Can sex education coexist with your faith? Meet Nikki, a Master鈥檚 in Sexology student who is striving to provide those who come from a religious background with real sex education | Reading time: 2 minutes
Raised聽in the religious state of Utah as a member of聽the Church聽of Jesus Christ聽of Latter-day Saints, Nikki has always rebelled against the discomfort of discussing sex education. From her teenage years, Nikki noticed聽how the adults in her life dismissed her curiosity for the subject. Culturally, Nikki worried about what her faith community would think if she pursued聽an undergraduate degree in聽the subject. But as an outspoken member of her church, she thought 鈥淚f not me, then who?鈥�
When she realised how many people around her needed someone to talk to about the topic, Nikki聽became convinced that sex education was her true calling. After聽holding聽many聽‘sex ed nights’ educating attendees on her rapidly growing knowledge of the topic, and聽completing her undergraduate degree through聽exchange programs around the world,聽Nikki聽eventually聽found聽herself聽in Perth to pursue her聽Master鈥檚聽in Sexology.聽Now entering her final semester, she聽can鈥檛聽see herself studying anything else.聽
鈥淧eople聽don’t聽realise how much there is to human sexuality. It’s聽such a huge umbrella of things and is so interesting.鈥澛�
While the subject matter in her degree聽can be taboo,聽Nikki’s found聽the聽Master鈥檚 in聽Sexology聽extremely rewarding.聽Her program鈥檚 guest speakers have been a notable highlight, which she feels will well prepare her for her career once she graduates. Hearing firsthand from someone who works with this type of clientele every single day, or with聽someone聽with lived experience, is what will make聽her聽a better professional.
For Nikki, her Master’s doesn’t only have value on a research and career level, but聽simply in everyday life. Human sexuality is something that every single person is a part of – whether聽it’s聽their decision making, the way their body functions or how聽it influences them in their lives.
Sexology is an intensely research-heavy degree, so Nikki鈥檚 advice is to make use of the TL Robertson Library. The librarians鈥櫬燿eep understanding of聽databases聽has been so beneficial – especially聽in contrast to AI. 鈥淲hat聽AI聽can’t do right now聽is聽really understand the search terms for the database,” she says. “It doesn’t think about it as much,聽it’s a little too general.鈥澛�
Looking ahead, Nikki is excited to pursue a career helping those who grew up like her to no longer fear conversations around sex. She hopes聽to speak to large groups聽of聽those of a similar upbringing to聽herself聽and spread her name in the sexology sphere.
鈥淢y niche clientele is high-demand religions that teach abstinence before marriage. As an active member of my faith community, that鈥檚 the language I speak. I get it and I want to help those I go to church with.鈥�
Despite having already developed a wealth of experience in the sex education space, this is just the beginning of Nikki鈥檚 journey in extending her passion for sexuality to many others.
