Sexual abuse, pornography, birth control — for many Muslim parents, the thought of discussing sensitive subjects such as these with their children makes them very uncomfortable.

But it shouldn’t, according to Sameera Qureshi, a Calgary-based occupational therapist. She recently held a workshop called “The Talk: How to Educate Your Children about Islamic Sexual Health” for the first time in Edmonton. The session was held in collaboration with Tarjuma, a local group that creates gatherings to facilitate the growth of community, Islamic literacy and emotional wellness.

In response to the conversations emerging from opinion pieces we have published on the new Ontario Sex Ed curriculum, Muslim Link is starting a series of interviews with several members of North America’s Muslim communities on sexual education. We’ll be exploring the challenges Muslim Canadians, especially Muslim youth, are facing in relation to sexual health education and morality.

Sobia Faisal-Ali, a PhD researcher who conducted a survey of 403 North American Muslims between the ages of 17 to 35 exploring issues of sexual health education and experiences, shares her findings with us.

"Have your children tested for STDs," said a Muslim family doctor during a health session at a Toronto mosque a few years ago. Her message was that unbeknownst to the audience, many of their children were sexually active from an early age.

An information session was organized Saturday at the MAC Youth Centre to explain Ontario’s updated Health and Physical Education curriculum to Muslim parents. The revised curriculum will be introduced in public schools starting September 2015.

When Muslim Link published the opinion piece, A Muslim Principal on Ontario's New Sex Ed Curriculum by jeewan chanicka, we did not expect how popular the article would be. But clearly the subject of the revised health curriculum is on many Muslim parents’ minds and communities across Ontario are organizing parent’s forums on the topic, such as the one being organized by Abraar School on May 2nd. Muslim Link plans to cover these events in Ottawa.

Muslim Link welcomes the current debate the recent changes to Ontario’s sexual education curriculum has stirred within the Muslim community particularly as it is encouraging parents to be more engaged in what their children are learning at school. We are publishing one perspective on the new curriculum from a Muslim Canadian principal in a Toronto-area public school. We hope to hear other perspectives on this issue and welcome submissions which are in agreement or in opposition. You may submit them to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. To view an opposing opinion, read this interview with Farina Siddiqui.