Episode 20. Evidence-Based Sex Ed (ft. Dr. Candice Hargons, Gabrielle Evans, and Dr. Shemeka Thorpe)

**Originally Recorded Summer 2021**

It is argued that the most effective sex education is rooted in evidence collected from the habits and behaviors of the populations for which that education is created. What happens, however, when that evidence does not reflect the community's lived experience--and does that even matter? For this episode, Dr. G. speaks with sexuality researchers Drs. Candice Hargons and Shemeka Thorpe, and future Dr. Gabrielle Evans about their work in advancing both credible research speaking to the real-time life-affirming experiences of Black & Indigenous American populations, and high-quality evidence-based education for those same groups. The resulting conversation is food for thought for all educators in the profession--definitely not one to miss!

NOTE: While this original conversation was recorded some time ago, the content in it is still quite timely and relevant for the present day.

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Guest Bios:

Dr. Candice Hargons is an award winning associate professor of counseling psychology at the University of Kentucky, where she studies sexual wellness and healing racial trauma, all with a love ethic. She is a licensed psychologist, providing individual and couples sex therapy. She is also the founding director of the Center for Healing Racial Trauma.

Website: https://www.drcandicenicole.com/

IG: @Dr.CandiceNicole

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Gabrielle S. Evans, MPH, CHES (she/her) is a sexuality educator and researcher and co-founder
of The Minority Sex Report, LLC, an award winning platform, whose mission is to provide
representation in sexuality education. The Minority Sex Report, LLC also addresses barriers to
achieving optimal sexual health for communities of color as well as intersectional inequalities faced by Black and Native communities. Gabrielle has taught comprehensive sexuality education for over five years, facilitating programs for faith-based organizations, providers, and Native American adolescents. Gabrielle is also a doctoral student at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston pursuing her Ph.D. in Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences. Her research focuses on reducing sexual health disparities among Native American populations and analyzing the impact of historical and present traumas on Native sexual health. As a sexuality educator and researcher, Gabrielle hopes to expand research on Native sexual well-being.

Shemeka Thorpe, PhD (she/her) is an Assistant Professor at the University of Kentucky. She obtained her PhD in Community Health Education from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Her research focuses on the sexual well-being of Black women utilizing sex-positive and intimate justice frameworks. Understanding the importance of translating research into practice, Dr. Thorpe co-founded the Minority Sex Report, LLC an award-winning platform designed to provide representation in sexuality education to Black and Native American women. She currently serves on the editorial board for the American Journal of Sexuality Education and Journal of Counseling Sexology and Sexual Wellness. Her research has been published in national and international peer-reviewed journals.

Website: https://www.theminoritysexreport.com/

IG: @TheMinoritySexReport