Talking to adolescent girls about sexuality and sexual pleasure is important in ensuring healthy attitudes toward their bodies, relationships, and self-awareness. It’s a topic often overshadowed by stigma, shame, or taboo, but it is necessary to break these barriers for the well-being of young girls. Open, honest, and non-judgmental conversations about sex, sexuality, and pleasure will empower them to make informed decisions and develop a sense of bodily autonomy. Creating a safe and supportive space when addressing adolescent girls about sexuality and sexual pleasure, is important to foster an environment of trust and respect. Young girls should feel safe to express their thoughts, ask questions, and share their feelings without fear of being judged or dismissed.

Guardians, parents, and educators play an important role in creating this space, where discussions about sex are normalised rather than avoided. Schools should incorporate comprehensive sexuality education that goes beyond the basics of sex, genitals and anatomy, and reproductive health. Education must include discussions about sexual pleasure, consent, gender identity, and sexual orientation. Unfortunately, many curriculums still lack an inclusive and comprehensive approach, leaving out critical aspects of queer-focused content or sexual pleasure. Queer voices should be heard, and their experiences included in discussions about sexual health. Encouraging non-judgmental dialogue one of the biggest challenges young girls face when discussing sexuality is the stigma and shame often associated with these topics. Society often fails to normalise conversations about sexual pleasure, particularly for girls, which can lead to confusion and misinformation. To counteract this, adults must adopt a non-judgmental attitude when addressing adolescent sexuality. Take, for example, the Learner Pregnancy Policy, which aims to address issues like teen pregnancy in South Africa’s basic education system. However, as voiced by a young student, Moipone Msiza during a Feminist parliament discussion hosted by Soul City Institute on the 30 June 2023, she noted that “the policy lacks an intersectional approach and does not reflect the needs of today’s youth. Msiza argues for updating the curriculum to include more inclusive content on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) and sexual pleasure, free from judgment. This highlights the need for young people to be involved in creating policies and education that directly affect them.

Innovative approaches to teaching sexuality to make learning about sex, sexuality, and pleasure more engaging, interactive methods such as card games and puzzles can be introduced in school lessons during Life Orientation class. For instance, creating a card game, where each card represents a theme around SRHR, can be used as an interactive way to engage young people aged 14-18. A leaflet accompanying the game can provide further context and questions for discussion. Younger students (aged 10-13) could participate in puzzle-based activities that introduce them to key concepts in a playful, yet informative way. This approach moves away from making the conversation overly serious and creates opportunities for playful, experiential learning. It’s also important to encourage involvement from parents and siblings, turning it into a family-centered activity that fosters communication about sexual health in a supportive environment.

Engaging parents and communities in talking with adolescent girls about their sexuality should not be an isolated effort. Parents, guardians, and even community leaders can play an important role in guiding these discussions. Community-based workshops or church-based discussions offer opportunities for girls to explore topics like consent, bodily autonomy, and sexual pleasure within a supportive network. The role of parents is crucial. They should be involved in these discussions and grant permission to engage in age-appropriate conversations about sex and sexuality. This can be done through participatory workshops where parents and girls share what they know, allowing facilitators to correct misconceptions and provide accurate information. Open and respectful conversations within the family can go a long way in building confidence and knowledge among young girls.

Adolescent girls deserve access to accurate and judgment-free information about their sexuality and sexual pleasure. By creating safe spaces for dialogue, involving them in shaping educational policies, and using engaging, interactive methods to teach, we can empower them to make informed decisions and build healthy relationships with their bodies and others. Respectful, open communication is the key to breaking the cycle of shame and stigma surrounding sexual health.