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Sex Education in the Eighties pp 51–82Cite as

The Sex Education of Young Children

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Part of the book series: Perspectives in Sexuality ((Persp. Sex.))

Abstract

In the United States sex education begins at the moment of birth, is informally prescribed for all children, is continuous, and is constantly reinforced by society throughout the life of the individual. Only death releases the individual from the persistent reinforcement of socially approved sexual values and norms. Generally speaking, Americans are of one mind on this issue. It is believed that children have a biologically determined sexual capacity from birth and that that capacity must be encouraged and directed into proper behavioral patterns if the individual is to have a good life and the society is to persist. Uniformity of belief on sex education for the young and reinforcement of those beliefs is so monolithic that society can place total reliance on the informal transmission of sexual knowledge from the adult generation to the young. No formal course work in school is needed to accomplish this task. This uniform perspective on the sex education of the young is one of the remarkable and unique characteristics of our otherwise pluralistic society.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sociology/Anthropology, Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, Minnesota, 56082, USA

    Floyd M. Martinson

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  1. Floyd M. Martinson
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Lorna Brown

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© 1981 Plenum Press, New York

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Martinson, F.M. (1981). The Sex Education of Young Children. In: Brown, L. (eds) Sex Education in the Eighties. Perspectives in Sexuality. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-3270-1_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-3270-1_5

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-3272-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4613-3270-1

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