Unlearning and relearning sexuality: a qualitative exploration of The Sex Wrap, a sex education podcast

Abstract

Background Traditional school-based sexuality education has a myriad of problems with its successful delivery, including access to comprehensive sexuality curricula, access to trained facilitators, and community and parental fears. As an alternative form of sexuality education, The Sex Wrap podcast is released in weekly episodes of about 20–45 min, providing listeners with diverse, evidence-based sexual health information. Methods Participants in a larger mixed-methods study evaluating The Sex Wrap were invited to participate in qualitative in-depth interviews to explore their experiences with sexuality education, including The Sex Wrap, and how they relate to information received through the podcast. Seventeen interviews were conducted with listeners of The Sex Wrap, aged 20–25 years old. Results One core category and three axial codes were identified in the interview data. The core category is: sexuality education is an ongoing process that includes learning and unlearning. The three temporally related axial codes are: (1) experiences with formal and informal sexuality education (mostly negative) drove participants to seek more information about sex, (2) participants use The Sex Wrap as a way of exploring and personalising information about sexuality, and (3) participants equipped with comprehensive sexuality education are empowered to educate their peers. Conclusions This study suggests that podcast-based interventions, such as The Sex Wrap, can play a key role in young people’s process of sexuality education and should be considered for incorporation into other forms of sex education.