Jess Melendez

Jess Melendez

I have been working in the sexual education field since 2011. I first started my sex ed journey working in the adult toy novelty industry. I helped empower people’s sexuality while dispelling myths society has taught us about sex and pleasure. These experiences led to my realization for the need of medically-accurate sex education in schools. 

For the past five years I have been working with youth. I gotta say, the biggest difference between youth and adults is striking - but also doesn’t surprise me. Youth ask more questions that typically stem from curiosity and myths about sex and sexuality. The “Am I Normal?” questions come from everyone, but most questions I received from adults were shame-based. This really doesn’t surprise me, since a lot of adults never received a sex education - which is not the fault of anyone but our educational system.

Working at multiple Teen Clinics in California, I’ve had the opportunity to teach comprehensive sex education in schools. I’ve created curriculums - including a porn literacy lesson that is a part of the “Be Real Be Ready” sexuality curriculum for the San Francisco Unified School District. Today I am (virtually) teaching in schools in the Southern San Diego area.

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I am extremely passionate about advocating and teaching sex education to youth. I believe that young people have a right to be curious and ask questions about sex and sexuality. Young people have access to several types of media and the mixed messaging society creates in our lives. Having a non-judgmental and safe adult in a young person’s life can help foster those intimate conversations. Through my humor, honesty, and shame-free approach, I’m able to bring my sex positive perspective into the classrooms.

- Jess