In four minutes or less, each animated Amaze video tackles a topic related to sex education such as girls or boys puberty, healthy relationships, gender identity, and “am I ready?” Most of the videos are rated as all ages (10-14), with some rated as teen, which are advised for the older side of that group. With videos scheduled for release over the next several months to include discussions of STDs and HIV (and additional videos on the previous mentioned topics), Amaze is shaping up to be a valuable resource for youth, parents, and educators alike. Additionally, the site provides a guide for parents with supplemental resources for each topic including websites, books, and conversation starters.
While the videos on gender identity and relationships do a good job of being inclusive, I would flag the puberty videos as being particularly normative. Terms such as “all boys,” “real woman,” or “becoming a man” in terms of puberty/biology are problematic and may not resonate with everyone’s experience. The discussions of what happens to the body are important and necessary, but it is equally important for children to understand that what happens to them biologically may not speak to their internal emotional or psychological understanding of their self. The puberty videos should be paired with the identity videos.
Special shout out to video How The Boner Grows, for just being an overall delight.
– Brett Goldberg
View all of the videos, keep up to date on new releases, and find supplemental resources via Amaze.
