[140 physician petitions to the King about sex education in schools].
In the early 1960's liberal and socialist groups laid claim to an unbiased sexual education in the public school system. Conservative groups responded with demands for a more rigid sexual education, of which a memorial signed by a number of Swedish physicians, 140 läkares hemställan till Konungen om atgärder för förstärkt karaktärsfostran m.m (140 physicians' petition to His Majesty the King for actions for a reinforced education of character, etc) drew most public attention. Against the background of an increased number of persons infected with venereal diseases, and of the many unmarried young mothers, the physicians meant that school education should make clear that sex was a part of marriage and that abstinence was the only acceptable prophylactic. Furthermore, they maintained that Christian faith should be emphasised as a rule of conduct and that the Swedish parliament should act in order to strengthen censorship regarding sex in the medias. After being published, the memorial was severely criticised mainly by the larger national newspapers. However, provincial newspapers, as well as the Christian and conservative press, defended the memorial, and eventually, the debate came to circle around the dominant position of radical press regarding moral issues. The petition came to have some importance for the founding of the political party Kristen demokratisk samling ("Christian democrats' movement"). However, partly due to the etition, a governmental inquiry into the matter of sexual education was enacted, resulting in the shaping of an education quite the opposite of what the physicians had demanded.
Sjöstrand
Ylva
Y
y.sjostrand@yahoo.se
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D012574:Schools; D012736:Sex Education / Q000266:history* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000379:methods; D013548:Sweden