While the word "consent" was framed differently in 1991 than it is today, the curriculum explicitly taught girls their right to say "no" and retain bodily autonomy.
is a 1991 Belgian educational documentary—originally titled Sexuele Voorlichting —directed by Ronald Deronge and written by André Singelijn. Produced by Studio Landstar Films, the 28-minute production was designed to guide adolescents through the biological and emotional transformations of puberty.
The 1991 "Sexuele Voorlichting" initiative was not merely about the mechanics of reproduction. Instead, it was designed to address the comprehensive needs of adolescents navigating the transition from childhood.
In many parts of Europe and the United States in the early 1990s, sex education was still a contentious topic, often limited to abstinence-only programs or avoided altogether. In contrast, Puberty: Sexual Education for Boys and Girls was seen as a "perfect summary" of key sexual health information. As one review notes, it was intended to take "an often difficult subject for parents to discuss with their children, and bring it out into the open in a fair and unbiased presentation". While the word "consent" was framed differently in
One of the hallmarks of 1990s Belgian pedagogy was the push for "shared knowledge." Rather than segregating boys and girls for every lesson, many programs encouraged both genders to understand the physiological changes of the other.
Education focused on navigating mood swings, newfound intensity in feelings, and emotional maturity.
: It includes controversial scenes, such as unsimulated adult sex to demonstrate reproduction and depictions of adolescent masturbation and exploration. The 1991 "Sexuele Voorlichting" initiative was not merely
But perhaps the most thoughtful touch was the decision to use young voice actors for the narration. As one contemporary reviewer notes, “the narration choices they made, picking young people from each of the two sexes to elaborate on what you see and not one sterile grown-up narrator for all of it” was a key to its success. This choice distanced the film from the authoritative, lecture-style documentaries of earlier generations. Instead, it felt like an older brother or sister demystifying taboo subjects, not an adult lecturing from a position of moral authority.
“ Puberty: Sexual Education for Boys and Girls ” is more than just a controversial relic or a strange piece of 90s ephemera. It is a genuine attempt to solve a timeless problem—how to prepare young people for the emotional and physical transformation of puberty—using the tools of a specific moment in history. It was produced by amateurs, acted by amateurs, and distributed on a forgotten analog format. Yet it succeeded in its mission. It provided Belgian youth with clear, judgment-free information at a time when such openness was still rare.
Because the film was a niche, localized educational release by Studio Landstar Films, it is not widely available on modern mainstream streaming networks. Metadata, reviews, and historical records of the film are maintained primarily on tracking databases such as IMDb and MUBI . In contrast, Puberty: Sexual Education for Boys and
Teenagers need to learn how to set their own boundaries and respect the boundaries of others. This includes saying "no" and accepting "no" without guilt.
: The video discusses "playing doctor," falling in love, and masturbation. It concludes with a demonstration of reproductive intercourse performed by an adult couple.