The discourse on sexuality: a comparison of two sex orientation books for adolescents

Abstract

Sex education is undoubtedly one of the most important items to cover in our country today. Although there seems to be general consensus on the matter, the truth is that the ways of approaching and teaching the contents of that education are as diverse as the groups that make up the social fabric. This article analyzes the underlying discourse in two books whose objective is to guide adolescents in the exercise of their sexuality. One of them was published by the local government of Mexico City, and the other by the Catholic organization Red Familia (“Family Network”). This exercise is not intended to make any value judgments regarding such books, but only to point out their similarities and differences in the use of language, the construction of their arguments, and their ways of understanding sexuality.