Special Event Speaker Series

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The notion that a single sex talk at home or a handful of classes in school are enough to guide young people toward healthy choices and sexual empowerment is, thankfully, fading. But this leaves many parents floundering. While we may want to encourage conversations with our children about sexuality, relationships, consent, identity, and beyond, we aren’t always sure what to say, how to say it, or when to begin. When is the “right time” to start talking? What, exactly, should we be talking about at various ages? How do these conversations change when puberty strikes in earnest, crushes hit hard, social drama escalates, and identities are explored?

In this talk for middle school parents and educators, sexuality educator Rachel Lotus will discuss all of this and more, with a particular focus on the unique challenges of parenting tweens and teens in this extraordinary pandemic year.

Presented by Rachel Lotus

Rachel Lotus is an educator, consultant, and the founder and director of The Talk NYC, a one-stop shop for inclusive, progressive sexuality education. She offers classes for youth, workshops for parents, and support for schools. The Talk’s empowering program provides participants with foundational knowledge, essential social-emotional skills, and an invaluable opportunity to connect meaningfully with peers. Prior to founding The Talk, Rachel taught middle and high school in the NYC public school system, where she witnessed firsthand the need for better sex ed.

In addition to speaking frankly about sexuality to students, parents, and educators, Rachel also talks often and openly with her own three kids who, like all children, have lots of questions.