exclusive
The Christian sex education association “Teenstar” has been criticized several times for accusations of homophobia. After BRThe association is still active in research – and also offers courses at schools.
At the beginning of January, at the faith conference “More” in the Augsburg trade fair: A woman stands at a stand and wants to talk to people. Not an easy task. Most of the approximately 11,000 visitors to the “More” conference are devout Christians. The woman wants to talk to them about a topic that many in the church have long been silent about: sex.
The woman is the chairwoman of the non-profit sex education association “Teenstar Germany”. The association was founded in the USA in the 1980s by an Austrian gynecologist and Christian missionary. According to its own information, “Teenstar” is now available in almost 30 countries; it was founded in Germany in 2007. “Teenstar” offers educational courses for children and young people. But the club is not without controversy.
The current “Teenstar” materials in Germany, which are also on display at the trade fair in Augsburg, include a brochure entitled “Be a star of love and life”, which is aimed at young people. One chapter also deals with homosexuality. It says, among other things: Because of the “anatomy of the sexual organs,” men and women fit together like “lock and key.” Two men or two women would not fit together in that way.
Next: For most young people, homo-erotic feelings would go away on their own. You shouldn’t worry too much about it. “Above all, you should not commit yourself to it or think that you are now gay or lesbian,” the brochure says.
Experts criticize “teen star” content
Psychologist Christopher Knoll warns against this portrayal because it makes homosexuality among young people “invisible.” Knoll advises queer people at the gay communication and cultural center “Sub” in Munich: “As therapists, we experience this every day in the stories of adults who have struggled with difficult sexuality their entire lives and which is always rooted in sex-hostile soil.”
Ulrich Hoffmann, President of the Catholic Family Association and marriage and family counselor in the Diocese of Augsburg, describes the approach of “Teenstar” as “undercomplex.” The program spreads more fear and caution instead of encouraging young people. Hoffmann says: “The view of sexuality basically excludes homosexuality.” That’s why the homophobia accusation against “Teenstar” can definitely be accepted.
Chair: Don’t support coming out
The “Teenstar” club chairwoman says BR-Interview at the faith conference, the association does not support young people coming out. She justifies this with sexual fluidity in adolescence, which has been “scientifically explained a long time ago”.
The day after the interview, the chairwoman would like to withdraw the interview. From now on, a law firm will respond to further questions and explain that the association chairwoman does not want to be named.
Continue to be active in primary schools
The allegations against “Teenstar” are not new: in 2018, the magazine “Falter” in Austria published training materials from “Teenstar” in which homosexuality was presented as treatable and masturbation as a suffering. The Austrian Ministry of Education then temporarily recommended that they no longer work with “Teenstar”. “Teenstar” then apparently submitted updated documents. In Germany the debate received little attention. And “Teenstar” is still active.
In 2022 and 2023, the association said it held around 70 courses for primary school-age children nationwide. “A lot of it is extracurricular,” says “Teenstar”. Regarding the workshops for teenagers, it says: From 2021 to 2023, a total of around 280 young people took part in “Teenstar” workshops.
The association does not say at which schools the courses took place in the past two years. “For data protection reasons,” says the lawyer’s letter.
Cancellation of the “Teenstar” course in Bavaria
In the summer of 2022, the responsible school authority canceled a “Teenstar” course at a primary school in the Regensburg district. A mother drew attention to the course on Twitter. The Bavarian Ministry of Culture justified this with reference to the state guidelines on family and sex education. The Bavarian guidelines do not provide for the use of external providers when it comes to sex education in primary schools.
The demolition also ensured that members of the opposition in the Bavarian state parliament became interested in “Teenstar”. In response to inquiries from the FDP and the Greens, the state government said it had no knowledge of the association or of the controversy in Austria surrounding allegations of homophobia. Group members of the Green Party then suggested a whitelist, i.e. a list of positive examples from external providers of sex education. AfD, Free Voters and CSU rejected the proposal in the Bavarian state parliament.
Ministry: Brochure contradicts guidelines
Last year, according to the club’s chairmen, “Teenstar” organized a total of around 30 courses at primary and secondary schools in Bavaria. One BR-Inquiry with the Bavarian Ministry of Culture shows that the school authorities have no information about “Teenstar” courses. The ministry’s response also states that the passages about homosexuality in the “Teenstar” brochure contradict the mandatory guidelines on family and sex education for state schools.
The “Teenstar” lawyer, however, emphasizes: An examination by the Bavarian Ministry of Culture “would show that the course content is completely in line with the guidelines for family and sex education.”
The Bavarian Ministry of Culture writes that it will continue to pay close attention to compliance with state guidelines when it comes to sex education in the future and will intervene if necessary.