Minnesota community college pushes 'inclusive' seminar series 'Sex Ed You Wish You Had'

A Minnesota mother is speaking out after her 17-year-old son, a Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) student at North Hennepin Community College (NHCC), received promotional emails from the school advertising a sex education seminar and drag performance.

NHCC invited a self-described “gender queer” and “neurodivergent” therapist to run a multi-part seminar titled “Sex Ed You Wish You Had: Beyond the Basics,” a program designed to provide what organizers describe as “trauma-informed and inclusive” sex education for students.

The sessions are led by licensed counselor Dan Piñon of Alma Counseling Services, a practice focused on “complex grief, neurodivergence, burnout, relational trauma, family of origin wounds, somatic-based practices, and identity exploration.”

According to Alpha News, the event’s registration form, Piñon’s goal is to “provide a supportive space that centers the real-life experiences of queer, trans, BIPOC, disabled, fat, kinky, and non-monogamous individuals.” The seminar promises to explore a wide range of topics, including anatomy, sexually transmitted infections, consent, pleasure, pornography, body image, sensory issues and sex, and communication, all presented through what organizers call “a trauma-informed and inclusive lens.”

NHCC’s Diversity Department also hosted a drag performer known as “Lala Luzious” for an LGBTQ+ History Month event. Posters described the event as featuring “a presentation on the history of drag and a special performance.”

Both the drag show and the sex education seminar were promoted via emails distributed to the student body, which includes PSEO students.

One mother, who spoke to Alpha News on the condition of anonymity, said she was shocked to see these programs promoted to her 17-year-old son, who takes an online class at NHCC through the PSEO program. PSEO allows high school students in grades 10 through 12 to take college courses for both high school and college credit.

“I was disgusted to see this type of ‘sexual education’ being promoted by our local community college,” the mother said. “When we decided to pursue PSEO classes, we were not expecting our child to be lured into a series of sex ed classes to learn about kink and porn, or offered an on-campus drag performance, by the Dean of Student Development.”

She continued, “It is wrong to think that we need to ‘affirm’ this type of sexual behavior in order to give our young people a positive impression of sexuality.”

In a statement to the outlet, a spokesperson for North Hennepin Community College said the institution “offers a variety of optional programs that reflect the broad interests and backgrounds of our student body.”

“Events such as ‘Sex Ed You Wish You Had: Beyond the Basics’ and LGBTQ+ History Month were designed to provide voluntary, age-appropriate educational opportunities,” the spokesperson added.

NHCC emphasized that the programs are “led by qualified professionals” and that communications about campus activities are sent “to all students, including those in the Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) program, in accordance with applicable guidelines.”

“We recognize that families may hold differing views on campus programming and encourage open dialogue between students and their families regarding participation in optional events,” the spokesperson added. “NHCC values transparency and remains focused on providing high-quality education and meaningful engagement opportunities for all students.”