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For Goodness Sex, Let’s Talk!

Story written by Nadine J. Smet-Weiss

Oct 11, 2019

October is Let’s Talk Month and Berks Teens Matter is partnering with local libraries (and a church) to introduce our community to Al Vernacchio’s ground breaking book “for goodness sex.” Vernacchio draws on his years of experience as a high school sexuality educator to help us think about how we talk with teens about sexuality, values and health AND how we might change those conversations for the better.

One of his most popular ideas? Start with pizza! Yes, pizza! Pizza will be served at all of our Let’s Talk Month community conversations around the county. Watch Vernacchio’s TED Talk, ‘Sex needs a new metaphor’ and you will understand the connection (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xF-CX9mAHPo). Baseball is out, and pizza is in as a goodness-based metaphor for human sexuality in the context of values and health.

It is that context of values and health that is often missing from the messages our young people – and the rest of us – receive about human sexuality. Our entertainment media mass produces messages about sexuality apart from the context of our life as a whole. Our daily news reports are rife with sexuality shown in negative and shame-filled contexts. Who among us does not desire something better for our youth and our community?

“For goodness sex,” we invite you to read the book (available via RPL, BCPL, and Hulu) or watch the TED Talk, and join us for a community conversation this fall. Berks Teens Matter is also available to help you host a community conversation in 2019-20 and beyond. Let’s start the goodness-based conversations about sexuality, values and health to create something better for our youth and our community.

Our “Let’s Talk Month” calendar of events includes:

October 16, 6:00-7:30pm @ Wyomissing Library

October 23, 5:30-7:00pm @ Northeast Branch of Reading Public Library

October 24, 6:30-8:00pm @ One UCC Church, Kenhorst

October 28, 5:00-6:30pm @ Spring Township Library

November 6, 6:00-7:30 @ Brandywine Library

Follow us on Facebook for registration information and ongoing updates to the calendar: www.facebook.com/berksteensmatter

 

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