Sex, Technology, and Youth Converge at National Conference

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Sex, Technology, and Youth Converge at National Conference

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Over 300 youth, sexual health educators and advocates, academics, and technology experts from across North America and other countries gathered in San Francisco Jan 22-23 for Sex::Tech, a groundbreaking conference to examine the impact and potential of mobile and online tech on the sexual health of young people.

Organized by Internet Sexuality Information Services (ISIS) and the National Sexuality Resource Center the innovative gathering highlighted the importance of youth perspectives, technology trends, social marketing best practices, public health knowledge, and community participation from all segments and institutions..

The conference featured the winners of ISIS' national “Fresh Focus Online Video Contest", hosted at the opening keynote event by the creators of the "Midwest Teen Sex Show". The winners, selected from among 70 contest entrants, told their own stories about dealing with the conflicting and often confusing information they receive about sex.

"Too many people, including many parents, fear that all these new communications technologies will lead young people into dangerous sexual activities,” said Deb Levine, M.A., Executive Director and Founder of ISIS. “But the truth is that they can actually enhance sexual well-being. There are wonderful opportunities ahead using sexual health promotion tools via cell phones, Internet, and PDAs. Computerized behavioral risk assessment for sexual health and disease prevention and many other services can be facilitated using these new technologies to address sexual health issues. We believe that’s where the dialogue about technology and sexuality needs to go.”

A special reception sponsored by the Full Circle Fund and Assemblymember Mark Leno (D-San Francisco), featured cartoon images drawn by political satirist Lloyd Dangle of Troubletown projected onto a wall at the Institute for Next Generation Internet, where attendees sent text messages that "put words in the mouth" of President Bush's thought bubble about comprehensive sex education.

“The fact is that youth, sexuality researchers, educators and technology experts don’t talk to one another,” said Gilbert Herdt, PhD, Director of the National Sexuality Resource Center in an opening keynote address. “We’re here to create new partnerships, new ways of being collaborative and listening to each other to help advance sexual literacy and the sexual health, education and rights of young people in America today.”