I found this article fascinating:

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3195051/chinese-education-authorities-back-lessons-love-students

China is considering creating standardized classes to teach the youth about love and sex.

The Chinese Ministry of Education has expressed support for classes to teach students the “correct view of love” and “vast and enthusiastic” activities on campus to promote the correct view of family life.

The ministry made the comments in August in response to a National People Congress deputy’s recommendation that family education should be made a compulsory course in universities and colleges.

It said it would encourage “vast and enthusiastic cultural activities on campus” and guide students in establishing “the correct view of love, marriage and family”, which includes the awareness of the family as “an important basis for national development, national progress, and social harmony”.

China has a big relationship problem, as does much of East Asia; men vastly outnumber women in China because of the effects of the One Child Policy. Neighboring Asian countries, like South Korea and Japan are also reporting record lows in marriage and children being born. This is just another effort from the Chinese government to rectify their declining birth rate.

I wonder if a concept like this could aid western countries. A lot of the complaints I see here from men are that they were not given the social skills to communicate with women and that women have impossible standards. Likewise, most of the complaints here from women are that men are not emotionally intelligent or socially adept enough to be in relationships. Theoretically, these classes could help bridge the communication gap between the genders to make socialization and partnering easier, especially for neuroatypical people or those with more introverted personalities. This curriculum could also offer more comprehensive sex-ed, which might aid in the orgasm gap between men and women.

Chinese netizens themselves seem mixed on it:

But another popular Weibo user known as “Mr Mingde” questioned whether university staff were the right people to teach about healthy relationships, given a series of scandals involving lecturers and their students.

“First of all, we should strengthen the psychological education of college teachers. Teachers’ morality comes first … It won’t be too late to educate the students after educating the teachers,” he wrote.

Others praised the measure as a correct step to normalise conversations about love and sex, and hoped the classes would serve to counter sexual violence and promote safe and healthy sex.

Personally, I agree with the first comment; I don't know if I trust the government to give unbiased education on interpersonal relationships. What happens if a specific teacher has an agenda to push? Would the government only sponsor heteronormative education and teach specific gender roles? Or would there be inclusion for LGBTQ and unconventional relationships, like polyamory? Would people even feel comfortable taking a class on love and relationships, or would it be "cringey" that you'd need a class in the first place?

I'd like to hear y'all's thoughts:

Do you think classes on love, sex, and socialization are possible solutions to dating problems in the modern world?

Would you take this class, if offered? Should it be required? What would you like to see taught?