Our Whole Lives

Our Whole Lives: The UU Sexuality Curriculum

HIGH SCHOOL AND JUNIOR HIGH

The information our children get in public school only covers one-fifth of the areas of sexuality – only sexual health and reproduction. OWL covers all five areas. It is a comprehensive program that has been taught and developed over 20 years.

Here is what the Unitarian Universalist Association says about OWL:

Our Whole Lives helps participants make informed and responsible decisions about their sexual health and behavior. It equips participants with accurate, age-appropriate information in six subject areas: human development, relationships, personal skills, sexual behavior, sexual health, and society and culture. Grounded in a holistic view of sexuality, Our Whole Lives provides not only facts about anatomy and human development, but helps participants to clarify their values, build interpersonal skills, and understand the spiritual, emotional, and social aspects of sexuality.

For more details, see http://www.uua.org/owl.

LIVING, BREATHING TESTIMONIALS FROM REAL OWL STUDENTS

I took AYS [the precursor to OWL]. The first time it was all new and you can only take in so much. When I took it a second time, the information was able to sink in better. You actually learn the information, and it is important information to know in order to keep yourself safe and to have an edge over other people by being more comfortable about sexuality and allowing me to deal with the subject in a relaxed way. When you get older, you are ready for more information to get further into the subject of sexuality and learn more.

— Areen Bissar

Taking AYS was great. It came in handy because all of my friends had so many questions and I was able to give them truthful answers and keep the myth mill from occurring. I felt like I could help my friends to keep safe by giving them good information.

— Jillian Bissar

OWL: the alternative to schools “Abstinence Ed”. This course actually talks about both sides of sex, the good (which schools “forget” to mention) as well as the bad (which schools show as SEX=DEATH in some “educational” videos). It’s a great way to spend time: have fun, learn a lot, have more fun. I hope all kids will come to OWL and strongly encourage their parents to let them.

— Kali Smith , OWL Graduate (Middle School)

OWL FACILITATOR TRAINING

Our district holds at least one Facilitator training each year. Our Whole Lives is a lifespan series of curricula, and the curriculum for grades 7-9 and 10-12 could be described as the "flagship" curriculum. Grounded in a holistic view of sexuality, OWL provides not only facts about anatomy and human development, but helps participants to clarify their values, build interpersonal skills, and understand the spiritual, emotional, and social aspects of sexuality.

Ideally, Live Oak would be able to offer OWL 7-9 & 10-12 every year, but to do so we need more teachers to be trained to teach it. As a teenager, I took the predecessor course to OWL (About Your Sexuality), and it was such a life-changing experience for me that I have taught AYS and OWL several times now and consider it to be the most important and meaningful thing I have ever done in Unitarian Universalism.

John Iacoletti

If you would like to know more about the program, you can take a look at http://www.uua.org/owl/main.html.

Or contact Mary McIntosh mcmcintosh@earthlink.net