Everything is energy, and sexual energy being one of the most potent. The unification of sexual energy is the inception of human life, this is something we all share in common. At the same time, sexual energy has been used in ways that cause harm and suffering. We are hormonal beings, and there are different realities that we each experience given our unique composition. Male testosterone often gets a bad rap, but it’s not that simple. Often times, especially in cultures where sex is shunned, evolving biochemistry doesn’t get the support that it needs from older, more experienced peers. Instead, most young men are left to navigate these aspects through their own discovery informed by whatever the social norms are.

It’s a cycle that perpetuates until there is enough centripetal force to change the norms. One way to look at this through first principles is by providing easy-to-use, easy-to-understand, and easy-to-integrate resources for youth whose bodies are transforming and are hormonally maturing. We know from developmental psychology that it is much more effective to write better programs from the start than it is to attempt to rewrite old programs. Normalizing the constructive use of male sexual energy is one of the most impactful things that we can look to address as a species.

We propose a digital learning experience for male adolescents to help them develop healthy behaviors and mindsets around sex and intimacy.

We believe any new approach to sex education must take a holistic approach, going beyond simply focusing on the act of sex and preventing pregnancy.

Our approach would start by educating kids on fundamentals such as bodily energy, chakras, intuition, and consent, and reinforce healthy habits and behaviors through simulations, gamification and supportive tools. Finally, kids would have access to trusted support as they navigate puberty rather than having to hide or bottle up their feelings and experiences inside.

1. Intuition Mapping

A guided experience that prompts kids to draw where and how in the body they experience their intuition.

• For example: “Yes feels like my heart is open; No I feel small”.
• Every human is different and there is no one “right” way to feel. Allowing kids to express like this and then visualize it could help them tune in to their intuition and higher self earlier in life. This would enable them to better navigate challenging situations relating to intimacy and emerge from them with less harm, reducing the weight of trauma in society.

2. Teaching Energy

A simplified, interactive game that teaches kids about chakras and bodily energy in a non-taboo way.

• We believe a key tenet of a redesigned sexual education lies with how we frame “sex” - specifically, as an energy center that can be leveraged in your life for something greater. Training on how to use the breath and mantra to navigate one’s sexual urges—taking a breath and channelling that energy into focus, creation & productivity rather than simply acting on it—can be widely distributed by combining a digital curriculum and in-person support from trained educators.

3. Intuition Building

A VR experience that puts young adolescents in challenging situations and guides them on how to navigate it.

• For example: Your peers are pressuring you to go the next base with your partner and you feel uneasy. We’ve all the been there. The first time we are propositioned with physical intimacy can be an unnerving and sometimes conflicting experience, especially when social pressure is added. Without prior guidance and an established sense of self, it can be easy to compromise our morals and potentially bring emotional harm to ourselves and others.
• By prepping kids in these kinds of scenarios we can help them build a sense of self sooner and make decisions based on their own choice and judgment.

4. Teaching Consent

A gamified experience that rewards kids for the appropriate setting and respecting of physical boundaries.

• Example: "You and Charlie having been laughing in the park all afternoon and you have an urge to touch their thigh. What should you do next?"
• Our instinct is to touch when we want to touch, but we haven’t necessarily considered what touch means to Charlie. Even if the energy is pure, we risk creating a destabilizing and potentially harmful experience for Charlie without first inquiring around what they are feeling and what they are comfortable with. Guiding kids through such scenarios would help to create a culture of trust, respect and peaceful coexistence.

5. Tribal Support

A digital space where kids can ask questions about their early sexual experiences and get responses without taboo and shame.

• Example: You have just discovered pornography and feel guilty about the new sensations you are feeling. Whether it’s due to growing up in a religious household or simply the personality of your parents, our earliest sexual experiences can trigger a sense of shame or embarrassment and we may not know why.
• Our current systems do not adequately support adolescents through this process of unpacking what is purely human versus what is morally questionable. This contributes to adult behaviors that let sexual energy out in detrimental ways, such as seeing sexual partners as numbers rather than opportunities for connection and growth, to domestic aggression and abuse.

6. Digital Journal & Habit Tracker

Tools that allow kids to record their thoughts, feelings and key moments as they navigate puberty, which can be shared with trusted counsellors at their own discretion.

Habit tracking functionality would allow them to monitor progress on behaviors they wish to curb, such as pornography and masturbation.