A Washington school board director who owns a sex shop is hosting a sex education event for children aged 9 to 12. The 'Uncringe Academy' covers topics like gender identity, puberty, and consent, with parents welcome to attend. The director stated the program is voluntary and designed to be developmentally appropriate.
The involvement of an elected school board official in hosting a sex education event with content from a sex shop raises questions about curriculum appropriateness and the intersection of personal business interests with public education responsibilities.
Jenn Mason, who owns the sex shop WinkWink Boutique and serves as a director on the Bellingham Public Schools board, is organizing an event called 'Uncringe Academy' for children aged 9 to 12. The event, scheduled for June 24, aims to provide sex education covering topics such as gender and sexual identities, puberty, periods, various ways to have a baby, and definitions of sex and sexuality. The event description emphasizes an 'accepting, informing, and affirming framework' to help young people feel comfortable discussing these subjects and advocate for their own bodies and well-being. Mason, elected to the school board in November 2017 and re-elected in 2021, stated that the 'Uncringe Academy' is a voluntary program created in response to parental requests. She clarified that the lessons are adjusted to be developmentally appropriate for each age group, and parents are welcome to attend. WinkWink Boutique, which Mason owns, sells items including sex toys and books.
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