who are creating additional content every month to supplement the videos that are part of today’s launch.
What I like about these videos is that they make it clear to kids that changes are not only normal but they come at different times of life for both girls and boys. The animation is crisp and vibrant and easy to follow and the conversations are easy to follow and engaging.
You can see the first videos in the series and view resources for parents and teachers on YouTube or watch some of them here:
AMAZE is a collaboration between Advocates for Youth, Answer, and Youth Tech Health working to create an engaging, age appropriate, online sex education resource for young people aged 10-14.
What is your personal experience with sex education? Share your experience on Twitter at hash tag: #MoreInfoLessWeird.
Disclosure: This post is made possible by support from AMAZE. All opinions are my own.
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