1. Faith-based, Life Span, Comprehensive Sexuality Education
Our Whole Lives
Faith-based, Life Span,
Comprehensive Sexuality Education
Rev. Mike Schuenemeyer
United Church of Christ, USA

2. Getting Started We all come with our own history.
We assume diversity amongst us
…in our sexual experiences
…in our spiritual history
…in our sexual orientation and gender expression.
We are each unique, whole.

3. Creating Safe Space We will respect each other
listen carefully to what others say
speak for ourselves
honor confidentiality

4. Our Whole Lives
No matter who we are, we seek to experience and express our gender and sexuality in ways that are
healthful,
pleasurable and
loving.
Our Whole Lives, Facilitator Training, January 23-25, 2009, Cleveland, OH, Lopez/Schuenemeyer 4

5. Sexuality Education? Voting with your body.
Be honest…without a speck of shame…on continuum from “We Don’t Really Talk About It” to “Fantastic! …sexuality education programs running from birth to 100—and more!”
Process. Look around. Shares re: Why standing where are? How feel to stand where you are? Where you HOPE to be?
Our Whole Lives, Facilitator Training, January 23-25, 2009, Cleveland, OH, Lopez/Schuenemeyer 5

6. What is Comprehensive Sexuality Education?
Comprehensive sexuality education encompasses not only the human reproductive system, but also gender identity, sexual orientation, body image, friendship, and emotional development.
Adapted from

7. Our Whole Lives Assumptions
All persons are sexual
Sexuality is a good part of the human experience
Sexuality includes much more than sexual behavior
Human beings are sexual from the time they are born until they die
It is natural to express sexual feelings in a variety of ways
Adapted from

8. The Circles of Sexuality
…help us understand to human sexuality in a broad sense. This model contains 5 interconnecting circles, each of which represent a component of sexuality:
Sensuality
Intimacy
Sexual Identity
Sexual Health and Reproduction
Sexualization
Our Whole Lives, Facilitator Training, January 23-25, 2009, Cleveland, OH, Lopez/Schuenemeyer

9. Body image, Skin Hunger, Fantasy,
Sensuality
Awareness, acceptance of,
And comfort with one’s own body;
Physiological and psychological
Enjoyment of one’s own body and the
Body of others.
Body image, Skin Hunger, Fantasy,
Human Response cycle
Our Whole Lives, Facilitator Training, January 23-25, 2009, Cleveland, OH, Lopez/Schuenemeyer

10. Intimacy Ability and need to experience emotional closeness to another
human and have it returned.
Caring, Sharing, Loving/liking, Risk-taking, Vulnerability, Self-disclosure, Trust
Our Whole Lives, Facilitator Training, January 23-25, 2009, Cleveland, OH, Lopez/Schuenemeyer

11. Gender Identity, Gender role,
Sexual Identity
A sense of who one is sexually
Including a sense of maleness, femaleness
Or “humanness”
Gender Identity, Gender role,
Sexual Orientation
Biological Sex
Our Whole Lives, Facilitator Training, January 23-25, 2009, Cleveland, OH, Lopez/Schuenemeyer

12. Sexual Health and Reproduction
Attitudes, knowledge and behaviors related to producing children,
care and maintenance of sex and reproductive organs,
and health consequences of sexual behavior.
Facts& Information Feelings & Attitudes,
Anatomy and Physiology,
Reproductive systems, Intercourse
Our Whole Lives, Facilitator Training, January 23-25, 2009, Cleveland, OH, Lopez/Schuenemeyer

13. Rape, Incest, Harassment, Flirting, Seduction, Withholding sex
Sexualization
The use of sexuality to
Manipulate, control others or exert power.
Rape, Incest, Harassment, Flirting, Seduction, Withholding sex
Our Whole Lives, Facilitator Training, January 23-25, 2009, Cleveland, OH, Lopez/Schuenemeyer

14. Sexual Health and Reproduction Sexualization Sensuality Intimacy
Sexual Identity
A sense of who one is sexually
Including a sense of maleness
or femaleness or humanness.
Gender Identity, Gender role,
Sexual Orientation
Biological Sex
Sexual Health and Reproduction
Attitudes and behaviors related to producing children.
care and maintenance of sex and reproductive organs,
and health consequences of sexual behavior.
Facts& Information Feelings & Attitudes,
Anatomy and Physiology,
Reproductive systems, Intercourse
Sexualization
The use of sexuality to
manipulate or control others.
Rape, Incest, Harassment, Flirting/seduction,
Withholding sex
Sensuality
Awareness, acceptance of,
And comfort with one’s own body;
Physiological and psychological
Enjoyment of one’s own body and the
Body of others.
Body image,
Skin Hunger, Fantasy,
Human Response Cycle
Intimacy
Ability and need to experience
emotional closeness to another
human and have it returned.
Caring, Sharing, Loving/liking,
Risk-taking, Vulnerability,
Self-disclosure, Trust
Our Whole Lives, Facilitator Training, January 23-25, 2009, Cleveland, OH, Lopez/Schuenemeyer

15. Our Whole Lives Values Self Worth Responsibility
Justice and Inclusivity
Sexual Health
Our Whole Lives, Facilitator Training, January 23-25, 2009, Cleveland, OH, Lopez/Schuenemeyer

16. Self Worth
Every person is entitled to dignity and self-worth, and to his or her own attitudes and beliefs about sexuality
Adapted from

17. Sexual Health Knowledge about human sexuality is helpful, not harmful
Every individual has the right to accurate information about sexuality and to have her or his questions answered.
Adapted from

18. Sexual Health Healthy sexual relationships are:
Consensual (both people consent)
Non-exploitative (equal in terms of power, neither person is pressuring or forcing the other into activities or behaviors)
Mutually pleasurable (both receive pleasure)
Adapted from

19. Sexual Health Healthy sexual relationships are:
Safe (no or low risk of unintended pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, and emotional pain)
Developmentally appropriate (appropriate to the age and maturity of persons involved)
Based on mutual expectations and caring
Respectful (including the values of honesty and keeping commitments made to others).
Adapted from

20. Responsibility
We are called to enrich our lives by expressing sexuality in ways that enhance human wholeness and fulfillment and express love, commitment, delight and pleasure
All persons have the right and obligation to make responsible sexual choices
Adapted from

21. Justice and Inclusivity
Avoid double standards. Women and men of all ages, people of different races, backgrounds, income levels, physical and mental abilities, and sexual orientations must have equal value and rights
Sexual relationships should never be coercive or exploitative
Adapted from

22. Justice and Inclusivity
Being romantically and sexually attracted to
both genders (bisexual),
the same gender (homosexual) or
the other gender (heterosexual)
are all natural in the range of human sexual experience
Adapted from

23. A Divine Blessing-
For expressing love, generating life, mutual companionship and pleasure.
To be celebrated with joy, holiness and integrity, but
also understanding, respect, and self-discipline.
God - Spirit
Adapted from An Open Letter to Religious Leaders about Sex Education.
Religious Institute on Sexual Morality, Justice and Healing
Our Whole Lives, Facilitator Training, January 23-25, 2009, Cleveland, OH, Lopez/Schuenemeyer

24. Sexuality and Spirituality
“are inseparable elements of full personhood…
The movement toward a more healed, holistic spirituality and the movement to a more healed, holistic sexuality cannot be separated. It is not just that they ought not to be separated; quite literally they cannot be.”
-Rev. James B. Nelson
Between Two Gardens
Our Whole Lives, Facilitator Training, January 23-25, 2009, Cleveland, OH, Lopez/Schuenemeyer

25. Sexuality and Our Faith
Includes supplemental material for each session.
It adds an Opening Ritual for each session, using chalice and/or candle lighting, additional questions for discussion, references to UUA and UCC religious values and sexuality.
Includes a Closing Ritual for each session.
Leader’s Guides for Sexuality and Our Faith and Our Whole Lives can be incorporated into one binder.
Our Whole Lives, Facilitator Training, January 23-25, 2009, Cleveland, OH, Lopez/Schuenemeyer

26. What is “Our Whole Lives?”
Series of comprehensive sexuality education resources for grades K-1, 4-6, 7-9, 10-12, Young Adult & Adult
Written by professional sexuality educators for use in churches, school, and community settings
Adapted from

27. What is “Our Whole Lives?”
Resources are based on the Guidelines for Comprehensive Sexuality Education produced by the National Guidelines Task Force
Sexuality and Our Faith provides materials for incorporating faith-based teaching into each session
Adapted from

28. Goals of Our Whole Lives
Equips participants with accurate, age-appropriate information in six subject areas:
human development
sexual behavior
relationships
sexual health
personal skills
society and culture.
Adapted from

29. Goals of Our Whole Lives
Helps participants make informed and responsible decisions about their relationships, health and behavior in the context of their faith.
Helps participants to clarify their values, build interpersonal skills and understand the social, emotional and spiritual aspects of sexuality.
Adapted from

30. Experiential Learning
---fun, engaging, relevant (not boring!) activities are safe and a safe environment to practice before the stakes are higher.
Activity
What happened?
So what?
Now what?
Adapted from

31. Each level of OWL Offers...
Up-to-date information
Honest, age-appropriate answers to all participants' questions
Activities to help participants clarify values and improve decision-making skills
Our Whole Lives, Facilitator Training, January 23-25, 2009, Cleveland, OH, Lopez/Schuenemeyer

32. Each level of OWL Offers...
Effective group-building to create a safe and supportive peer group
Education about sexual abuse, exploitation, and harassment
Opportunities to critique media messages about gender and sexuality
Our Whole Lives, Facilitator Training, January 23-25, 2009, Cleveland, OH, Lopez/Schuenemeyer

33. Each level of OWL offers:
Acceptance of diversity
Encouragement to act for justice
A well-designed, teacher-friendly leaders' guide
Parent orientation programs that affirm parents as the primary sexuality educators of their children
Our Whole Lives, Facilitator Training, January 23-25, 2009, Cleveland, OH, Lopez/Schuenemeyer

34. Each level of OWL offers:
Sexuality and Our Faith, an optional religious component
for Unitarian Universalist and United Church of Christ settings
Other faith settings may develop their own materials to accompany the sexuality education curriculum
Our Whole Lives, Facilitator Training, January 23-25, 2009, Cleveland, OH, Lopez/Schuenemeyer

35. Our Whole Lives Proclaims!
GOD gave me sexuality!
God GAVE me sexuality!
God gave ME sexuality!
God gave me SEXUALITY!
Amen, Amen!
Our Whole Lives, Facilitator Training, January 23-25, 2009, Cleveland, OH, Lopez/Schuenemeyer

36. Thank You! Questions, Thoughts, Comments?
Downloard Related Docs Online at
Rev. Mike Schuenemeyer
Executive Director
United Church of Christ HIV & AIDS Network
Phone: