{"id":29594,"date":"2026-07-13T16:01:48","date_gmt":"2026-07-13T10:31:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tarshi.net\/inplainspeak\/?p=29594"},"modified":"2026-07-13T16:01:52","modified_gmt":"2026-07-13T10:31:52","slug":"cse-matters-now-what","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tarshi.net\/inplainspeak\/cse-matters-now-what\/","title":{"rendered":"CSE Matters. Now What?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

All of us are constantly trying to make sense of the information around us be it from a newspaper on recent developments of the conflict, a group of friends sharing health tips or a social media trend that takes us a while to understand. We are always receiving, filtering and interpreting information. This can feel especially challenging at a time when information comes at us from multiple sources, often all at once.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What happens when the information we receive and interpret is only part of the story? How do we decide what is accurate, reliable, or relevant? Who do we trust to provide information, and why?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, young people are learning about sexuality from a growing number of sources and encountering mixed messages. Educators play a critical role \u2013 they are often among the first people students turn to with questions, and the ones who can support students think critically. Here\u2019s the paradox \u2013 comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) focuses on young people, not on their teachers. We often see educators only as providers of information, rather than as learners themselves who are constantly keeping pace with the new questions young people are bringing into the classrooms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To change this, we wanted to create a space where educators take centre stage and share their learnings and experiences of making sense of the ever-changing information and conversations on gender and sexuality. A space where they felt safe to ask \u2018silly questions\u2019, clarify their doubts and find a community of like-minded peers on similar or different journeys of implementing sexuality education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so came about our conference, Pathways to Safe and Inclusive Schools: Supporting Educators with Approaches to School-Based Sexuality Education<\/em>. Sexuality education is not simply about providing information. It is also about creating safe conversational spaces to ask questions, challenge assumptions, engage with diverse perspectives, and make sense of information in ways relevant to life. After countless emails, calls, social media campaigns, and months of planning and outreach, we welcomed 100 educators from diverse backgrounds in April 2026. The intention was to listen to what educators actually need to create Safe, Inclusive, and Self-Affirming (SISA) school environments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s what stayed with us:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Young People Are Raising New Issues. Are Teachers Equipped To Respond?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A student is removed from a WhatsApp group after a fight.
Another student feels unsure about their gender identity.
A boy is mocked for being \u201csensitive\u201d.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

These issues are commonly found in many schools today. Clearly, the concerns are going beyond pubertal changes, menstruation and safety to relationships, identities, digital experiences, gender norms, mental health and wellbeing.<\/p>\n\n\n

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We brought in three speakers \u2013 two from schools and one from an organisation working with young people. They all pointed to one common concern: young people need support, do teachers feel prepared to provide it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt takes a village to raise a child, but are we asking what support the village requires?\u201d<\/em> A counsellor, while bringing this up, pointed out the need to build teachers\u2019 capacity. What stood out was how she urged schools and teachers to go beyond academics and recognise how identity, relationships, digital interactions, and friendships shape young people\u2019s lives. When these concerns come up, teachers need practical tools, accurate resources, comfort and confidence to respond empathetically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another educator brought up the most commonly heard misconception: \u201cSexuality has become a trend among young people\u201d.<\/em> Schools are the first places questions on identity, expression and exploration come up. Given this reality, she stressed that teachers need accurate information to talk about gender, sexuality and identities without judgement and shame. They also need spaces to reflect on their own biases and assumptions, address their discomfort and challenge such common misconceptions. The presenter also challenged another misconception \u2013 young people are not just curious about sexuality but also want to understand it. The questions have shifted from \u201cWhat does it mean?\u201d<\/em> to \u201cHow can I be supportive and be an ally?\u201d<\/em> This shift requires teachers to have discussions that foster inclusion, diversity and respect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The discussion then turned to boys. The panel encouraged schools to think differently about how to engage boys in conversations on gender equality. One panellist said, \u201cMany boys are caught between traditional notions of masculinity and new realities. Sometimes they are encouraged to be sensitive and other times to act tough. The online world has become an influential teacher promoting a narrow idea of what it means to be a \u2018real man\u2019 centred on dominance, control and aggression.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

From here on the discussion, interestingly, was no longer about the rights of girls or seeing boys as only allies. As the online world becomes one of the key influencing agents shaping young boys\u2019 idea of masculinity, teachers need support in unpacking and challenging gender stereotypes. They also need to stay updated with the evolving ideas of gender and masculinity that shape young people\u2019s lives and to create spaces where boys can actively question gender norms and expectations and have conversations on relationships, boundaries, consent and emotional expression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A constant refrain through this discussion was that teachers do not need to have all the answers. What young people really need is for their teachers to hold spaces for difficult conversations with comfort and openness, and to make them feel seen and supported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From Information to Action<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A space where one feels free to think out loud about bodies, relationships, attraction, and growing up rather than it being confined to hush-hush conversations at lunch or in group chats undoubtedly encourages respect, empathy, and kindness as no one feels judged for asking questions that otherwise are left unanswered. But simply knowing that these spaces are important is not enough \u2013 how do we create these spaces? What do they look like and what happens in them? With this in mind, we set out to explore how exactly sexuality education can be made possible in schools. Who becomes responsible for taking this information to young people, and how?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We reached out to three schools that have incorporated sexuality education to share what it is about their \u2018model\u2019 of sexuality education that has worked. This would allow for creating a cross-network of best practices, learnings, and challenges, so educators could have sources of inspiration, get ideas on where to start from, and also learn about the possible challenges they may have to deal with in the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A teacher from a school in Dehradun shared why integrating CSE became necessary. As an all girls\u2019 boarding school, with students constantly in close proximity to one another, unique concerns around boundaries, consent, relationships, and bullying emerged. The school took note of the fact that students had information on these topics at far younger ages than before, thanks to the internet, but didn\u2019t always know how exactly to translate that information into their everyday lives with their peers, resulting in an increase in disciplinary issues. To better equip the teachers to interact more effectively with students around these issues, the school invited TARSHI for two rounds of training on CSE. During the training, teachers engaged with sexuality-related information and concepts and were also able to examine and reflect on their own assumptions, biases and values. The school then created a core committee on CSE composed of teachers who were a part of this training, who continued to engage in conversations on sexuality with the students. The students from each grade later showcased their learnings to the entire school, fostering transparency and community engagement. This is how the school initiated and now sustains conversations on sexuality with students. This has led to an increased sense of comfort amongst teachers in talking about issues related to sexuality with the students.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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A teacher from a school in Faridabad highlighted how CSE can address critical gaps that emerge because of misinformation and confusion. They shared how this misinformation, confusion about body changes, and a limited understanding of safety and consent, all topped with influence by peers and digital exposure, led to a visible increase in cases where students did not fully understand how to actually practise<\/em> creating and respecting boundaries. The strategy that worked for this school was an age- and stage-appropriate staggered approach to CSE. The idea is to start by conducting small sessions on topics which find mention most commonly in students\u2019 lives \u2013 body awareness, safety, health, or puberty. Over time, by securing students\u2019 attention and interest, building trust and rapport with them gets easier, comfort replaces hesitation, and gradually, more nuanced, detailed CSE topics can be introduced. This not only ensures that young people have access to accurate information, but also creates an environment that fosters trust, confidence, and sensitivity. Engaging with this \u2018model\u2019 reflected in increased help-seeking behaviour amongst students as in they felt more comfortable discussing sensitive topics. They also felt that they had a better understanding of boundaries. This resulted in a win-win situation where increased comfort within students meant that teachers could more easily reach them without hesitation and fear of being shut out.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

A teacher from a school in Delhi shared their approaches to CSE that introduced a creative twist in the traditional method of giving information. They recognised the need to expand their existing life skills education to allow for questions on emerging issues related to increased reliance on the internet and pornography for information, rise in violence, emotional instability, gender bias, and unsafe peer dynamics. To address these concerns, this school mapped the gaps that were visible, did some research and finally developed a curriculum on CSE. But, they also did something different. Young people everywhere are known for their energy, their undying motivation to have fun, and their ability to stay curious. The school effectively tapped into exactly this. In their curriculum, they included tools like games, art, films, media discussion, and role-playing. This not only evoked interest but also helped normalise discussions around sexuality. The creation of such an environment benefitted the teachers too. They slowly learnt how to practice more receptivity to students\u2019 concerns, actively taking steps to unlearn and relearn in the process \u2013 all of it together with their students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who Supports the Educators?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Teachers play an important role in shaping children\u2019s and young people\u2019s understanding
of themselves and the world around them. However, teachers find themselves in a position of navigating between the rapidly evolving requirements of their profession and staying up to date with what their students are engaging with \u2013 be it new technology, global events or concepts like \u2018situationships\u2019 which simply were not common while they were growing up.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

This is where TARSHI\u2019s work<\/a> on facilitating trainings is significant. India\u2019s socio-cultural environment does not allow for open conversations on sexuality. This applies not only to young people, but also to adults \u2013 teachers are a part of this system too. Not having access to this information while growing up, and now dealing with the pressure of having to answer questions in their professional role can be difficult to cope with. At TARSHI, we begin with the recognition that these conversations are hard, and keeping up with fast-changing information is harder \u2013 but it is possible. Our teacher trainings strengthen information on issues related to sexuality, including newer concerns. This helps provide clarity on what issues constitute sexuality education, and how to introduce CSE in an age- and stage-appropriate manner. Our trainings also encourage teachers to examine personal assumptions and biases through values clarification and reflective exercises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We recognise that teachers juggle multiple responsibilities with little to no room to care of their needs, which leads to them being fatigued and burned out. Having worked on wellbeing, stress management and burnout prevention for thirty years, we believe it is important for schools to create Safe, Inclusive and Self-Affirming (SISA) spaces that prioritise self-care and collective care through policies and practices, including those that promote rest and joy for staff and students. Therefore, in this conference too, we offered a space that combined joy and play. Teachers used this space to momentarily step away from their roles and simply be in the moment. How? By gently blowing bubbles, moulding clay into various shapes like that of a penguin or a bee, letting go of themselves while moving their bodies \u2013 all small but effective acts of self-care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our conference, Pathways to Safe and Inclusive Schools: Supporting Educators with Approaches to School-Based Sexuality Education,<\/em> brought into the room the lived experience of teachers who face emerging challenges in classrooms with their students\u2019 questions ranging from issues of bodily processes, identities, and mental health to digital safety. Today\u2019s digitally savvy young people are navigating complex, evolving realities and mirroring them to their educators. Clearly, teachers themselves need spaces where they can ask questions, clarify, and deepen their understanding of gender and sexuality, and appreciate that they, just like their students, have a right to wellbeing, and to safe, inclusive and self-affirming school environments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Building safer, more inclusive and self-affirming schools is not a single intervention.
It is ongoing work, shaped by dialogue, learning, and the willingness to engage with complexity. Thank you to everyone who joined us and contributed to this space \u2013 may it continue to grow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Image credits: Abhimanyu Sen<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Teachers are learners themselves<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":625,"featured_media":29595,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5450,5],"tags":[255,97,26,321,5497,5537,5518,25,251,4304,2310,5538,585,5536,666],"class_list":{"0":"post-29594","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-information-and-sexuality","8":"category-issueinfocus","9":"tag-comprehensive-sexuality-education","10":"tag-consent","11":"tag-gender","12":"tag-gender-equality","13":"tag-information-and-sexuality","14":"tag-safe-and-inclusive-schools","15":"tag-school-education","16":"tag-sexualities","17":"tag-sexuality-education","18":"tag-sexuality-educators","19":"tag-sisa-spaces","20":"tag-student-wellbeing","21":"tag-tarshi","22":"tag-teacher-training","23":"tag-teachers"},"menu_order":0,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tarshi.net\/inplainspeak\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29594","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tarshi.net\/inplainspeak\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tarshi.net\/inplainspeak\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tarshi.net\/inplainspeak\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/625"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tarshi.net\/inplainspeak\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29594"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.tarshi.net\/inplainspeak\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29594\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":29599,"href":"https:\/\/www.tarshi.net\/inplainspeak\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29594\/revisions\/29599"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tarshi.net\/inplainspeak\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/29595"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tarshi.net\/inplainspeak\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29594"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tarshi.net\/inplainspeak\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29594"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tarshi.net\/inplainspeak\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29594"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}