Contact Information
Email: notetoethanh@gmail.com
Executive Summary
I am a dedicated researcher and practitioner working at the intersection of technology, sexuality, and education. My academic foundations include a B.A. in Psychology and Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies from Colgate University, followed by my current graduate studies at Columbia University's School for Social Work. My work explores the evolution of health and sex education, the impact of digital media on mental health, and the ethical implications of sexuality-centered technologies.
I focus on the historical and contemporary challenges in health and sex education, the impact of digital media on mental health, and the ethical considerations surrounding emerging sexual technologies. In examining everything from abstinence-only shortcomings to comprehensive sex education (CSE), I also explore how adult media often fills gaps in formal curricula. Drawing on feminist and ethical frameworks for pornography, I investigate how AI-driven resources, sex tech, and digital platforms influence sexual health, relationships, and education.
Professionally, I actively collaborate with adult film companies, sexual violence prevention organizations, and platforms committed to ethical adult content, integrating established scholarly concepts. I serve as a co-leader in the Sex Positivity Caucus at Columbia University (slated for a name change to the Human Sexuality and Sex Education Caucus), aiming to reduce stigma around health and sex education while promoting social justice. My long-term vision embraces the continuous evolution of health and sex education in the face of fast-paced technological progress. I seek opportunities to oversee program evaluations, develop inclusive educational models, publish my findings, and engage in dialogues that challenge stigma and highlight accountability within health, technology, and education sectors.
Research and Literature that Orients My Work
The Impact of Technology on Mental Health
In Dr. Jonathan Haidt's most recent book, The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness (2024), social psychologist Haidt takes on the alarming rise in mental health issues among younger generations that center around smartphones, social media, changing parenting styles, and the invention of the internet. One of the impacting variables generated from these spaces is adult content and pornography. Haidt notes that children have retreated to "virtual worlds" for video games, social media, and pornography that distort perceptions of sex, relationships, and potentially harm real-life abilities to form healthy relationships. His notion that pornography and sexual content are accessible and generate harm is not new, but how we got here is deeply rooted and nuanced in the history of sexual and health literacy.
The History and Evolution of Sex Education
Abstinence-only policies historically aim to curb unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections but seldom acknowledge widespread demands for better curricula. Parents, adolescents, and education professionals have long voiced concerns about insufficient preparation, discomfort, and bias among instructors (Malfetti & Rubin, 1968). Comprehensive sex education (CSE) emerges as a solution that values inclusivity, covering biology, gender, sexual orientation, pleasure, contraception, and social norms. Even so, delivering CSE in its entirety often falters due to persistent obstacles within educational systems, resulting in many students never experiencing a thoroughly developed curriculum (Pardini, 1998).
Expanding on History: Considering Pornography and Adult Film as Sex Educators
Given that school-based sex education regularly falls short, adult content remains an obvious point of reference for many who seek information. Mainstream pornography is easily found online, making it a controversial educational outlet by default. Alice Echols (1983) raises alarms about adult film's potential to encourage harmful actions toward bodies, while theorists like Jack Halberstam (2011) propose language that makes room for "ethical feminist porn" to shift the narrative through promoting accountability and realistic portrayals of desire. This alternative framework echoes Orenstein (2016), who highlights the significance of dismantling rigid compulsory sexuality norms and the "male gaze." Feminist approaches to pornography strive to depict a broad spectrum of gender identities, relational models, and authentic emotional expression (Smith, 2015).
The Role of Capital and Technology in Pushing Dubious Mediums for Sex Education
Exploring how adult content shapes individuals underscores varying effects, ranging from empowering experiences to negative outcomes. The commodification of sexuality ties into this conversation as well. According to a brief online check, feminist tech (e.g., period-tracking apps) was valued at $40 billion in 2024, while sexual tech ventures (toys, online adult platforms, etc.) were collectively worth $28.6 billion (Berg, 2021). These industries create products to enhance sexual experiences, effectively positioning themselves as educators—intentionally or otherwise. Though they may offer benefits, they can also perpetuate inaccurate or exploitative information under market-driven pressures.
My Experience in These Industries Thus Far
My academic and professional paths are woven together through a dedication to sexuality, education, and technology. At Colgate University, I pursued a dual focus in Psychology and Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, examining everything from porn studies and developmental psychology to digital intimacy. My undergraduate research scrutinized the issues underlying abstinence-only programs and culminated in an exploration of CSE that factored in adult media as one potential learning resource.
In my professional life, I founded Acquaint Education, a consultation hub specializing in health and sex education technologies. With this initiative, I have worked alongside adult film producers, podcasts, and prevention centers that address sexual violence. While part of Red Cheeks Academy, I immersed myself in the ethics and psychological aspects of adult film production, prioritizing discussions about boundaries, consent, and interpersonal coordination. My collaborative efforts with xoafterglow centered on evaluating the educational possibilities within ethically-minded adult media, drawing insights from Halberstam and Orenstein's perspectives.
Where I Can Bring Companies, Organizations, and People with My Work
To re-orient, Haidt (2024) argues that adult content like pornography is something children are exposed to on a regular basis through whatever their phones or the internet can access. While it can result in general exposure to maladaptive content, there are possibilities of impacts on relationships and overall large mental health correlations that correspond with feelings of isolation and depression. If adult media content such as pornography is just one form of sexual technology, my experiences in academic and educational contexts pertaining to sexual health and relationships propel me to investigate the changing technological modalities involved with pushing the landscape for sex and health education services and resources.
Closing: What Can We Do Together?
It is my underlying purpose to find ways to help those in need navigate spaces that are uncomfortable, stigmatized, or largely harmful because of the lack of regulation or care in the production of related information to health and sex education. If this memorandum sparks interest or presents possibilities for collaboration, please reach out so we can discuss how to move forward. Above all else, I remain committed to ethical and equitable approaches that encourage accountability and forward momentum in the fields of health and sex education, sexual technologies, and mental health. Working collectively, we can harness technological innovations and well-considered frameworks to enhance well-being for all.