Why sex ed isn’t just for teens, with Tristin Agtarap

Take my dulcet tones off speaker and pop in your earbuds because today, we’re talking about sex.

This episode is a deep dive into what it really means to talk about sex, health, and education in ways that actually land. And a lot of it might surprise you.

My guest is Dr Tristin Agtarap, a psychologist, researcher, and all-round brilliant human, who specialises in sexual and reproductive health, gender equality, and the cultural factors that shape our well-being. Tris works at Brook, one of the UK’s leading sexual health charities, but her work goes far beyond the sex ed you might remember from school. She brings together academic research and applied practice to create culturally responsive, person-centred approaches to health education.

We talk about why sex education is never one size fits all, what cross-cultural psychology can teach us about stigma, and how platform policies and censorship are making it harder to share essential health messages. Tris also shares why sex education is something we should be revisiting across our lives – not just in Year 9 PSHE, or you know, whatever the American equivalent is.

It’s a conversation centred around nuance, human behaviour, and the real challenges of helping people make informed decisions in a world full of shame, silence, and misinformation. So if you’re a parent, an educator, a health professional, or just a curious person who enjoys unpacking interesting topics, then this one’s for you.

Dig in through your earbuds, and listen to Tris get on her soapbox.

Tristin's Links:

Email Tris at tagtarap@icloud.com
Connect with Tris on LinkedIn
Follow Tris on Instagram

Published Papers:

• Mindset and Sexual Health: Does Mindset Impact Receptiveness to Sexuality Education Curricula?
• Healthy Body, Healthy Mind: Exploring the Mental Health Implications of Comprehensive Sex Education

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