On February 6, 2025, the Love Act Project culminated in a groundbreaking event, The Gender Talk: Symposium on Advancing Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) and Gender-Based Violence Prevention in Europe took place in Brussels, bringing together 72 participants, including policymakers, educators, and activists. Hosted at the prestigious Royal Library of Belgium, the event provided a platform to discuss the role of CSE in preventing gender-based violence (GBV) and fostering inclusive education across Europe.
Setting the tone: A vision for inclusive education
The symposium opened with a powerful speech by Ashlee Alexandra Burnett-Beatrice, Global Lead for CSE at the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF). A Queer Caribbean educator, and researcher, Ashlee emphasised the urgent need for inclusive, rights-based, and gender-transformative approaches to sexuality education. Drawing from her extensive experience, she highlighted the importance of addressing the diverse needs of marginalised and vulnerable communities, particularly through youth-centered and intergenerational partnerships. Her speech set the stage for a day of meaningful dialogue and action, inspiring attendees to prioritise equity and inclusion in CSE initiatives.
Country-specific insights: Lessons from the Love Act project
Following the opening address, partners from Italy, France, Lithuania, Belgium, Spain, Greece, and Cyprus shared insights into the state of CSE in their countries and their experiences implementing Love Act initiatives locally. These presentations highlighted the diverse and often complex realities of advancing CSE across Europe, showcasing both successes and challenges.
The discussions revealed a patchwork of contexts, with successes like innovative teaching methods and community engagement strategies, but also challenges such as cultural resistance and government hostility. These obstacles highlighted the need for tailored, context-specific approaches to CSE.
This country review was followed by a session led by Idoia Legorburu and Nahia Idoiaga, University of the Basque Country, who shared Love Act’s research findings on the role of education in preventing GBV. Their work highlighted the transformative impact of CSE in empowering young people with the knowledge and awareness needed to challenge harmful norms and behaviours.
Explore the full research findings HERE.
The role of media: Shaping perceptions of sexuality and gender
A standout moment of the symposium was the expert intervention by Sergio Villanueva Baselga,Associate Professor at the University of Barcelona. In his presentation, Communicating Comprehensive Sexuality Education: Media, Gender, and Sexuality,
He began by reflecting on the phrase “Everything I don’t like is woke” which captures how critics, particularly conservative and reactionary movements dismiss progressive ideas like CSE, by labeling them as “woke”- a term that has become a floating signifier with no fixed meaning. This tactic is used to discredit initiatives promoting inclusion and equality, often without engaging in meaningful debate. This led him to pose a critical question: “Should we combat the ‘woke’ signifier with another floating signifier?” challenging us to rethink how we counter dismissive narratives while staying true to the goals of inclusion and justice.
Moreover, his research on the manosphere and anti-porn movements shed light on the digital spaces that perpetuate misogyny and GBV, emphasising the critical need for media literacy in CSE. His insights underscored the importance of leveraging media to promote positive narratives around sexual health and gender identity while combating online spaces that fuel violence and discrimination.
He left us with thought-provoking questions, now we pass them on to you:
- How can we promote pleasure-centered, sex-positive sexual health communication?
- How can we foster non-stigmatising counter-narratives in mainstream media?
- How can we measure the mid- and long-term impact of these counter-narratives?
These questions challenge us to rethink how we approach sexual health and media representation. What are your answers?
Digital rights and advocacy: Combating online GBV
Alessandro Polidoro, a digital rights advocate and attorney, delivered a compelling workshop on leveraging technology to advance CSE. Alessandro shared practical strategies for combating online GBV, including image-based sexual abuse, and highlighted the importance of digital rights protection. His session focused on empowering participants with actionable tips and examples to harness the power of media for shaping positive social attitudes toward CSE, amplifying CSE storytelling to reach diverse audiences, and driving policy change. Below are his key recommendations:
- Tip 1: If possible, hire a communication expert.
- Tip 2: Secure media coverage to amplify your message.
- Tip 3: Collaborate and join forces with like-minded organisations.
- Tip 4: Define a long-term goal to guide your efforts.
- Tip 5: Structure your story in three parts: setting, tension, and resolution.
In today’s tech-driven world, media can be both a dangerous weapon and a powerful tool for communication. What’s your take on its role in shaping societal attitudes?
See below some of the impactful newspaper publications by Stop the Data Porn, an organisation Alessandro collaborates with, which have driven visible change:
“Pornhub Is Being Accused of Illegal Data Collection – Complaints filed in the European Union claim the porn site fails to follow basic data-collection policies under GDPR.
https://www.wired.com/story/pornhub-tracking-cookies-gdpr-video-history
Crafting a European Manifesto for CSE
One of the symposium’s key outcomes was the development of a European Manifesto to advance CSE, inspired by national manifestos created in each country involved during the Love Act project. All attendees participated in an interactive workshop to draft this landmark document, which advocates for the widespread adoption of CSE across Europe.
The manifesto, finalised after the event, represents a unified call to action for policymakers, educators, and advocates to prioritise CSE as a tool for preventing GBV and fostering inclusive societies.
Read the Manifesto attached and endorse it HERE!
* Please note: By endorsing the manifesto, your name or the name of your organisation will be shared alongside other supporters of this cause.
Looking beyond Love Act: A call to action
The Love Act Project may have concluded after 2 transformative years, but the journey toward advancing CSE across Europe is just beginning. Now is the time to take action and be part of the change!
- Are you a local organisation, entity, or individual interested about promoting CSE in Palermo, Italy?
Join the Local SexEd Council, a coalition of over 30 organisations and individuals working to make CSE a reality at the grassroots level.
Read the Local Manifesto in Italy and contact us to join the Local SexEd Council. - Are you an EU-based organisation working transnationally on CSE-related topics?
Become part of the SexSense Network, a European hub fostering collaboration in research, training, advocacy, and project design. Together, we can drive innovative practices and secure EU funding to advance CSE.
Explore the SexSense Network
The fight for inclusive, rights-based sexuality education continues – Will you join us?
The Final Symposium was more than just a conclusion, it was a celebration of progress and a call to action for the future. By bringing together diverse voices and perspectives, the event highlighted the transformative potential of CSE in creating safer, more inclusive communities.
As the Love Act project comes to an end, its legacy lives on through the partnerships, research, and advocacy it has inspired. Together, we can build a future where comprehensive sexuality education is a reality for all.