Tonight (September 25th) at 7:00 p.m., Planned Parenthood Toronto will host a panel discussion on the changing relationship between youth sexuality, new technologies, and social media.
"Youth today are not getting the kind of sex education they need from schools and, increasingly, they're turning to the mediums they're familiar with--social media and technology--to fill in the gaps," says Sarah Hobbs-Blyth, executive director of Planned Parenthood Toronto.
Importantly, says Hobbs-Blyth, the increased access of young people to instant information and instant communication provides youth with new and important avenues for sexual education and sexual expression. At the same time, the technology can have a much darker side; not only are there plenty of sources of misinformation, but texting and social media are increasingly being harnessed as tools for shaming, bullying, and victimization.
"This online bullying and exposing is often a gendered phenomenon," says Hobbs-Blyth. "And it can have very detrimental effects on physical and mental well-being."
To discuss both the opportunities and challenges of technology and social media in relation to youth sexuality, PPT has invited Ken Jeffers of the TDSB Gender Based Violence Prevention Program, and Raisa Bhuiyan Blogger with Shameless Magazine to discuss these issues alongside PPT's Berkha Gupta, teen programming coordinator, and Tanesha Darby, teen programming volunteer.
Among other things, the panel will discuss youth perspectives on technology and sexuality, strategies for increasing access to sexual health information and support, as well as the pervasiveness of rape culture and slut shaming online.
The discussion--Technology, Youth and Sexuality: a panel discussion on the positive and negative implications of technology on youth sexuality--is part of PPT's Annual General Meeting which is being held at Miles Nidal JCC at 750 Spadina Ave (the meeting begins at 5:30 p.m., the panel discussion at 7:00 p.m.).
"This is the first of many conversations we'll have on this topic," says Hobbs-Blyth. "Really this is us trying to begin the conversation, to find out more about it. A lot of times it feels like not everyone is talking about these issues of technology and social media [in relation to youth sexuality] and we want to bring these issues up and see who are our allies in this and see how we might help or guide youth who have been victims or who have participated in some of this stuff."
Writer: Katia Snukal
Source: Sarah Hobbs-Blyth, Executive Director, Planned Parenthood Toronto