Where is the discourse of desire? Deconstructing the Irish Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) resource materials

Abstract

Inspired by poststructuralist insights and the critical literature on the topic of school-based sexuality education, this paper is derived from a close examination of the Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) resource materials devised for teachers involved in delivering the programme in Irish schools. It seeks critically to uncover how students are expected to come to know themselves socially and sexually. It is argued that the liberal individualist discourse, which is very pronounced in the RSE discursive framework, promotes a narrow kind of sexual subjectivity, which obscures sexual pleasure and desire. Some suggestions are made as to how a discursive space might be created in the classroom in the interests of facilitating students’ exploration into how they can be sexual, safe and ethical in their relations and activities.

I would like to thank Dr Máire Leane and Ms Rosie Meade for reading and commenting on earlier versions of this paper.