MACHISMO AND SEXUALITY EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS: A PROPOSAL FOR ADDRESSING THE ISSUE

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze the perceptions, knowledge, and conceptions regarding sexuality, gender, and contraception held by undergraduate students in the Natural Sciences and Biology teacher training program at the Instituto Federal Fluminense (IFFluminense), Campos Centro campus. The goal was to develop and validate a critical and inclusive Didactic Sequence (DS) for basic education. This applied research employed a qualitative approach and an exploratory-descriptive design, grounded in Paulo Freire’s dialogic education and the Problematization Methodology based on the Maguerez Arc. Participants were students in the eighth semester of the program; data were collected via semi-structured diagnostic questionnaires and analyzed using Laurence Bardin’s content analysis method. The results revealed three main categories: sociocultural barriers and the silencing of the topic within the school environment; gaps in student training and learning; and the potential of pedagogical strategies to foster critical, dialogic, and co-responsible teacher training. Based on these findings, a 5-to-6-lesson DS was developed for the final years of elementary/middle school (Ensino Fundamental). Structured according to the Maguerez Arc, the sequence focuses on deconstructing prejudices, promoting youth agency, fostering male co-responsibility in reproductive planning, and facilitating emancipatory teacher training.