In this episode of Unzipping Taboos, we’re joined by Dr. Karen Rayne, co-founder and Director of Education at UN|HUSHED, to unpack the realities of teaching sex ed without consistent standards or modern resources. We talk about why so many programs still lean on the classic “parenting” simulations (like caring for an egg, a bag of flour, or a crying doll) and how those exercises focus on logistics while missing the emotional, mental, and relational realities of parenting.
We also get into what inclusive sex education really means, why accurate language matters, and how sex ed has slowly been pushed out of the home. Karen shares why parents — and other trusted adults — don’t need to be experts to advocate for better education or have meaningful conversations with kids.
This conversation is about taking sex education seriously — not as a one-time unit or a box to check, but as real preparation for real life. It’s about moving past stand-ins and silence, and building education that actually reflects the emotional, relational, and human realities young people are navigating every day.
Learn more about UN|HUSHED and the resources available for caregivers and professionals.
To see your state policies around sex ed, check out the Guttmacher Institute.
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