The overarching pedagogical model in 1991 was . The primary message, heavily gendered, was "don't get pregnant" for girls and "don't get (or spread) a disease" for boys. The 1991 Belgian version of sex ed was, in essence, a driver’s education course for the reproductive system. Condoms were demonstrated on wooden models, but discussions of pleasure, desire, or even enthusiastic consent were taboo. Homosexuality was at best mentioned as a pathological deviation, and more often simply ignored. Transgender or non-binary identities were not on the radar. For a boy attracted to other boys, or a girl who did not fit feminine stereotypes, the 1991 classroom was a place of profound invisibility and potential shame.
Johan looked from the phone to his old blue notebook. In 1991, he remembered the boys snickering in the back of the room while the girls looked down at their desks in embarrassment. It was a subject shrouded in mystery and taboo. The overarching pedagogical model in 1991 was
“The best part was when a boy asked, ‘Do girls ever get random boners?’ and the teacher said, ‘They don’t have a penis, but clitoral erections happen inside, and they can be random too.’ The whole class went quiet. That was new information for everyone. Including me.” Condoms were demonstrated on wooden models, but discussions
Flanders and Wallonia have different textbooks, different vocabulary, and different rates of success. Walloon schools tend to focus more on romantic relationships; Flemish schools are more direct and biological. Kids near the language border get inconsistent messages. For a boy attracted to other boys, or
