Why it's important to talk to young people about Puberty

Puberty education is a fundamental part of a teen's learning. It is the base for nearly all sex and relationship education (RSE), as well as other areas of the curriculum, and the first point on which these topics can be expanded. Topics such as consent, safety, healthy relationships, mental health, and human rights all have foundations in puberty education.  

Teaching about puberty normalises the physical and emotional changes taking place in a student’s body. Not only will they know what to expect but also be prepared when these changes do happen (things like being equipped and ready for when they start their period, and able to ask for help if they need it). Discussing puberty and bodily changes also plays a huge role in reducing anxiety in teens about what to expect and what is happening. 

As well as physical changes, puberty education also encompasses feelings and emotions. Discussions about hormonal changes, mood and behavioural changes, as well as sexual interest, attraction, and sexual relationships. 

Using anatomical terminology 

By informing teens of the correct anatomical terms for genitals, young people can make informed choices, express and explain any medical health issues they might be experiencing clearly, and ask questions more easily on anything they do not understand. Using terms such as vulva, vagina, penis, testicles, foreskin, promotes body awareness, builds confidence and certainty, and allows them to have bodily autonomy.  

Having this vocabulary is also hugely important when it comes to consent. Knowing what is private and what is public, and being able to express what they do and do not want. 

Knowing the correct names for their body parts also helps when it comes to discussing safety and relationships, and enables young people to talk about any inappropriate touch or behaviour they may have experienced. Studies have shown that  

Why teaching mixed-sex classes is important 

It is important for teens to be informed on all parts of puberty education, not only the information that could be relevant to them. Understanding how other people’s bodies are changing, not just their own, and knowing what other people are experiencing increases empathy, and reduces stigma and embarrassment.  

It is also vital that puberty education is taught in an inclusive way. Trans, non-binary, and gender expansive students could be negatively affected by splitting classes based on gender, and inclusive language is essential. Similarly, puberty education should be inclusive of all abilities. Young people who are neurodivergent or have a disability are often less likely to receive relationship and sex education.  

Puberty education allows for the discussion of gender equality and sexual rights. Teens begin to develop their sense of identity and self, how they interact with the world changes, and they are adopting values that they will take forward into adulthood. By intertwining puberty learning with human rights, gender equality, and rights related to sexuality, young people are empowered with facts, knowledge and understanding. 

Does talking to teenagers about sex encourage them to do it? 

There have been many reports* on this question, and there is no evidence to that relationship and sex education encourages or accelerates a student’s first experience of sex. In fact, studies* show that students who have had healthy RSE are more likely to wait until they are ready for their first sexual experience. Their first sexual experience is also more likely to be consensual, used contraception, have autonomy of their decisions, and individuals can judge when the right time is for them.  

Final Thoughts

We believe that by empowering teenagers with as much information as possible on puberty, sex and relationships, they can confidently navigate puberty, their changing bodies and the world around as they transition from children into adults.