Sticky A Self Love Story: Sex Education Curriculum

Assignment Title An Assignment Submitted by Name of Student Name of Establishment Class XXXX, Section XXXX, Fall 2011 If there is one thing Sticky: A (Self) Love Story achieves, it is enhanced and open discussions about the inclusion of masturbation as part of the sex education curriculum that young people receive across the United States. The 2016 documentary by director Nicholas Tana that investigated why the topic of masturbation remains taboo achieves this by seeking critical stakeholders for interviews on the topic. Among participants were health professionals, religious leaders, sex therapists, sex educators and many others who gave their views, seeking to separate myth from fact and to move the conversation forward within public discussion. Its thematic approach of asking questions surrounding the taboos and beliefs on the subject is quite similar to investigative and informative journalism and exposes interesting insights. One of the first indications that Sticky was more than just a typical documentary seeking attention through the overused sex appeal marketing route came through the invitation that the American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors, and Therapists extended to Mr. Tana for an address to its members during it annual convention in Minneapolis in 2015. The occasion also afforded the association an opportunity to screen an advance copy of the documentary that was already making waves even before its formal launch in 2016. Consequently educational screenings have followed in several universities across the country that various sponsors such as Sex Outloud, VOX Voices and Planned Parenthood. This shows that more and more decision makers and members of academia are starting to consider the message of the documentary as valid and worth consideration. One of the strengths of the film is in its appeal to transform discussions surrounding masturbation from the taboo and dismissive manner hitherto common in media and private discussions into a more open and healthy approach. The film gives examples of how media has portrayed the practice negatively with the sad suicide of a minor caught on camera masturbating and an FBI research that linked serial killers to obsessive masturbation taking prominent position. Other negative portrayals in entertainment that the documentary explores include scenes in movies such as the Paul Weitz directed American Pie, horror classic The Exorcist and romantic comedy Sex and the city, all of which were extremely influential screen works in their era. At the end of the documentary, the viewer wonders why this innocuous practice is referred to d...