Puberty Sexual Education For Boys And Girls 1991 Belgium ((full)) Online
Growing Up: Changes and Feelings
An information booklet for 5th and 6th grade primary school children (1991)
- Spontaneous Erections and Wet Dreams: While boys learned about the biological mechanics of sperm production, the involuntary aspects of puberty—spontaneous erections and nocturnal emissions (dromen / pollutions nocturnes)—were rarely addressed openly. Boys were largely left to figure these out through rumor or older brothers.
- Voice and Hair: The visible markers of male puberty—voice breaking and the growth of facial and pubic hair—were discussed in biology classes, but again, purely as anatomical facts rather than emotional experiences.
- The "Separation": When girls were taken aside to learn about menstruation, boys were often given a generic biology assignment or told to read a chapter in their textbooks. This reinforced the idea that puberty was primarily a "female" event, leaving boys feeling alienated from their own physical changes.
- Boys: testicular growth, penile growth, voice breaking, facial/body hair, spontaneous erections, nocturnal emissions (wet dreams), and acne; explanation of spermatogenesis and basic reproductive anatomy.
- Girls: breast development, menarche (first menstruation), pelvic growth, pubic/underarm hair, vaginal discharge, cyclical hormones, ovulation and menstruation hygiene.
- Examples used: diagrams and live demonstrations (non-graphic educational nudity typical of some classroom films of the time); practical hygiene advice (shower frequency, managing sweat/odor, skin care).
German-speaking Community: The small German-speaking region (around Eupen) followed a model similar to West Germany at the time, which in 1991 was still somewhat conservative but beginning to introduce coeducational puberty classes. puberty sexual education for boys and girls 1991 belgium
Initiation Phase: Focused on internal feelings of attraction and desire, often with limited actual contact. Growing Up: Changes and Feelings An information booklet
The Catholic School System (Majority) The majority of Belgian students attended Catholic schools. In 1991, the curriculum was influenced by the directives of the Belgian Episcopal Conference. While biology classes taught the anatomical and physiological mechanics of reproduction, the moral and emotional aspects were often handled by religion teachers or school pastors. The message often balanced biological fact with the moral ideal of reserving sex for marriage or a committed, loving relationship. Spontaneous Erections and Wet Dreams: While boys learned