Young people’s affective-sexual education: the gap between the ‘affective’ and the ‘sexual’ dimensions in formal and non-formal/informal educational settings

Abstract

This article explores the multifaceted nature of affective-sexual education (ASE) among adolescents and young people, focusing on the interaction between formal, non-formal, and informal educational settings. It presents the interdisciplinary project TRANSGELIT, carried out in Barcelona (Spain), through a qualitative ethnographic methodology, involving participatory and media-related workshops and interviews with more than 200 young people. Findings indicate that formal education often inadequately addresses the emotional dimensions of sexuality, with non-formal and informal settings, especially peer groups and media, playing crucial roles in sexual and gender learning. The study advocates for the inclusion of the emotional aspects of sexuality in ASE, to go beyond the sanitary and scientific aspects of sexuality through experiential learning methods and trustful spaces, as well as for a comprehensive teacher training, and the integration of media literacy in the learning process, in order to address the diverse needs of young people.