Research completed by:

Shira Tarrant

2019-2020 Fellow
Professor of Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies
California State University, Long Beach


ABOUT THE RESEARCH

Shira designed a digital toolkit to provide resources for effectively teaching foundational issues about sexual politics, public policy and social norms. The toolkit offers teaching strategies and interactive activities aimed at promoting open conversation on topics such as pornography, Title IX, consent and #MeToo.


GOALS

Sex.Talk.Toolkit. is an online resource designed to promote free speech and data-driven dialogue about sex and politics on campus.

The toolkit:

  • facilitates exploration about sexual pleasure and sexual safety while avoiding moral panic or misinformation. 
  •  encourages public dialogue about deeply private matters that have very real-world consequences. 
  •  incorporates intersectional, inclusive issues spanning a range of topics and concerns.
  •  provides resources for teaching about sexual politics in university classrooms without dampening honest questions, free speech, and open debate.

TOOLKIT ORGANIZATION

Sex.Talk.Toolkit. is designed specifically with remote and hybrid learning in mind. Faculty can smoothly incorporate various topics into existing syllabi, while the toolkit also provides robust prompts for curious people beyond college classrooms.

The toolkit is organized into three main themes: Safety, Pleasure, and Consent. Toolkit users can explore specific topics including pornography, hookups, sexual consent, Title IX, and more. The topics selected for this toolkit highlight key issues of interest for adult students at colleges and universities. Think of this as a starting place to promote robust and smart conversation, especially across ideological divides.

Each topic in the toolkit provides an Activity, Resource, and Data. This accessible format is designed for students’ personal use and for faculty to easily incorporate into course experiences. The Resources tab provides a glossary and a curated selection of books, websites, and organizations. This tool can be used for further research and exploration. 


WHEEL OF QUESTIONS

The Wheel of Questions, located under the Conversation tab, lets users click-and-spin, landing on randomly selected and provocative questions. These questions are designed as ice breakers and conversation starters about topics that are both personal and political.

Related Resources

Resource Materials

VOICE Initiative

Events