Conservative Discourses on Sex Education in Costa Rica. Warnings about the Inclusion of Pornographic Content

Abstract

This article analyzes the concern of conservative groups who point out that “gender ideology” is responsible for introducing pornographic content in formal sex education. This trend proposes the existence of interests that seek to arouse behaviors similar to those that appear in adult films among minors. Under these warnings, it is sought to discredit the curricula coming from the States and the protection of innocence through home instruction is suggested. The hypothesis of this work is that the exaltation of this sexualized language by conservative groups generates visibility of its message and makes them gain notoriety to continue positioning themselves against this type of pedagogy. Newspapers from the 1990s and other more recent ones that respond to the last five years were used to carry out the analysis. Journal articles, thesis and books were also used. Main importance was given to what happened in Costa Rica, although examples from Mexico, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, and Colombia that appeared on Internet and that showed similar anguish were also used in order to argue that this is not an exclusive trend of a single country.