Illustrated in her bright, electric style, How to Say Hello offers children a variety of greetings to choose from, from fist bumps to smiles; from special dances to peeks out from between a parentâs legs. Ultimately, she writes, âthere are so many ways to say hello!â with the book delivering an inclusive message of empowerment about making your own choices, and respecting those of others.
âBeing respectful of differences in personal boundaries is a kindness we can afford to anyone, young or old.â Photograph: Hardie Grant
Board books on bodily autonomy and consent arenât common â but when it comes to picture books, Beer recommends Emily Neilsonâs Can I Give You a Squish (âgorgeous and playfulâ) and Sharee Millerâs Donât Touch My Hair! As children grow older and more curious, there are even more resources, including the âwonderfulâ Welcome to Consent! by Yumi Stynes and Dr Melissa Kang.
Sex, schoolkids and where it all goes wrong
Privilege. Porn. Parent-free parties. An alcohol-fuelled climate in which being nice to girls is considered uncool. A wave of sexual assault allegations involving students from some of our top private schools underlines the need to foster a healthier brand of manhood.
May 15, 2021
Private boys’ schools are capturing the nation’s attention because of how frequently young women have cited these schools as hothouses for sexual predation, and for what this might tell us about male and class privilege in Australia.
Credit:Getty Images (posed by models)
Warning: This story includes graphic content.
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Kids in Australia are exposed to pornography from around age 10, while many are having sexual experiences of their own by about the age of 16. Yet, there is a reluctance to have frank and honest conversations with kids about sex.
Historically, school-based ‘sex education’ has either focused on the mechanics of sex – like how to put a condom on a banana – or just plain old abstinence.
While it’s important for kids to know how to use contraception, there’s more to making sex ‘safe’. To combat Australia’s high rates of sexual violence, we need to talk to kids about the attitudes and beliefs that make sexual violence so common and normalised.