The first TikTok video I posted was a ten-finger challenge about whether you received comprehensive and inclusive sex ed. I’ve had more success getting through to young people within three months of using TikTok than in three years of my podcast, proving that young people crave sex ed that speaks to them-you just have to meet them where they’re at. I also host Sex Ed With DB, a feminist podcast bringing folks all the sex ed they never got through storytelling centering LGBTQ folks and BIPOC. I recently graduated with a master’s degree in public health from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, where I gained a certificate in sexuality, sexual, and reproductive health (no I haven’t found a job yet, dad, but thanks for asking). My mission is to bring comprehensive, inclusive, and relatable sex ed to the masses. That’s why I’ve tried to carve out a space on TikTok through sexedwithdb.
ed lesson of the day: Medication abortion is a totally safe way to end an early-stage pregnancy should someone CHOOSE to have one. Who can blame them, when only 17 states require school-based sex ed content to be medically accurate, only 20 states and Washington D.C., require teaching about contraception, and 29 states require abstinence be stressed? This reality does not lend itself to a positive, inclusive, and fun sex ed community in schools, which is why TikTok is such a needed resource for young people.
LGBTQ affirmation doesn’t often happen in sex ed classrooms across the United States, and if kids can’t get what they need from school, they will turn to the internet and social media. The amount of love and support a trans man received after sharing a video of the first time he was shirtless in public after top surgery is the kind of response that we as sex educators want for our LGBTQ youth. This has allowed young people to feel connected with other like-minded people while their own bodies, identities, and experiences are affirmed. While the app is far from perfect ( cyberbullying and discrimination need to be addressed), TikTokers can quickly call out harmful behavior, offer support, and use their own popularity to boost others. Stay up to date with The Fallout, a newsletter from our expert journalists. Roe has collapsed in Texas, and that's just the beginning.