This is the most underutilized tool. Romantic storylines in books, TV, and film (e.g., Heartstopper, Sex Education, even classic YA like The Fault in Our Stars) function as covert puberty education for most teens.
What storylines do well:
What they often miss or distort:
Traditional voorlichting has historically been heteronormative. Modern voorlichting is better, but popular romantic storylines are catching up. Shows like Heartstopper (Netflix) and Sex Education (also British, but widely consumed in the Netherlands) provide something remarkable: positive, awkward, consensual queer romance. This is the most underutilized tool
For a child going through puberty who is realizing they are not straight, these storylines are not just entertainment—they are survival guides. They offer the first templates for gay, bisexual, or asexual relationships that are not tragic (no bury-your-gays trope) or purely sexual. What they often miss or distort: Traditional voorlichting
Key insight: The best voorlichting now explicitly teaches kids to curate their own storylines. "Watch the first three episodes of a show. If all the romantic tension relies on lying, jealousy, or violation of privacy, that is a red flag for the writers, not for love." or violation of privacy
Romantic storylines always end at the first kiss, the wedding, or getting back together at the airport. They never show the next morning (bad breath, different sleep schedules), the first fight about money, or the awkward conversation about boundaries.