Can Memes Fix Health Misinformation? The Role of Humor in Sex Ed
Memes are changing health education, let’s talk about why!
As a health educator, it’s already challenging to create content on social media because of censorship. We often have to resort to phrasing like “seggs” and “spicy” to describe our work—which many of us feel defeats what we’re actually trying to accomplish.
As of late 2024, Guttmacher Institute reports that only 26 states require health education programs be medically accurate 😳 while 42 states (+ DC) mandate that abstinence be stressed.
Most of our health education begins from a foundation of misinformation, which is why injecting humor (via memes or otherwise) can be even more challenging.
For me, this has more impact because STIs are often used as punchlines. Finding humor is truly a delicate balance that few can accomplish without further emphasizing the stigma.
I don’t consider myself a funny person, but since starting my new series “If I don’t laugh, I’ll cry,” my engagement has skyrocketed.
What does this say about our culture, and what does this mean for health education? Read more on today’s Substack.