Introduction to the volunteers' Sex:Positive campaign

Our new cohort of volunteers spoke at our annual Parliamentary Reception about the change that they would like to create with their new Sex:Positive campaign.

We are a group of young volunteers aged 17- 22 from across London city. Together, we are known as Cohort 3, the third cohort of campaign volunteers, from Brook- The Young People's Sexual Health Charity.

Here we have Chris Mason: a 17 year old with hands made for drums; Gloria: a Post- Graduate in Politics and French a penchant for culture; Dorren: also a Post- Graduate in Politics with a worldly perspective on life as a young person in London, Chris: A dancer with the dedication of a soldier; Michael: East London's finest in Young People's Sexual Health; Lilli; A bright young lady full of prospects; Lucy: more passionate than Jamie is about school dinners; Niall: with his sharp mind and enthusiasm within Media; and me, Nataliah; an up and coming Head Teacher , all ready to make a change for sex and young people in Education for the future.

Although we vary in backgrounds, interests and aspirations, one thing we do have in common is Sex. As young people, sex is stereotypically important to us, because we are all promiscuous, drug taking, insolent drunks...

In addition to that, we are passionate, responsible and motivated!

As individuals growing up in different areas of London we have all experienced, seen and felt a lack of support when coming across issues of sexuality, confidence, and sexual health issues. We discovered from the first day that we all shared some common ground; we all had bad experiences of SRE, had learnt that sex is taboo and felt pressure to conform to stereotypical unattainable ideals. It has been a struggle to not have been left either clueless or thoroughly confused about sex and relationships . We all decided that we would volunteer for Brook in order to make sure that these things would not carry on for future young people.

We all came across Brook in different ways, some of us have had previous experience of Brook coming into our schools or using Brook services in the past, others through word of mouth from previous volunteers and some from coming across the volunteering opportunity online. We all however strongly believed in what Brook stands for and does for young people all over the UK.

At a time where young people are mainly portrayed in a negative light, we came to challenge the stereotypes by doing something positive. We wanted a platform to get our voice heard and for it to be respected.

We are in the process of developing a youth led campaign at Brook. Sex:Positive is about getting society to understand that young people and their developing sexualities are not something new nor are they exclusive to particular parts of society Sexuality is something encountered by all young people ALL OVER THE WORLD!

OH NO young people and sexual health in the same sentence - SHOCK HORROR! We'd like those in society who respond so negatively to young people having access to high quality and young people friendly local sexual health services to listen up.

We want to know about masturbation, sexual orientation, gender identity, human sexual anatomy, sexually transmitted infections, contraception, birth control, sexual intimidation and consent. We want an unbiased society that provides us with facts , gives us a choice, and supports an open dialogue.

We want society to listen to our views on the matters that concern us.
We are tired of being indoctrinated to live up to unrealistic ideals and being ignored or told to abstain. We want to be aware of all our options. We want to be able to make fully informed decisions and to make be equipped to make healthy choices.

We as a team of young people have had ENOUGH. We demand that our rights do not get ignored any longer. We have devised the sex positive campaign in an attempt to change the negative attitudes in society towards young people and their developing sexuality so that we can view this universal aspect of ourselves not with confusion and frustration but instead in a positive, healthy way.

So please support us and help us make change happen.

Thank you!

Details of the Sex:Positive campaign and how to support the campaign will be on the Brook website soon.