ST. JOHN'S, Newfoundland and Labrador — The sex education slide that infuriated New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs is the first of more than 100 slides in a presentation on healthy relationships and sexual health that will be distributed to high school students across the country.
Theresa Norris, president of the Montreal-based organization HPV Global Action, walked reporters through the presentation in detail today, explaining the context behind one opening slide that Higgs shared on social media last week and deemed “clearly inappropriate.”
Screenshots of the slides included questions such as “Do girls masturbate?” and “Is anal sex good or bad?” Norris explained that her goal was to show teens that these questions are normal and that her presentation would help them better understand their sexual health.
The next slide tells her own story of losing her best friend to cervical cancer, and she uses her story to connect with her audience and explain how some of what they're about to learn could potentially save their lives.
The presentation, titled “Healthy Relationships 101,” – which Higgs admits he didn't see the whole picture – then goes on to discuss healthy friendships, unhealthy relationships, sex, puberty, consent, abstinence, sexually transmitted diseases and more.
Higgs said the material is not part of the state curriculum, but a government website shows that puberty, gender identity, sexual orientation and healthy romantic and sexual relationships are all covered in high school lessons on personal and family wellness.
Norris said he has given similar talks in schools around the country for more than 20 years, in consultation with local education and public health officials, and has never faced any backlash or criticism.
She said focusing on a single slide from the talk “grossly misrepresents” her work and its importance, and she worries that Higgs' vow to ban the group from speaking in the province will have a chilling effect on educators in New Brunswick and across the country.
“Teenagers need to be at the center of this discussion,” Norris said in an interview. “If we don't give teenagers the space to have questions and concerns, what happens?”
She said there have been 12 documented cases where students went home after the presentations and encouraged their mothers to get tested for HPV, which can cause cervical cancer, only to have the tests come back with a problem.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 31, 2024.
Canadian Press
