WOMEN’S STORIES OF ACCESS:
SEXUAL HEALTH EDUCATION AND SERVICES IN YUKON

by

Linnea Rudacbyk
B.A., Carleton University, 2009

THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF
THE REQUIRMENTS FOR DEGREE OF
MASTER OF EDUCATION
IN
MULTIDISCIPLINARY LEADERSHIP

UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN BRITISH COLUMBIA
March 2013
©Linnea Rudachyk, 2013

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Abstract

This research explored five women’s life stories of access to sexual health education and
services in Yukon using a narrative approach. The narratives represented the experiences of
the women and the meaning they derived from their experiences. The primary research
question was: What are women’s stories of sexual health education and services and how
have these stories affected their sexual health and overall well-being? The themes were
organized into three main categories: Sexual health education in Yukon schools and sexual
health services and supports in the community; challenges associated with limited access to
sexual health education and services in the schools and community; and dreams for the next
generation. Three metathemes were interpreted from the narratives: Trust, Accessible Sexual
Health Education and Services, and Desire for Positive Change.

iii
Table of Contents
Abstract

ii

Table of Contents

iii

List of Tables

vi

Acknowledgements

vii

Chapter One

Introduction
Research Significance
Purpose of the Study and Research Questions
Researcher Context
Theoretical Lens
Feminist Theory
Feminism
Indigenous Feminism
Cultural Safety
Summary

1
1
2
3
3
3
4
5
8
10

Chapter Two

Literature Review
Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equality
The Right to Health
Sexual Health
Sexual Rights
Sexual Health Education
The Right to Privacy
The Right to be Free from Discrimination
Canadian Guidelines for Sexual Health Education
Northern Context
Sexual Health Education in Yukon
Access to Contraception
Abortion Services in Yukon
Community Nursing Stations
Violence Against Women in Yukon
The Residential School Experience
Summary

11
11
12
13
14
14
16
16
17
19
19
21
22
24
24
25
27

Chapter Three

Methodology
Introduction
Qualitative Research
Narrative and Life Story
Inquiry Process
Recruitment
Participants

28
28
28
31
32
32
32

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Data Collection
Narrative Interview
Narrative Analysis
Re-storying
Ethical Concerns/ Consideration
Evaluative Criteria
Validity
Reflexivity
Reciprocity
Triangulation
Summary

33
33
36
37
40
41
41
42
42
42
42

Chapter Four

Women’s Voices
Vivian’s Story
Emma’s Story
Morgan’s Story
Sam’s Story
Clare’s Story
Summary

44
44
58
63
69
75
81

Chapter Five

Analysis of Themes and Categories
Sexual Health Education in Yukon Schools and Sexual Health
Services and Supports in the Community
My Changing Body: Mixed Messages
But I have Questions
Embarrassed and Ashamed
Sex is Bad: You might get Pregnant or Become Infectious
Rumors: Lack of Anonymity
Am I in Control? Birth Control, Who knows Best?
Challenges Associated with Limited Access to Sexual Health
Education and Services in the Schools and Community
What is a Healthy Relationship?
Gender Stereotypes
Where do I fit? Hetero-normative Sex Ed
Is there Anyone I Can Turn to for Support?
Can I Trust You?
Violence Against Women
I Wish I had That When I was in High School
Utopia: Dreams For the Next Generation
Start Young: Towards a K -12 Sexual Health Curriculum
Sex Positive Education
Moving Away from Hetero-normative, Whitewashed Sexual
Health
Healthy Relationship Training
Safe Space: Sexual Health Centre
Metathemes

82
84
84
85
88
90
91
93
95
95
96
97
97
98
99
100
101
101
103
104
104
105
106

V

Trust
Accessible Sexual Health Education and Services
Desire for Positive Change
Summary
Chapter Six

Discussion and Reflections
Reflections on the Research Process
Analysis Discussion
Cultural Safety
Social Determinates o f Health
Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equality
The Right to Health and Sexual Health.
Canadian Guidelines for Sexual Health Education
Sexual Health Education in Yukon.
Access to Contraception.
Abortion Services in Yukon.
Violence Against Women in Yukon
Anonymity
Sex Positive Education
Healthy Relationship Training
Moving away from Hetero-normative Sexual Health Education
Violence Prevention
Limitations o f the Study
Implications for Future Research
Implications for Practice
Summary

106
107
107
108
109
109
110
110
111
112
114
114
115
116
116
117
118
119
120
120
122
123
124
125
127

References

129

Appendix A: Sample Interview Questions

134

Appendix B: Research Participant Information Letter

135

Appendix C: Research Participant Consent Form

138

Appendix D: Information Letter

139

Appendix E: Agency Consent Form

140

Appendix F: Request for Research Participants

141

Appendix G: Community Resources List

142

vi
List of Tables

Table 1

Overview o f Categories and Themes

83

Acknowledgem ents
I am extremely grateful to the women who shared their stories with me. Their resilience,
courage and commitment amazed me and gave me strength. I am so thankful for their rich
and meaningful participation. I would also like to thank the women’s community who
provided, inspiration, insight, support and encouragement the whole way through.

My appreciation goes out to my supervisory committee. Deep thanks to Dr. Tina Fraser and
Dr. Indrani Margolin for their time, kindness and direction. Finally, I would like to express
my great appreciation to my supervisor, Dr. Linda O ’Neill, for her overwhelming patience,
support, encouragement and guidance. Her generosity, commitment and compassion was
incredibly inspiring.

1
Chapter One: Introduction
Research Significance
Women in Canada often struggle to have their reproductive rights honored and upheld.
Many women in Yukon do not have accessible sexual health education and are therefore not
able to be successful health advocates. How do we create accessible sexual health education
for women in Yukon? What does ‘accessible’ mean in the context of this study?
This study addresses the dichotomy that exists between sexual health curriculum and
services and the ‘northern female student and client.’ When I use the word “accessible”
sexual health education and services, I am suggesting that sexual health education and
services should be culturally safe, non-judgmental and non-discriminatory (Public Health
Agency of Canada, 2008). In order for sexual health education and services to be accessible,
the educator, student, and healthcare provider should ideally receive comprehensive training.
In this research study, I have conducted narrative research, with the goal o f contributing to
the development o f accessible, culturally safe, non-judgmental and non-discriminatory sexual
health education and services in Yukon.
Based on the research completed in other provinces and from my own front-line work,
there appears to be a need to better understand the barriers northern women face when
accessing sexual health education, specifically addressing the negative side effects faced by
northern women as a result of limited accessibility. Although studies have been conducted on
similar topics in northern communities in northern British Columbia (Browne, Fiske &
Thomas, 2000), there is little research about the effects o f women’s limited accessibility to
sexual health education in Yukon.

2
From my experience as a former sexual health educator in Yukon, it is clear that there are
many barriers for women in Yukon, which impede their ability to access sexual health
education and services. Some barriers include; culturally irrelevant/insensitive education
materials; imported knowledge to small rural communities from urban centers in the south
which have led to sensitivity issues; health-illiteracy; limited follow-up after presentations
and workshops by sexual health educators and sexual health service providers; breaches of
confidentiality by local healthcare workers; and limited anonymity for students and clients.
Often sexual health educators and service providers arrive from another community and
workshop participants and students do not ask important questions because there is little trust
or comfort with the outsider who is presenting. Without trust and comfort, there is little to no
knowledge sharing between the educators and the learners, which limits the overall success
rate of preventative care.
Purpose of the Study and Research Questions
The purpose of this narrative study was to better understand the situation and experiences
of women accessing sexual health education and services in Yukon. Accessibility to sexual
health education and services was generally defined as the barriers that currently exist, which
limit women’s ability to access sexual health education and services.
The barriers, which have created perceived accessibility issues, have in turn lead to a gap
in knowledge and knowledge sharing. This research begins to address the gaps in knowledge
by using a narrative approach, exploring the stories of women’s life experiences within the
context of their ability to access sexual health education and services in their communities
and in schools. The research question guiding this study was: What are women’s stories of
sexual health education and services and how have these stories affected their sexual health

3
and overall well-being? Secondary questions included: How do women describe culturally
safe, non-judgmental and non-discriminatory sexual health education and services? What
would women want to see implemented in current sexual health education and services to
improve overall well-being and quality of life for women in Yukon?
Researcher Context
My interest in this topic stems from my previous experience working as a Human
Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Hepatitis C (HCV) community health promotion worker
for a local non-government organization. I was responsible for presenting sexual health
education workshops in all Yukon communities. I presented workshops in schools, First
Nations’ government offices, and community centers across Yukon. It was during this time
that I began to see accessibility issues in the way that the services were delivered and I
became concerned with the limited accessibility First Nation and rural students, specifically
women, had to sexual health education. I wanted to hear the stories o f women who have been
educated in Yukon. How did their sexual health education contribute to the lives they are
living today? Did the information received in school prepare them and empower them to
make responsible choices about their reproductive health? How can we improve the delivery
of this information?
Theoretical Lens
Feminist Theory. Feminist theory’s primary focus is to understand gender inequality,
valuing the lived experiences of women and their stories of oppression in the social, political,
economic, private and public spheres. Women’s experiences are not universal and many
women have different experiences and diverging understandings of oppression (Miles, RezaiRashti & Rundle, 2001). “Feminist theory cannot explain the world for all women at all

4
times” (Miles, et al., 2001, p. 3). Feminist theory has moved away from universal claims and
has moved towards the local and specific experiences of women, but encourages
collaboration by collectively speaking out against inequality. I use feminist theory to
examine the inequalities faced by women in relation to their experience o f access to sexual
health education and services, recognizing that women are more likely to experience
subordination and oppression because of their gender (Elliot & Mandell, 2001). Women who
are marginalized as a result of their class and race often face even greater barriers.
Feminism. It is difficult to define feminism as it takes on different meanings for many
women. “A central problem within feminist discourse has been our inability to either arrive
at a consensus of opinion about what feminism is or accept definition(s) that could serve as
points o f unification” (hooks, 1984, p. 25). In many ways, feminism is mobile, diverse, and
unrestricted addressing issues such as sexuality, body image, violence against women, racism
and classism (Miles, et al., 2001). hooks (1984) attempted to define feminism by stating,
Feminism is the struggle to end sexist oppression. Its aim is not to benefit solely any
specific group of women, any particular race or class o f women. It does not privilege
women over men. It has the power to transform in a meaningful way all our lives. Most
importantly, feminism is neither a lifestyle nor a ready-made identity or role one can step
into (p. 18).
Feminism can be viewed as a cluster of theories, which attempt to see the world from an
equality seeking, women’s perspective (Miles et al., 2001). More broadly feminists agree
that women’s oppression is the most widespread and deepest form of oppression, along with
being the hardest to eradicate (Elliot & Mandell, 2001). Feminism suggests that inequality
and oppression stems from patriarchy. Patriarchy keeps women in subordinated and exploited

5
positions in the economic, social and political spheres. Feminism encourages collaborative
and innovate ways of transforming society through awareness, self-knowledge, courage,
commitment, and transparency, placing value on personal experiences, talents and skills.
Largely feminism is about, “joining together in support o f each other to make our voices and
the voices of those who have been silenced heard” (Miles et al. 2001, p. 2).
Indigenous Feminism. Indigenous Feminism is not an offshoot o f Feminism, but has
been a part of many Indigenous cultures far before western feminism was introduced. It is
important for me to define Indigenous Feminism, as some o f the participants describe
themselves as Indigenous Feminists, making it essential that I introduce this concept. I am
not Indigenous therefore I cannot use Indigenous Feminism as my lens, but it has
nevertheless shaped this study through my sensitivity to an Indigenous perspective. It is
essential that we have culturally relevant education in the North. In order for this to happen,
there must first be space for meaningful discussion. Therefore, I could not overlook the
Indigenous Feminist lens to better position myself as a non-Indigenous researcher conducting
research with northern women, some of whom have First Nations heritage.
“When a bunch of white women sit around decrying racism in a space where there are,
suspiciously, no women of colour around to lead and shape that dialogue, it quickly becomes
clear who the space is geared towards” (Klein, 2011, p. 175). The process o f defining
Indigenous Feminism remains controversial as Indigenous women and women o f colour
view feminism as a ‘political and academic movement,’ which addresses problems of the
white middle class woman, not the Indigenous or coloured woman (Suzack & Huhndorf,
2010.) There has been active involvement in the second and third wave feminist movement

6
by Indigenous women and women o f colour, however academia still remains largely whitecentered.
Klein (2011), an academic, expressed her frustration about the gap between women who
are out on the streets trying to survive and the academics that theorize about the state of those
on the street. Klein recognized this dichotomy when she found herself in the presence of a
woman who was not an academic. Klein found that she was unable to communicate with her
companion because she felt that anything she said would be academic jargon and not
understood. She was very frustrated with herself. Could she no longer communicate with
those outside the academy?
All I can hope for in the work that I do is to attempt to kick a couple of stones into that
gap between the academy and the community and listen to them rattle around until they
hit the bottom, hopefully contributing just a little bit to filling the gap. (Klein, 2011, p.
176)
Many Indigenous women find fault in the feminist movement because during
colonization, Indigenous women were forced to acquire western gender roles and patriarchal
structures. Those who struggle for gender equality in Indigenous communities are sometimes
criticized for going against traditional norms. “Consequently, feminist research and politics
often appear to be irrelevant to the concerns of Indigenous communities and may even seem
to be implicated in ongoing colonial practices” (Suzack & Huhndorf, 2010, p. 15). LaRocque
(1996) an Indigenous Feminist, responds to this dilemma of feminism going against
traditional norms by stating, “although traditions help us retain our identities as Aboriginal
people, as women we must be circumspect in our recall of tradition. We must ask ourselves
whether and to what extent tradition is liberating to us as women” (p. 14).

7
And then I learned about the history of Europe—that as Christianity moved north,
midwives, nurses, and so called “witches” were sought after in a campaign o f genocide—
about four million women were killed by European leaders. So the reason that European
men could do this to our people is because they had already cut the umbilical cord in their
homeland. (Yee, 2011, p. 17)
It is apparent that there are many diverging perspectives on Indigenous Feminism even
within the Indigenous Feminist movement.

It is impossible to provide one definition of

Indigenous Feminism because Indigenous women’s experiences vary from community to
community due to their distinct histories and cultures.
Patriarchy is so ingrained in our communities that it is now seen as a ‘traditional trait,’
and a key to Indigenous Feminism must therefore be to make visible the ‘internal
oppression’ against women within our communities as well as in the dominant society.
(Blaney, 2003, p. 153)
Indigenous women have a similar colonial history and Indigenous Feminism, which “centers
on the fact that the imposition of patriarchy has transformed Indigenous societies by
diminishing Indigenous women’s power, status, and material circumstances” (Suzack &
Huhndorf, 2010, p. 10). It is important to recognize the importance of community in
Indigenous Feminist movement.
While feminists are concerned with the situation of women, Indigenous Feminists are
concerned with the situation of an entire community. Most, if not all, Indigenous
Feminists share the common goal of restoration... o f language, culture, traditional roles,
balance amongst the sexes and balance amongst the generations... restoration with the
intention of moving forwards. (Formsma, 2011, p. 151)

8
Ashling Ligate is a non-First Nations person who was raised on the lands of the Six
Nations o f Grand River Territory, and Krysta Williams is an Indigenous Feminist and
member o f the Turtle clan from Moravian of the Thames First Nation. They have learned a
lot from each other and were able to create a safe and trusting environment for learning in the
academy. The research suggestions Ligate and Williams (2011) made helped guide me
through this research. The challenge of translating my academic theory into personal lived
experiences, made the research process real. Ligate and Williams (2011) state that the
researcher should never tell the participant that their story is “interesting,” but suggest
honouring their stories by researching and learning about their community (p. 159). I tried to
acknowledge that every story was someone’s lived experience and I opened myself up to
empathize with the participants’ pain and struggles, always understanding that feminist
education and learning about oppression is a life long journey. Ligate and Williams (2001)
emphasize that researchers should recognize that “despite everything, communities that are
labeled as ‘oppressed’ are still vibrant, alive and thriving in whatever way they can” (p. 161162). Finally, they suggest that we need to honour the lived experiences of our participants,
acknowledging that their “stories are real and they live them every day” (Ligate & Williams,
2001, p. 163). By keeping the above information in mind throughout the research process I
was able to conduct meaningful research that promoted trust between the participant and
myself as researcher, which in turn allowed the study to live.
Cultural Safety. This concept refers to cultural safety as it pertains to Indigenous people.
This lens comes from New Zealand and was implemented into nursing curriculum and
practice in 1992 when a national study revealed the direct relationship of poor health

9
outcomes of the Maori patients and cultural inappropriateness and insensitivity of their health
care providers (Smylie, Josewski, & Kendall, 2010).
Cultural safety focuses on the social, structural and power inequalities within the formal
education, healthcare, policy and research models that affect the health and experience of
Indigenous people when they interact with mainstream institutions. A central component of
this lens involves shifting the power o f the health care provider to the Indigenous client
allowing them to decide what is culturally safe and unsafe (Smylie et al., 2010).
Aboriginal women often face racialized gender stereotyping and discrimination during
regular healthcare checkups. An example of this is a client that may have mental health
issues and yet is labeled as drunk (Smylie et al., 2010). Often the mental health concerns of
Aboriginal people can be directly linked to trauma and intergenerational trauma1 o f the
residential school experience. The residential school experience has left those affected with
feelings of mistrust, alienation, and loss o f identify. Western institutions and healthcare
practices often re-traumatize Aboriginal people creating extremely unsafe conditions. That
being said, there are key elements that healthcare providers can do to achieve cultural safety
(Smylie et al., 2010).
Key elements of achieving cultural safety are ensuring the researcher, healthcare provider,
policy analyst and educator have a strong understanding of the colonization of Aboriginal
people, particularly the relationship between the residential school experience and
(intergenerational) trauma. There must also be an understanding of how government
practices have continued to perpetuate health disparities and inequalities for Aboriginal
people. Mainstream institutions need to focus on relationship building with Aboriginal

1 Trauma from residential schools was often unconsciously passed dow n from parent to child. Therefore,
children o f residential schools often experience very sim ilar mental health issues as their parents.

10
community leaders such as Elders and healers, along with respecting the diversity of
Aboriginal people such as their unique cultures, languages and history. Finally, service
providers and educators need to communicate in culturally safe ways, by limiting technical
jargon, which only increases the distance between clients and providers (Smylie et al., 2010).
Cultural safety occurs when healthcare providers, educators, policy analysts and researchers
are trusting, understanding, respectful, honest and empathic and when Aboriginal clients are
given the opportunity and space to decide what a culturally safe practice is.
Summary
The researcher has a responsibility to bring about awareness towards community-level
stories that do not always find a home in the academic sphere (Denzin & Lincoln, 2008). As I
collected the narratives, I attempted to negotiate smooth transitions from question to question
and provide ways to be useful to participants. A goal will be to determine how this research
will benefit others and how sexual health education for women in Yukon can be improved.
My role as a researcher was to observe, spend time, with and collaborate with participants in
a non-exploitive, culturally safe, respectful manner. I am reminded of Elder Angela Sidney’s
words, “I have no money to leave to my grandchildren. My stories are my wealth”
(Cruikshank, Sidney, Smith & Ned, 1990, p. 36). Sidney’s words remind me to ask for
permission before embarking on an extensive study ensuring not to exploit another people’s
history, traditions and way of life. Creswell (2007) suggests that the following questions be
asked: “Who owns the story? Who can tell it? Who can change it? What happens when
narratives compete? As a community, what do stories do among us?” (p. 57).

11
Chapter Two: Literature Review
The struggles that Yukon women face in relation to accessible sexual health education and
services are multifaceted. First, this chapter introduces literature that broadly defines
overarching concepts such as health, sexual health, sexual rights, sexual health education,
and guidelines for sexual health education. Second, sexual health issues specific to Yukon
are highlighted, such as accessibility to contraception, abortions, sexual health education and
services, violence against women, and the residential school experience.
Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equality
Wellness is directly connected to empowerment. If a woman is in poor health she may feel
disempowered, likewise if a woman is disempowered, her overall health and well-being is at
risk. “Twenty percent of the global burden of women’s health is related to sexual and
reproductive health problems” (Black, Bucio, Butt, Crangle, Lalonde, & Dupuis-Leon, 2011,
p. 4). Empowered women are those that have equal access to education, healthcare, financial
options, and employment. All too often women worldwide are limited by discrimination,
power imbalance and systemic inequality (Black, et al., 2011).
Woman experience disempowerment as it pertains to reproductive rights and access
domestically and internationally. Many women struggle with unwanted or ill-timed
pregnancies and struggle to access family planning. Young women across the globe have
disproportionately higher levels of HIV and STIs and represent 62% o f youth ages 15 to 24
living with HIV/AIDS (Black, et al., 2011). Women face higher levels of violence and
exploitation including domestic violence and sexual violence. They also experience a lack of
appropriate reproductive health services and education, which is done directly and indirectly
by withholding valuable information as it relates to sexual health (Black, et al., 2011).

12
Improving sexual and reproductive health through women’s empowerment and gender
equality entails defending and upholding sexual and reproductive rights. This can be
accomplished by improving access to sexual health education and services; improving access
to health information and care; limiting discriminatory practices as it pertains to women and
sexual health, and promoting culturally safe environments for minority populations;
encouraging men’s engagement in tackling inequalities faced by women; implementing legal
and policy changes to promote sexual health education and access; encouraging zero
tolerance of violence against women (Black, et al., 2011).
Women’s empowerment and reproductive rights can be effectively implemented into the
work of health professionals. This can be accomplished by insisting health professionals
become familiar with underlying social, economic and cultural factors that have caused poor
sexual health outcomes; ensure all women have equal access to services, which treat
everyone with respect, despite their cultural background, religion, age, disability, and
socioeconomic status; develop culturally sensitive and safe environments; provide
community based sexual health education for those who are no longer in the formal school
system; recognize and provide appropriate referrals for situations of violence against women;
change attitudes to develop greater respect and empathy for women (Black, et al., 2011).
The Right to Health
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as, “a state of complete physical,
mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” (WHO,
1946). Sexual health is integral to someone’s overall well-being; however, this is often
overlooked and seen as a separate component to health. Anishnabe teachings state, “Good
health is a gift from the creator and it comes with responsibility to care for it.. .Good health is

13
a balance of the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual elements. If we neglect one we are
out o f balance and our health suffers (Deiter & Otway, 2001, p. 10). The Anishnabe
teachings propose that sexual health is multidimensional.
The right to health suggests that individuals should have access to basic health,
preventative care, treatment, and access to medication (Black et al., 2011). Sadly some
people are not in a position to exercise their right to health, specifically those who face
poverty and discrimination.
Sexual Health
Similar to the definition of “health”, the Canadian Guidelines for Sexual Health Education
defines “Sexual Health” as,
Sexual health is a state o f physical, emotional, mental and social well-being in relation to
sexuality...Sexual health requires a positive and respectful approach to sexuality and
sexual relationships, as well as the possibility o f having pleasurable and safe sexual
experiences, free o f coercion, discrimination and violence. (Public Health Agency of
Canada, 2008, p. 5)
A wide range of factors, such as sexual behaviour, societal attitudes, and genetic
predispositions influences sexual health. In addition, sexual health is influenced by physical
illness, mental health, and violence (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2008). Sexual health
can only be maintained when the sexual rights o f the person are respected and upheld,
meaning they have equal access to sexual health education and services and do not face
discrimination or dangerous practices.
Sexual health issues were identified by Aboriginal women in a handbook put out by the
Aboriginal Nurses Association of Canada suggesting that living in small communities,

14
racism, and cultural insensitivity create barriers for women and as a result women do not get
the sexual health care needed (Kinnon, Swanson, Wilman, Belcourt, Manitowabi, Foreman,
Norris & Harrison, 2002). The handbook goes on to say that women who are marginalized
and poor feel like they have little say in their sexual health and well-being (Kinnon et al.,
2002 ).

Suggested ways to support Aboriginal women in becoming more sexually healthy are
recognizing and honouring women’s traditional leadership roles; valuing motherhood;
develop culturally sensitive sexual health curriculum that values local traditions and culture;
use healing circles as ways of supporting Aboriginal women; expand services to include rural
and remote areas; and ensuring that Aboriginal women have access to information about
birth control, abortions and birth (Kinnon, et al., 2002).
Sexual Rights
Sexual rights are closely connected to human rights and should be upheld by national and
international human rights procedures. Sexual rights suggest that all people have the right to
a high standard of sexual health, which includes access to sexual health care services; access
to sexual health education; consensual sexual relations; ability to pursue a safe and
pleasurable sexual life; and an ability to decide to be sexually active or not (Public Health
Agency of Canada, 2008).
Sexual Health Education
Sexual health education should equip individuals, families and communities with
accessible information and skills to enhance sexual health (Public Health Agency of Canada,
2008). A person’s ability to make safe and informed sexual and reproductive health decision
depends in large part on access to education. Lack of access to education can prevent people

15
from seeking safe and healthy options. If women are not told about various forms of birth
control they may not ask their doctor about the appropriate one for them; if people do not
know about confidential STI testing they may not seek out clinics that can administer the
tests; if women do not know about prenatal care they may not seek out these services (Black,
et al., 2011).
Sexual health education should be a community-supported initiative involving individuals,
families, teachers, health professionals, social workers, justice system, etc. Local social and
cultural values should also be taken into account in the delivery o f these services. Effective
sexual health education allows for nondiscriminatory dialogue, which respects individual’s
beliefs and should not exclude anyone based on “age, race, gender identity, sexual
orientation, socioeconomic background, and physical/ cognitive abilities” (Public Health
Agency of Canada, 2008, p.5).
Sexual health education is a sensitive topic to teach, especially if you are a visiting
professional to a community that is not your own. The following are some barriers
Aboriginal people face in relation to sexual health: lack o f respect between the client and the
health professional; lack o f trust between client and health professional; inaccessible
language along with complicated handouts; programs that only deal with one issue such as
HIV instead of taking a multidisciplinary approach; and programs or workshops that miss
crucial contextual information (Kinnon et al., 2002). An example would be a pregnant teen
who does not have a place to live, let alone make critical decisions around sexual health
(Kinnon et al., 2002).
It is very important to foster a respectful, trusting environment before delivering sexual
health education. This can be accomplished by learning about the community from Elders

16
and community leaders; keeping an open mind; becoming a resource to the community and
allowing them to make educated decisions, and by working with the community to improve
knowledge and skills. Often people are hesitant about seeking advice about sexual health; as
a result it is important to ensure to keep workshops and teaching broad. Awareness of the
effects of residential school on the community is a crucial element. It is also important to
consider that change happens over time; that communities identify their needs, not people
from the outside; and that the use of a “culturally safe” approach that has been approved by
community members first, remembering that each Aboriginal community is different
(Kinnon, et al., 2002).
The Right to Privacy
Sexual health can be very personal and sexual health issues are often stigmatized. When
clients feel afraid that their information may be shared, they may delay or avoid seeking
medical advice. Clients need to feel safe and secure when accessing health services. This can
be challenging in a small community where health professionals may be doing their best to
ensure services are secure, but clients may know the health professionals in the clinic and be
deterred to access care for fear of being judged (Black, et al., 2011).
The Right to be Free from Discrimination
Women are subject to discrimination because of their gender and are more vulnerable to
harm from additional forms of discrimination. “The discrimination that women endure
becomes even more compounded when other factors, such as poverty, race, ethnicity, marital
status, sexual orientation, or religion play into the equation as well" (Black, et al., 2011, p.
14). Women know their bodies and their situation better than anyone else and should feel
empowered to have a say in decisions about their health. Discrimination takes away women’s

17
ability to make decisions about their health and instead places this power into the hands of
the health professional who does not necessarily have an understanding o f the difficulties
their client is facing. “No one - husband, leader, relative, or doctor has the right to
discriminate against women and decide what is best for them” (Black, et al., 2011, p. 14).
In May 2009 the United Nations Declaration on the Rights o f the Indigenous Peoples
formally recommended “ ...to fully incorporate a cultural perspective into health policies,
programmes and reproductive health services aimed at providing indigenous women with
quality health care...and ensure State access to reproductive health services” (UN Economic
and Social Council, 2009, p. 4-5). The UN is therefore placing responsibility on countries to
ensure that sexual health services are accessible to Indigenous women. This Convention is
not legally binding, however since Canada has recently ratified this Convention it has a
responsibility to report progress made in this area to the UN.
Canadian Guidelines for Sexual Health Education
The Canadian Guidelines for Sexual Health Education was first published in 1994, revised
and republished in 2003 and again in 2008. It was established with three goals in mind. First,
to assist professionals with the development and implementation of programs that support
sexual health and personal well-being. Second, to provide a framework that evaluates sexual
health services in Canada. Last, to offer educators and administrators guidelines to help them
better understand the goals and objectives o f sexual health education (Public Health Agency
o f Canada, 2008).
These guidelines suggest that sexual health education should be delivered in a safe
environment, and should be non-judgmental and non-discriminatory. The guiding principles
o f this document suggest that sexual health education should be accessible to everyone

18
despite their background and should be responsive to age, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual
orientation, socioeconomic background, and abilities, “ ...youth, seniors, sexual minorities,
First Nations.. .individuals who live in geographically isolated areas.. .require improved and
nonjudgmental access to sexual health education” (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2008, p.
19). The guidelines go on to suggest that since formal education systems such as public
schools are the only institutions that have mandatory contact with youth, and that accessible
sexual health education is essential to their students (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2008).
Sexual health education should also be comprehensive, address diversity, and engage
schools, organization and governments. Sexual health education should have effective
educational approaches and methods, creating environments that are appropriate for sexual
education. In addition, sexual health education should provide training and administrative
support, ensuring that professionals have up-to-date knowledge about sexual health and can
effectively deliver the material. Finally, sexual health education should incorporate planning,
evaluation, updating and social development, which will allow for appropriate changes to
occur if needed (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2008).
The guidelines recommend that sexual health education be made available to all citizens,
as sexual health is a key component to healthy living. The goals o f sexual health education
are to help people achieve self-esteem, non-exploitive relationships, self-respect and make
informed choices. The guidelines stress the importance of providing effective, diverse,
accessible, non-judgmental, and non-discriminatory, far reaching sexual health educations to
everyone to ensure that individuals have the skills and resources to be successful health
advocates (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2008).

19
Northern Context
Sexual Health Education in Yukon
According to the Canadian Guidelines for Sexual Health “effective sexual health
education should be provided in an age-appropriate, culturally sensitive manner that is
respectful of individual sexual diversity, abilities and choices” (Public Health Agency of
Canada, 2008, p. 18-19). The document is inclusive and very progressive, however how do
the guidelines translate in practice? Who uses them and who holds public institutions
accountable if the guidelines are not enforced? The above guidelines have not yet been
implemented in the formal education system in Yukon (Public Health Agency of Canada,
2008).
The Canadian Guidelines for Sexual Health Education emphasizes the importance of
ensuring that accessible education and services are available to persons with disabilities,
youth, seniors, sexual minorities, Aboriginal populations and other individuals who live in
geographically isolated areas; however, I have yet to see curriculum in the formal school
system that reflects the above outlined guidelines. More specifically, the document
highlights five principles that characterize effective sexual health education programming.
These principles are: accessibility, comprehensiveness, effectiveness of educational
approaches and methods, training and administrative support, and finally planning,
evaluation, updating and social development (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2008). In my
work as a health promotion worker, I witnessed the barriers to sexual health education from
the inside. The above principles are far from being met in Yukon, especially in the
communities. I cannot speak to community-based knowledge that may have been passed

20
down from Elders and community leaders, but I can speak to the formal delivery of sexual
health education in Yukon schools.
During my time working as a sexual health worker, I was expected to present awarenessbased sexual health education to high schools, community organizations and all 14 Yukon
communities. It was very difficult to get into Yukon high schools and community schools,
requiring permission from the principal of the school, the classroom teacher, and the parents.
The parents had to decide whether the information being presented was appropriate for their
child. By the time I got into the schools, there were very few students present for the
workshops. Sometimes the teachers would sit in on the presentation, which created an
uncomfortable dynamic for some students, especially if the teacher interjected with
‘abstinence first’ and ‘pro-life’ philosophies. These interjections were especially distracting
and counterproductive when promoting a healthy sexuality/sex positive lens.
Often resources and time are limited and instructors are unable to spend more than one to
three days in a rural community at a time, and as a result it is difficult to establish trust and
respect. Generally, there is not enough time for community students to develop a sense of
trust in order to ask the sensitive questions they may have. I am not aware of any train-thetrainer models developed to educate educators in the community allowing for the knowledge
to stay in the community.
As noted in the above guidelines, it is important to provide accessible and comprehensive
sexual health education. Yukon has a long way to go in this area and much work must be
done to ensure everyone has equal access to accessible, inclusive sexual health education.
With any program we need to see resource allocation so program improvement so
development can occur.

21
Sexual health education is multifaceted and services in the community must also provide
accessible, comprehensive sexual healthcare. It is not simply the formal education system
that is failing to provide sexual health education. Government departments and hospitals also
need to be held responsible for barriers to care and access. This is a multifaceted community
issue, which requires support of all sectors of the community. Health clinics, nursing stations,
and hospitals need to have appropriate services, which contribute to the overall reproductive
health of the community. The following sections examine the gaps in services, which have
contributed to potentially negative health outcomes and barriers to education in Yukon.
Access to Contraception
. .reproduction has always been a place where racial inequalities have been
institutionalized, where the control of women by men has been constantly reaffirmed, and
where the wealthy have been valued over the poor” (Eldridge, 2010, p. 6). Birth control is
expensive and many women, especially young and low-income women cannot afford it. The
government has no policies in place to subsidize birth control. Where does this leave
women? Where does this leave women in the Yukon who have limited abortion services?
Women’s reproductive health rights are not always being met. Who is to be held
accountable?
Inaccessible birth control is not unique to Yukon. “The WHO estimates that around 123
million women want birth control and don’t have access to it” (Eldridge, 2010, p. 306).
Women around the world struggle to educate themselves on birth control options. They then
struggle to access the birth control option they desire. For example will their doctor prescribe
it to them? Can they afford it? “Building reproductive freedom, including the ability to make
contraceptive decisions, means working to give women the right to make individual choices

22
about pregnancy” (Eldridge, 2010, p. 6). Many advocates argue that women should be
allowed to make informed decisions about birth control, but many health professionals and
health care institutions are resistant. Seeking out birth control options is no easy task, “It can
mean dealing with painful cultural histories, standing up to doctors you respect, partners you
love, and a culture that can make us feel like we aren’t in charge” (Eldridge, 2010, p. 8).
Yukon has the highest abortions rates in the country, suggesting that Yukon would benefit
from improved access to diverse, subsidized, contraceptive options.
Abortion Services in Yukon
To claim one’s sexual agency any woman has to believe that she can be responsible to
herself and to her body in ways that both enhance her capacity to experience sexual
fulfillment and her ability to be protective so as to diminish the likelihood that she will
ever be sexually victimized, (hooks, 2003, p. 143)
Yukon has some of the highest abortion rates in the country, yet does not have an abortion
clinic or sexual health clinic (Johnston, 2008). Yukon has one abortion doctor for all Yukon
clients. Yukon has 14 communities and as a result women from the communities experience
geographic disadvantages. Yukon does not have a self-referral process and at times women
run the risk o f asking a pro-life doctor for a referral that may lead to bias counselling. The
process is extremely time-consuming compared to other jurisdictions. “The whole process
takes about four days, including pre and post-op care” (Yukon Government, Yukon Health
Guide, 2005, “Information about abortions,” para 1-5).
Abortions are performed in the O.R. at the hospital and the room can only be booked on
certain days and in certain time slots. This leaves little time for counselling. If a woman has
difficulty getting to the clinic from one of the communities and misses her appointment it

23
may be difficult to rebook. The Northwest Territories does have a women’s health clinic
where pro-choice doctors perform abortions. Women can contact the clinic directly to make
an appointment without going through their family doctor. Medical and surgical abortions are
performed in the clinic. Women can also receive counselling before and after the procedure.
Finally, women have access to birth control counselling and access to birth control at the
clinic. I would like to quote directly from the clinic website as it demonstrates the inclusive
nature of the clinic.
Northern Options for Women (NOW) is a program dedicated to making reproductive
choice and abortion services available to women in the Northwest Territories and
Kitikmeot region of Nunavut. Our mission is to provide accessible, patient centered, nonjudgmental, evidenced based, safe abortion care. We are a team of committed, trained, and
experienced doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners and support staff who believe in a
woman’s right to reproductive choice in a compassionate and confidential environment.
Our staff all have specific training and experience in abortion care and counselling, and
are dedicated to providing these services in an atmosphere of respect and support. We
welcome all women, regardless of age, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, national
origin, marital status, family status, and mental or physical disability. (Northern Options
for Women, 2013, “Welcome,” para. 1-4)
Yukon would benefit from having a sexual health clinic where women could access
abortions and reproductive health related services. Considering Yukon has high abortion
rates, a clinic seems necessary in order to meet the basic needs of clients. Effective
preventative measures such as non-judgmental, non-discriminatory sexual health education

24
delivered in a culturally safe environment may also be an effective way o f reducing high
abortion rates in Yukon.
Community Nursing Stations
Women who are in need of sexual health and reproductive care do not always feel
comfortable accessing their local health centre or nursing station. Although the health centers
and nursing stations must uphold a high standard of confidentiality, those who are employed
at the nursing stations and health centers are usually community members who may be
relatives or close friends of the client who may be seeking care. Nurses who are hired from
outside are sometimes better able to address the need for anonymity, however they could be
perceived as an “outsider” so a different barrier is presented in terms of community trust.
Questions asked include: “Who is this person? Are they First Nations? Will they judge me
and my culture?”
Violence Against Women in Yukon
No matter how young or old, most of us know, or learn the hard way that our true stories
of rape and sexual harassment tend either not to be believed or deemed unworthy of
serious attention, especially if the culprit is someone close, a family member, a boyfriend,
or just the man next door, (hooks, 2003, pp. 40-46)
One in three women worldwide is a victim of violence (beatings, rape, torture or attack).
When female victims of violence are under the control o f their partner, they are sometimes
unable to make decisions about their sexual and reproductive health and well-being and as a
result are at increased risk of poor sexual and reproductive health (Black et al., 2011).
Violence is often invisible and can be inflicted on victims in less obvious ways, such as by a
medical professional or in any situation when a person has power over another. People place

25
enormous amounts of trust in health professionals, which can place the client in very
vulnerable situations. Health professionals should

. .take extra care in learning to recognize

the signs of violence, as well as to familiarize themselves with the resources available in the
area, in order to facilitate referrals to service providers who can offer the woman assistance
and or shelter from such abuse” (Black, et al., 2011, p. 17).
Violence against women is particularly problematic in Yukon. The Yukon Health Status
Report (Yukon Government, 2009), states that sexualized assault and male-violence against
women is two to three times higher in Yukon than any of the provinces (p. 23). In 2003/04, at
least 388 women and 219 children used shelters for abused women in the Yukon, and shelter
use on a single day was between three to ten times higher in the territories than elsewhere in
Canada. Acts o f spousal assault against women are more likely to result in physical
consequences for victims then assaults against men (Yukon Government, 2009). A violent
community is an unhealthy community. Healthy relationship training, violence prevention
workshops, sexual health education delivered in a culturally safe environment for both men
and women may improve the overall health and wellness of those living in Yukon.
The Residential School Experience
It would be neglectful to overlook the devastating effects of residential school on the First
Nation people of Yukon. Many First Nations children that attended residential schools
experienced physical, emotional and sexual abuse, which affected their physical, emotional,
mental, and spiritual well-being and the well-being of their children and grandchildren.
When Europeans arrived in Yukon, they decided that the First Nations people of the north
needed to become “civilized.” They completely overlooked the sophisticated systems that
already existed, which allowed First Nations to govern, educate and live peacefully with each

26
other. In 1911 Choulta Residential School was opened in Carcross, followed by the Baptist
Mission School in Whitehorse, the Lower Post Indian Residential School near Watson Lake,
and the Catholic and Anglican Hostels in Whitehorse. In 1920 it became mandatory that all
Status First Nations attend these residential schools (Clarke, 2009).
The students that attended these schools lived in appalling, inhumane conditions and were
denied regular contact with their families, were given limited education, and few life skills.
They were taught that their culture, language and traditions were inferior to white Europeans.
Many children in residential school forgot the language and customs o f their parents. When
they left the school and returned home, they could no longer communicate with their parents.
Many suffered from low self-esteem and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and were
confused and ashamed of their culture and identities. Many felt they did not belong in their
community or in the dominant white community leaving them without a home. “You feel lost
when you come back, you know. You don’t know Indian way or white man way; just stuck
in the middle” (Clarke, 2009, p. 82). Without the youth, First Nations communities began to
fall apart and the trauma of residential school has been passed down from generation to
generation. Residential school has had a direct impact on First Nations overall health, and
sexual health in particular (Kinnon, 2002).
[At the] Yukon Arts Centre a year ago...W e came around the comer not thinking
anything of it, and both of us saw white nighties hanging there in the air and a pile of dirt
underneath.. .Both of us stopped dead, we couldn’t even breathe for about.. .60 seconds we both stopped dead. We, we saw this thing.. .because white nightie to us is not a good
thing. (Clarke, 2009, p.90)

27
The sexual violence and abuse inflicted on children in residential school remained and for
some still remains an untouchable subject. For many, healthy sexuality and parenting skills
were lost at residential school. Women, men, parents, grandparents and children find it hard
to talk about sexual issues because o f embarrassment and painful memories; many parents
have not had access to sexual health education and cannot pass these teachings down to their
children. It is difficult for members of many generations o f First Nations people to make
informed decisions about sexual health because there are few positive role models or
resources available in their communities (Kinnon, 2002). It is essential that sexual health
educators and service providers are aware of the residential school experience and the
negatives effects it has had on generations of Yukon First Nations.
Summary
Yukon women have limited access to sexual health education and services compared to
women in other jurisdictions. There are many barriers to access such as limited rural
community sexual health education outreach; issues of anonymity, especially in smaller
communities; access to birth control, and access abortion services. The Canadian Guidelines
for Sexual Health Education highly recommend that sexual health education should be
accessible, comprehensive and culturally appropriate. Yukon’s sexual health education does
not uphold the recommendations outlined in the Canadian Guidelines for Sexual Health
Education. What does this mean for Yukon women? The combination of limited educational
outreach and limited sexual health services leaves Yukon women in a highly vulnerable
situation.

28
Chapter Three: Methodology
Introduction
“We are the storytelling species. Storytelling is in our blood. We think in story form,
speak in story form, and bring meaning to our lives through story” (Atkinson, 2007, p. 224).
Statistical data provides a general numerical analysis; however, the voices and stories behind
those numbers often go untold. In Yukon, most o f the information and knowledge is limited
to statistical based analysis; this research project focused on the stories o f the women and
their encounters with sexual health education and services in their community. This chapter
explores qualitative research, narrative analysis, the interview, restorying and the evaluation
process.
Qualitative Research
Stories give us insight into the lives of others; they allow us to connect on a more human
level. We do not have this luxury with numbers. Qualitative methodology was chosen in
order to generate descriptive information through personal stories. I wanted to move beyond
numbers and graphs and hear the lived experiences of women in our community. Stories are
our lifeline. Stories connect us to the rest of the world, allowing us to be a part of something
larger than our individual lives. Qualitative research seeks to understand a research topic
through the perspectives of the local population it involves. Additionally, it is effective in
obtaining insight into participants’ attitudes, opinions, behaviors, value systems, concerns,
motivations, aspirations, culture, and lifestyles (Elliot, 2005). The strength o f this form of
research is its ability to provide written descriptions of how people experience the given
research issue. It provides valuable information about the “human” side of the topic.
“Qualitative methods are also effective in identifying intangible factors, such as social norms,

29
socioeconomic status, gender roles, ethnicity, and religion, whose role in the research issue
may not be readily apparent” (Elliott, 2005, p.l). Qualitative research is inherently
multimethod in focus, using multiple voices, perspectives, points of view and angles, moving
the text from the “personal to the political, from the local to the historical and cultural”
(Denzin & Lincoln, 2008, p.7). By integrating multiple voices, experiences, perspectives and
practices into the research analysis, the researcher is able to get a better understanding of the
subject matter.
Qualitative research is a situated activity that locates the observer in the world. It consists
of a set of interpretive, material practices that make the world visible. These practices
transform the world. They turn the world into a series o f representations, including field
notes, interviews, conversations, photographs, recordings, and memos to the self. At this
level, qualitative research involves an interpretive, naturalistic approach to the world.
This means that qualitative researchers study things in their natural settings, attempting to
make sense of, or to interpret, phenomena in terms o f the meanings people bring to them.
(Denzin & Lincoln, 2000, p. 3)
Both qualitative and quantitative researchers are concerned with the individuals’/participants’
point of view; however, the qualitative researcher is able to get closer to the individual
through detailed interviewing and observation. Qualitative researchers pay close attention to
the everyday social world, whereas the goal of quantitative researchers is to generalize
information from the world, seldom studying individual stories. “They seek a nomothetic or
etic science based on probabilities derived from the study o f large numbers of randomly
selected cases... Qualitative researchers use ethnographic prose, historical narratives, first-

30
person accounts, still photographs, life histories, fictionalized facts and biographical material,
among others” (Denzin & Lincoln, 2003, p. 17).
Narrative study allows the researcher to move from the individual to the communal in a
few pages. Narrative research has typically been appealing to life history researchers because
people compose stories to understand their lives. “Narrative research requires work from a
reflective stance; it focuses on holistic aspects of participants’ biographies and utilizes the
capacity to meld observation and theory in meaningful ways” (Josselson, 2011, p.64).
Narrative researchers believe that people understand their lives in story form, with a
beginning, middle and end. Narrative truth involves a constructed account o f the participant’s
experience, not a factual record o f what “really” happened. The focus o f narrative research is
on how events are understood and organized according to the participant (Denzin & Lincoln,
2008).
The construction of a story is rooted in the internal world of the participant and aspects of
the external social world where the participant lives. The researcher tries to understand the
two worlds as a whole. The participant has multiple voices and realities throughout the
telling of their story. “The self is regarded as a ‘multiple’ as different voices in dialogue with
one another... some of these selves may be strongly developed, whereas others may be
suppressed or even dissociated” (Josselson, 201 l,p.227). The role o f the researcher is to
piece together data, deciding what is significant and insignificant, and making the invisible
visible. “The researcher pays close attention to both the content of the narration (“the told”)
and the structure of the narration (“the telling”)” (Josselson, 201 l,p.227).

31
Narrative and Life Story
Oral histories and stories are the traditional forms of communicating and sharing
knowledge for the First Nations people in Yukon. “Stories told from generation to generation
carried timeless elements, enduring values, and lessons about life lived deeply” (Atkinson,
2007, p. 231). I wanted to hear the life stories and narratives o f women in Yukon using
narrative inquiry as it is a research approach that allows the researcher to gather needed
information directly from the person.
Atkinson (2007) suggests that life stories take on their own unique form that is
impossible to predict. The researcher and participant enter a partnership that may be mutually
beneficial. The participant’s story is recorded and interpreted allowing the story to reach a
greater audience. Life stories highlight the experiences, emotions and thoughts of participants
to find out the impact of past events on their lives. In narrative inquiry, the researcher learns
from the participant and both participant and researcher guide the study together with the
resulting work being co-constructed. After the life story o f the participant has been recorded
and analyzed by the researcher it is essential to have the participant check over transcribed
information to ensure it has been recorded and interpreted exactly the way the participant
intended (Atkinson, 2007).
In essence, we need to acknowledge the value of multiple realities, where the role of the
researcher, whether Indigenous or non-Indigenous, is as kumu (teacher). That is to say
the kumu explicitly and intentionally presents a set of critical accounts that creates space
for multiple audiences, convenes conversations that critique the approach within local
and global contexts, and directs learning and inquiry toward community empowerment.
Hence, conversation regarding the ontology and epistemology of a cultural group brings

32
to the surface multiple realities, defined over time, in a manner that benefits (does no
harm to) Indigenous communities (Benham, 2007, p. 513).
Inquiry Process
Recruitment. I am a board member of a small non-profit (NGO) which is an advocacy
and awareness group for women’s equality. Our office is located in a women’s centre and as
a result I have contact with many women. Our office is separate from the women’s centre;
therefore, the women I meet are not my clients. The women’s centre provides services to
women from rural communities when they are in town. For this reason, we get many
different women in the centre daily. It was through the centre that I was able to gather
information from women and assess their needs. Several women expressed a need for this
type of study on the topic of accessibility to sexual health education and services in Yukon. I
decided to follow through with their requests by conducting this study. Posters outlining the
study and requirement criteria of participants were posted in women’s centers and shelters.
Participants. I recruited five female participants who went to public school in Yukon,
and who were between the ages of twenty and thirty. Three women identified as Caucasian.
One woman self-identified as a woman from a visible minority, and another woman self­
identified as First Nations. In the interview, participants were asked to talk about their
experience with sexual health education in their community and school and how this
experience affected their lives. Participants were not expected to tell painful stories, but
counselling support information was provided to everyone. Participants’ names were
changed and all identifying information was removed from the analysis and overall research
project. Participants took part in one interview each that lasted approximately one hour.
Participants were compensated for their time and travel with a $40 gift certificate. Once the

interviews were re-storied, participants were asked to attend one additional half hour session
to ensure information had been re-storied in a way that was true to their life experience.
Participants received an additional $20 gift certificate to compensate them for their time and
travel.
Data Collection. All participants completed their interviews; however, they were
informed that they could terminate the interview at any time and that all data collected up to
the point o f termination would not to be used in the study. If the participant had not felt
comfortable with the information collected, the data would have been destroyed as described
in the letter of consent (Appendix B). I ensured that the participants were aware that they
should only disclose information that they felt comfortable with disclosing. I referred
participants to women’s support services if they needed additional counselling or support
(Appendix G). The interviews were conducted in a vacant room in the women’s centre when
the centre was officially closed to the public and there were no interruptions from the public
during the interview. Confidentially was ensured by asking the participants to choose a
pseudonym, and all names of people were omitted and the names o f places were changed or
omitted.
Narrative Interview. The narrative interview is a conversation between researcher and
participant. Both the researcher and participant monitor and influence one another in the
conversation. The life story approach allows the participants to tell the story of their life and
well-being prompted by guiding research questions. This approach allowed me to better
understand the whole participant and the story of their life within the context o f the greater
research question. The overarching goal of the interview was to discover the participant’s
subjective truth. This was done effectively by focusing on the stated and unstated, the voices

34
within the narrative, attending to the layering of voices (subject positions), and to both the
content of the narrative (“the told”) and the structure of the narrative (“the telling”)
(Josselson, 2011). The interview was structured to allow for the multiple voices and realities
of the participants’ stories to be revealed. My role was to actively listen, which allowed the
participant to talk openly about their experiences. At times, some participants needed
prompting at which point I referred to the research questions (Appendix A). The participant
had the power to decide what was told, which meant at times I had to draw out details by
asking the participants to describe events in detail. Meaning was negotiated as the interview
unfolded. Narrative interviews often result in the rediscovery o f an untold truth or lost voice,
which can be very healing for the participant (Josselson, 2011).
The following is an excerpt from my reflective journal, which outlines my thoughts on the
interview process with each participant. I used the journal to record my thoughts on the
interview as well as the atmosphere of the interview space, the reaction of the participant to
the interview at large, their tone, expression, and emotions before the interview started,
during the interview and at the end o f the interview. I have selected an excerpt from the
middle o f Vivian’s Story, where it became apparent to me that she was reliving some of her
past experiences as she told her story about her friend’s assault. I recorded the below
reflections after the interview.
She closed her eyes for a second to recall what had happened that day. She took a deep
breath and began. The story started to flow out of her, she appeared calm, but her hands
were shaking and her breathing was shallow. At one point she stopped the story to point
out that she had never really told this story from beginning to end before, also stating that
she hadn’t thought about it in years and as a result never had time to process it. I could tell

35
she wanted to tell her story; there was no hesitation or shame as she proceeded. There was
a combination of anger and sadness in her voice, but all o f this was overshadowed by an
overwhelming sense of resilience and strength. After this segment o f the story was
complete she took another deep breath, looked out the window and commented on how
beautiful it was outside; taking a sip of water she continued.
I was amazed at the speed in which she told her stoiy. Her story was told with so much
expression and emotion I felt like I was there with her through all of those difficult
transitions. It will be very difficult for me to shorten this interview as it feels like every
point of this interview was an important one. I do not think I will need to give it a
beginning, middle and end as she already did this so well. She went on very few tangents.
I feel so honoured that she let me hear about some o f her most intimate moments as an
adolescent.
The reflective journal brought strength to the re-storying process. I was able to re-read my
journal and gain insight into how to determine a beginning, middle and end for each
narrative. It reminded me about the emotions and physical reactions the participants had to
their own story. I was able to paint the true voice of the participant into the narrative, by
recalling the tone of the participant. I was also able to detect my own personal biases. For
example, during one interview I had hoped that the participant would discuss cultural safety
at more length because she had self-identified as First Nations, however she was quick to
dismiss this discussion and I in turn recognized my own personal research biases and
honoured her dismissal of the subject. The reflective journals were also a place for me to
remind myself to ask questions o f clarification to the participant during the check in process,
which strengthened the final product.

36
Narrative Analysis
This qualitative study followed a life-story narrative research approach. My aim was to
view the whole story of the participant. “Narrative inquiry is about eliciting from life stories
the insight, essence and resonance that accompany our philosophical and cultural expressions
and our desire for them to be recognized” (Barton, 2004, p. 519). Analysis of this form
required integration of the life experiences of the individuals, which strengthened the social
context of the study. I used reflective journals of the interview process, along with the audio
digital recordings and transcripts of the interview in my analysis.
Although narrative researchers hold narrative authority in the interpretive nature of this
work, I wanted to offer the participants an active role in all stages of the process. I
collaborated with the participants, asking them how they wanted to be represented in the
study and ensuring that both researcher and participants’ goals were met throughout the
study. The participants played an active role in the process. One of my research questions is,
“What changes would you like to see in sexual health education and services in Yukon for
the next generation of women?” Participants had a chance to reflect on positive solutions.
“As researchers collect stories, they negotiate relationships, smooth transitions, and provide
ways to be useful to the participants” (Creswell, 2007, p. 55).
Participants’ personal narratives were not fixed in time because of each person’s multiple
realities and voices. “The self is regarded as ‘multiple,’ with different voices in dialogue with
one another. The narrative is conceived as a multiplicity of
author with its own story to tell in relation to the other

positions where each “7” is an

(Josselson, 201 l,p.226). It was my

responsibility to interpret and analyze the narrative. This was done effectively by focusing on
the said and unsaid, the voices within the narrative, attending to the layering of voices

37
(subject positions), and to both the content of the narrative (“the told”) and the structure of
the narrative (“the telling”) (Josselson, 2011). Finally, it is important to note that narrative
analysis does not see participants as “entities” fixed in time and stories have a tendency to
change overtime and revisions are a part of the process (Josselson, 2011).
Re-storying
Participants voluntarily took part in a private one-on-one interview that lasted an hour.
Each participant was asked to share her experiences with sexual health education and
services in Yukon throughout her lifetime. Many participants experienced barriers to
accessing these services and they describe this in detail. Finally, participants were asked to
provide ideas on changes that could be made to affect positive change for women in terms of
sexual health education in Yukon. The interviews were audio digitally recorded so I was
able to analyze the material after the interview.
After the interviews, I transcribed and analyzed the digital data. I conducted a layered
analysis that included my own reflective journal. I used a list of interview probes to assist my
focus on the research questions (Appendix A). I also took notes during the interview process.
I then began to re-story the data collected from the audio digital recordings. Re-storying
provides the research with a coherent beginning, middle and end. Re-storying consists of
gathering stories and information and analyzing them for key elements such as the time,
place, plot and scene along with presenting past, present and future ideas (Creswell, 2007, p.
56). The story-line included a three-dimensional narrative inquiry space, “the personal and
social (the interaction); the past, present and future (continuity); and the place (situation)
(Creswell, 2007, p. 56).”

38
Analysis and re-storying provides a coherent beginning, middle and end to narratives,
allowing the reader to better understand and connect with the narrative of the participant. I
worked with the following re-storying guidelines to represent the participants’ narratives: a
summary of the substance of the narrative; orienting the reader to the time, place, and
situation; the sequence of the events that were being represented; the significance and
meaning o f the events expressed through the attitude of the story-teller; resolution of the
story; how the narrator returns to the present time (Riesssman,1993).
I started the process by reading the interview transcripts and the corresponding journal
entries and created a summary of each narrative. Each participant started their interview with
their first memory of sexual health class, which fell around grade five for almost all
participants. Each participant moved from childhood to youth then to adulthood. Participants
gave examples of their exposure to sexual health education first and moved to their
experience with sexual health services second. When I restoried their narratives, I placed
participants’ stories of sexual health education and access to community services in
chronological order moving from childhood to youth then to adulthood. I returned to present
time by emphasizing each participant’s desire for change for the next generation o f women
first by highlighting service gaps emphasized by participants and then providing participants’
solutions.
Once the interviews were analyzed and re-storied, the participants were asked to help
check the results. This involved a short meeting lasting about 30 minutes, or email check-in
for participants who had requested to have their restoried narrative sent to them over email.
Participants went through their narrative and then sent me feedback about any changes they
wanted to see. Changes were made and the narratives were sent back to them with the edits

39
for final approval. The participants were able to add any information and let me know if the
results made sense to them. The participants negotiated the meaning of the story, adding and
validating the findings to ensure the story did not lose its initial meaning in the re-storying
process.
In my reflective journal, I noted that one participant felt that I had made one of her
brother’s stories sound like it was her story. We discussed how it could be rewritten so it read
the way it was originally told. I had not even picked up on this so I was grateful for her
comments. There was another section that she felt did not sound like her so we reworded it so
she felt more comfortable with it. For the most part, the participants were very pleased and
had very few comments. When some participants re-read their restoried narratives they made
small changes, such as adding the exact grade they were in when the event took place and so
forth.
After the restoried narratives were read and approved by participants, I entered phase two,
which is where I conducted a thematic analysis of the narratives. I chose to do a secondary
phase of analysis in order to protect my participants’ stories and only present the secondary
analysis of categories and themes in any future publications or presentations. I did this by
reading and rereading the restoried narratives and identifying general categories according to
the common language and trends shared by participants. I then coded the narrative sections
for descriptive elements according to categories and was able to narrow these categories
down to three main categories, Sexual health education in Yukon schools and sexual health
services and supports in the community; Challenges associated with limited access to sexual
health education and services in the schools and community; and Utopia: Dreams fo r the
next generation. A category was selected when four or five participants had mentioned the

40
category in their story. From there, general themes were isolated and placed under the three
corresponding categories. There were more themes than categories because I wanted to
capture diverging, unique themes from all the stories. Themes included topics such as, My
Changing Body: Mixed Messages, What is a Healthy Relationship, Sex Positive Education,
etc. Themes were selected when two or more participants had overlapping trends, shared
common views and similar language to express that view. This process gave more meaning
and understanding to the secondary research questions: How have these barriers affected
your life? What changes would you like to see for the next generation of woman?
In phase three, I isolated the metathemes. I did this by going over information collected in
phase one and two, and isolating overarching trends that were shared by all participants. The
metathemes are the binding, overarching connections of the study and include Trust,
Accessible Sexual Health Services, Desire fo r Positive Change.
Ethical Concerns/ Consideration
Due to the highly sensitive nature of the topic it was essential that the participants felt
completely secure with their narratives. For that reason the anonymity and confidentiality of
the participants was protected. In order to accomplish this, any identifying characteristics
were removed during the analysis. Participants were given pseudonyms to protect their
anonymity, and as I did all the interviews, I am the only person who knows the identity of the
participants. Furthermore, the community and neighboring communities were not identified
due to the nature o f small populations in the North. All documents, including consent forms,
digitally recorded interviews, and additional researcher notes have been stored in a locked
file cabinet in my office. The information will be destroyed two years after the completion of
the project.

41
There is always a potential for an imbalance o f power in the researcher-participant
relationship. I made sure that it was clear to the participants that they were the experts of
their experiences. It was clear to the participants that I was concerned about the well-being of
women in the North and examined an imbalance of wealth and service allocation to northern
women both in the literature and first hand as a health promotion worker and health
researcher. My aim was to listen, learn and hear their life experiences with the goal of
breathing descriptive life into the relevant quantitative data that was available through
Statistics Canada documents.
It was my role as the researcher to recognize signs of distress and discomfort during the
interviews and to be sensitive to the women’s vulnerability from sharing personal
information (Creswell, 2007, p. 57). Before the interview I talked with the participants and
ensured that they were in a safe emotional place to begin. When the interview was finished I
ensured once again that the participant was in a safe emotional place before she left.
Evaluative Criteria
Validity. Issues of validity surface in qualitative literature, however a range of criteria has
emerged which has contributed to the enhancement of trustworthiness in qualitative research.
In narrative inquiry, validity is dependent on the participant. The participant decides if the
information collected and analyzed by the researcher is correct and valid. This process is
referred to in the literature as, “intersubjective judgment” (Lincoln, 1995). Narrative
researchers convey the meaning of participants’ experiences by richly describing and
reflecting on the participants’ stories.
Human experiences and individuals’ life stories are complex and therefore are always
changing. Often individuals omit and change the meaning o f their own story. It was

42
important for me to tell the told and untold stories o f participants by asking important
questions, writing thickly through detailed descriptions and member checking once data was
collected, analyzed and re-storied.
Reflexivity. The research was monitored by the critical reflection o f myself throughout
the research process. This was accomplished through note taking, writing thickly and
journaling throughout the study. This journal allowed me to reflect on biases, thoughts, ideas,
and highlight analysis, interpretation and insight (Lincoln, 1995).
Reciprocity. Reciprocity refers to the quality of relationship between participant and
researcher. This was established by developing trust through exchanging and sharing stories
of life experiences. Reciprocity was established between the participants and myself through
the sharing o f stories. I accomplished this by establishing transparency about the intent of the
research and sharing professional and personal information when appropriate and necessary.
Triangulation. Triangulation describes the use of multiple forms o f data collection,
allowing for layered interpretation of results. This was accomplished by note-taking,
journaling, audio recording interviews, transcription and analysis of interviews, re-storying,
participant member checking and verification, and finally the feedback gathered from my
supervisor and committee members.
Summ ary
Qualitative methodology attempts to move beyond the numerical analysis quantitative
methodology provides. It brings the reader and researcher closer to the individual stories o f
the participants allowing the researcher and reader to see the story behind the numbers.
Narrative life stories provide detailed, layered information about a broad subject area within
the context of the participants’ life experiences. Validity, reflexivity, reciprocity and

43
triangulation are evaluation tools used to ensure accuracy. After the data is collected it is restoried and narratives are given a beginning, middle and end. The participant and researcher
co-construct the research. This is accomplished by ensuring the participants can contribute to
the research throughout the process. Participants read their narratives and navigate validity,
making edits were necessary to ensure that it is their story that is being told. The researcher
relies on, reflective journals, digital interview data, transcripts, participants’ feedback, and
narratives to analysis and highlight broader truths within the narratives. The participantapproved life story narratives are then analyzed and multiple categories are coded allowing
the researcher to isolate overarching categories and underlying themes common amongst
participants. The final phase of research allows the researcher to isolate metathemes, which
binds the research. Qualitative research allows the participant, researcher and reader to enter
an intimate knowledge sharing experience where together we gain a greater understanding of
the subject area. All these steps were undertaken in this study, leading to the following
results.

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Chapter Four: Women’s Voices
This chapter provides the reader with the life story narratives of the five participants.
These stories begin to address gaps in service provision and education by using a narrative
approach, and exploring the stories o f women’s life experiences within the context of their
ability to access sexual health education and services in their schools and communities. This
phase of research started with a one-hour interview, which helped answer the principle
research question: What are the women’s stories o f sexual health education and services and
how have these stories affected their sexual health and overall well-being? Each interview
was transcribed and multiple readings were conducted. The interviews were restoried and
given a beginning, middle and end, providing a cohesive representation o f each woman’s life
story. As part of the narrative analysis co-constructive process, the women were invited to be
active participants in the research by reading their restoried narratives and providing
feedback.
The participants grew up, attended public school and accessed health services in Yukon.
Each participant has experienced barriers to sexual health education and services in Yukon.
All participants express a desire to see change in their community for the next generation of
women. I was honoured to hear the intimate stories each woman shared. I invite the reader to
share in their experiences through their stories.
Vivian’s Story
I was sexually active quite young, and I was raised by a nurse, which was really helpful. I
remember really only going to the communicable disease clinic to get tested or to get
information. I was always a little worried when I would go, and a little uncomfortable about
who might see me because it is a small town. Sometimes you would be sitting in the waiting

45
room and then all of a sudden somebody you know would come in, so that was always
uncomfortable. My mom’s good friend was working there too, so that was always really
weird, and if she was assigned to me as a nurse I would always ask for someone else. She
was always really good for asking me if I wanted somebody else, which I always did. But
that was kind of the best place to go for STI testing and they were really good about all that
stuff.
Birth control wise, I don’t know where I would have gotten it if my mother hadn’t put me
on it. She said she was putting me on it to regulate my period, but I think it was really for
birth control. I think she could kind knew I was sexually active, but birth control was
definitely a barrier for some o f my friends. There were a lot of girls who didn’t know how to
get birth control. I remember when I started taking birth control I didn’t really know what
kind to take and who to ask. And I was taking Dian35 because my mom told the doctor they
wanted to regulate my period and regulate my skin because I had bad acne. Dian35 was a
dermatological, skin medicine that had the same effects as birth control, but was not 100%
effective. I thought I was taking regular birth control all the time, but it turned out it wasn’t
proper birth control. I never really looked into it, I just remember finding out about that later
when I switched brands.

My girlfriends and I would always sit around and talk about what

kind of birth control we were on and what we liked about it and what we didn’t like about it,
but it was more o f us kind of sharing personal stories and information that we had gotten
from other people so it was definitely hard figuring out where to get birth control and what
would be most effective for our individual needs. The cost o f birth control was a barrier. If
my mom wasn’t paying for it, I don’t know who would have paid for it. Some of my

46
girlfriends who didn’t have as much money were always trying to figure out ways to pay for
it. I think if you didn’t have any money, it would have been harder to get.
I remember when I first started going to the bar when I was 19, it was easy to get free
condoms. There were free condoms in all of the drinking establishments, in the bathrooms.
But as a teenager I got condoms from my mom because she was a nurse and she just brought
big bags of condoms in our house, and was like, “here are condoms, use them.” I don’t think
they offered them in our high school. I don’t think they were easy to get. We always had
them. I know my girlfriends and I never had trouble getting condoms but when I think back
now, where we got them, I can’t really remember. I don’t know if somebody had some
magical stash or maybe it was me giving condoms to my friends that were from my mom. I
don’t remember having public places to access condoms. People would talk about where to
get them and stuff like that, and I imagine they would have had them at the counsellor’s
office, or something, but you aren’t going to go to the counsellor’s office and be like “hey,
can I have some condoms” because it would be too risky in a small town.
When I was seventeen I got HPV from a guy I was sleeping with and I told my school
counsellor. There was a teacher at school whose daughter was dating the guy who gave it to
me. And the school counsellor pressured me into telling the mother about it so she could
warn her daughter. And then it got all around school and everybody knew about it. I didn’t
know HPV was really common, and that it wasn’t something to be ashamed of. It was all
over school that I had gotten this STI from this boy. And the guy who gave it to me said he
didn’t give it to me. I had gone to that counsellor for support and to have a private
confidential talk because I was really upset, but she just pressured me into telling someone
else, instead o f respecting my privacy. This created a huge barrier, not having counsellors

47
you could trust, living in such a small community where people fear for their own well-being
so they start thinking o f their own well-being rather than helping you. After that I never went
to a school counsellor ever again and neither did my friends. You are supposed to be able to
go to a school counsellor for support and know that they are not going to talk to your parents.
It was a really humiliating and disappointing experience for me. This was such a big barrier,
not having people to talk to about things like that.
The school counsellor could have given me community resources so I could have been
more informed about my STI or a contact for a counsellor, but she didn’t give me anything. I
went and got tested and they said it looks like HPV and told me to go to my family doctor,
but my doctor was my mom’s really good friend and we always used to go to her house for
dinner and there was no way I was going to talk with her about HPV. And then the symptoms
went away and then after that I went and got tested again the tests came back negative so still
to this day, I am not really sure what it was or is? My friends and I ended up self-counselling
so that ended up being a major resource but o f course it is only whatever information we
knew when you were 16-17 years old. My friends and I were sexually active quite young,
and we talked about that stuff and we were all really super confident young girls at that age.
We were kind of the arty-smoker-druggie kind o f group maybe it was different for some of
my more conservative peers.
I remember my mom always told me that masturbation was really healthy and always
talked to us about that stuff. I remember getting in an argument with this girl I went to school
with because she thought that no one masturbated because it was disgusting. I remember
arguing with her saying, “you are ridiculous, everyone does! You are a liar if you say you
don’t.” I remember having conversations with other girls that were my age and I don’t think

48
they were as sexually active and they got a bit of information from my close friends, but I am
not sure if they had much support?
I don’t remember having much access to sexual health education. I am sure there must
have been a class a year in elementary school? Oh yes, I think it was grade 6 and they split
the girls and the boys into separate groups and they talked to us about our periods. I
remember, because they had this box where you could ask anonymous questions and I
remember writing one, because I didn’t know how you knew if you got your period. I
thought maybe getting your period might feel like you were peeing so that is what I asked,
“When you get your period does it feel like you are peeing?” I remember writing my
question and being so embarrassed about it and sticking it in the box and then the lady shook
up the box and answered the questions and I think she showed us tampons and pads.
We had something once in grade 8/9/10. We had a sexual health nurse come in to do our
Career and Educational Planning and she touched on some minor stuff. When she came in I
remember seeing her and she was like this older really kind of tired looking lady. She was
sweaty and kind of not kept very well and she was extremely overweight and I know those
are judgments I don’t want to put on her now, but I remember at that age I looked at her and I
was like, “Who is this lady? What could she know about our sex lives?” I couldn’t relate to
her at all.
I remember she brought candy, she brought a bag of nibs, those little ones. And we were
all in the class with the girls and the boys and she gave us all these candies and then she did
the horror slide show of the worst STI’s that you could possibly get. There were pictures o f
genital warts that are just inflamed and awful. And I imagine a lot of people had not even
seen pictures of regular genitals before that point. And then here they are showing us the

49
worst ones that you could possibly get and we were horrified with the whole thing. All o f us
were embarrassed and disgusted and totally grossed out and didn’t want to ask any questions
and were just hoping to god that we never got them. It was so shocking to see those slides. I
remember being upset by it because it was so graphic and they were so gross. If I had an STI
I would never tell anybody because all they would think about would be this horrible, nasty
vagina they saw in the slide. So it was terrible. It was not helpful in any way. I don’t even
remember what the STI’s were called.
The only other thing that I did that sort o f relates to sexual health education was the fake
baby, parenting thing in Career and Educational Planning class. We had the fake babies, and
I remember my fake baby broke, you had to have it for 2 days. It was a pain in the ass to have
this fake baby. It was! And you drag it all around and it is embarrassing. Mine malfunctioned
and it just kept crying and crying all night long. It was awful and I just kept holding the key
and the second I let go of the key it would start crying again and I was up for 9 or 10 hours. I
brought her back to school in the morning and my teacher said she felt so bad for me so she
gave me an A+. I just remember thinking it was another fear based strategy. Telling us that
sex was a bad thing because then we might have a baby and it would be really challenging. I
would have been more interested in hearing the parenting story of a young teenager. I think
that would have been more real.
And then after those presentations and classes that was it. If I had questions about
anything, there wasn’t really anywhere to ask and the internet was still pretty new then too.
We all had super dial up, and the only computer we had was in our kitchen and so if you ever
search anything, if you ever wanted to know about birth control or herpes or whatever, your
dial up would make this really loud sound and then it would slowly load. Sometimes my dad

50
would come in the room and you would have to close it down quickly which was really hard
to do because everything was so slow. None o f us knew about browser history or anything
like that so we didn’t know if they could find out so you definitely wouldn’t use the internet
for information at all because it would be too weird. I mostly relied on family and friends for
information and the friend thing was really good because it was supportive, but now that I
look back on it as an adult it was really misinformed. We were sharing sexual health
information with each other, and some o f it was true and some of it was good, but some of it
probably wasn’t. It would have been good to have more access to sexual health education and
services growing up.
If one of us were pregnant, or worried about being pregnant, you would have to do the
shameful run to the grocery store at 14 or 15 years old and buy pregnancy tests. And again
you are in a super small town; you are sitting in the checkout line holding your pregnancy
test at 14. You are either buying for your girlfriend or buying for yourself and you are just
waiting, your heart is racing, you are looking around the store and you are like, “Oh my god,
what if someone sees me and tells my mom or tells my dad. I am going to have to talk to
them about it.”
I remember a girlfriend of mine got an abortion when she was like 14, or 15, and we
helped her with it. I don’t know what we did but I remember we were trying to find
information for it and trying to get her where she needed to go. I don’t know how she ended
up finding out where to go but she got it all set up. I remember my mom was the nurse that
was with her when she woke up and that was a big thing because she didn’t want anyone to
know. I think she was fine with it because my parents and her parents didn’t have any
connections. That’s another barrier for small town people. People know. And my stepmother

51
is one of the nurses in the emergency room. You have to wait for your abortions in the
emergency room and people know it is abortion day. And so even now as an adult I think
about that, if I had to access an abortion, even now as an adult I probably would have to tell
my stepmother about it because she would ask me what I was doing there? Or other people
ask you why you are there and you have to figure out what to say.
My friend got pregnant by this gross guy, he was like this older guy too, really sleazy kind
of guy. He didn’t want her to have an abortion and he was really pressuring her not to. I think
stuff like that might have been a barrier too, with partners who were forceful or abusive in
any way. We didn’t really know how to deal with him. I remember I went with her to his
house when we were going to tell him she didn’t want to keep the baby. And we were these
confident little teenagers and we went in there and we were yelling and having our little sass
fest. This guy was kind o f scary. He was at least 18 or 20 years old and we were probably
14 or 15 year old. And he had his own place, and we went alone. Imagine, these two
teenagers girls going alone to this older guy’s house to confront him about our rights? I
remember that being a frightening memory of my childhood, having that happen.
Another one o f my girlfriends, got sexually assaulted at a bush party. My girlfriend had
her license, and there were four us that always hung out. And the four of us went to this party
and it was getting really late and one o f my friends was this really crazy person, she still is to
this day, and we couldn’t find her. And my friend who was driving us wanted to go home and
we were always waiting for this friend at parties and stuff like that. My friends were going to
leave and we were her ride so I went to find her, but I couldn’t find her and we were sick of
waiting for her at all these parties, so we left not thinking anything of it.

52
Then a few days later we found out she had been raped by this guy. She was this super
crazy girl and she was kind of slutty and she did drugs and as a result had this bad reputation,
but she was our friend and so she told us what had happened. Again, I don’t know where we
got this information, but we were like, “You gotta report this, this is ridiculous, you should
go to the police.” And so we went to the police and reported it. It took a really long time for
everything to be processed. I think in the long run they dropped the case because our
interviews were done too late after the fact for them to be counted as evidence or something.
They said our memories weren’t clear enough so that is the reason it didn’t go to court, at
least that’s what I remember.
The guy that assaulted her was this cooler guy and so after he was charged people
attacked my friend. People threatened to beat her up; she couldn’t go to any parties anymore
without girls beating her up. They would scream at her, threaten her. Not small threats either.
They would threaten her life and stuff. They told her to drop the charges. This was a lot to
handle in grade 10-11. People assumed that if you slept around you couldn’t get raped.
People thought she was doing it for attention because in her past she had used really negative
ways to get attention, but you could tell, she went through this stuff for years and never
retracted and you don’t think it would be worth it after all those years.
It was crazy, I remember being in the parking lot of a restaurant and we were arguing with
these guys about it and I remember this guy grabbing me by my neck and slamming me up
against this van and screaming at me saying my friend was a liar and that I was liar, and
telling me and my friends to watch out. It was horrible. And the RCMP, they didn’t tell my
friend where to go. They didn’t tell her what services were available to her. We didn’t know

53
that the threats these guys were making were illegal. We didn’t know we could have gone for
more protection.
We didn’t report the guys and the threats. My friend got beat up a bunch o f times and we
didn’t think to report any of that stuff, we just tried to protect her as much as we could and
talk to her as much as we could. It got so bad for us that we had to step away from her for a
little while because it was dangerous to be around her. She was totally isolated, cut off from
most o f her friend group. Even us who would try and support her as much as we could, but it
got to a point where we had to look out for ourselves as well, and we had to back away.
She was going through all of this trauma and using a lot o f drugs and alcohol to deal with
her issues and we didn’t know where to go or how to help her. The only place we knew
where to go was the police, but that was totally disappointing. I remember going to the courts
and there was no court support. We didn’t know how the court systems worked. I don’t know
they explained it to her. We just arrived and made our statements; they didn’t even give us
copies of our statements, until much after the court dates. Eventually the case got dropped
and then she had to deal with the aftermath of everything. I don’t think we even processed
what happened to her because we were on the defensive for her physical and emotional
safety. We didn’t tell our parents about it. My mom is a really open person and was someone
that I probably could have talked to, looking back on it now, but I think it took a long time. I
don’t think I started to process anything until I was in college, and was working with a lot of
women’s organizations. I started processing the trauma and began to realize how much
bitterness and resentment I had towards being in a town where it was permissible to treat
someone like that. Even now talking about it I can feel myself getting really heated, feeling

54
that lack of justice of what happened to her. That was years ago now. That was a long time
ago and people still come up to me and ask if my friend really got raped.
As I was saying, I didn’t start processing everything until I went away to school and I
think that was because I had this really supportive community of women there. There was
this women’s collective, at college, and we all got together once a week to sort of organize
events. They were a good diverse group of girls. There was a girl there who was from a small
community in Yukon, and someone from Alberta, and somebody from northern BC, and
there were actually a couple o f girls who grew up in Vancouver. And the two girls who grew
up in Vancouver were so savvy. They were so cool and urban and they knew where to get all
this stuff, even things like sex toys. Where as in Yukon there was one dodgy sex shop in
town. And again you’d never go in there because you would worry about your parents
finding out. These young women knew about everything; where to get free birth control;
where to go and get an abortion; where to go get support after your abortion; where to go if
you were dealing with abusive relationships; where to get free pregnancy tests.
We had totally different lifestyles growing up, but we found a camaraderie because we
were such similar women, but their experiences growing up in Vancouver were so different
yet similar and they too had dealt with sexual assaults and they dealt with a lot o f the same
things that we had all dealt, but they just knew so much more and had all of this information
and access to services.
Even musically and culturally, they listened to Ani Di Franco, and other songs about the
sexual revolution and strong women, along with songs that sung about sexual assaults. Even
the fact that they had that information, about sexual confusion and different sexual
orientations and partnerships around queer relationships and those kinds o f things, it would

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have been nice to even have that music here. Even our radio station was kind of a barrier for
us because we didn’t have other places to access different less mainstream music, this was
before we could download music off the internet.
One of my girlfriend’s from college was totally obsessed with menstruation. Totally
obsessed. She used a diva cup and she knew all about her cycle all the way through. She had
these cool posters. She even had this big poster on the back of her bathroom door o f all these
different vaginas, some with piercings, some were hairy... Just seeing these empowered
women was so cool, you know. I would look at these radical young women and again, they
were the same age as me, but just had so much more information than us. At college you
could go get free birth control just by going and talking to the guidance counsellor. Whereas
here I had to get my mother to pay for my birth control for the first few years I was on it.
I remember the urban girls from Vancouver thought my stories of limited access to sexual
health education and services was kind of a horror story. I wasn’t ashamed at all. They were
so surprised by my stories and I was so surprised by their stories and so we would spend a lot
of time sharing stories. I definitely didn’t feel any shame or guilt. I was raised in a household
that was really good about being sexually expressive and asking questions and so it just felt
like it was a classic college experience where I was going through these stages that everyone
said you would go through when you went to college. You become a different person.
There is a lot of resiliency around women in the north, even though we do have a lot of
barriers, and we don’t have as much access to service, but we are able to find the strength and
time to access things like abortions or STI testing or birth control in creative ways. I think it
forces you to think on your toes around these things so in some ways I think our barriers
made us more resourceful in a lot of ways because by the time we arrive in a city outside of

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Yukon everything is so easy. I think a lot o f women who are raised in urban settings would
come here, and would find it really, really challenging. I think they would feel a great loss
emotionally. That is one o f the strengths you get being in a place with barriers.
I definitely wanted to come back here and transplant some of the stuff I learned down
south. Especially when it came to gay and lesbian rights. I ended up joining the queer
collective there. I had all these friends who were lesbians. It was the first time I knew any
lesbians, that were open. So it was a really great experience, and I remember I still feel really
emotionally connected to the queer movement. It was so beautiful because Vancouver is
really accepting and really celebratory around gay partnerships whereas here it is different. I
don’t think there was anyone that was openly gay in my high school. People went away and
then came out. There were two girls that were accused o f being gay at a camp in grade 6 or 7
because they slept in the same tent and people suspected they were fooling around. They
were totally targeted and harassed. It didn’t feel like a safe place for anyone to come out. I
was a really strong independent woman in high school and as a result I was accused of being
a lesbian and was really targeted. I couldn’t imagine what it would be like for me if I was a
lesbian here in high school. It would have been really, really challenging. I think that’s why
people wait to come out once they have moved away. They probably felt safer coming out
away from here. These guys dressed up at Halloween in suits and called themselves the “cunt
patrol mafia” and women were really being harassed at school by them. Finally, teachers
started to recognize that it was a gang mentality, but nothing was really done about it. I think
in a culture like this, where heterosexual women were being harassed and targeted, it was
even worse for a lesbian or a gay man, I wouldn’t come out. Nobody would do it, it just
wouldn’t be safe.

I would love to see sexual health education be a part of the regular school system. Not
just a one-hour, once a year class. I think it would be good to talk a lot more about sexual
orientation, sexual pleasure. So often we talk to kids about how sex is bad and it just leads to
pregnancy and STIs. Sex is this incredible thing. I think it is really important to talk to them
about their first sexual experience. I think a lot of young women have very disappointing
sexual experiences, and they are expecting to have this sex that they see in movies and it
doesn’t happen. I would love for people to have less frightening more realistic knowledge.
I think about guys as well, and I think teaching both men and women about their
reproductive rights is important. You can start super young by talking about bodies and
becoming familiar and comfortable about body parts at a really young age so by the time you
start talking about sex it is really natural and not as traumatizing and uncomfortable. I think it
would also be good to have community supports. I probably would have skipped out on
sexual health class and gone to a sexual health centre to learn about things on my own time,
but we don’t have a space like that here. I think we need a really accepting sexual health
clinic where people can go to leam about a whole range of stuff and access many different
services such as STIs and pregnancy testing, counselling and abortions. There was this really
amazing sexual health clinic in Vancouver. It was right downtown and it was in a building
that had a lot of other services, but it was open at night when all the other services were
closed. And so you could pop in there and it was really friendly and it had all sorts of nice
signs and colours and magazines and things you could read. The doctors were all super hip,
even in the way they dressed. You would go in there and feel really welcome. You knew you
could ask them questions and because they offered all those things you knew that you could
go in there with multiple excuses. I think it is really important to have a space where men and

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women can engage in a healthy reproductive rights dialogue. It shouldn’t just be a place for
women.
If a girl got raped in Vancouver they had a rape nurse so if you ever got sexually
assaulted there was a nurse in town who specialized in that and no matter what time of day or
night if you got to the hospital and you’d been sexually assaulted they would call her up and
she would come and she would be the nurse that would deal with you and she was really
skilled. She was this amazing woman, she was so gentle and so sweet and she really
explained the process around the rape kit. Even if you had questions around what stuff would
be used in court she would take the time to explain everything to you. I think we need to have
services like this in Yukon.
Emma’s Story
I was lucky; I had a family member who really wanted to talk to me about sexual health,
so I got quite a bit of an education from her. There were things that she didn't have
information on, like pap smears or HPV. I wanted to know if I should get a vaccine for HPV.
I had to seek that information out from other sources, but it was very hard and I am still
vague on the information the doctor gave me. Finding a doctor in the first place was hard,
and then talking to him about it was awkward and hard for me because he was a male doctor.
Aside from my family member, I didn’t have much additional information on sexual
health or the services available in the community. Sexual health education was not structured
into the school curriculum. My first memory of sexual education in school was when my
friend’s parents came in to talk with us. They were both nurses so they came in to talk with
us about our changing bodies. They sort of insisted on coming in, I don’t think they were
hired by the school to come. They didn't talk about reproductive rights, they didn't talk about

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abortion, and they didn't talk about sexual assault or our rights, in terms o f our bodies and our
space. They didn't talk about any of that.
They did seem to take into account that we were kids who were being silly and who felt
uncomfortable about asking questions so they had this question box. We could put
anonymous questions in the box and then they would read them out to the class and we had a
chance to have some of our questions answered. I think I learned some stuff then. I remember
thinking that they were really aware o f comfort levels and they worried about people who
might be made fun of so this was a good strategy that allowed for some questions to be
addressed.
Another thing that was interesting was that the boys and the girls were split. I didn’t
know what the boys got to talk about. I didn’t know what the heck was going on over there. I
wonder whether it was different from our discussion? Who did they talk to and how did they
act? I wanted to know just out of curiosity. I still wonder because it is interesting. I wonder
how they were acting and what they were talking about and if it was a healthy approach to
sexual health education.
I do admit that I felt more comfortable with the class being split into genders, mainly
because I think we were too young. I am not sure if I was mature enough to have a discussion
about sex with boys in the same room. I still don't want to talk with a guy in the room about
my sexual health because it is not his business. I don't know, it is tricky I guess. I think there
is definitely room to have discussions with the opposite gender and we certainly have a lot to
leam from each other, but we also have to respect our comfort levels.
No one came in to talk about sex again after that in elementary school. It was just that one
time. I had more questions that I definitely wanted to ask. I did have one family member I

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talked to about this, but asking her was also kind of difficult because my own personal
comfort levels just weren’t there. For a while I just kind of went without. I remember the
Women’s Centre came in and talked about sexual violence and violence in relationships but
that is the only people who came in afterwards. That is all I can remember from elementary
school.
There is nothing that sticks out in high school. It seemed like the teachers considered
sexual health to be out o f their realm. There were pamphlets, as I recall there were these pink
pamphlets that were given to us that talked about the menstrual cycle and I think that
happened before high school in grade seven. We could pick up pamphlets as they were made
very available, but there wasn’t any person that we could talk to about anything. At least I
didn’t know if there was someone to talk to about them?
My friends and I didn’t talk about sex with each other because we weren’t comfortable
talking about it. I think that is one thing that they probably missed in our few sexual health
classes, is that it is totally natural and it is okay to talk about sex. I do remember talking with
a friend about how she shouldn’t wear white pants, but I couldn’t ask her why she shouldn’t
wear white pants. She wanted to talk about it, she really wanted to engage me in a discussion
about periods and your menstrual cycle, but I closed up like a clam because I just wasn’t in
the right mind-frame. I feel kind o f bad for that. She is becoming a doctor now so I guess she
has always been curious and inquisitive.
I remember learning some stuff from biology, but from a very analytical, biological
standpoint. We learned about the differences between the male and female and very scientific
details about the menstrual cycle, conception and pregnancy. It was interesting to know, but
it also kind of raised more questions because it wasn’t familiar to me. I remember wondering

61
if there was something wrong with me because my periods weren’t regular. From my
understanding according to my biology class you were supposed to get your period once a
month. Sometimes I would get really worried and wonder if I had cancer or something like
that.
At the time, I was not aware that the school system wasn’t meeting my needs. I knew I
had questions that weren’t being answered, but I didn’t necessary know that they could be
answered in a sexual health class because it wasn’t my experience. I thought this was kind of
just part of the education. I thought we were probably lucky because maybe other schools
didn't have parents who were nurses who could talk about this kind of thing in the classroom.
As far as education outside of the classroom went it was fairly limited. I couldn’t go to the
doctor without my mom also being in the room so I didn't feel comfortable asking questions
about my sexual health while my mom was in the room. For a while I didn't even have a
doctor, which is something that is normal in the Yukon for a lot o f people. I kind of just went
without. I guess when the Internet came in I looked at that too for answers to my questions. I
still had and still have unanswered questions about sexual health. I would have liked to talk
to somebody in health about irregularities, but I wasn’t able to.
I don’t really have great access now. I experience a lot o f barriers. My doctor is male and
he is not someone I can talk to. He’s not someone I feel comfortable getting a pap smear
from. I don’t like him poking or prodding me; it is very uncomfortable for me. I don’t really
have anyone I can ask sexual health related questions to unless I call the health line, which is
anonymous, but even then I hope it is an understanding woman on the phone.
When I went away to university I began to talk about girlhood experiences in one of my
classes and we talked about sexual education and health and what theirs was like and it was

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pretty amazing. Some of the people in the class had much more access to sexual health
education in the classroom, but some people’s stories were actually like mine. I don't think
that we got what we needed in Yukon compared to other places. I don't think things have
changed much in the Yukon. I know this from working here and learning what is going on in
the curriculum now according to sexual health. I think it is kind of the same now as it has
always been. It is still vague and they are very reluctant to get into reproductive rights and a
more in depth understanding of sex and sexual health.
Most of my sexual health education dealt with changing bodies and the menstrual cycle,
but they should be talking about sex and STIs. It sounds like there are nurses going into the
schools to talk about STIs, but sometimes those are fear-based forms of education. I know
some of the sexual health promotion workers have tried to get into the schools, but they don’t
always get to go in as much as they might like. People go away scared to have sex. I think
there needs to be a more positive sexual education model used. I don't think students are
getting that. I think it is still exactly the same format. They talk about changing bodies and
the menstrual cycle.
I would really like to see sexual education classes in every grade. I think it would be great
if there were counsellors, and nurses available to students at school. I think grade five is a
great place to start sexual health education classes. It would be great to have the
fundamentals down so you can actually feel comfortable about sex. That way you can start to
ask questions and feel like it is okay to talk about sex to others such as your teachers,
healthcare providers, friends and partners.
It would be great to have more women health professionals. It would be so awesome if
there was a women’s healthcare centre, which you could go to and feel like you could talk

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about sex, get pap smears, STIs tests, and leam about your reproduction rights. If you wanted
to have an abortion there would be a clinic that you could go to and not feel like you have to
hide it or feel ashamed or something like that. It would be necessary to have pro-choice,
liberal, and open-minded health professionals at the clinic.
If there had been sexual health education and services like the examples I gave above
available to me when I was growing up here I think I probably would have been a more
confident person overall. I wouldn’t feel like I have something to hide, I wouldn’t feel
ashamed for not knowing. That is something that I do grapple with. I would be healthier.
Having access to these services would have affected my life in other ways, relationshipswise, maybe career-wise, I don't know, it would have affected a whole bunch o f different
things.
It is only very recently that I have been able to talk about sex and sexual health. This is
because I have grown up and I have gotten a little bit more mature about things and I am
more worried and more aware of my body now. Before, my body was like a separate entity. I
wouldn’t worry about it, but now I am way more aware and I am more comfortable. My
friends are also worried about sexual health and we can talk about it more openly without
feeling like we’re going to be made fun of or we’re going to be put down or something like
that. It would have been great to have more services in place, which would have allowed for
this to happen early.
Morgan’s Story
When I think back to the sexual education in elementary school, I realize it was quite
limited. We touched on some aspects of sexual health for the first time in Grade 3 or 4 where
they focused on puberty and our changing bodies. They also spoke to us about sexual assault.

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For the most part sexual health education really focused on puberty. I remember it being
somewhat helpful at the time, but I think we only had one or two classes and they didn't go
into a lot of depth. Our Grade 4 teacher taught our first class. I remember they split up the
boys and the girls. Some of our parents came in and did a self-esteem workshop. It focused
primarily on how to say no to strangers, and what to do if someone touches you
inappropriately. We also had a sex education class in grade 5, where they focused on the
biology side o f things, such as conception.
The next sex education class we had was in Grade 8. Nurses taught it and it focused on
STIs and prevention, and how to put on a condom, very basic stuff. Those were the only sex
ed classes that I can remember having in elementary school and high school. When I think
back on it, I think it was really inadequate. Sexual relationships are some of the most
important relationships in our lives and they really didn't do a great job of going into any
detail around what the relationship part of it would involve, we focused on the biology side
of things. I think that's probably an easier thing to talk about for parents and teachers, so that
was the focal point.
We didn't have a lot of information on obtaining consent from a partner. We also didn’t
have sex positive education. Sex was never explained as being a good thing, something you
could enjoy as long as you're safe. It was more o f a scare tactic—scaring people with pictures
of diseases that you can catch rather than a more realistic approach. We didn’t focus on what
might happen in a relationship or how to talk to a partner.
I remember people asking questions during the presentations when the nurses came in, but
outside o f those classes, I don't think there was a lot of support for people. I don’t think I
went to any adults with questions around sexual health that I can recall. It was more talking

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about it with friends or looking information up on the internet, when we finally had the
internet. I would seek out the more detailed information on the internet or get it from friends.
The information I found myself was information teachers probably felt awkward talking
about in school.
There were definitely no condoms in the school. I remember the sexual health nurse
brought in tampons and pads, but I am not sure where you could access free condoms,
certainly not in the school. I also don’t think there were any pamphlets around the school that
related to sexual health. There were very few resources available. I imagine you would go to
the communicable disease clinic if you had any specific questions? But yeah, if you were
under age and couldn't go to the bar to get free condoms I'm not sure where you could go?
Most of my friends had the money to buy condoms if they needed them. So yeah, we'd
just buy them. I worked at a store, and a bunch o f friends worked at the same store so you
could get condoms and it wasn’t super-embarrassing to go and buy them because you could
get your friend to ring them through for you. I didn't go on birth control until I was a bit
older. I never actually really had to ask for birth control from my doctor while I was in the
Yukon. I was lucky to never need an abortion or anything like that. I didn’t go to my doctor
for sexual health questions.
One of my friends had an abortion here when she was younger. I don't think she had
trouble accessing abortion services? I know some friends had issues with their doctors
because they wanted to go on birth control, but their doctors were a bit judgmental and would
say, “Oh, you're too young.” I do know one friend who did have an abortion and she got
negative comments from the front desk attendant in the clinic, basically saying that she
should have an abortion. At that point she was debating whether or not to have one so there

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were some problems around attitudes. Health professionals didn’t always seem open to
young people making their own decisions. I guess there were just more conservative attitudes
around young people having sex.
There were also small-town, anonymity issues. My male doctor, for instance, is a family
friend of my parents so I wouldn't feel super-comfortable asking him sexual health related
stuff. Now I ask for a female doctor if I'm going to get a Pap Test done. Also my mom’s a
nurse, my sister’s a nurse, a couple of my friends’ moms are nurses. There's definitely a
small-town, anonymity issue that stops a lot o f people from going to the doctor to talk about
things because they may feel like their family or friends or someone that they know might
find out. I wouldn't confide in my family doctor with something that was really personal
because I might see him at some family gathering and it would just be really awkward.
When I went away to school, it was great because we had the sexual health clinic at the
university. Just knowing that there is a place that specializes in sexual health makes you feel
very comfortable. I would wait until I was back in the city at school to get any tests done or
birth control—just because I felt weird asking for it from people you know. It's just more
comfortable doing it where people have no idea who you are. Luckily, I was going away to
school every year for a while so that was a possibility for me. There were more services
available, especially at universities, which cater to a young population. At University they
had a sexual assault centre and people could go there for help and advice and counselling. It
was a really welcoming place and easily accessible as well.
While I was away at school I did my own research on birth control options. I didn't really
have a lot of knowledge about different options so that was my own initiative after leaving. I
started feeling more comfortable going to the doctor and asking about different options. It

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was kind of a combination I guess of some services just being more obviously available and I
think the anonymity bit definitely helped a lot.
Again, some major barriers to accessible sexual health education in Yukon are the lack of
discussion around consent, and communication around sex and healthy relationships. It
would be good to have more detail about sex generally in schools just because I think it's
such an important topic and something that's central to many people’s lives. It doesn’t seem
adequate that during my whole time in elementary school and high school there was maybe
five or six hours spent on sexual health. That seems pretty bad. I think sexual health
education could start really young so that people become more comfortable with their
sexuality and that way more educated detailed discussions can occur. If you only have a few
hours dedicated to sexual health throughout school it becomes really difficult to have a
comfortable conversation about sexual health.
I think we need to address the really high rates o f sexual assault in the Territories, which
was something that I focused on in law school. We did a sexual assault law course, which
was super interesting, but it just makes you think about how to actually address the issue of
sexual assault and the really high rates. I think we have to start with prevention education.
Why does sexual assault happen in the first place? We need to address attitudes and
stereotypes. I would like to see prevention education in schools here.
I think we need a non-judgmental sexual health center. I don’t think people feel
comfortable going to their family doctors because you might know the person at the front
desk, you might know the nurses who are at the hospital... I think it prevents a lot of people
from going and asking questions and getting the services they need. We need a space where

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people feel safe. We need a welcoming place to go and ask questions and get non-judgmental
services.
Some of the unique challenges we face in the north are related to communities being
remote and physically isolated. In Whitehorse there are services available to people, but you
have to make an effort to seek them out and also you need to feel comfortable especially with
the lack o f anonymity which can occur here. I would say it is more challenging in the small
communities, where there is even more isolation. You need to have a vehicle to get to
Whitehorse to access a lot of the sexual health services. It's just more of an effort to do it,
compared to other places in the south outside the territory. You know, you can hop on the
metro and go find whatever it is that you need.
During university I started doing consent workshops. They trained some of the students
and we did workshops in schools. The workshops is based around a story that turns out to be
a real case that went through the court system where a woman was sexually assaulted, but the
lower courts found that she had consented based on stereotypes around her not screaming and
running away, and on what she was wearing. I wanted to do the workshop here because of
the high rates of sexual assault and how it impacts people’s lives, it's a really horrible thing
and I think it's something that really needs to be addressed here. I really like my community
and this was a way I can give back to it.
Thinking about my experience in high school and elementary school and basically having
no knowledge whatsoever of the law and sexual assault and consent and how to actually
obtain it and the definition o f it, all o f those things. It is so important to address those myths
and stereotypes that we place on women. Even discussions that I hear some of my friends
having, often male friends, but also female friends and the stereotypes that people hold. You

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can just see how these things get perpetuated—suggesting that women ask for it by the way
they're dressed. There's often a lot of victim blaming, especially when it comes to a women
and what she wears and whether she was walking late at night. Stuff like that. Or the mixed
messages we get from the media where the onus is place on the person who was sexually
assaulted. It just makes no sense. Again, this is why I think we need to address prevention
and this is done in part through the consent workshops. It's these types of discussions that I
think are really important to have and obviously they need to get addressed at a younger age
because by Grade 8 people already hold these stereotypes.
I would like to see more resources for sexual health education in the schools and in the
communities, especially the remote communities. I think it is really important to move
beyond surface level sexual health education. There is a real need for more in-depth
education along with non-judgmental resources within the school and community.
Sam’s Story
There are definitely huge barriers for women, especially those that teenagers face when
accessing sexual health services in Yukon. At least I certainly experienced barriers growing
up as a teenager here. My friends and I wanted to know about things like STIs and
pregnancy, but I went to a catholic high school and there was no one we felt safe talking to
about sexual health. If someone wanted to know we would all march down to the
Communicable Disease Clinic, and we would sit in the waiting room and wait and then we
would ask the nurse our questions all awkwardly. I can’t remember how we found out about
the clinic? I guess it was just common knowledge. That was the only service we knew to go
to. Now there is also 811, but I don't know how much better I would feel about that because
they ask for your name, even if it is optional, it still doesn't feel comfortable.

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We had school counsellors in high school, but I never felt comfortable talking to them and
definitely not about sexual health. I was more kind o f buddy-buddy with the counsellors, I
did not have a therapeutic relationship with them. The counsellors didn’t seem to build
relationships with many o f the students. Also one of the counsellors was a gym teacher and I
definitely didn’t feel like talking to my gym teacher about sex, “Hey where can I get
condoms?” No way. There were no teachers that I felt safe enough to seriously ask them
about sexual health. There was one time when we were 17 and wanted to know if you could
get crabs from a toilet seat, so we asked this big dumb teacher about it. He told us that we
shouldn’t use the toilet if it looked like there was pepper on the seat and then he laughed and
walked off. That is the only thing I asked. Interestingly, my sister who is six years younger
than me asked the same question in the same high school. I asked that question in a joking
way and I know I would have never asked a serious question to any of my high school
teachers.
I have a pretty good memory and I don't remember any form of sexual health education in
elementary school. It was again, the catholic elementary school, nevertheless nothing from K
to 4. In grade 8, there was a bit about puberty, and then there was a survey done at the end on
things like masturbation, which kind of seemed out o f place since we hadn’t talk about it up
to that point. There were also diagrams and they made you learn the names of body parts, but
that was about it. Anyway, the results of the survey about masturbation were put up on a
screen and we could see how many times a week our classmates masturbated, but the teacher
made a joke of it and said, “Oh you guys are all a bunch of homy bastards.” That was the
only response to the survey. At the time I remember being disgusted. I didn’t think it was
right and it seemed really inappropriate. It builds a relationship where there are no feelings of

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trust for the sacredness o f your answers around something so intimate. I remember one other
comment being made about reproduction and how he and his wife were having a hard time
conceiving so the doctor told him to stop wearing tight pants and that was about it for grade
8.

In grade 9 we all had to do a presentation to scare the crap out of us about STIs with
horrible pictures. Then we never talked about sexual health again. Everything we learned
from that point on we learned on the fly. I learned from my friends who were sexually active
way before me. My family certainly didn’t talk about sex. It is horrible and I know how I am
going to parent my kids based on that. I was about to turn 19 and my grandma made a
comment to my mom and I about birth control just kind o f on the sly and then turned away
because she didn’t want to talk about it. My mom was pissed off because she thought I was
too young and didn’t think she needed to talk with me about that, but I had been sexually
active for almost a year at that point. Then I told her we didn’t need to have “the talk”
because I already knew everything. It was just very uncomfortable.
Most of what I knew came from my friends, which was basic information like how you
should wear a condom so that you didn’t get pregnant. Sometimes when I was in hospital
waiting rooms I would grab pamphlets and get some information there, but I would always
hide them inside one about blood pressure because you don't want anyone to see you read
something about birth control, STIs or pregnancy.
I didn’t really know where to get free condoms. I expected the guy to have them, and if he
didn't have them I would go ahead and have sex and then I would run to the doctor the next
day and get the morning after pill. Then I got a friend who was a bit more liberal and she
would always make sure I had condoms, which was great. Sometimes if we were at the

72
hospital getting blood work we would take them, but we didn't want to go out and buy them
because you're judged. Even today, I still feel like I am being judged.
If I needed birth control, I didn’t use my family doctor for fear of my parents finding out.
I didn't have any strong role models in my family or extended family that I could have
consulted with about birth control, like a close friend of my mom’s or an aunt. I have never
had that, so really the only place that I went was the Communicable Disease Clinic because it
was there, and then if they were closed and if someone needed the morning after pill we
would use the emergency room to get it. I never felt completely anonymous at the clinic.
They take all of your information and people see you in the waiting room. It was just the best
thing that we had at the time.
My greatest fear was getting pregnant. I didn’t want to get pregnant. That would have
been the worst thing. I didn’t give any thought to STIs or anything else, which is so bad. If I
thought there was any chance, my friends or I was pregnant we got the morning after pill and
you paid for it. After a while the walk-in doctor that I would see sometimes would shake his
head and say that I should go on birth control, but the conversation never went beyond that
comment and he never put me on it. It would have been a nice conversation to have.
I don’t think much has changed. I have younger sister and her stories are very similar as
far as access goes. When my closest sister was a teenager she had her first boyfriend and they
went out and he got her drunk, it was her first time drinking and she just drank to the point
where she had no control. She had lied to my mom and said she was at a sleepover, but my
mom ended up finding out that she was with her boyfriend. My mom was really freaking out,
but she finally found her. My sister was passed out in a bathroom and there was puke all over
her and she had wet herself, it was really horrible. We took her to the emergency room at the

73
hospital and we told the nurse that we thought she needed to have a check done to see if she
has been raped and she declined. Anyway, that incident set the stage for her exploration into
sex, which was crisis focused. I think if she had more exposure to positive sexual health
education this might not have happened.
I would like to see sexual health start as early as grade 1 or 2, just to get students used to it
so it is not such a shame-based process. I am pretty comfortable in my skin, but I still have a
hard time talking about those kinds of things. It could be as simple as being able to label a
penis and a vagina and knowing what a penis and vagina are. Knowing that it is not a hoo-ha
and wiener, it is a penis and a vagina. My brother in law, and my husband still don't want to
call it a penis, and it is not a vagina, it is a ‘down-below.’ They have never heard those words
from their mom. My mom has started to use those words now because she has younger kids
and so she made sure that they know those words and what they are. Naming is an important
starting point especially for younger kids so that they are equipped with the words that they
need if something bad happens. They can say “someone touched my penis” and people will
understand, rather than saying, “Someone touched my teddy.”
I have a member o f my extended family who was sexually assaulted by a grandparent and
they didn't know how to talk about it or ask for help. This grandparent would cut their hair
and then would blow it off their penis, but they didn't know how to say that. They just said,
“Grandpa would blow the hair off me” which didn’t sound bad because the word penis
wasn’t in there. If they had known the world penis the meaning o f the story would have
changed and something might have been done.
I think the high incidents o f sexual assault that we have in the Yukon should be a huge
component of sexual health education addressing things like sexual assault and rape. It

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should also address healthy relationships and what they should look like, which also allows
people to identify what an unhealthy relationship looks like. That way people are taught that
there should be a mutual agreement and consent before having sex.
I think it would be better if there were another kind of drop-in centre where you could get
sexual health education and services. A place where you could get information on pregnancy,
birth control, STIs and abortions and all o f those services. It would also be great if the clinic
was open during the day, but also into the evening and on weekends. That way if you had a
job or worked you could go after. If there were a lot o f different services available at the
clinic people wouldn’t necessarily know why you went there. For example if you went to the
clinic to get an abortion you could say that you went there to look into birth control options
or something.
It would be good to see birth control available for youth. There are free condoms in bars,
but if you are under 19 you can’t go and get them. There are few places in town where youth
could go and get free condoms. If something had been readily available to provide me with
non-discriminatory, non-judgmental information on birth control, I would have been on it far
before I actually was. I could have avoided the morning after pill as a regular form of birth
control.
We also have to think about rural Yukon communities. It is really difficult for women in
the communities. Teachers are often teaching mixed grades so it is hard to appropriately
introduce sexual health when there are children of all different ages. Everyone knows your
business to. When you walk to the health clinic people see you and ask why you went there.
Also what if your aunty is working at the front desk, what do you do then? I know of several
people in the communities who have just had to have kids. They wanted to have an abortion,

75
but their families won't let them and they had no other way into town to get the abortion. It’s
kind of pitiful that people don't have access to these things. It is a basic human right, you
should have the right to choose not to have a child if you are raped or if you make shitty
choices, you should have that choice.
I have reproductive health issues, so I was seeing a gynecologist and I asked if there are
any sexual positions that are better for my husband and I to use for conception. He couldn’t
say sex. He couldn’t look me in the eye. He was like, “Well, you can look on the internet and
there are some different things that it says about different ways to do it.” He was shuffling his
papers and he said, “Some people say you can put your legs up, but I don't think that actually
works.” That's all he said. He couldn’t say sex; he couldn’t say intercourse, which is funny
because he delivers babies. That's a problem, a doctor who specializes in female
reproduction, but can't talk about sex. I felt confident enough to ask questions, but when I
was younger I wouldn't have, and even if it was something I should have known, I wouldn't
have asked. It’s sad that I have to do my own research and ask really detailed questions about
my health, otherwise the gynecologist doesn’t offer any additional information. I often leave
there feeling like he poked and prodded me and that’s it. I don’t go away with any of my
questions answered. We really need a safe place in Yukon where women can go to get their
reproductive health questions answered.
Clare’s Story
I think the decisions around curriculum and the way it's delivered all the way through
school is a fucking disaster. I don't remember having any sex ed classes until grade five and
then we got split up by gender and the strange thing about that is you don’t get to learn what
the boys are learning. Maybe they separated us to make people feel more comfortable, but I

76
really think they should have taught both of the groups the same thing. The girls just learned
about puberty and periods and stuff like that, but nothing past that. I already knew most of
what was presented to us. I found out from one of my male friends that they learned about
wet dreams. A dental hygienist came and told us about dental hygiene, but we didn't have a
nurse come in and teach us about sexual health.
I think my mom was my first teacher. I remember we had this book called, “The Child's
First Book about Sex.” I always called it the Child's First Book about Blank; I was
uncomfortable with the word sex when I was a child. The book had these photos of clay
figures in it and they were all doing it. It was a fantastic book.
In grade 6 we had a special feature, one-time only, sexual education class. I don’t
remember much about that class, but I do remember this blushing skinny teacher who was
entirely red as he taught. I don’t remember the content at all, and all I remember was how
embarrassed he was, it was so awkward. The only thing I took in was the awkwardness o f it
all.
In grade 8 or 9 we had Guidance and there was a whole part about STIs with a lot of
graphic pictures in the textbook. We also learned about the clitoris and the penis. I remember
in grade 10 in Career and Personal Planning class, a public nurse came in to talk with us
about STIs. I remember learning a bit in this class, but there really wasn’t sufficient
information so I wasn’t that impressed. We also played a game where we exchanged pieces
of paper and we found out that the paper was an STI at the end. Again, I remember thinking
it was really fun to learn about sex in school, but felt that there was insufficient content and
wished that there had been more classes dedicated to sexual health.

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There was a very consistent message in the few sexual health classes we had. The
message was be afraid. Sex is bad and you will probably get pregnant or get an STI if you
have sex. When we were divided by gender the girls had to watch a really detailed video of
birth and one of the girls said that was disgusting. The nurse said, “You think that's
disgusting, but you would let someone put their penis in your vagina?” If you were ever
wondering about sexual health education here and wonder if it was sex positive, I would say
probably not. Unfortunately, the fear tactic worked. The birthing video was horrible and birth
is really going to hurt therefore penises are gross.
I think the last class that could be loosely connected to sexual health education was in
grade 11 where we got a robotic doll for the weekend. We had to take care o f it. It was kind
o f annoying to be around, but I also thought it was cool. It was interesting how it kept score
o f how well you took care of it and you can’t just ignore it because it cries and needs its
diaper changed and stuff. I think we should have talked a bit more about birth control and all
of the different options. That would have been a beneficial addition. I remember looking into
all o f the different birth control options myself. I looked through the Public Health book,
which talked about the effectiveness and rates of all options.
I had a mom who gave me books on sexual health so I could investigate things on my own
at my own speed. My dad also made us learn body parts. The thing about public education is
that we can’t assume that all parents provide that material to their children. We have to
assume that they don’t so all students have access to the information they need. I feel very
lucky that my mom gave us sexual health books, but I know that there were a lot of students
that didn’t have that and that is not acceptable. Educators can’t just decide to not deliver

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sexual health education because they don’t know how to deliver it or they feel
uncomfortable. They really have to get over their own bullshit.
We have high rates o f pregnancy and STIs. Terrifying students with videos o f pregnancy
and pictures of STIs isn’t empowering them to take care o f their bodies. I don’t want to see
people have to get wasted so they feel comfortable to having sex. There are certainly ways to
structure sexual health education in the classroom that isn’t fear based.
As far as my experience with sexual health services in the community, I had a family
doctor who I would go to for annual checkups. She was my mom’s doctor. I used to be
terrified of them because near the end of each appointment she would ask if I was sexually
active. I always knew it was coming and I always felt so uncomfortable about that question. I
remember distinctly bringing my mom with me to an appointment because I just hated that
part, but then she asked my mom to leave and asked me the question anyway. The whole
reason I had my mom come into the room was so that she would be there to make me feel
more comfortable because I was so awkward. Anyway, I think I stopped going for checkups
or maybe she asked me to stop coming unless I was sick I don’t remember? I do remember
thinking that you can’t just start from zero with a question like, “are you sexually active?” It
would have been more comfortable if we had established a relationship and built up to those
bigger questions. There was no way I was going to start asking questions I had about sex
because we didn’t have that kind of relationship.
Years later, when I was in my twenties I went to the doctor and asked about birth control.
I'd done my research and I wanted an IUD. The doctor said he wasn’t going to give me an
IUD because I was too young and hadn’t had a baby. Instead he gave me the birth control
pill. After I got those pills I sat on them for a while because I didn’t feel comfortable with

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them. I didn't want hormones, I've known that forever that I didn't want hormones. I was
independent, aware and educated, and I wanted to be self-determining. Then I go to an expert
who claims to know you better than you know yourself, but that's total fiction. Doctors know
science and I know my body and what I want.
I left with this option that I didn't want. I eventually took it because it felt like my only
option, but then I got migraines. I discontinued the pill after I got migraines. I went to see
health professionals at my university and they talked about hormonal birth control again. The
doctor actually said, “If you were my daughter I would prescribe you this.” Which I was
thinking, “Well you aren’t my father so...” I think you have to be really firm about what you
want, inordinately so.
I don’t think I have ever had a conversation with a healthcare professional about informed
options where they talk about the side effects of all of the different options. I have never had
a conversation where I felt like I was given options to choose from. With every encounter I
have had I have to convince health professionals that I am capable o f having an option. I find
myself getting into arguments about my ability to make decisions about what birth control I
want to use. What about the people who go to a health professional who don’t have the same
resources and who don’t feel comfortable confronting a doctor about birth control options? I
guess they walkout with whatever they walkout with and that’s that.
I have yet to encounter a space where an actual conversation could happen between a
healthcare professional and a client where there is a sex positive, woman positive, space.
Where they honour and believe what you're saying about your body. This is something that
you can access in the south. There's almost always a sexual health space where you can go to
find out about different birth control options and free birth control and people are trained to

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believe what you’re saying about your body and your unique needs. This is a huge obstacle
here. I imagine there are even bigger issues of barriers to care and access in the communities.
I think we need to have sexual health curriculum start at an early age, even as early as
preschool. Sexuality should be integrated into everything that you're learning so that it isn’t
separate and imbued with shame. When you’re learning about dinosaurs you are also
learning about vaginas and you are learning the appropriate words. All through school there
is a specific teacher who comes in to teach you French and so forth. I think that there should
also be a teacher that specializes in sexual health someone that you develop a relationship
with. It is important that there is an open safe space where you can find out what you actually
need to know and feel safe and comfortable about your sexuality. Education should not
further marginalize queer people, like that's completely pointless. We have to ensure that
sexual health education is not just hetero-normative. It must be inclusive. It would also be
beneficial to have a referral system. A knowledgeable person could refer you to community
clinics and resources if you need that.
That being said we need a dedicated sexual health clinic that would maybe operate after
school hours so that more people could access it. It would be safe for young people and safe
for women. It would also be a sex positive, feminist space. A space where you are respected
for your choices and can make really informed decisions. It wouldn’t be a judgmental
environment and everyone in the building even the administrative assistance would be
welcoming and non-judgmental. There are two components. One is curriculum in schools to
allow for students to become informed, and also a space within the community that tests for
STIs, pregnancy and performs abortions. I would also like to see funded birth control.

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Public Health and public education should play a role in interacting in cycles of violence.
We need to think critically about gender roles and healthy relationships because many people
have only known unhealthy relationships, but we need to introduce alternatives to what is
seen at home and in the community.
Summary
I feel very honoured to have had the privilege of listening to and restorying the five
participants’ life stories. I heard strength, wisdom, resilience and a strong desire to see
change in all of their voices. Although many of the women come from diverse backgrounds
they all attended school and accessed services in Yukon and all were between the ages of 20
and 30 years. Their stories are all bound by a common desire to see improvements made for
the next generation of women. The following chapter describes the categories, themes and
metathemes found in the participants’ stories.

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Chapter Five: Analysis of Themes and Categories
After the restoried narratives were read and approved by participants, I entered phase two,
which is where I conducted a thematic analysis o f the narratives. I chose to do a secondary
phase of analysis in order to protect my participants’ stories and only present the secondary
analysis of categories and themes in any future publications or presentations. I did this by
reading and rereading the restoried narratives and identifying general categories according to
the common language and trends shared by participants. I then descriptively coded the
narrative sections according to categories and was able to narrow these categories down to
three main categories, Sexual health education in Yukon schools and sexual health services
and supports in the community; Challenges associated with limited access to sexual health
education and services in the schools and community; and Utopia: Dreams fo r the next
generation.
This process gave more meaning and understanding to the primary research question:
What are women’s stories of sexual health education and services and how have these stories
affected their sexual health and overall well-being? Secondary questions: How do women
describe culturally safe, non-judgmental and non-discriminatory health education and
services? What would women want to see implemented in current sexual health education
and services to improve overall well-being and quality of life? The categories and the
corresponding themes are highlighted in the table below. In the third phase, a meta-analysis
was used to identify common themes, patterns and connections across all of the participants’
stories. The following themes were not identified in the early phases of analysis, but are the
binding, overarching metathemes of the study: Trust, Accessible Sexual Health Education
and Services, Desire fo r Positive Change.

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Table 1
Overview o f Categories and Themes

Research Questions

Primary Question:
W hat are w om en’s stories of
sexual health education and
services and how have these
stories affected their sexual
health and overall w ell­
being?

Interview
Questions
Please tell me
your story o f
sexual health
education and
sexual health
services in
Yukon?

Themes

Categories

Sexual health
education in Yukon
schools and sexual
health services and
supports in the
community

•
•
•
•

•
•

Secondary questions:
How do women describe
culturally safe, nonjudgm ental and nondiscriminatory sexual health
education and services?

H ave you
experienced
barriers accessing
sexual health
education and
services in
Yukon?

•

Challenges
associated with
limited access in
the schools and
community

How have these
barriers affected
your life?

W hat would w omen w ant to
see implemented in current
sexual health education and
services to improve overall
w ell-being and quality o f
life?

W hat changes
would you like to
see for the next
generation o f
women?

Utopia: Dream s for
the next generation

•
•
•
•
•
•

•

•
•

•
•

My Changing Body: Mixed
Messages
But I have Questions
Embarrassed and A sham ed
Sex is Bad: You m ight get
Pregnant or Become
Infectious
Rumors: Lack of
Anonymity
Am I in Control? Birth
Control, Who knows Best

W hat is a Healthy
Relationship?
Gender Stereotypes
W here do 1 fit? Heteronormative Sex Ed
Is there anyone I Can Turn
to for Support?
Can I Trust You?
Violence A gainst Women
Wish I had That W hen I
was in High School

Start Young: Towards a K12 Sexual Health
Curriculum
Sex Positive Education
M oving A way from
Hetero-normative,
W hitewashed Sexual
Health
Healthy Relationship
Training
Safe Space: Sexual Health
Centre

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Sexual Health Education in Yukon Schools and Sexual Health Services and Supports in
the Community
This category highlights the barriers that participants faced in school and the community,
specifically as it pertains to the limited exposure they had to sexual health education within
the school and availability of safe anonymous sexual health services within the greater
community. Participants speak to the detrimental effects this had on them and how it
continues to affect their lives such as their abilities to talk about sex with peers, navigate
birth control options, and seek anonymous, trusting advice from health professionals.
My Changing Body: Mixed Messages
My first memory o f sexual health education in school was when my frie n d ’s
parents came in to talk with us...They didn’t talk about reproductive rights,
they didn’t talk about abortion, they didn ’t talk about sexual assault or our
rights, in terms o f our bodies and our space. They didn’t talk about any o f
that. (Emma’s Story)
Participants’ shared similar stories about their initial exposure to sexual health in
elementary school, stating that it was very limited in scope with little time to develop a
trusting relationship with the presenter, process presentation content, and formulate
questions. After the initial sexual health presentations in elementary school there were few
participants who felt that they had someone to ask about outstanding questions that related to
sexual health. Many participants were confused as to why the boys and the girls were split
into two different classes, suggesting that it is important for boys and girls to learn together.
I don’t remember having any sex ed classes until grade five and then we got
split up by gender and the strange thing about that is you d on’t get to learn
what the boys are learning. Maybe they separated us to make people feel more
comfortable, but I really think they should have taught both the groups the
same thing. The girls ju st learned about puberty and periods, but nothing past
that. I found out from one o f my male friends that they learned about wet
dreams. (Clare’s Story)

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After elementary school participants had a handful of sexual health presentations in high
school. One participant suggests that, “7/ doesn 't seem adequate that during my whole time in
elementary school and high school there was maybe five or six hours spent on sexual health.
That seems pretty bad” (Morgan’s Story). This is echoed by another participant who states,
‘7 think the decisions around curriculum and the way it’s delivered all the way through
school is a fucking disaster” (Clare’s Story). Participants felt that it was difficult to begin to
discuss sexual health with their peers and become comfortable with their own changing
bodies because they had such limited exposure to this topic. Often parents or nurses were
brought in from the outside for an hour to discuss the basics o f sexual health. Many felt that
they had not developed a trusting relationship with the presenter so often the presentation
sparked questions in students, but those questions were never asked.
But I have Questions
No one came in to talk about sex again after that in elementary school. It was
ju st that one time. I had more questions that I definitely wanted to ask. I did
have one fam ily member I could talk to about this, but asking her was also
kind o f difficult because my own comfort levels weren’t there. For a while I
just kind o f went without. (Emma’s Story)
All participants expressed that the few presentations on sexual health they received left
them with more questions and in most cases those questions were never asked because there
was not an appropriate, space to ask them nor was there a referral process. Participants stated
that there was not a reliable professional referral system within the school. There was a lot of
peer-counselling as a means of answering outstanding questions. Vivian expresses her
hesitations about this process,
And then after those presentations and classes that was it. I f I had questions
about anything, there wasn’t really anywhere to ask...I mostly relied on fam ily
and friends fo r information and that friend thing was really good because it
was supportive, but now that I look back on it as an adult it was really

86
misinformed...It would have been good to have had more access to sexual
health education and services growing up. (Vivian’s Story)
Vivian remarks that peer based education and counselling was often misinformed.
Participants used peer education and counselling because there was not anything else for
them to use. It was done out of a basic need to address concerns and navigate available
services within the community. “Everything we learned from that point on we learned on the
fly. I learned from my friends. I didn’t talk to anyone else about it. My family certainly didn’t
talk about sex" (Sam’s Story). Some participants felt that they did not have the knowledge
they needed leading up to sex, but sought it after. Some participants did not know where to
get birth control before having sex, but learned how to access emergency birth control after.
Many responses to sex were emergency, fear based, and reactive responses. Many
participants wished that they had preventative based knowledge and resources to draw on.
Sam expresses attempting to engage a teacher in a discussion about STIs.
There were no teachers that I fe lt safe enough to seriously ask them about
sexual health. There was one time when I was 17 and I wanted to know i f you
could get crabs from the toilet seat so we asked this big dumb teacher about it.
He told us that we shouldn 't use the toilet i f it looked like there was pepper on
the seat and then he laughed and walked off. That is the only thing I ever
asked. (Sam’s Story)
Sam felt safe with this teacher, which is why she asked him a question about STIs. This
question could have allowed for a bigger conversation about STIs and sexual health, but the
teacher was not comfortable with the question and instead quickly turned the conversation
into a light hearted joke. Teachers should not be expected to be experts on sexual health;
however, community referrals should take place when important questions need to be
addressed.
I remember people asking questions during the presentations when the nurses
came in, but outside o f those classes, I don’t think there was a lot o f support

87
fo r people. The information I found myself was information teachers probably
felt awkward talking about in the school. (Morgan’s Story)
Participants shared their observations of a common understanding of their teachers
discomfort with the topic of sexual health education. Some teachers were incredibly
uncomfortable while teaching sexual health classes. In most cases, the participants sensed
this discomfort and in turn became uncomfortable, feeling like it was not appropriate for
them to ask questions. Clare expressed her frustration with this common occurrence,
I had a mom who gave me books on sexual health so I could investigate things
on my own...The thing about public education is that we can 7 assume that all
parents provide that material to their children. We have to assume that they
don 7 so all students have access to the information they need. Ife e l very lucky
that my mom gave us sexual health books, but I know that there were a lot o f
students that didn 7 have that and that is not acceptable. Educators can 7 just
decide not to deliver sexual health education because they don 7 know how to
deliver it or they feel uncomfortable. They really have to get over their own
bullshit. (Clare’s Story)
Clare was very grateful for the sexual health education her parents provided, however feels
incredibly frustrated for those that do not have access to resources or parents with this
knowledge and the expectation that gaps will and should be filled at home. Likewise, Emma
reveals that information she learned in biology class made her very concerned about the
regularity of her menstrual cycle. She was very worried that something was wrong, but felt
that she had no one to ask.
I remember learning some stuff in biology...It was interesting to know, but it
raised a lot o f questions because it wasn’t familiar to me. I remember
wondering i f there was something wrong with me because I wasn 7 always
regular. From my understanding according to my biology class you were
supposed to get your period once a month. Sometimes I would get really
worried and wonder i f I had cancer or something like that...I would have
liked to talk to somebody in health about irregularities, but I wasn 7 able to.
(Emma’s Story)

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Emma states that she was not able to ask questions about her menstrual cycle. It is important
to understand what she means by this. She had a family doctor, but did not feel comfortable
discussing this with her doctor. Her mom would also attend all of her medical appointments
and she did not want to discuss this with her doctor while her mother was in the room. There
were no procedures in place to facilitate a safe conversation about her body and her sexual
health. It is also fair to assume that her family doctor had no idea she had questions.
Embarrassed and Ashamed
My friends and I didn’t talk about sex with each other because we weren ’t
comfortable talking about it. I think that is one thing they probably missed in
our few sexual health classes, which is that it is totally natural and it is okay
to talk about sex. (Emma’s Story)
A theme amongst some participants is that of embarrassment and shame around the topic
or discussion o f sex. Some participants had a desire to talk and learn from their peers, but had
absolutely no comfort around the subject. Emma reflects on specific moments when she had
an opportunity to discuss her period with her close friend, but shut the conversation down
because she was too embarrassed and uncomfortable with the subject. Clare remembers
feeling uncomfortable in class when one of her teachers taught sexual health because the
teacher was so uncomfortable with the topic. This discomfort transferred to the students in
the class.
...I do remember this blushing skinny teacher who was entirely red as he
taught a sexual health class. I don’t remember the content at all...all I
remember was how embarrassed he was, it was so awkward. (Clare’s Story)
If teachers are uncomfortable teaching a sexual health class there is a high probability that
the students will feel a sense o f discomfort as well. Clare remembers that she did not focus
on the content o f the information that was being delivered, but was fixated on the complete
discomfort of her teacher and simply wanted the lesson to end. This discomfort is not solely

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an issue within the school, but is a common theme within services offered in the community.
Clare reflects on the discomfort she felt during her early teens when she went for her annual
doctor’s appointment.
I used to be terrified o f them [doctor’s appointments] because near the end o f
each appointment she [the doctor] would ask i f I was sexually active...I do
remember thinking you can’t just start from zero with a question like that. It
would have been more comfortable i f we had established a relationship and
built up to those bigger questions. There was no way I was going to start
asking questions I had about sex because we didn’t have that kind o f
relationship. (Clare’s Story)
The need to develop trusting relationships with health professionals and educators before
being prompted to respond to sensitive questions about sexual status was very important and
a theme that was highlighted by most participants. Many participants had questions and a
desire to ask these questions, but did not have trusting relationships with an adult, teacher,
nurse or doctor and therefore their questions where never asked. Spaces such as sexual health
classes, and doctor’s offices are places where one would think would be safe spaces to ask
questions, especially if you are being prompted to ask them, but trust is key and if it is not
present, questions are not asked. Sam reflects on measures she took to get information about
birth control, STIs and pregnancy.
Sometimes when I was in hospital waiting rooms I would grab pamphlets... but
I would always hide them inside one about blood pressure because you d on’t
want anyone to see you read something about birth control, STIs or
pregnancy. (Sam’s Story)
Sam’s story reminds us of the persistent discomfort youth encounter in places that the greater
public might perceive as a safe space to gather information, yet Sam felt the need to hide her
pamphlet about sexual health in a pamphlet about blood pressure in an attempt to save herself
from embarrassment.

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Sex is Bad: You might get Pregnant or Become Infectious
Sex was never explained as being a good thing, something you could enjoy as
long as you ’re safe. It was more o f scare tactic—scaring people with pictures
o f diseases that you can catch rather than a more realistic approach. We
didn’t focus on what might happen in a relationship or how to talk to a
partner. (Morgan’s Story)

A common theme participants shared was the terrifying STI presentation they received
from public health nurses. Morgan echoes the feelings, which most participants expressed.
She felt that although the STI presentation was important, other components o f sexual health,
such as healthy relationships and navigating consent were not part of the presentation. "In
grade 9 we all had to do presentations to scare the crap out o f us about STIs with horrible
pictures. Then we never talked about sexual health again” (Sam’s Story). Many participants
went away from the presentation feeling far from empowered, and shared feelings of disgust
and negatively toward their bodies and sex.

There was a very consistent message in the few sexual health classes we had.
The message was be afraid. Sex is bad and you will probably get pregnant or
get an STI i f you have sex. When we were divided by gender the girls had to
watch a really detailed video o f birth and one o f the girls said that it was
disgusting. The nurse said, "You think that’s disgusting, but you would let
someone put their penis in your vagina?” I f y o u ’re ever wondering about
sexual health education here and wonder if it was sex positive. I would say
probably not. Unfortunately, the fea r tactic worked. The birthing video was
horrible and the common consensus was that birth is really going to hurt
therefore penises are gross. (Clare’s Story)
Many participants did not feel that the presenters were intentionally trying to promote
fear, but rather did not know how to deliver the material with a sex positive lens. Also there
was not enough time allotted to the presentations and no follow up presentations were given.
The concern amongst many participants was that this fear-based style o f educating about

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sexual health can cause destructive patterns in youth’s lives, contributing to poor body
image, unhealthy relationships and a negative perception of sexual organs and sex in general.
And we were all in the class with the girls and the boys and she gave us all
these candies and then she did the horror slide show o f the worst S T I’s that
you could possibly get. There were pictures o f genital warts that are just
inflamed and awful. And I imagine a lot o f people had not even seen pictures
o f regular genitals before that point. And then here they are showing us the
worst ones that you could possibly get and we were horrified with the whole
thing. All o f us were embarrassed and disgusted and totally grossed out and
didn't want to ask any questions and were ju st hoping to god that we never
got them. (Vivian’ Story)
Participants were scared of sex. Some felt like they had to drink to feel comfortable with sex.
This is extremely problematic as sexual assault is easily excused when drinking is involved.
Women are blamed for drinking and the sexual assault is all too often overlooked and
excused, despite the fact that legally you cannot consent to sex when you have been drinking.
It is important that we develop healthy life patterns around sex and this is only possible if we
start normalizing healthy relationships and giving examples of what this might look like in
sexual health class.
Rumors: Lack of Anonymity
We also have to think about rural Yukon communities. It is really difficult fo r
women in the communities... When you walk to the health clinic people all see
you and ask why you went there. Also what i f your aunty is working at the
front desk, what do you do then? I know o f several people in the communities
who have ju st had kids. They wanted to have an abortion, but their families
wouldn ’t let them and they had no other way into town to get the abortion. It's
kind o f pitiful that people don’t have access to these things...you should have
the right to choose not to have a child... (Sam’s Story)

A theme in many smaller settings is lack of anonymity and access. The smaller and more
rural a community is, the more challenging it is for people to remain anonymous. Participants
noted that some of their peers were unable to access the proper reproductive care they needed

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due to a lack of anonymity. Sam mentions that women should have a right to choose not to
have a child without being judging by others. This is often accomplished by insuring that
anonymity is kept, which can be nearly impossible in a small community.
I remember really only feeling comfortable going to the Communicable
Disease Clinic to get tested or to get information. I was always a little scared
when I would go, and a little uncomfortable about who might see me because
it is a small town. Sometimes you would be sitting in the waiting room and
then all o f a sudden somebody you know would come in, so that was always
uncomfortable. (Vivian’s Story)

In some cases participants did not go to access sexual health services such as STI testing
because they were too scared of running into someone they knew in the waiting room or at
the front desk. Some participants had family doctors who were friends o f the family. “/
wouldn’t confide in my family doctor with something that was really personal because I
might see him at some fam ily gathering and it would just be really awkward” (Morgan’s
Story). Vivian expresses her frustration with a school counsellor who broke her trust by
breeching confidentiality.
When I was seventeen I got HPVfrom a guy I was sleeping with and I told my
school counsellor. There was a teacher at school whose daughter was dating
the guy who gave it to me. And the school counsellor pressured me into telling
the mother about it so she could warn her daughter. And then it got all around
school and everybody knew about it...I went to that counsellor fo r support and
to have a private confidential talk because 1 was really upset. (Vivian’s Story)
The counsellor in Vivian’s story was misinformed about STIs and broke her ethical code of
conduct as a counsellor by telling a coworker something that was confidential and only
Vivian’s to reveal on her terms and her terms only. Vivian felt completely ostracized by her
peers and never went to a school counsellor again. She needed to talk to someone and when
she did it ended up being a very traumatizing experience for her. Anonymity is very difficult
to uphold in very small communities. Clients and professionals can do everything within

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their power to keep a client’s visits private, but if a relative or a friend sees you in the waiting
room and jumps to conclusions there is very little that can be done to uphold anonymity.
However professional counsellors, teachers, nurses and doctors are requested to be especially
vigilant about never revealing confidential information.
Am I in Control? Birth Control, Who knows Best?
Years later, when I was in my twenties I went to the doctor and asked about
birth control. I ’d done my research and I wanted an IUD. The doctor said he
w asn’t going to give me an IUD because I was too young and hadn ’t had a
baby. Instead he gave me the birth control pill. After I got those pills I sat on
them fo r a while because I didn 't feel comfortable with them. I didn't want
hormones, I ’ve known that forever that I didn’t want hormones. I was
independent, aware and educated, and I wanted to be self-determining. Then I
go to an expert who claims to know you better than you know yourself, but
that’s total fiction. Doctors know science and I know my body and what I
want. (Clare’s Story)

Participants such as Clare express their frustration with their inability to have an opinion
on birth control. Clare researched her options and went to her doctor with a clear idea of what
would work best for her. She had hoped to have a discussion about birth control, but instead
was given the oral contraception option and there was little discussed. She did not want
hormones, but that is what she went home with. “/ wanted to be self-determining. Then I go to
an expert who claims to know my body better than I do, but that’s total fic tio n ” (Clare’s
Story). Patients should expect to have a discussion with their healthcare professional about
their options. This did not occur for most of the participants and many were left with a feeling
of limited control over their bodies. Morgan echoes Clare’s experience, “/ had some friends
who had issues with their doctors because they wanted to go on birth control, but their
doctors were a bit judgmental and would say, ‘‘oh you ’re too young ” (Morgan’s Story).
I d o n ’t think I have ever had a conversation with a healthcare professional
about informed options where they talk about the side effects o f all o f the

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different options. I have never had a conversation where I fe lt like I was given
options to choose from. With every encounter I have had to convince health
professionals that I am capable o f having an option. I fin d m yself getting into
arguments about my ability to make decisions about what birth control I want
to use. (Clare’s Story)
Many participants worry about others with even more limited resources than themselves,
“What about the people who go to a healthcare professional who don’t have the same
resources and who don't feel comfortable confronting a doctor about birth control options? I
guess they walkout with whatever they walkout with and that’s that” (Clare’s Story). Clare
fears that some women may have blind trust in their doctors, ending up with birth control
without a discussion about other options. Paying for birth control is also a barrier and for
some it is completely out o f reach financially.
The cost o f birth control was a barrier. I f my mom wasn ’t paying fo r it, I don’t
know who would have paid fo r it. Some o f my girlfriends who didn’t have as
much money were always trying to figure out ways to pay fo r it. I think i f you
didn 7 have any money, it would have been harder to get. (Vivian’s Story)
Vivian suggests that she would not be able to afford the birth control pill if her mom had
not offered to pay for it. She echoes the importance of recognizing that not all youth are
comfortable telling their parents that they are having sex and then asking their parents to pay
for birth control and likewise parents are not always willing to accept their child is having
sex and/ or willing or able to pay for birth control. Health promotion does an excellent job of
distributing condoms, however if the high school does not allow condoms in the school there
are few places where high school aged youth can access condoms. ‘‘I f you were under age
and couldn 7 go to the bar to get free condoms I ’m not sure where you could go? ” (Morgan’s
Story) If the healthcare system creates barriers to accessing birth control it is not surprising
that there are high numbers of abortions performed in Yukon. “Health professional didn 7
always seem open to young people making their own decisions. I guess there were ju st more

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conservative attitudes around young people having sex” (Morgan’s Story). Participants
expressed the importance of ensuring that women have access to birth control options where
they can make informed choices and decisions about their reproductive rights.
Challenges Associated with Limited Access to Sexual Health Education and Services in
the Schools and Community
In this category participants emphasize how the barriers they experienced in school and in
the community affect their lives and the lives of their peers such as their ability to navigate
healthy relationships, develop trusting relationships with teachers and health professionals,
speak out against gender stereotypes and address high levels of violence against women.
What is a Healthy Relationship?
Sexual relationships are some o f the most important relationships in our lives and
they really didn't do a great job o f going into any detail around what the relationship
part o f it would involve, we focused on the biology side o f things. (Morgan’s Story)
A common theme amongst participants was the concept o f healthy relationship training as
part of the sexual health curriculum. Morgan expresses the importance of moving beyond the
biological mechanics of sexuality to discuss the relationship piece as well. Vivian gives an
example o f an unhealthy relationship highlighting her example o f the importance o f offering
healthy relationship training to prevent the following,

My friend got pregnant by this gross guy, he was like this older guy too, really sleazy
kind o f guy. He didn 7 want her to have an abortion and he was really pressuring her
not to. I think stuff like that might have been a barrier too, with partners who were
forceful or abusive in any way. We didn’t really know how to deal with him. Imagine,
these two teenagers girls going alone to this older guy's house to confront him about
our rights? I remember that being a frightening memory o f my childhood, having that
happen. (Vivian’s Story)

It sometimes appears that society expects that people know what healthy relationships are,
however participants suggest that this is a dangerous assumption to make. Many people did

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not have positive examples of healthy relationships in their teens and in some cases did not
know how to recognize unhealthy relationship in their lives.
Gender Stereotypes
People assumed that i f you slept around you couldn ’t get raped. People
thought she was doing itfo r attention because in her past she had used really
negative ways to get attention, but you could tell, she went through this stuff
fo r years and never retracted and you don’t think it would be worth it after all
those years. (Vivian’s Story)
Participants reflected on the dangers of gender stereotypes amongst their peers, at school
and in the judicial system. Vivian tells a formative story from her past where her “wild”
friend was raped and was ostracized, and emotionally and physically abused from her peers.
When she reported the crime little was done. Vivian shares that her friend had a reputation of
sleeping around and therefore when she was raped she was blamed and her rape was
dismissed because “someone so promiscuous could not be raped.” Even her close friends had
to back away because their safety was threatened.
You can just see how these things get perpetuated—suggesting that women
ask fo r it by the way they're dressed. There's often a lot o f victim-blaming
especially when it comes to a women and what she wears, whether she was
walking late at night and how much she had to drink. Stuff like that. Or the
mixed messages we get from the media where the onus is place on the person
who was sexually assaulted. It just makes no sense. (Morgan’s Story)
Morgan dedicates some of her time delivering consent workshops for youth in high
schools. The workshops teach youth about the legal definition of consent by using the
example of a real case that went to the Supreme Court of Canada. The workshop breaks
down stereotypes that we all hold about women and attempts to address victim blaming. The
workshop encourages attendees to reflect on personal examples o f victim blaming and gender
stereotypes that we all hold. Morgan would like to see consent be part o f the sexual health

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curriculum. Currently, these workshops are delivered in schools upon requested and during
sexual assault prevention week.
Where do I fit? Hetero-normative Sex Ed
I don't think there was anyone that was openly gay in my high school. People
went away and then came out. There were two girls that were accused o f
being gay at a camp in grade 6 or 7 because they slept in the same tent and
people suspected they were fooling around. They were totally targeted and
harassed. It didn’t feel like a safe place fo r anyone to come out. I was a really
strong independent woman in high school and as a result I was accused o f
being a lesbian and was really targeted. I couldn ’t imagine what it would be
like fo r me i f I was a lesbian here in high school. It would have been really,
really challenging. I think that’s why people wait to come out once they have
moved away. They probably felt safer coming out away from here. (Vivian’s
Story)
Many participants expressed the importance and the need for inclusive sexual health
education. Several stated that sexual health curriculum should not be designed solely to cater
to those that are white heterosexuals as this would further the discrimination towards those
that do not fit this mold. Participants stress the importance of creating a safe, nonjudgmental, non-discriminatory space so all students feel included. It is important that there
is an open safe space... Education should not further marginalize people. (Clare’s Story)
Some participants mentioned the importance of creating a culturally safe space, especially for
the First Nations youth who come in from the communities to attend high school.
Is there Anyone I Can Turn to for Support?
I couldn't go to the doctor without my mom also being in the room so I didn't
feel comfortable asking questions about my sexual health while my mom was
in the room. For a while I didn't even have a doctor, which is something that
is normal in the Yukon fo r a lot o f people. I kind o f ju st went without.
(Emma’s Story)
Participants suggested that they had few people they could turn to for support in the area
of sexual health. Often participants had questions such as Emma, but did not have

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appropriate opportunities, trust in the healthcare provider, or confidence to ask their
questions. “We could pick up pamphlets and look at them as they were made very available,
but there wasn 7 any person that we could talk to about anything. At least I didn 7 know i f
there was someone to talk to about them ” (Emma’s Story) Even as an adult Sam expresses
her frustration with her doctor’s discomfort in response to her sexual health questions.
I have reproductive health issues, so I was seeing a gynecologist and I asked
i f there any sexual positions that are better fo r my husband and I to use fo r
conception. He couldn 7 say sex. He couldn 7 look me in the eye. He was like,
‘‘well, you can look on the internet and there are some different things that it
says on there about different ways to do it. ”... I often leave there feeling like
he just poked me and prodded me. I don 7 go away with any o f my questions
answered. We really need a safe place in Yukon where women can go to get
their reproductive health questions answered. (Sam’s Story)
Sam is not alone in her desire to see a safe space for women to feel heard, to ask questions
about their reproductive health, and receive answers. Most, participants shared examples of
this.
Can I Trust You?
It was crazy, I remember being at this party where we were arguing with these
guys about it and I remember this guy grabbing me by my neck and slamming
me up against this fountain and screaming at me saying my friend was a liar
and that I was liar, and telling me and my friends to watch out. It was
horrible. And the RCMP, they didn 7 tell my friend where to go. They didn 7
tell her what services were available to her. We didn 7 know that the threats
these guys were making were illegal. We didn 7 know we could have gone fo r
more protection. (Vivian’s Story)
Vivian returns to the story of her friend who was raped and reflects on the danger that she
and her friends experienced just for being an ally to the girl that was raped. They were
verbally and physically threatened and they felt like they had no one to turn to. When they
reported the rape they were not referred to anyone for support and did not realize that the

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threats that were being made towards them were illegal. They did not know where to access
any form of support within the community.
My friends and I ended up self-counselling so that ended up being a major
resource but o f course it was only whatever information we knew when we
were 16-17 years old. My friends and I were sexually active quite young, and
we talked about that stuff and we were all really super confident young girls
at that age. (Vivian’s Story)
Participants such as Vivian often relied on peer counselling for their main source o f support;
however, she does admit that many of the issues they were dealing with required professional
opinions. Due to limited trust in the system because of their negative experiences with
various professionals they only trusted their small groups o f friends.
Violence Against Women
Then a few days later we fou n d out she had been raped by this guy at the
party. She was this super crazy girl and she was kind o f slutty and she did
drugs and as a result had this bad reputation, but she was our friend and so
she told us what had happened. Again, I don't know where we got this
information, but we were like, “you gotta report this, this is ridiculous, you
should go to the police. ” And so we went to the police and reported it. It took
a really long time fo r everything to be processed. I think in the long run they
dropped the case because our interviews were done too late after the fa ct fo r
them to be counted as evidence or something. They said our memories weren ’t
clear enough so that is the reason it didn’t go to court, at least that’s what I
remember. (Vivian’s Story)
Vivian tells the story o f her friend who was raped and her struggle to support her during
this difficult time. She states that she knew to report the crime, but did not necessarily know
how she knew that it needed to be reported. She expressed her concern for those that might
have seen the event as something that her friend may have asked for because o f the way she
was dressed, how much she drank or her “promiscuous reputation.” Vivian knew it was
wrong despite what her peers and other professionals said. Vivian learned at a young age that
violence against women is alive in well in Yukon.

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I started processing the trauma and began to realize how much bitterness and
resentment I had towards being in a town where it was permissible to treat
someone like that. Even now talking about it I can feel myself getting really
heated, feeling that lack o f justice o f what happened to her. That was 12-13
years ago now. (Vivian’s Story)
Due to the limited support she received from service providers in the community and the
negative reactions from her peers it took Vivian a really long time to process the experience.
She stated that years after the rape some o f her peers still ask her if her friend was really
raped. All participants voiced their concern about victim-blaming and the high levels of
violence against women in Yukon. Sam suggests that one way to address the high levels of
sexual assault in Yukon is to address issues such as consent, assault and rape in sexual health
classes.
I think the high incidents o f sexual assault that we have in the Yukon should
be a huge component o f sexual health education addressing things like sexual
assault and rape. It should also address healthy relationships and what they
should look like, which also allow people to identify what an unhealthy
relationship looks like. That way people are taught that there should be a
mutual agreement and consent before having sex. (Sam’s Story)
Participants stress the importance of teaching students what a healthy relationship is. Stating
that it is dangerous to assume that everyone has examples o f healthy relationships and
healthy sexual behaviour in their lives (peers, family, community). We need to think critically
about...healthy relationships because many people have only known unhealthy relationships,
but we need to introduce alternatives to what is seen at home and in the community. (Clare’s
Story) Participants suggest that because we cannot assume that examples of healthy
relationships are available in someone’s everyday life they have to be available in schools.
I Wish I had That When I was in High School
And the two girls who grew up in Vancouver were so savvy. They were so cool
and urban and they knew where to get all this stuff, even things like sex
toys...where to get free birth control; where to go and get an abortion; where

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to go get support after your abortion; where to go i f you were dealing with
abusive relationships; where to get free pregnancy tests. (Vivian’s Story)
A common theme amongst participants was their experiences after high school in
university. Many participants such as Vivian were so impressed by the amount of knowledge
some of their classmates from larger cities had about sexual health. Many participants began
to see what their high schools were lacking when it came to access to sexual health
curriculum. The same sentiments were expressed with the limited availability of sexual
health services “I f someone had been readily available to provide me with nondiscriminatory, non-judgmental information on birth control, I would have been on itfa r
before I actually was ” (Sam’s Story). Most participants have returned to Yukon with
willingness and an active desire to make change. For most participants going away to school
allowed them to see that change was possible because accessible sexual health curriculum
and sexual health services exist in other jurisdictions outside o f Yukon.
Utopia: Dreams For the Next Generation
In this category participants identify their hopes and aspirations for the next generation of
women. They depict an inclusive, culturally safe, non-discriminatory, sex positive, sexual
health curriculum that starts in kindergarten and follows students through to the end o f high
school. They speak to the importance of healthy relationship training and a sexual health
clinic.
Start Young: Towards a K-12 Sexual Health Curriculum
I think sexual health education could start really young so that people become
more comfortable with their sexuality and that way more educated detailed
discussions can occur. I f you only have a few hours dedicated to sexual health
throughout school it becomes really difficult to have a comfortable
conversation about sexual health. (Morgan’s Story)

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Participants articulated a desire to see sexual health classes start at a very young age to
familiarize children with the topic of sexual health and to allow for meaningful conversations
to take place as the years go on. That way sex will not be an uncomfortable, foreign topic.
Morgan states how difficult it can be to have a meaningful, comfortable discussion about
sexual health when a student has only had a handful of presentations on the subject
throughout their school career.
It could be as simple as being able to label a penis and a vagina and knowing
what a penis and vagina are. Knowing that it is not a hoo-ha and wiener, it is
a penis and a vagina... I have a member o f my extendedfamily who was
sexually assaulted by a grandparent and they didn't know how to talk about it
or ask fo r help. This grandparent would cut the child’s hair and then would
blow it o ff the child’s penis, but the child didn't know how to say that. The
child just said, "Grandpa would blow the hair o ff me ” which didn’t sound
bad because the word penis wasn "t in there. I f they had known the word penis
the meaning o f the story would have changed and something might have been
done. (Sam’s Story)
Sam speaks to the importance of knowing how to label sexual organs correctly and gives an
example about sexual abuse stating that, children cannot accurately report sexualized assault
when they cannot use the proper language to depict an event. Often the incident will not
seem as serious without the proper language to shed light on the details. Sam’s family did not
speak about sexual health at home, which emphasizes the importance of having it offered at
school.
I think I probably would have been a more confident person overall. I
wouldn’t feel like I have something to hide, I wouldn’t feel ashamedfor not
knowing. That is something that I do grapple with. I would be healthier.
Having access to these services would have affected my life in other ways,
relationships-wise, maybe career-wise, I don't know, it would have affected a
whole bunch o f different things. (Emma’s Story)
Emma reflects on the limited access to sexual health education that she had throughout
her school career and feels like she would be a different person if she had regular sexual

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health classes throughout school. Throughout her story she highlights her feelings of shame
and embarrassment around sexual health. She had many questions, but did not have the
needed resources or confidence to field questions.
Sex Positive Education
We have high rates o f pregnancy and STIs. Terrifying students with videos o f
pregnancy and pictures o f STIs isn’t empowering them to take care o f their
bodies. I don’t want to see people have to get wasted so they fe el comfortable
having sex. There are certainly ways to structure sexual health education in
the classroom that isn’t fear based. (Clare’s Story)
Participants emphasized the importance of a sex positive approach to sexual health
education. Although it is important to talk about pregnancy and STI prevention, it should not
be the primary focus. Youth should not be made afraid of sex, but rather should have an
opportunity to talk and learn about the positive fun aspects of safe sex. There is a fear
amongst the participants that by solely providing negative information about sex, youth will
have an unhealthy and uncomfortable relationship with sex. When youth feel uncomfortable
with sex, there is little discussion and healthy negotiation between couples. Some participants
feel that discomfort can lead to an increased use of alcohol and drugs to feel more
comfortable with sex. This can lead to higher levels of violence as alcohol and drugs limit
people’s ability to accurately judge situations and are often used as an excuse to be violent.
Sam highlights this in a story about her younger sister,
My sister was passed out in a bathroom and there was puke all over her and
she had wet herself it was really horrible. We took her to the emergency room
at the hospital and we told the nurse that we thought she needed to have a
check done to see i f she has been raped. Anyway that incident set the stage fo r
her exploration into sex, which was crisis focused. I think i f she had more
exposure to positive sexual health education this might not have happened.
(Sam’s Story)

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Sam explains that her sister’s experience with sex is crisis focused. She worries about youth
who have few healthy experiences with sex. Her sister had no positive examples of what sex
was or could be like. Sam worries that this will become a pattern for her sister.
Sex is this incredible thing. I think it is really important to talk to them about
their first sexual experience. I think a lot o f young women have very
disappointing sexual experiences, and they are expecting to have this sex that
they see in movies and it doesn 't happen. I would love fo r people to have less
frightening more realistic knowledge. (Vivian’s Story)
Vivian addresses the issue of popular culture and the role it plays in many people’s initial
encounters with sex. In some cases this can paint an unrealistic picture for some. Vivian
wants to see a more realistic less frightening approach to sexual health education.
Moving Away from Hetero-normative, Whitewashed Sexual Health
Education should not further marginalize queer people, like that's completely
pointless. We have to ensure that sexual health education is not ju st heteronormative. It must be inclusive. (Clare’s Story)
Participants were vocal in their desire to see inclusive, non-judgmental, nondiscriminatory, culturally safe sexual health education, meaning that sexual identity and
cultural diversity would be incorporated into the curriculum. Clare states that sexual health
education cannot further marginalize people. People who are considered to be “minorities”
have a right to a sexual health curriculum that is meaningful and safe and they should not be
overlooked.
Healthy Relationship Training
Public Health and public education should play a role in interacting in cycles
o f violence. We need to think critically about gender roles and healthy
relationships because many people have only known unhealthy relationships,
but we need to introduce alternatives to what is seen at home or in the
community. (Clare’s Story)

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Participants identified a common desire to have a holistic approach to sexual health where
the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of the student is taken into consideration.
Participants such as Clare identified not only a shortage of sexual health classes throughout
school, but more often than not the classes focused primarily on the physical, biological side
of sex. There was little time designated to the mental or emotional aspects such as healthy
relationship training. Participants expressed the importance of teaching youth what a healthy
relationship is. Too often, youth do not have examples of healthy relationships in their
everyday lives and need to be given concrete examples o f healthy relationships.

Safe Space: Sexual Health Centre
I have yet to encounter a space where an actual conversation could happen
between a healthcare professional and a client where there is a sex positive,
woman positive, space. Where they honour and believe what you're saying
about your body. (Clare’s Story)
The theme of a sex positive, woman positive space where people could go to access
sexual health services came up in every participant’s story. The participants were adamant
about the centre being an accessible safe space for those seeking reproductive healthcare.
Currently, Yukon does not have an abortion clinic or an all-encompassing space where
women could go to get counselling, information about STIs, birth control and abortions.

I think it would be better i f there were another kind o f drop-in centre where
you could get sexual health education and services. A place where you could
get information on pregnancy, birth control, STIs abortions and all o f those
services... I f there were a lot o f different services available at the clinic
people wouldn't necessarily know why you went there. For example i f you
went to the clinic to get an abortion you could say that you went there to look
into birth control options or something. (Sam’s Story)
Sam expresses the importance of having all of the centre’s services in one place. If a woman
went to access an abortion at a health centre that offered many services such as counselling,

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birth control, STI testing etc. she would not only have an opportunity to access many services
at once, but if she was there for an abortion she could just say she was there for counselling
or to get information about birth control. This makes the space more accessible for women.
Participants also expressed the importance of having a health centre that had flexible
hours of operation, which would allow youth who are in school and/ or working women
access to services in the evening. Many participants referenced centers that are in operation
in the south. Although the initial startup cost of a sexual health clinic would be costly it
would most likely become cost effective in the long run by contributing to the sexual health
and well-being of the community at large. There are many sexual health clinic models that
currently exist in southern jurisdictions that could be adapted to meet the unique needs of
those in Yukon.
Metathemes
In the third phase, a meta-analysis was used to identify common themes, patterns and
connections across all o f the participants’ stories. The following themes were not identified
in the early phases of analysis, but are the binding, overarching metathemes o f the study:
Trust, Accessible Sexual Health Education and Services, Desire fo r Positive Change.
Trust
All participants who were interviewed struggled with finding professionals such as
counsellors, teachers, nurses and doctors they could trust within the formal education system
or within the public healthcare system. Some participants had parents that they could turn to
for support, but most relied on their peers for advice and education. All participants
expressed concern for women who might not have the confidence to question healthcare
providers, teachers and counsellors about sexual health advice or to seek out a second

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opinion. All participants shared stories of having no one to turn to in times of need and
expressed a desire to see additional services in place to bridge gaps and allow for a positive
knowledge exchange between teachers and students and patients and healthcare providers.
Accessible Sexual Health Education and Services
All participants’ stories highlighted the gap between accessible sexual health services and
the student or client in need. Participants expressed a desire to see service improvement
within the greater community by opening a sexual health clinic that provided accessible, nonjudgmental, non-discriminating services in a safe environment. The clinic would have
flexible hours and many different services under one roof so those accessing the services
could go after work or school and have more anonymity. All participants want to see a sexual
health curriculum in all grades throughout all Yukon schools. The curriculum would be
inclusive, it would include a healthy relationship component, it would address violence
against women, it would examine gender stereotypes, and it would be delivered with a sex
positive lens.
Desire for Positive Change
All participants experienced limited accessibility and barriers to sexual health services
within their community and as a result all demonstrated a desire to see change within their
community so the next generation of women will have improved access. All participants
have been working towards positive change in their community in the area of sexual health
by delivering violence prevention workshops, working at women’s centers and youth
organizations, or delivering sexual health workshops. All participants expressed a concern
for the voiceless, those that are not in a position to speak-out or question services and service

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providers. All participants noted that their lives would be different if they had accessible
sexual health services in their community.
Summary
Phase two and three of the research process revealed the thematic results. Although the
participants had unique voices, many of their experiences with sexual health education and
services were similar. All participants felt that more comprehensive and inclusive sexual
health education was needed along with better access to sexual health services in the greater
community.
In phase three, the metathemes revealed the common overarching themes of all the
participants. Participants expressed a lack of trust in professionals such as teachers,
counsellors and health professionals. This lack o f trust discouraged participants and as a
result many did not feel like they were able to ask valuable questions or seek professional
advice on sexual health concerns. Participants also feared for others who may not have
access to personal supports. Participants had an overwhelming desire to see positive change
for the next generation of women. Participants were constantly reflecting on the negative
outcome limited services had on their lives and did not hesitate to provide recommendations
for change.

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Chapter Six: Discussion and Reflections
The final chapter provides a reflection on the research process along with a discussion of
the existing literature and the themes the participants shared as they related to the principle
and secondary research questions. Cultural safety, the social determinants o f health, women’s
empowerment and gender equality, the right to health and sexual health, Canadian guidelines
for sexual health, sexual health education in Yukon, access to contraception, abortion
services in Yukon, violence against women in Yukon, sex positive education, healthy
relationship training, and violence prevention are some o f the themes discussed. In this
chapter I also include the limitations of the study, and implications for future research and
practice.
Reflections on the Research Process
I was interested in hearing women’s stories of access to sexual health education and
services in the North, which was best suited to a qualitative research design with a narrative
approach. There are high levels of sexual assault and violence against women in the North,
and the statistical numbers reflect this, but we do not hear the stories behind the numbers.
Using narrative inquiry ensured that I entered each interview with an open mind, and allowed
the participants to decide which direction their story should go.
The most meaningful piece for me as a researcher was the interview process, restorying
and analysis. I felt honoured to hear the stories of the participants. They let me into their lives
and allowed me to hear very personal stories about their lived experiences. I felt privileged
that the participants allowed me to restory their words and create something new. The
process took much longer than I anticipated. I found myself listening to the digital audio
recordings over and over again, and reviewing my journals for tone to ensure that I was

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capturing the correct meaning of what was being said. Once the interviews were transcribed,
I spent hours re-reading the transcriptions ensuring that nothing was lost in the restorying
process.
At times I struggled with trusting my ability to capture the participants’ true voice,
experiences and meaning. At first I was concerned that I might lose something valuable in
the process, however the knowledge that is shared in the co-construction process negated my
pervious concerns and my confidence was restored. I am reminded through the participants’
voices that there is so much more work that needs to be done in the area o f access to sexual
health education and services in the North. Too often, the voices of women, especially
young, marginalized women are silenced and as a result their struggles go unnoticed by the
general public and decision makers. It is my hope that we can continue to allow these voices
to be heard, and in turn, demand change.
Analysis Discussion
The following provides a discussion o f the research findings and relevance to some o f the
existing literature as it relates to the principle research question: What are women’s stories of
sexual health education and services and how have these stories affected their sexual health
and overall well-being? Personal answers to the secondary research questions were also
provided: How do women describe culturally safe, non-judgmental and non-discriminatory
health education and services? What would women want to see implemented in current
sexual health education and services to improve overall well-being and quality of life?
Cultural Safety. The focus of cultural safety is on transforming attitudes within
mainstream institutions, specifically as it relates to health. This can be done in part by
recognizing and honouring the histories of Aboriginal people, specifically the legacy of

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colonization and residential school (Brown & Fiske, 2001). All participants voiced the
importance of having a space that was inclusive to all, meaning that people should not be
deterred from accessing sexual health education and services because of their race, sexual
orientation, gender, age, status, etc. Some participants felt more marginalized than others;
however there was great concern amongst all participants for anyone who might feel
excluded from education and health care.
All participants expressed views on inaccessibility when it comes to both the education
and health services available to them in the community. Many felt that services were
inaccessible in part due to their gender and age. All participants agreed that women who were
from more rural, remote areas, women who were poor, and women o f sexual minority and
race would face greater challenges. Many participants worked directly with women who face
incredible barriers due to gender, age, race, sexual orientation and status. “These inequalities
in health.. .cannot be glossed as lifestyle, behaviour or cultural issues; rather they are
manifestations of the complex interplay of social, political, and economic determinants that
influence health status and access to health services” (Brown & Fiske, 2001, p. 128).
Participants who self-identified as First Nations or other minority members did not explicitly
express facing additional barriers to education and care based on race, but did speak to the
barriers women in their family and or community face.
Social Determinates of Health. The social determinates of health suggest that gender,
race, disability, social network, social exclusion, the health and social services and education
received, food security, housing, etc. effect an individual’s overall health and well-being
(Mikkonen & Raphael, 2010). There is a general assumption amongst Canadians that we
have control over the conditions in which we live, however these conditions are generally

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imposed on us “by the communities, housing situations, work settings, health and social
service agencies, and educational institutions with which we interact” (Mikkonen & Raphael,
2010, p. 2). When there are imbedded inequalities within the social services and education
systems provided to a region the overall quality of health of the people who are accessing
those services are negatively affected. Often people are using services within public
institutions to improve health, not to contribute to negative health outcomes.
We suggest that accumulated disadvantage from past colonization and contemporary
processes of ongoing colonization have a direct effect on Aboriginal women’s access to
social determinants of health and impede their ability to develop a healthy sense of
identity that can contribute to personal well-being. (Bourassa, McKay-McNabb &
Hampton, 2005 p. 24)
Participants went to health professionals to encourage positive sexual health outcomes, but
all participants encountered many barriers to care. Likewise, participants attended school
with the expectation that sexual health education would contribute to their knowledge and
improve overall well-being and sexual health, but in most cases participants did not feel like
they learned enough to contribute positively to their sexual health. Most information learned
was done through their own research, peers and family. All participants expressed concern
for those that did not have access to a circle of supports as they had in their personal lives.
Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equality. All participants felt disempowered as
young women in their community and many linked this disempowerment to their inability to
access sexual health education and services, especially in their youth. Many participants
identified their feelings of disempowerment when they left Yukon to attend University.
Vivian remembers feeling very empowered by her new friends at University who knew so

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much about their sexual health rights and where to access services. It was there that she
began to realize the limited sexual health education and services available in her hometown.
When she had completed school she had a newfound desire to see change in Yukon.
The literature suggests that empowerment can be accomplished in part by improving
sexual and reproductive health. Women’s sexual and reproductive health can be improved by
increasing access to sexual health education and services, improving access to health
information and care, limiting discriminatory practices as it pertains to women and sexual
health, promoting culturally safe environments for minority populations, implementing legal
and policy changes to promote sexual health education and access and encouraging zero
tolerance of violence against women (Black, et al., 2011). These suggestions are aligned
with the education and service improvement suggestions made by participants.
Participants expressed their desire to see changes made within the sexual health services
offered within their community, recommending that services should decrease barriers faced
by women, especially for those who face increased barriers such as young women,
Aboriginal women, women of other minorities, and women who are facing economic
challenges. Their hopes, desires and suggestions for change complement the literature, which
proposes that women’s empowerment and reproductive rights can be effectively
implemented into the work of health professionals to improve sexual health services. This
can be accomplished by insisting health professionals become familiar with underlying
social, economic and cultural factors that have caused poor sexual health outcomes; ensure
all women have equal access to services, which treat everyone with respect, despite their
cultural background, religion, age, disability, and socioeconomic status. Health professionals
contribute positively to culturally sensitive and safe environments by providing community

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based sexual health education for those who are no longer in the formal school system and by
providing appropriate referrals for situations of violence against women. (Black, et al., 2011).
The Right to Health and Sexual Health. Based on the definitions that were previously
given to define health, sexual health and sexual rights, Yukon women struggle to have these
rights upheld. As previously mentioned, the right to health states, individuals should have
access to basic health, preventative care, treatment, and access to medication (Black, et al.,
2011). Likewise, sexual health can only be maintained when the sexual rights of the person
are respected and upheld, meaning they have equal access to sexual health education and
services and do not face discrimination or dangerous practices. Finally, sexual rights suggest
that all people have the right to a high standard o f sexual health, which includes access to
sexual health care services; access to sexual health education; consensual sexual relations;
ability to pursue a safe and pleasurable sexual life; and an ability to decide to be sexually
active or not (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2008).
Sadly, participants implied that some women are not in a position to exercise their right to
health and sexual health, specifically those who face poverty and discrimination. As a result,
their sexual rights are not upheld. Literature insinuates that, living in small communities,
racism, and cultural insensitivity create barriers for women and as a result women do not
receive the sexual health care needed. Women who are marginalized and poor often have
little say in their sexual health and well-being (Kinnon, et al., 2002).
Canadian Guidelines for Sexual Health Education. All o f the participants
independently identified and shared very similar thoughts regarding service delivery.
Participants want to see sexual health education that is inclusive, culturally safe, nonjudgmental and non-discriminatory. The Canadian Guidelines for Sexual Health Education

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(2008) recommends that sexual health education should provide effective, diverse,
accessible, non-judgmental, and non-discriminatory, far reaching sexual health education to
everyone to ensure that individuals have the skills and resources to be successful health
advocates (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2008). It goes on to recommend that sexual
health education be delivered in a safe environment, and should be non-judgmental and nondiscriminatory. Since formal education systems such as public schools are the only institution
that has mandatory contact with youth they should be providing accessible sexual health
education to their students (Public Health Agency o f Canada, 2008).
Finally, the guidelines recommend that sexual health education be made available to all
citizens, as sexual health is a key component to healthy living. The goals o f sexual health
education are to help people achieve self-esteem, non-exploitive relationships, self-respect
and make informed choices. In turn, the participants identified similar solutions for
improvement.
Sexual Health Education in Yukon. The Canadian Guidelines for Sexual Health
Education (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2008) emphasizes the importance of ensuring
accessible education and services are available to persons with disabilities, youth, seniors,
sexual minorities, First Nations and individuals who live in geographically isolated areas,
however participants’ stories reveal that curriculum in the formal school system does not
reflect the above outlined guidelines. More specifically, the document highlights five
principles that characterize effective sexual health education programming. These principles
are: accessibility, comprehensiveness, effectiveness of educational approaches and methods,
training and administrative support, and finally planning, evaluation, updating and social
development (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2008).

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Many participants such as Clare, stated that sexual health education should be taught in
school and we cannot assume that students are getting this knowledge elsewhere. The
guidelines agree with this stating that since formal education systems such as public schools
are the only institution that has mandatory contact with youth they should be providing
accessible sexual health education to their students (Public Health Agency o f Canada, 2008).
Access to Contraception. Participants were challenged with accessing contraception in
their youth and into adulthood. Sam states that if high schools do not allow condoms there
are few places where youth can access free condoms, as many of the free condoms are
located in bars. Sam reveals that her main form of birth control was the emergency
contraceptive pill. She recalls her doctor telling her that it would be beneficial for her to not
use emergency contraceptives as often as she did, however he did not recommend anything
else to her. She now wishes that her doctor had initiated the conversation. Clare continues to
struggle with access to birth control options, suggesting that she is well informed and knows
what kind of birth control she would like, but is often advised against her preferred option by
health professional.
Women’s struggles to obtain contraceptives are not unique to Yukon. Women worldwide
struggle to access contraceptives however, Yukon is unique in that it has some of the highest
abortion rates in the country, which suggests that women could benefit from more accessible
birth control options. This could mean partially funded options and/or health professionals
who are willing to discuss options with clients instead of presenting one option only.
Abortion Services in Yukon. Yukon has some o f the highest abortions rates in the
country (Johnston, 2008), however it does not have an abortion clinic and it only has one
abortion doctor. Yukon has a small population, however the population is spread over a large

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land mass. Yukon has a total of 14 communities and women living in communities far from
the central hub experience many barriers to access.
As previously mentioned, the abortion process is time consuming compared to other
jurisdictions. The process takes approximately four days, including pre and post-op care
(Yukon Government, 2009). Abortions are performed in the O.R. at the hospital and the
room can only be booked on certain days. Women who struggle to make it to appointments,
particularly those from communities may have few opportunities to rebook. Sam works with
women from many o f the Yukon communities and she recalls women who wanted abortions,
but just could not access them.
Participants advocated for a sexual health clinic where women could access abortions and
reproductive health related services. Considering that Yukon has some of the highest
abortions rates in the country, a clinic seems necessary in order to meet the basic needs of
clients. Effective preventative measures such as non-judgmental, non-discriminatory sexual
health education delivered in a culturally safe environment may also be an effective way of
reducing high abortion rates in Yukon.
Violence Against W omen in Yukon. Women on the Yankton Sioux Reservation in
South Dakota created a reproductive rights platform. Under the platform they consider
domestic abuse and sexual assault as a reproductive rights issue (Smith, 2005). Similarly,
participants voiced a real concern for the high levels of violence in their community,
requesting that violence prevention be a part of sexual health education. All participants
share similar views to Morgan who suggested that healthy relationships training and consent
workshops might help to reduce negative gender stereotypes and decrease violence against
women. Participants concerns about violence in their community are aligned with the Yukon

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Health Status Report (Yukon Government, 2009), which states that sexualized assault and
male-violence against women is 2-3 times higher in Yukon than any of the provinces (p. 23).
Anonymity. A common concern amongst participants was their right to privacy when
accessing sexual health services in a small town. My preliminary research findings suggested
that privacy and anonymity would be a concern for women in Yukon, however I did not
realize all participants would voice similar concerns and fears of having their privacy
violated as it relates to sexual health services. No one should feel deterred from seeking
health related information and services (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2008). Some
participants delayed seeking medical advice about a sexual health concern for fear of privacy
violations. This is aligned with research, which advises that clients will delay seeking
medical attention if they are worried about violations o f privacy (Black, et al., 2011). Would
their doctor tell a coworker, or family member? In Vivian’s case a school counsellor violated
her privacy by telling a coworker private information. Unfortunately, this information was
then leaked to most of the student body. In all cases, participants did not return to health
professionals, counsellors or teachers after their privacy was violated and many did not go
for fear of privacy violations.
It is impossible to control some aspects of privacy in small northern communities, as there
is a chance that someone will see clients heading to the health care clinic, or sitting in the
waiting room at the communicable disease clinic. However, improvements can be made
within the institutions and with health professionals to ensure that the utmost importance is
placed on privacy. Location of clinics and hours of operation play a role in ensuring privacy.
Clinic hours should have flexible hours of operation and diversity of services to allow clients
to have more anonymity (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2008). Most participants voiced

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their concerns about privacy at a sexual health clinic. Participants’ suggestions complimented
the Canadian Guidelines for Sexual Health suggesting that clinic hours be flexible with a
diversity of services offered within each clinic. With this approach, someone accessing an
abortion could say they were going to get information about birth control.
In addition, the Yukon Government is working on Personal Health Information
Legislation. This legislation will set rules for how personal health information is collected,
used and disclosed by health care providers in Yukon. Most jurisdictions have this legislation
in place already. This proposed legislation will benefit clients in many ways for example, the
legislation will require health care provider to have a safe, secure storage place for all
personal health data, and clients will be informed about any privacy breaches, theft, loss, or
unauthorized access o f health information (Yukon Government, 2012).
Sex Positive Education. A sex-positive approach to sexual health education moves
beyond the highly gendered depiction of sexuality, where women are seen as ‘promiscuous’
if they enjoy talking about and having sex. This approach moves past the mechanics of how
to put on a condom. It does focus on preventative methods of care such as using barriers
(condoms and dental dams, etc.) and birth control, but it also speaks to pleasure. Pleasure is
often something that is left out o f sexual health education and students are left with questions
about how to have pleasurable sex, how to masturbate, how to arouse partners, etc. (Singh,
2009). Many participants wanted sexual health education to be fun, where sexual pleasure
was discussed.
Projects such as the Sexual Health, Education & Pleasure Project (SHEPP) are committed
to equitable sex education where their goals are to provide “accessible, inclusive and
empowering sex education to youth, with a focus on youth of colour” (Singh, 2009, p.91).

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SHEPP involves youth from the onset, asking them what they want to learn about at the
beginning of each workshop. This way youth are engaged and willing to learn because they
know that they will learn about something they are questioning in their own lives. Yukon
could benefit from a sex positive outreach program similar to SHEPP as it meets youth where
they are at along with addressing gender inequalities that currently exist for women in more
traditional sexual health classes.
Healthy Relationship Training. Participants mentioned countless times the importance
of having healthy relationship training as a component of sexual health education, stating that
we cannot assume that everyone has healthy relationship examples in their everyday life. If
students do not have examples of healthy relationships in their lives how can they be
expected to know what is healthy and what is not. Healthy relationship training is a form of
violence prevention and teaching students self-care, self-love, how to identify healthy and
unhealthy relationships, how to have healthy relationships, along with offering resources and
supports for those that are not in healthy relationships (Perry, 2008).
Moving away from Hetero-normative Sexual Health Education. All participants
expressed a desire to see sexual health education that is inclusive of people with different
sexual orientations, suggesting that through sexual health education students could expand
their understanding of sexual orientation and relationships. Some participants suggested
sexual health education could begin to tackle negative gender and sexual orientation
stereotypes faced by sexual minorities. The queer community is often exploited, bullied and
misinterpreted because of false information that is portrayed about them. Sexual health
education could play a role in positively effecting and tackling negative stereotypes.

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“My own discomfort with my changing body, inability to connect socially with other boys
my age and my increasing awareness o f my own queer sexuality was only reinforced by sex
ed class” (Saravanamuthu, 2009, p. 31). All too often people who do not fit into the heteronormative sexual health formula provided do not have a safe space to voice their sexual
health concerns or ask questions, especially if the primary focus o f this education is
pregnancy and STI prevention. “I could hear the others whispering about me when the
teacher started talking about ‘intercourse’... Vijay never has to worry about getting girls
pregnant” (Saravanamuthu, 2009, p. 31). Sexual minorities such as gay men are at greater
risk of contracting HIV/AIDS and therefore it is essential that they have education and
services available to them that are non-exploitive and safe (Public Health Agency o f Canada,
2008).
Saravanamuthu (2009) goes on to identify issues he had with sex ed class in high school,
which are aligned with many of the participants concerns. First, he states that the education
was based on “colonially-derived values” that only spoke to male-female sexual
relationships. Second, hetero-normative values only reinforced the exclusion and
homophobic climate that prohibited him from seeking advice and advocating for his own
sexual health rights. If a safe space is created for people who do not fit into the mainstream
hetero-normative mold, they may not feel isolated and realize that others may also be seeking
similar kinds of support, motivating them to pursue additional information and services that
may address their needs (Public Health Agency o f Canada, 2008). Today, Saravanamuthu
(2009) is a sexual health educator who educates students about cultural and sexual diversity
along with HIV and STI prevention.

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We deconstruct colonially prescribed identities of ‘man’ and ‘women’ and look at how
words such as ‘fag’ and ‘dyke’ can have an impact on LGBT peoples...I feel a sense of
accomplishment when I see young minds take a step back to think about how both
actions and words can have a profound impact on someone’s health. (Saravanamuthu,
2009, p. 32)
When we think of promoting inclusion in large institutions such as public schools, sexual
health education is easily overlooked. Saravanamuthu (2009) gives us strong reason to
rethink this outdated practice.
Violence Prevention. Sexual health education plays a role in violence prevention and can
help to reduce negative gender stereotypes. All participants articulated a desire to incorporate
violence prevention into sexual health education, specifically as it relates to consent and
negative gender stereotypes by suggesting that women ask to get raped if they are out past a
certain time, wearing revealing clothing, flirting, etc. otherwise known as “implied consent.”
Kent (2009) is a former sexual health educator. She expresses the dangers o f not addressing
sexual assault in sexual health class, which is similar to the examples participants gave.
When teachers treat sexual assault as if it’s a taboo, dirty topic, it makes student view it
that way...the delay and secretiveness around such topics allows students to be exposed
to and believe sexist and oppressive ideals about relationships and sexual assault. (Kent,
2009, p. 39)
The Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF) delivers consent workshops to
high schools across Canada. Their most popular workshop entitled “No means No” addresses
the legal definition of consent through a hands-on review of the Ewanchuk decision, which
explains consensual relationships, gender discrimination and the impact of sexual assault on

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Canadian women. The workshop pushes the principle that no one can sexually touch another
person without clear consent and that implied consent is not enough (Women’s Legal Action
Fund, 2013).
Violence prevention must include boys and men. Workshops such as the LEAF workshop
target both males and females, recognizing the importance of also educating boys and men,
as men are generally the perpetrators of violence against women (Duffy & Cohen, 2001). The
hope is that by casting a large net and educating everyone, negative gender stereotypes and
the true definition of consent will be widely known.
Limitations of the Study
The participants in the study were women between the ages of twenty and thirty living in
the same geographical area. The participants were recruited from four women’s organizations
that provide services to women and children in Yukon. Although the stories shine a detailed
light on issues women face when accessing sexual health education and services in Yukon,
they do not reflect the experiences of all women in Yukon. I have worked as a sexual health
promotion worker, a women’s health researcher and a policy analyst and I am very aware of
some of the “hidden” issues women face daily. This study attracted women who are involved
in the women’s community and are very aware of the troubles the greater community faces.
Many o f these women have been involved in changed based initiatives in their personal and
professional lives. Their stories reflected the voices of the young women’s advocate
community. The stories of younger youth who are currently in the school system may have
been quite different. The stories of women in communities and women from different
generations would also bring to light different issues. Although this study focuses on Yukon,
variations of the issues presented in this research also happen throughout Canada, especially

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in rural, remote communities. Unfortunately, despite all of the advocacy and work
surrounding sexual health, the services available to the younger generation of women within
the public school system and in the community has not noticeably improved.
The quality of the research was dependent on my ability to recruit, and maintain a good,
transparent relationship with the participants. My ability to collect, analyze, interpret and
present data directly affected the final research findings. I conducted each interview knowing
that participants were free to guide their narrative in a way they thought was appropriate and
could divulge as much or as little information as they felt comfortable with. The research was
a collaborative process between myself and the participants. After the initial one-hour
interview each participant reviewed the research. The participants provided feedback on my
interpretation of their stories, at that point new meanings were negotiated through the co­
construction of knowledge between myself and participants.
Implications for Future Research
I was most interested in the lived experiences of the participants and as a result
demographic information was not collected. However in the telling of their stories some
women self-identified as First Nations or other minority members. All participants attended
elementary school and high school in Yukon. This was important to the research as I wanted
the study to reflect the stories of women who had experience with the education system and
the health services available to them in Yukon. Although participants from more rural and
remote communities face even greater challenges, none o f the participants in this study had
lived for long periods of time in smaller communities in Yukon. However many of the
participants had worked for women who live in smaller Yukon communities and relayed
some o f their stories o f access. Additional research needs to be carried out to hear the stories

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o f these women as I know they experience greater barriers than women in more populated
areas. I believe it would be more appropriate for First Nations’ women to carry out this
research due to the cultural sensitivity and knowledge that would be needed to successfully
and respectfully carry out this research.
It is necessary to conduct more research on sexual health education and service
improvement. What does accessible sexual health education look like in practice? Are there
other jurisdictions in Canada who have a K-12 sexual health curriculum? What changes need
to be made in the community to allow for a more trusting, reliable, and accessible delivery o f
sexual health services? These are key questions that would give services providers and policy
makers more information to improve services and better meet the needs of women in the
community.
Implications for Practice
A significant theme throughout the study was a desire to see service improvement within
the greater community by opening a sexual health clinic, which would provide accessible,
non-judgmental, non-discriminatory services in a safe environment. The Canadian
Guidelines for Sexual Health recommend that sexual health services be accessible and
diverse for the same reasons participants noted (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2008).
All participants want to see a sexual health curriculum in all grades throughout all Yukon
schools. The curriculum would be inclusive, it would include a healthy relationship
component, it would address violence against women, it would examine gender stereotypes
and it would be delivered with a sex positive lens. Service improvement might lead to lower
levels of sexual assault and violence against women in the North.

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This desire to see change is not new, especially within the women’s community. The local
women’s community is very aware of the limitations faced by many regarding access to
sexual health services and they have been advocating for a women’s health centre for some
time now. In the spring of 2012, a local women’s organization successfully hosted a
women’s pregnancy options symposium where they brought in reproductive rights specialists
who spoke with local women and health professionals about pregnancy options such as birth
control, abortions, etc. They also discussed the stereotypes and restrictive practices that take
place, which can negatively affect women’s sexual health, and provided viable options.
The women’s community also provides violence prevention workshops to local schools
during violence prevention week, advocates for healthy relationship training, and improved
access to sexual health in schools, along with hosting a girls club, which encourages
knowledge sharing and empowerment. Unfortunately, their request for adequate funding, a
women’s health centre and overall improvement to sexual health services goes largely
unheard and very few changes have been made within government institutions such as
schools and health care centers. In order to encourage large changes within health and
education we need to have funding allocated to large public institutions such as schools,
health centers and hospitals and a commitment to make positive changes to programming and
service improvement through effective collaboration at the community, territorial, and
federal levels (Public Agency o f Canada, 2008).
I do want to acknowledge the commitment, strength and desire to see change within
grassroots, and NGO based organizations. The accomplishments they have made should not
be overlooked or undervalued. In addition, I would also like to acknowledge teachers and
health professionals who are doing their part to effect change despite the systemic flaws

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present within the institutions in which they work. I believe this research reflects some of
their views. I can only hope that these issues will continue to be raised, and in time changes
will be seen.
Summary
Throughout the research process I was struck by the strength and resilience of the
participants. All the participants have experienced incredible barriers to access, yet have
continued to advocate for change within their lives and their communities. The participants
were the first to recognize all the work that has yet to be done, showing no signs o f backing
down from the struggle to see and witness change. I was encouraged by their strength and
perseverance.
My goal as a researcher was to uncover womens’ experiences of sexual health education
in Yukon through a narrative research study with the hope of providing awareness to sexual
health educators and health professionals in Yukon concerning accessibility o f sexual health
for women. The research questions were illuminated through the interview, retorying and
analysis process. Participants were concerned about accessibility of sexual health services
within the greater community, suggesting that a sexual health clinic that provides abortions
services along with sexual health education, contraceptive care, STI testing and counselling
would help fill current gaps.
Participants spoke to the importance o f creating a non-discriminatory, non-judgmental,
culturally safe space in the classroom and within the greater community for persons
accessing sexual health education and services. The finding from this study on the lack of
safety in sexual health services was surprising and very informative. Many participants did
not feel safe within the classroom or when accessing sexual health services in the community

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as they feared their privacy was at stake. Participants had little trust in health professionals,
counsellors or teachers and had few places to seek sexual health related guidance and care.
For some it was the fear of running into to a peer, relative or acquaintance in the waiting
room of the communicable disease clinic; seeing your family doctor at a family gathering, or
having a counsellor breach confidentiality. Participants were concerned for those that did not
have personal supports in their lives and want to see improved accessibility to services for
future generations. Participants stressed the importance of ensuring that everyone has equal
access to sexual health education and care. The current system operates with the assumption
that people have personal supports, knowledge and advocates in place to navigate available
sexual health services, but the participants suggested that this is a dangerous assumption.
It is clear from the stories of the participants that there is much work to be done. I will
continue to discuss alterations to the current sexual health curriculum with the help o f the
information I have learned from the participants. These open discussions may facilitate the
changes that need to be made to allow for accessible sexual health education for all women in
Yukon.

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Appendix A: Sample Interview Questions
Women’s Accessibility to Sexual Health Education and Services in Yukon

• Please tell me your story of access to sexual health education in Yukon.
• Did you, or do you experience barriers in accessing meaningful sexual health
education/services in this community?
•

If yes, what are the barriers to care? Have these barriers affected your quality o f life?

• If yes, how?
• If no, how did you overcome the barriers to care?
•

Do you think that sexual health education/ services can be improved?

• If yes, what would those changes look like?
• If no, why not?
• If you had the power to effect positive change in the way sexual health education and
services are delivered for the next generation of women, what would these positive
changes be?

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Appendix B: Research Participant Information Letter

You are invited to participate in a study entitled Women's Accessibility to Sexual Health
Education and Services in Yukon. The research is being carried out by Linnea Rudachyk
under the direction of Dr. Linda O ’Neill through the University of Northern British Columbia
(UNBC).
Why is this research being done?
The reason for this research project is to better understand northern women’s experience of
accessing meaningful sexual health education in Yukon. I am interested in learning about the
barriers to sexual healthcare women may have experienced throughout their lives. How have
these barriers affected their lives? What improvements could be made to improve women’s
experience and therefore improve access to sexual health education?
Why was I chosen?
You are being asked to participate in this study because:
• You are 19 year of age or older
• You attended school in Yukon
• You have experienced barriers to sexual health education and services
• You have a desire to see positive change to the current sexual health curriculum
and services available in your community
• You are willing to participate in the research process
What is involved?
If you agree to voluntarily take part in the study, you will be asked to:
•

•

Take part in a private one-on-one interview that will last about an hour. You
will be asked to share your experiences with barriers to sexual health education
and services throughout your lifetime, and how these barriers have affected
your life. Finally, you will be asked to provide ideas on changes that could be
made to effect positive change for women in terms of sexual health education.
The interviews will be audio digitally recorded so the researcher can later
analyze the material. You may turn off the digital recorder at any time. The
interview can be terminated at your request and all data will be destroyed at
your request.
After the interviews have been analyzed, you will be asked to help check the
results. This will involve a short interview lasting about 30 minutes. You will

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be able to add any information and let the researcher know if the results are
accurate.
What are the benefits and risks involved in taking part in the study?
One potential benefit of participating in this research is you may feel rewarded by discussing
your experiences of sexual health education. You may feel satisfied in knowing that you are
contributing to research and providing knowledge to the community. A potential risk is that it
may be uncomfortable talking about your experiences o f access to sexual health education
and services. You will be provided with a list of community resources which you can access
to get additional support if you would like it.
You can refuse to answer any questions and you may stop the interviews at any time. Your
participation is completely voluntary. If you choose to withdraw from the study during the
interview, the tape recordings and any information you provide will be destroyed.
How will my identity be protected? (Anonymity)
Your interview will be transcribed (typed word by word) by the researcher. Transcripts will
be identified by a code number and pseudonym not your name. Any information that might
identify you will be removed from the final research document.
How will my information be kept private? (Confidentiality)
Everything you discuss during the interviews as well as the forms you fill out will be kept
confidential. This means that your information will not be shared with others. Only my
supervisor and myself will have access to the information. Your information and tapes will
be stored in a locked filling cabinet for two years and the will be destroyed.
How will I be compensated?
As a way to show my appreciation for your time and effort, you will be given a $40 gift
certificate. You will not be penalized if you decide to withdraw from the study and will still
receive the gift certificate. If you agree to meet for a second interview to check the results
you will receive an additional $20 gift certificate to thank you for your time.
What will be done with the results?
The completed research will be presented at my thesis defense at UNBC. It is anticipated that
the results will be presented at conferences, to community organizations, and published in
professional journals or reports.
You can obtain a copy o f the research results by contacting the researcher, Linnea Rudachyk
at (867) 335-4364 (cell) or Rudachvk@unbc.ca. or Dr. Linda O ’Neill at loneill@,unbc.ca.

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How will the information be destroyed?
Data from the study will be destroyed two years after publication. Hardcopies will be
shredded and electronic data will be erased from the hard drive.
Who should I contact if I have more questions?
Please feel free to contact the researcher, Linnea Rudachyk at (867) 335-4364 (cell) or
Rudachyk@unbc.ca if you have any questions. Any concerns about the project should be
directed to the Office of Research at the University o f Northern British Columbia (250) 9606735 or by email: reb@unbc.ca.

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Appendix C: Research Participant Consent Form

Yes
Do you understand that you have been asked to be in a research study?
Have you read and received a copy of the participant information letter?
Do you understand that you are free to refuse to participate or withdraw
from the research study at any time?
Do you understand the benefits and risks of participating in this research
study?
Do you understand that the interview will be audio recorded?
Do you understand that some o f the actual words may be published in
written form?
Has the issue of confidentiality been explained to you?
Do you know what community resources are available for additional
support?
Do you understand who will have access to the information you provide?
Have you had an opportunity to ask questions about the study?

This study was explained to me by: _____

Printed name of Research Participant:___

I agree to participate in this research study:

Signature o f Research Participant

Date

No

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Appendix D: Information Letter
To Whom It May Concern,
My name is Linnea Rudachyk and I am currently attending the University o f Northern British
Columbia (UNBC) in the Masters of Education in Multidisciplinary Leadership program. I
am planning to carry out thesis research under the direct supervision of Dr. Linda O ’Neill. I
am interested in exploring northern women’s accessibility to sexual health education in
Yukon. In particular, I hope to learn about some of the barriers women have experienced and
how these barriers have affected their lives. I would also like to hear about changes that
could be made to effect positive change for women in Yukon.
I originally became interested in conducting research in this area based on my personal
experiences of working as a sexual health promotion worker in Yukon. It was when I began
working in this field that I began to realize the barriers that exist for women, specifically
surrounding accessibility to culturally appropriate delivery of services. It became apparent
that many northern women were at a disadvantage. We see this reflected in our quantitative
analysis found on Statistics Canada, but we rarely hear the individual stories o f those who
have been affected.
I plan to interview women who are 19 years of age or older, who have experienced barriers to
sexual health education in Yukon. The interviews will last about an hour and will be audio
digitally recorded so the material can later be analyzed by me. To protect the anonymity of
the participant’s names and identifying characteristics will be removed from the data.
Additionally, all their information will be stored in a locked filing cabinet in my office. Only
myself and my supervisor will have access to their information. Participants can terminate
the interview at any time and any data collected will be destroyed.
I hope to work closely with community agencies that provide services to women in Yukon. I
am asking for your help in suggesting appropriate ways to recruit women. I am wondering if
I might be able to post recruitment posters in your agency and interview the women at a
space within your agency?
I look forward to the opportunity to speak with you regarding my research. Thank you for
your consideration of this matter. I can be reached via email or telephone for further
discussion or the possible arrangement o f a meeting.
Sincerely,
Linnea Rudachyk
BA, Med (Candidate)
(867) 335-4364 (cell)
Rudachyk@unbc.ca

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Appendix E: Agency Consent Form
Women’s Accessibility to Sexual Health Education and Services in Yukon

Form to be filled out by a representative of the agency.
Yes
Have you read and received a copy of the community agency letter
outlining the research study?
Have you agreed to allow the researcher to display information posters at
your agency?
Have you agreed to help the researcher determine appropriate ways to
recruit participants?
Have you agreed to allow the researcher to conduct interviews at a space
within your agency?

This study was explained to me b y :_______________

Printed Name of Agency/Organization:____________

Printed Name of Professional (agency representative):

Signature of Professional

Date

No

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Appendix F: Request for Research Participants

Women’s Stories:
Accessibility to Sexual Health Education and Services in
Yukon
•
•
•
•

Are you 19 year o f age or older?
Are you a woman?
Have you attended school in Yukon?
Have you experienced barriers to sexual health education
and services in Yukon?
• Do you have a desire to see positive change to the current
sexual health curriculum and services available in your
community?

If you would like to volunteer to share your experiences of
barriers to sexual health education in Yukon, I would like to
hear from you.
Your participation would include:
• A private audio-taped interview
• One check-in
• Compensation for your time and effort

For Further information please contact:
Linnea Rudachyk at (867) 335-4364 (cell) or
Rudachyk@unbc.ca

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Appendix G: Community Resources List

Counselling and Support Services:
Many Rivers Counselling and Support:
Whitehorse- (867) 667-2970
Haines Junction- (867) 634-2111
Dawson City- (867) 993-6455
Watson Lake- (867) 536-2330
Women’s Centres and Women’s Organizations:
Victoria Faulkner Women’s Centre- (867) 667-2693
Les EssentiElles- (867) 668-2636
Whitehorse Aboriginal Women’s Circle- (867) 668-7532
Elizabeth Frye Society of Yukon- (867) 334-2419
Yukon Status of Women Council- (867) 667-4637
Yukon Aboriginal Women's Council- (867) 667-6162
Liard Aboriginal Women’s Society- (867) 536-2097
PSAC Whitehorse and Dawson City Regional Women’s Committees (RWC)- (867) 6672331
Shelters and Crisis line:
Kaushee's Place / Yukon Women's Transition Home- (867) 633-7720
Crisis Line- (867) 668-5733 (collect calls accepted from outside Whitehorse)
Dawson City Women's Shelter- (867) 993-5086
Help and Hope For Families: Watson Lake Transition Home/Women's Shelter- (867) 5367233 24 hours