Sexism persists in France, including among young people.

This is the finding revealed by the High Council for Equality (HCE), on the occasion of the day of the fight against sexism, Wednesday, January 25.

“The younger generations are the most affected,” writes the HCE, which recommends in particular the establishment of an obligation to hold lessons in sexuality and emotional life, provided for by law. 

This, dating from 2001, imposes three lessons per school year from kindergarten to high school.

In practice, the directive is rarely applied in schools.

Only 15% of high school students and 20% of college students benefit from these sessions, according to the report of the General Inspectorate of Education submitted in July 2021, made public a year later.

Similarly, a survey by the feminist collective #NousToutes, carried out between 2021 and 2022 showed that students had only benefited on average from 13% of the number of sessions planned, i.e. 2.7 instead of the 21 sessions they should have have throughout their schooling. 

>> See also: Sex education: less than 20% of French students benefit from it

Porn, often the only reference for teenagers 

Margot Fried-Filliozat is a sex therapist and sex education worker in the Paris region.

Two weeks before each of his interventions, an anonymous question box is made available to fourth and third year students.

“At this age, their questions revolve a lot around standards and obligations in order to be accepted by the group”, relates Margot Fried-Filliozat, who gives an example that marked her: “Am I obliged to do everything (vagina and anus) on my first time?” asked a teenager.  

But other questions go much further, says the speaker.

“What is bukkake?

Is zoophilia good?

In question: pornography, often the only reference for adolescents, which influences their perception of sexuality.

Among 18-24 year olds, one in three young people believe that pornography is a way like any other to do their sex education, according to the latest survey by the Traumatic Memory and Victimology association, conducted by Ipsos.  

Last September, a parliamentary report called on the government to fight against the abuses of the pornographic industry, also containing several proposals to prevent minors from accessing pornographic content on the Internet.

A precaution which is essential in theory to the diffusers but which, in the facts, is not applied. 

Thus, sexuality education sessions are essential as a lever in the fight against sexist and sexual violence, making it possible to teach the notion of consent.

“When they see that I use the real words and that I don't hesitate, there is a much freer speech”, says Margot Fried-Filliozat who recounts “authentic and uninhibited” exchanges with young people.  

For the most part, these sessions are not given by professionals but by teachers of SVT (Life and Earth Sciences), specifies the investigation of #NousToutes.

And the topics covered are actually already part of the school curriculum.

“Knowing where the fallopian tubes are is not enough! Reproduction is not sexuality”, insists Margot Fried-Filliozat. 

A patriarchal society “with well-gendered roles” 

For many feminist movements, the school has a decisive role in the prevention of gender-based and sexual violence.

Each year, Family Planning works with 150,000 young people in 3,500 schools, from primary to terminale.

“Sex education is a tool for individual and collective emancipation,” says Sarah Durocher, national co-president of Family Planning.

“It's developing your critical mind and making your own choices.”  

Because sexist and sexual violence stems “from the patriarchal society where the roles are well gendered”, she continues.

“We realize that in books, cartoons and films, we are on very heterocentric relationships.

Questioning the role of women in a tale, from a very young age in primary school, and therefore questioning what is happening at home, this allows you to put a little seed in your head on things that have always been affirmed .” 

In the article of the Education Code, the themes to be addressed during these sessions are contraception, sexually transmitted diseases, puberty or sexist and homophobic prejudices.

"The law is very well done, we don't want to change it," says Sarah Durocher.

“Unfortunately, it is not effective”, she explains, denouncing the lack of strong political will and financial means.  

On the other hand, for Ginevra Bersani, economist and co-author of "The cost of virility" (ed. Anne Carrière), “there is no universal answer that can be provided by school alone.

We must be careful when we talk about the failure of public policies because education is done at all levels, in the family, in the religious context, on television, etc.  

The economist points out that it is not only women who are victims of patriarchy.

“Boys are also victims of a system that prevents them from speaking, feeling feelings and talking about them,” she explains.

“There is a taboo about letting out emotions and feelings, because it goes beyond the framework of the strong, courageous man who is not afraid of anything.” 

Young people are aware of the issue of violence since the #MeToo movement and the freedom of speech.

Margot Fried-Filliozat observes, in class, that more and more young girls are campaigning for women's rights.

“Some do not hesitate to intervene.

I remember one of them saying in class: 'Of course girls masturbate, it's important!'”, says the speaker, who welcomes the many accounts dedicated to sex education that have proliferated on social media in recent years.

Snapchat, YouTube, and TikTok also allow young people to ask questions they dare not ask anyone.

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