According to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook, the future is bright for health educators: “Overall employment of health educators and community health workers is projected to grow 16 percent from 2016 to 2026, much faster than the average for all occupations.”

By and large, I suspect most of us would agree with the observation that most of the community health educators we meet are women. But why is that? While by no means a large sample, for some perspective, I asked Tyler Anderson, William Tatum, and Nick Sufrinko if they would be willing to answer a few questions.

Tyler is no longer a health educator and is now with DHL Supply Chain.
William is a health educator with Baltimore City Health Department, Healthy Teens and Young Adults.
Nick started his work in health education at Maternal and Family Health Services and is now with Healthy Teen Network.

Here is some of what they shared:

None of them studied health education in college. William studied Social Work, Tyler has a degree in Human Communications, and Nick primarily studied English and Sociology but also has studied architecture, graphic design, city planning, and urban design.

Why they became community health educators…

Nick:
“To be honest, I never saw myself entering health education. It was never my favorite area of study in high school. It always seemed, so…clinical.

But in college, I discovered sociology, which allowed me to make sense of the world I grew up in, and the world around me at that time, which were sort of different places. (Most of the students I encountered in college came from wealthier backgrounds than where I am from.) As a young gay man coming to terms with my sexuality, the sociology of men and masculinities was quite interesting and validating. It gave me a language for which to talk about an oppression I have long felt but couldn’t articulate.

And that’s how I approach sexuality education. Not from a clinical perspective, but from a sociological and gender studies one. And so while I may have become a health educator because my background lent itself to public health communications, and because I was given opportunities by many individuals who believed in me, I think I stay because I can make sexual health education more of what I needed growing up: A bit less clinical, and a whole lot more aimed at an awakening of a critical consciousness, especially for sexuality-related issues.”

William:
“After a great interview with my current supervisor and the realization that I might be able to assist many of the young person’s [sic] I would be coming into contact with, I decided that my own personal experiences would be a great asset in working in this field [sic]”

Only one said they considered becoming a health educator in another setting (e.g., school or hospital).

William:
“No I did not consider another setting. Why? Because many of my own personal experiences involving unplanned pregnancy/sti’s [sic]/child support gave me a wealth of knowledge that I could use to help many of the kids that I would be assisting in working through these type of situations. I just would like the kids to not make many of the mistakes I made growing up.”

Tyler:

“I did consider becoming an actual teacher, but I would have had to go back to school and it didn’t make sense. Also there is a lack of available jobs [sic]”

Nick:
“Sure, and I have facilitated programs in a few schools and community settings in Northeastern Pennsylvania, and some sociology courses and gender studies at Penn State. However, the digital ‘setting’ is really my passion. It’s not only where youth (and adults!) spend most of their time, but it also allows for greater opportunities—opps that are not seized nearly enough by the field as a whole [sic] The internet’s pervasiveness allows us to reach more youth than ever before—even in areas where some adults in power may be hostile to inclusive and medically accurate sex ed. And its anonymity allows us to have more authentic and more meaningful conversations, especially among marginalized communities, such a trans youth, who may need it the most.”

Each was asked, “It seems that there are many more health educators who identify as female in the area of adolescent reproductive and sexual health. Why do you think this is true (or not)?” This is what William and Nick had to say.

William:
“I feel like this is true. Females seem to outnumber males in reproductive health. Males seem to get intimidated on any discussion involving the female and her reproductive cycle. In my opinion most males just do not to try to understand all the complications associated with this process. As a result, females tend to gravitate towards reproductive health because they know from personal experience its [sic] not as complicated as guys seem to make it out to be [sic]”

Nick:
“This makes sense, in a sense. Consider that sexuality broadly is tied up with so many oppressions, sexism, transphobia, homophobia, among them. Also consider that oppression is most invisible to those with power. For me at least, I became interested in and intrigued by sexuality because I was able to see and understand it quite clearly by experiencing homophobia first hand. I’d imagine many women can see and understand sexism on a level I can never understand, too. These lenses, these ways of seeing the world, provide not only an interest in the field, but also a desire to see the field, and the world change, especially how we approach sexuality and sexual health – change to a more equitable place.”

When asked, “How can the field of community health education appeal to professionals who identify as male?”
Tyler:
“More flexibility within the profession and a commitment to staying cutting edge as opposed to complacent.”

Nick:
“It’s my view that we desperately need to broaden our community health education conversations to move beyond the clinical, move beyond just pregnancy prevention and disease prevention. Not because these are incorrectly portrayed as ‘women’s health issues’ but because it’s been my experience that men, and young men especially, are really eager to talk about sexuality, especially as it relates to gender and masculinity. We just need to provide the space that they can do this—a task our current community health education model can never do. This, I think, is a key to attracting more male-identified professionals, and to make our messages more appealing to men as a whole.”

William and Tyler’s responses to “Are you still a community health educator? Why/Why not?”
William: “Yes I am still a Community Health Educator because I still enjoy working with kids and passing on information that will last them a life time [sic]”

Tyler: “No I left for other opportunities and financial security [sic]” He responded to my prompt question, “Additional things I should know/include about your experience as a male health educator?” Tyler wrote, “I wouldn’t trade it for the world, and I wish it could’ve worked out.”

So, my questions to you, my fellow health educators: Are Nick, William, and Tyler’s experiences similar to yours? Do you think your gender affects your perspective or experiences as a sexual health educator, on these issues?