If these words ring true, it will be of little comfort to realise that they were first published back in 1978. Jane Cousins' book Make it Happy was a straight-talking piece of literature that aimed to educate teenagers, their parents and teachers about sex and sexuality. Pioneering at the time, it was written in consultation with young people using everyday language. It also caused a huge furore when it was published because of its non-judgmental description of sexual practices such as voyeurism and bestiality.
Subjects typical of a modern sexual relationship education book such as contraception and puberty are covered. Difficult topics such as prejudice and discrimination are tackled fearlessly and Cousins takes care to discuss these issues with great sensitivity. Although a few of her clinical references are dated, her intention was to show that honesty works best in sex education and this clearly comes across in her approach.
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