
I can definitely tell you that I did not receive much sex ed growing up. It definitely happened–it was folded into our biology classes, actually–but it focused more on how the reproductive cycle works and didn't cover the things that are often lacking in sex ed.
For instance, comprehensive sexual education should include lessons on human development. Reproduction, puberty, sexual orientation, and gender identity would all fit under this.
Personal skills should be emphasized too: Communications, negotiation, and decision-making are all–or should be–integral to sexual education.
People have plenty of opinions on the matter, as I'm sure you can imagine.
We heard their thoughts after Redditor clou_dor asked the online community:
"What should be covered in sex ed class but never is?"
"So I went through middle school..."
"This is gonna sound dumb but here it is. In sex ed, they would tell us how much we bleed during our period but never the pressure of the blood. So I went through middle school thinking that if my period started, blood would be GUSHING OUT, like if i got stabbed."
"I was paranoid as a preteen thinking at any time my period could start and i would end up drenched in blood from the waist down. No one ever told me the blood pressure was not in fact that of a stab wound but more of a nose bleed or a dripping faucet."
idek_lmao
To which this person replied:
"Also the different colors it can be. The first time I got my period I thought I somehow got skid marks in the front of my panties. I wasn't worried about it being a period, I thought I pooped myself and it all sprayed forward."
DirtyMarTeeny
"I had no idea..."
"Miscarriages. I had no idea that a miscarriage was like five days of the worst cramps and unending blood. This is a thing that happens to like 1/3 of women and most of us have no idea until we have one and then no one talks about it."
No-country-2008
To which this person replied:
"I think everyone should know just how common miscarriages are! It's quite likely that multiple women you know have had at least one."
robophile_ta
"The number of people..."
"How STD/STIs actually affect you and what treatments there are available."
"The number of people who don't realize being asymptomatic is the most common symptom is shocking. Also the amount of men who think they still shove a little umbrella up their urethra and scrape it out to cure gonorrhea is sad. You take a pill for it. The invasive penis scraping was a very old and very not used anymore treatment."
"Also they could do more to destigmatize getting tested regularly if you have multiple partners or getting tested at the beginning of each relationship if you're a monogamous person. STD/STIs don't devalue you and I find sex ed really doesn't do anything other than make people feel dirty and ashamed about contracting something."
"Chances are the person who gave it to you was asymptomatic and didn't know they had it and are also victims of a fear and shame based sexual health education."
123throwawaybanana
To which this person replied:
"I got tested before a new relationship and thwy wouldn't let me gove blood becauee I must have had a reason to think I was sick."
Nellasofdoriath
"I straight thought..."
"How vaginal discharge changes based on your fertile days - I straight thought I was getting sick as a teen."
Spazztastic85
To which this person replied:
"And that ovulation cramps are a thing. And I hate them. I’ve had them since I was a teen and I always thought something was wrong. I would ask my friends and no one else normally got them so that info didn’t help."
BroadBaker5101
"We didn't learn..."
"We didn't learn about childbirth. At all. Nothing about dilation, contractions, labor etc."
Spicyhashbrowns
To which this person replied:
"I believe that it's intentional that they don't talk about childbirth because it is terrifying, and most women won't be enthusiastic about going through it. So they promote the cute picture of babies growing and how wonderful everything would be."
Vivid379
"A vast majority..."
"Pornography needs to be put in context. A vast majority of sexual intercourse isn't anything like that."
seefifth
To which this person replied:
"This comment needs to be higher. Learning about sex only through porn is like learning to cook having only watched 'reality' shows where they make a 4 course dinner in an hour while your school system is saying you're too young to use the stove."
Puzzleheadedbat
"The whole..."
"The whole of the actual clitoral structure."
tinygriggle
To which this person replied:
"We didn't even have the clitoris mentioned. Or anything in the vagina or vulva. We got a diagram of a uterus and that was it."
ShiraCheshire
"Aside from the pain..."
"Not just how to prevent getting an STD, but how to handle it emotionally and have honest dialogue with future partners if you do end up getting one. I personally was almost two years into a committed relationship when my partner gave me herpes."
"Aside from the pain and psychological effect it had on me, I was even more hurt to find out years later that he knew he had it from a previous relationship but didn’t tell me or try to protect me in any way. Totally preventable and unnecessary."
uoyroftonsisihT
To which this person replied:
"I came to say this. And also that you shouldn't be ashamed of having an STD. It's so common that it's terrible how talking about it is still a taboo for some people."
Brujula9
"Sex ed is often very focused..."
"Pregnancy. Sex ed is often very focused on avoiding getting pregnant and avoiding getting STIs. How much being pregnant sucks is rarely discussed."
737900ER
To which this person replied:
"I also think that sex ed should teach some realities of raising a child. Especially with newborns, roughly the first few months to first year is difficult because they tend to cry for just about every reason you can think of. But on top of that children throw tantrums, misbehave, and ask lots of questions. Sometimes annoyingly so."
Ahstia
"Telling people..."
"Telling people about cleanup. Apparently some girls thought their vaginas would just absorb everything and it wouldnt all come out."
VacuumLawyer
To which this person replied:
"Although I knew all the mechanics of sex and what-not, I can safely say that we are absolutely not prepared in any way for the aftermath. Nobody talks about these things."
orangestar17
See how much pain, stress, and embarrassment could be avoided if society was just a little more honest about the human body? Sex ed is nothing to be ashamed about – it's crucial to living a healthy life.
Have some observations of your own? Feel free to tell us more in the comments below!
Want to "know" more?
Sign up for the Knowable newsletter here.
Never miss another big, odd, funny, or heartbreaking moment again.
- Sex Therapists Reveal What They Wish More People Knew About ... ›
- Sex Education's' Emma Mackey Gives Perfect Response To Being ... ›
- Sex Ed Teachers Share The Funniest Things They've Heard In Class ›
- People Break Down What They Wish They'd Learned About Sex In ... ›
- Sex Ed Teachers Share The Funniest Things They've Heard In Class ›
- Sex Ed Teachers Share The Funniest Things They've Heard In Class ›
- People Who Had 'Abstinence Only' Sex Ed Break Down The Most ... ›
- Sex Ed Teachers Share The Funniest Things They've Heard In ... ›
- Sex-Ed Teachers Share The Craziest Questions They've Ever Been ... ›
- Sex Education History: AIDS Changed Everything | Time ›
- Comprehensive sexuality education | United Nations Population Fund ›
- Birth Control and Sex Ed: What Works Best? ›
- Sex Education And Parents Right To Opt Out | M. Ball ›
- Sexuality Education - Advocates for Youth ›
- What is Sex Education? | Sex Ed Definition and QA ›
- Comprehensive Sexuality Education | ACOG ›
- A Call to Action: LGBTQ Youth Need Inclusive Sex Education ... ›
- 10 Things You Learned In Sex Ed That Are Actually Toxic ›
- 17 Important Things They Should Teach In Sex Education But Don't ›
I tend to avoid public bathrooms if I can help it. They are terrible places. Few are clean and I admit I am a bit of a clean freak. My beautiful bottom will not grace a dirty toilet seat, no thank you. I have standards.
I'm being only sort of serious. I've been in a pinch before. But have you ever seen a gas station bathroom that was utterly destroyed by the patron (or patrons) before you? It's a horrible sight. 0/10: Do not recommend.
Naturally, some crazy things happen in your local public restroom. We heard some stories after Redditor RuffNBoy asked the online community,
"What is the wackiest thing you've seen in a public restroom?"
"At the theater I work at..."
"At the theater I work at I was cleaning the mens restroom and in one of the stalls was an open condom wrapper, a tiny empty bottle of the nacho cheddar seasoning we sell, and the seasoning scattered near the corner on the floor. Bethesda wishes they had environmental storytelling like that."
theshazzmaster
Do I really want to know what went on there? I honestly don't think so.
"I used to be..."
"I used to be a hotel maid. Cleaning one room I found two things in the bathroom garbage can: a used condom and a whole pickle."
[deleted]
"I was taking a dump..."
"I was taking a dump at a movie theater and a little kid climbed under the stall and grabbed my foot. I screamed and kicked that kid so hard right in the face just out of sheer instinct. He cried. His dad said, "That's what you get Gavin."
AUSpartan37
Gavin is at it again and this time he faced some consequences.
"I walked in..."
"I walked in and my eyes were immediately assaulted by a fully naked man running a stick of deodorant up and down his crack."
JscottPilgrim
Wow... what a terrible day to be able to read.
"Not only did this bathroom..."
"Gas station bathroom in the middle of nowhere. Not only did this bathroom have a bathtub (?) but there was a fully dressed and made up mannequin in the tub. Very jarring."
AlpinePinecorn
This sounds surreal... and honestly rather creepy.
"I once stopped..."
"I once stopped at a gas station on a road trip and the bathroom was full of dolls…. Staring with their little painted eyes…."
Rabbit_Mom
Noooope.
Their creepy and unsettling eyes!
"Two women..."
"Two people were having sex in the handicapped stall. I was seven."
madamwhatnot
So something tells me you learned about the birds and the bees rather early.
"A clogged urinal..."
"A clogged urinal filled to the brim, with an anaconda sized turd spiral floating in it, in hypnotic circles. How a turd that size could be buoyant I have no idea."
effy4eva
This is quite the sentence. I don't think I needed it in my eyeballs, but it's too late now.
"I was in a Berlin dive bar..."
"Olives. I was in a Berlin dive bar with some friends. In the bathroom, there was a vending machine, stocked with tinned tapas. So I came back from the bathroom with a can of olives. When asked where I got them I just replied "bathroom.""
cristicusrex
This is simultaneously hilarious and horrifying. I can only imagine the looks on your friends' faces...
Okay, so now you understand why I can't abide public restrooms. If you're smart, you'll run for the hills the next time you're in the proximity of one. Things can only go downhill from there. (Am I being serious? Maybe... maybe not.)
Have some stories of your own to share? Tell us more in the comments below!
One should never be fooled by a first impression.
Certain people might behave in a way that is less than indicative of what they are actually like, and might prove to be far more impressive, or much less friendly, once you get to know them a little better.
However, sometimes people will behave in a certain way which leaves one unable to avoid making assumptions about people.
Namely, their intelligence.
Redditor sparklingshanaya was curious to hear what behavioral traits the Reddit community took as a sign of possessing a considerable lack of intelligence, leading them to ask:
"What are some behaviors that scream unintelligence?"
An unwillingness to learn
"I feel like the classic example is being unable to change your opinion or idea when you are presented with new information."
"You don’t have to set everything you believe in stone."- Rusty_of_Shackleford
"I think a key thing that separates the intelligent from the less intelligent is curiosity and how far you actually go to learn."- TuxedoWolf07
When even they don't know what they're talking about.
"Maybe not unintelligence but ignorance."
"People getting angry when I ask them to explain what they just meant as I want to understand them and not misunderstand."- smokinstuff·
"Getting angry when someone ask them to explain their point."- SuvenPan
It's never attractive to gloat
"Obsessively telling everybody how intelligent you are."- terribleUsername18
It's ok to admit defeat every now and then...
"Playing 'last word' in an argument you've lost."- LennonMcCartney65
"Being defensive when corrected instead of just accepting it."- Marthstewart123
"Claiming they are always right but not being able to argument why or have a serious debate about it."- GReatChinook
Are you sure about that?
"Constantly saying 'facts' that are extremely false."
"Gets on my nerves."- Sharkifish
Read the instructions!!!
"I just started driving for UberXL."
"The amount of people who think they can fit 8 people with all their luggage into a midsize SUV is astonishing."
"You can see which car comes to pick you up and it says fits 5 people."
"If you have a piece of luggage each then it's more like 3 people."
"I had one group sit there and stare me down like they didn't understand."
"I swear some people just have a mental limit for figuring things out and they all find each other and never get anywhere."- predict_irrational
One should always reserve judgment, as one never knows for sure what lurks beneath the surface.
Even if more often and not, you are left with little to nothing which encourages you to see what's there.
One of my favorite horror films ever is Black Christmas (1974). It's the perfect slasher film. It's scary. It's uncompromising. It's sordid. It's eerie. It leaves you with a horrible feeling in the pit of your stomach. It features some great acting, too! There are some powerhouse talents in it, including Olivia Hussey, Keir Dullea, Margot Kidder, and Andrea Martin.
But did you know that the film has been remade? It's been remade twice, as a matter of fact. The first remake, which was released in 2006, was so ridiculous. Not even Martin, who showed up in a glorified cameo in the role of a sorority house mother, could save it.
It was remade again in 2019 — this one bore few similarities to the films that came before it. One wondered why this one even had the same name, but there you have it.
Suffice it to say that the original Black Christmas is untouchable. But it is not the only film out there that should never have been remade. Far from it.
People shared their thoughts with us after Redditor CrescendoX asked the online community,
"What movie is so perfect that if it would remade, it would be a crime against humanity?"
Misery (1990)
"Misery. I could totally see a remake of Misery that used the way social media creates parasocial relationships so prevalently."
DocBenzanone
But let's not. I mean, who could ever replace Kathy Bates? She won an Oscar for the role!
Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)
"Who Framed Roger Rabbit."
I've seen the animation they've done for some of these new "live action meets cartoons" things.. The work the art/animation team put into Who Framed Roger Rabbit is STILL to this day putting them to shame."
TONKHANAH
A good choice. It was a pretty groundbreaking film and it's still influencing filmmakers to this day. That cast!
Aliens (1986)
"It would be impossible to remake that perfect movie. The cast, story, and practical effects are wonderful. A remake would be full of CGI and a BS script."
[deleted]
Don't you dare suggest this! Don't you dare give those horrible Hollywood execs any ideas!
Spaceballs (1987)
"Spaceballs. I don't want any other version."
OllieAreOllio
But think about the merchandising!
Spaceballs 2: The Search for More Money
Jaws (1975)
"Jaws. I read somewhere that Spielberg won't let it be remade."
ferox965
If someone did someday remake it, I would highly suggest they remove a lot of the unnecessary subplots that are in the book!
Did we really need that affair?
The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
"The Silence of the Lambs. Remakes should only be attempted when you are sure that it can outclass the original but Silence of the Lambs cannot be outclassed."
[deleted]
Two Oscar-winning performances. It doesn't get any better than Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster. The film is a masterclass — the Criterion edition is especially beautiful.
Stand by Me (1986)
"Stand by Me. It would be an insult to River Phoenix and many others to remake that."
Gluonyourbosom
This film is so highly regarded that a remake just seems foolish. Why even bother attempting one? Go and read the novella instead.
Back to the Future (1985)
"Back to the Future. Please please please PLEASE don't ruin it with a remake."
Frodo_noooo
As long as Robert Zemeckis doesn't kick the bucket we're safe!
Uncle Buck (1989)
"Uncle Buck. Don't you dare touch it."
Wokonthewildside
Without John Candy that would be like trying to remake the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in a Denny's with only ketchup and mustard. Just a tragic, ill-conceived imitation.
My Cousin Vinny (1992)
"My Cousin Vinny. Joe Pesci's performance is perfect."
[deleted]
Hey, don't forget Marisa Tomei! She stole the show. And she won an Oscar for the role!
The list of movies that should not be touched is endless and you no doubt have your opinions.
Which movies should be left the hell alone? Feel free to tell us more in the comments below!
Sex talk is still considered a taboo subject in many households. And I don't mean going into detail about your bedroom conquests at the dinner table.
Overprotective parents tend to be evasive about discussing the birds and the bees with their kids because they feel it's not up to them to have that conversation.
Remember Carrie White's religious mom who refused to talk about intimacy with her 16-year-old?
We all know how that turned out in the classic Stephen King novel.
Anyway, parents turning down an opportunity to have the uncomfortable convo or having their kids miss out on sex education can lead a child to potentially develop damaging misunderstandings about their body and puberty.
The effects of which were explored when Redditor sparklingshanaya asked:
"What’s a sexual misconception you had for way too long?"

It helps to have an earlier understanding about your body when you're younger.
Sex Education
"As a girl, I had no real idea of where/what the vagina was until I was like 11 or 12. My mom didn't give me a real sex talk, just a puberty/body book that said 'the vagina is between the woman's legs' and just had a full frontal diagram (legs closed) of a woman with an arrow pointing to her pelvic region. I also didn't know a period lasted longer than a day until I got mine at 14, and then wondered why it was still going on the next day."
"When my mom realized how abysmal my sex education was, her solution was to rent a video from the library about it and make me watch it on the big family TV in the living room at like 3pm. Granted— it was a very educational video but I won't ever forget one of the educators (a 50 year old woman) talking about how to give a satisfactory blow job."
– ash-on-fire
Hard Epiphany
"Ok so I grew up in a VERY conservative household. Was not allowed to take sex ed in middle school and they helicoptered in high school. Any internet access they had access to view so I never watched porn/looked at pics. Absolutely nothing. So for a long time I thought penises were shaped like a smaller pringles can. I thought it was just like...a straight up cylinder. Moved out at 17 and googled some things and man I had men's anatomy SO wrong."
– WholeLottaIntrovert
Wrong End Of The Stick
"Friend of mine has a similar background and I just about lost my mind when she said the balls are the END of the penis. Like she had seen those doodles and had it upside down so they just dangle off the end of the shaft lmaooo."
– xchakrumx
Let's get verbal about getting oral.
Satisfy A Woman
"Learn to go down on a woman, like become a master at it. Do this."
– ecallawsamoht
Excuse For Supper
"I second this. Been married for 20 years and it's something I'm happy to do."
"Get involved, people."
"Edit: thanks for the medals and upvotes, people! Be assured that I'll be celebrating tonight."
– AhabVanCleef
Semantics
"Friend of a friend thought it meant kissing. And they were like 19. So glad they found out through a conversation and not through a dude asking for it, or her talking about it. That would've been extremely confusing for everyone."
– SilverWaters793
Pucker Up
"My friend back in middle school thought a blowjob meant to literally blow on it. I still tease her about it to this day."
– Ashurii_desu
Failed Expectations
"Man, I thought I was gonna get so many blow jobs. That’s just not true."
– Studying_Politics
As young adolescents, these Redditors got these terminologies mixed up.
Dirty Talk
"When I was around middle school age I thought that oral sex meant talking dirty :’)"
– strawbrykat
"I used to sext with my girlfriend in high school. When we broke up, she just went crazy and told everyone in our grade that I was great at 'oral sex' (she meant sexting💀) School hasn’t been the same since then."
– Particular-Ad4356
Learning By Example
"I was kind of sheltered growing up, and like most sheltered kids, I learned a lot about sex through porn. I kept seeing 'blowjob' videos, and (i had no idea what a blowjob) assumed it was some kind of sex blooper. Like, something got messed up and the director said 'Oh darn, you blew it! Let’s take it from the top.'”
– Danny_my_boy
I had sex education in sixth grade after my parents gave the school permission for me to attend the special assembly centering on the topic.
But I remember how vague the instructor was. By the time I eventually had my first nocturnal emission, I remember being terrified, yet simultaneously elated. It was very confusing, and I didn't know what happened.
I remember reflecting back to sixth grade and thinking the school must've skipped that part in sex ed.