Understanding the Pedagogical Challenges of Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) from Young People’s Perspectives

This research explores young people’s perceptions regarding their experience in the Italian school-based comprehensive sexuality education program W L’amore, addressing the gap regarding implementation challenges as seen by youth. It identifies key elements operating as opportunities or obstacles to the adoption of CSE drawing from critical pedagogy and eco-systemic approaches to education grounded within a democratic perspective. Adopting a case study design, it uses qualitative-based methods as the primary data-gathering instruments. Results show appreciation for the program by providing a meaningful setting to reflect upon topics they deem relevant, outlining positive outcomes like cultivating a sense of community, empathy, and respect. Challenges include insufficient teacher training reflecting biases and struggles to create a safe learning space, the need for CSE to overcome adultcentric and heteronormative practices by becoming more sex-positive and inclusive, and moving towards engaging learning strategies grounded in critical thinking. The dissonance between ambitious programs and their empirical application points to the centrality of critical pedagogies and whole-school approaches for improving CSE. Furthermore, questioning sexuality as a pedagogical object from an eco-systemic perspective provides tools for an analysis of schools as plural communities that can help overcome the limitations experienced by students.