In the age of the internet, casual dating, and bodily autonomy, affordable and comprehensive sex education has never been more crucial. And sex-educators have been pivotal in bridging this gap for their audience. From informational pieces to quirky reels, Instagram and TikTok feeds are flooded with young educators simplifying sex education for all. But don’t let this influx of creators in sex-ed space paint a rainbow picture for you.
BTS, these sex-ed creators face and overcome challenges that often go unnoticed. Bringing together a team, looking for sponsors, maintaining a healthy online presence, and whatnot- the list is actually never-ending!
Societal stigma and shame
Primarily, the existing stigma and shame around sex play a pivotal role in making their life difficult. We have reached Mars but have a Stone Age opinion about pleasure, particularly in Indian society. It’s so strange that in the land of Kamasutra, sex is a bad word, a taboo. And if you dare to talk about it publicly, you’re ridiculed, judged, fetishized, and even ostracized. Of course, new-age sex-ed content creators are the first-line victims of this harassment. Constant troll attacks, derogatory personal comments, and threats to report make it emotionally, mentally, and economically challenging for them to maintain a positive online presence.
Regressive and restrictive Meta policies
Further, several sex-ed content creators, including Dr. Tanaya Narendra, Seema Anand, Pallavi Barnwal, Khushboo Bistt, and Neha Bhatt to name a few, are battling censorship and platform restrictions on Meta. To throw more light, Meta platforms (Instagram and Facebook) have strict, restricting policies to protect their audience from ‘harmful’ adult content.
However, the AI is programmed to recognize and flag even educational and informative sex-ed posts as violations of Meta’s adult content policies. I mean, how is telling someone that wearing a condom is harmful to adult content or expression of nudity? Moreover, using anatomical words like vulva, clitoris, and penis is banned. How does Meta expect a doctor to explain this anatomy to their viewers? This definition of right and wrong about sex is inspired by a regressive thought process, creating more barriers for folx to access comprehensive sex-ed and perceiving sex as normal and human.
Long story short, as a Meta content creator, either you comply by editing out and beeping these words, or you find your content demonetized, removed, or shadowbanned.
What does shadow-banning do to you?
a. Your reels or posts will not reach the explore page,
b. You’ll not appear on the search bar or Meta SEO. Your content will reach only a fraction of your followers,
c. And you’ll have more unfollows than follows every day.
You’re cut off from your existing audience and banned from reaching new ones.
And if you’re on the edge, there are no hands or ears from Meta support for you- you’re on your own to figure it out and fend for yourself. Even our page, @imbesharam, is age-restricted and shadow-banned by Meta.
Uncertain content monetization and paid collaborations
These policies are a big bummer for any content creator waking up, finding motivation to research and script, and investing time and resources to shoot, edit, and post a reel with crossed fingers that the content piece will survive and grow. And these restrictions bring the cycle of economic instability with them.
You’re working with limited brands. You’re putting extensive research, time, and resources into providing more accurate information than other creators. You’re unable to monetize your work through ads, sponsorships, or merchandise on a routine. The uncertainty is taxing, tiring, and cumbersome. And the journey is fraught with challenges, including stigma, harassment, censorship, legal concerns, and emotional exhaustion.
But we’re proud of how the community keeps the fight on and makes sex education more accessible for people of all classes, identities, economic statuses, and realities a possibility. As consumers of sex education content, it’s essential to recognize and appreciate the dedication and resilience of these creators and advocate for a more supportive and inclusive environment for their work. Only by addressing these pains and perils can we ensure that sex education remains accessible and beneficial for all.
The writer is the co-founder and chief operations officer at IMBesharam. Views expressed are personal.